Days 4 and 5
I've just finished Day 4 of Do Yoga Yoga With Me's 14-day Challenge. But in reality, it's day 5. Yesterday I opted out of the online challenge in favour of Walid's 75-minute Ashtanga Yoga class at The Hundred. I normally don't do Ashtanga yoga so I wasn't sure what to expect from this particular style as it has a reputation for being physically tough. Wow! What an amazing session. It isn't often that I get to attend a class where the instructor offers loads of helpful hints and adjustments catered to my specific needs. I felt like a beginner but for all the right reasons. It was as if I was learning all sorts of new information about my body and the way I move. It helps that I've been doing pilates with Walid since September 2016, so he is familiar with my past injuries, my strengths and areas that need improvement. (notice that I didn't use the word "weaknesses"?) Then yesterday afternoon I attended swim training with Speedo Swim Squad. Dan, one of the coaches, was so great in helping me address some strength building in my quads and hamstrings. By the end of the session, I was feeling like a strong mermaid, speeding through the lanes...okay - strong and tired - but a mermaid nonetheless!
Today I applied Walid's cues and adjustments to my Day 4 (reality Day 5) online session with Fiji McAlpine and what a difference it made in my practice! The strength I feel in my body and the overall benefit and enjoyment I got out of the session is noticeable. I think this is a lesson to me and perhaps for others that sticking with one yoga teacher or style isn't always in the best benefit for your body. Change it up, listen to the cues and advice. Also incorporating other physical movement, like swimming, jogging, tennis, etc is a great way to get a deeper understanding of how you move, what areas need more attention and what areas need to take a break. For example, I often allow my lower back to do the work when really my hamstrings and quads should be the main players. The result has been thigh muscles that aren't as strong as they should be and a lower back that is overstrained. Does that sound familiar to anyone else?
I'm looking forward to incorporating what I've learned in the last couple of days with my clients.
Onward and upward!
I've just finished Day 4 of Do Yoga Yoga With Me's 14-day Challenge. But in reality, it's day 5. Yesterday I opted out of the online challenge in favour of Walid's 75-minute Ashtanga Yoga class at The Hundred. I normally don't do Ashtanga yoga so I wasn't sure what to expect from this particular style as it has a reputation for being physically tough. Wow! What an amazing session. It isn't often that I get to attend a class where the instructor offers loads of helpful hints and adjustments catered to my specific needs. I felt like a beginner but for all the right reasons. It was as if I was learning all sorts of new information about my body and the way I move. It helps that I've been doing pilates with Walid since September 2016, so he is familiar with my past injuries, my strengths and areas that need improvement. (notice that I didn't use the word "weaknesses"?) Then yesterday afternoon I attended swim training with Speedo Swim Squad. Dan, one of the coaches, was so great in helping me address some strength building in my quads and hamstrings. By the end of the session, I was feeling like a strong mermaid, speeding through the lanes...okay - strong and tired - but a mermaid nonetheless!
Today I applied Walid's cues and adjustments to my Day 4 (reality Day 5) online session with Fiji McAlpine and what a difference it made in my practice! The strength I feel in my body and the overall benefit and enjoyment I got out of the session is noticeable. I think this is a lesson to me and perhaps for others that sticking with one yoga teacher or style isn't always in the best benefit for your body. Change it up, listen to the cues and advice. Also incorporating other physical movement, like swimming, jogging, tennis, etc is a great way to get a deeper understanding of how you move, what areas need more attention and what areas need to take a break. For example, I often allow my lower back to do the work when really my hamstrings and quads should be the main players. The result has been thigh muscles that aren't as strong as they should be and a lower back that is overstrained. Does that sound familiar to anyone else?
I'm looking forward to incorporating what I've learned in the last couple of days with my clients.
Onward and upward!
