Yoga, Where Have You Gone?

Here I am at 34 and about to tell a "when I was young" story. . . I had a VCR of Yoga for Dummies that I got cheap on Amazon.  I remember yoga.  Friendly, calm, encouraging yoga.  We were friends.  Granted, I was 25, a good 70 lbs lighter, and I had less of an understanding of my body's limits.  

So, now that I'm working out with my friend Greta after school three to four times a week, trying to watch what I eat, and since I've lost 15 lbs since the beginning of the school year, I thought I would mix it up.  I remembered my fondness for yoga and I purchased Gaiam Beginner's Yoga 4 Disc Set from Target for $15.  Not bad.

Cut to today.  It's 6:13 a.m. on a cool Sunday in November.  Daylight Savings day.  My eyes popped open at 4:20.  It took about an hour to convince myself that I've been given the gift of an extra hour to work out, but finally I got out of bed.  I put on my workout clothes, pulled my hair back, and went down to the living room to start my new yoga routine.  It took a while to figure out how to switch to our little used DVD player from our wii, but I did it.  SO EXCITED!

I learned a few things today.  I learned that my flexibility is even more limited than I thought.  I learned that fat gets in the way when trying to do most of these poses.  I learned I hate this lady. I couldn't get the first position she had us start, which is like criss-cross applesauce, only without the ankles crossing (one ankle in front of the other.  Can't do that, and when I say I can't do that, I mean I physically cannot do that.  My legs just refuse to go that way.  I ended up with one leg about halfway pulled in and the other leg slightly bent and then eventually straight ahead.  Alright.  I was still stretching and I still could practice my yoga breathing.  She had us pull our knees into our chest. Again, can't do that.  What came next, I wasn't prepared for.  She wanted me to roll back and forth along my spine.  I don't think that was supposed to be painful.  She seemed to enjoy it.  My poor tailbone especially had a hard time.  It's been sore for a while from sitting in my comfy chair too long and too often.  I did like the way she talked me through transitioning from sitting on the floor to standing.  That maneuver has become less than graceful through the years.  Still, the more I got into the routine, the more I had trouble following her instructions.  Real trouble.  I ended up sitting on the floor and just breathing and moving my arms.  This chick is crazy.  I am now sitting in my comfy chair with my laptop on my lap, watching her do things that I couldn't dream of doing on my best days.  And I have 4 DISCS of this!!  Four discs of inadequacy.

My next move is to research yoga for fat people.  (Side note, she has just pressed her shin into her face. WHO DOES THAT?!)  Surely there are tips out there for the less than flexible.

****Researching****

Youtube videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZNns5tamRY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ahlwer-Vd8&feature=related

MegaYoga book on Amazon that has a lot to offer just in the Look Inside part:
http://www.amazon.com/Megayoga-Megan-Garcia/dp/0756619475/ref=pd_cp_mov_0

I have learned that I need props.  I have also learned not to take form as seriously.  I mean not worrying about keeping my legs together in child's pose.  I'm sure I knew this at one point, but I have to make exceptions for my "budda belly".  If I widen my legs a bit, my tummy has somewhere to go.  Okay.  Good to know.  If I can remember to bring my sewing machine to school, maybe Greta can help me learn how to thread it and therefore I can be on my way to making one of those tube pillows.  Or maybe I can just find one. . .

Props:  Tube Shaped Pillow, Yoga Bricks, Straps.
Props I have:  Coffee Table, Wall

I'm feeling better about yoga now.  I just reserved a book online from the library:  Big Yoga.    It doesn't look as cool as MegaYoga, but I can't afford to buy more stuff right now.  200 pages?  Hopefully there are some pictures.  We'll see.  I'll just keep trying to do my DVD with modifications that feel better for me.

Maybe I'll dig my Yoga for Dummies VCR tape out of the basement.  I just remember it being easier.