My Third Eye

Apparently I have one.  Go figure.

  

As much as I like swimming, I've been thinking that I should change up my workouts before my body and I get into a rut.  Last week I started adding interval training into my swims, and then I stepped things up another notch by using fins to strengthen my legs.  Still, swimming is swimming.  Today I switched my routine entirely by attending my first ever yoga class, and there I learned about my extra eye.

  

I spoke with the people at the front desk of the gym yesterday to figure out which classes would be best for a beginner (and someone not in the best physical shape).  The women there assured me that I would be fine in any class- idiots! I then went online to see if I could get more info on specific classes, but the schedule just calls each class 'yoga'- clearly missing a necessary adjective or two.  BUT, the information page online states that people should start in the beginners class to learn proper positions, poses, etc.  Yeah, easier said than done! 

  

So I went to the gym a bit early to have another chat with the rocket scientists at the front desk.  Lucky for me the yoga instructor had just walked in and was standing next to me, so we talked for a minute or two.  He told me that some of the positions would be difficult but that I should definitely come in and try.  And try I did.  Oh, and I forgot to mention that this is the only 90 minute class of the week.  I knew I was in a bit over my head when one of the women was doing handstands against the mirror to warm up, but my mat was too far from the door to escape (and yes, I planned it that way).  

  

After getting over my silent giggles- as in damn, I look dumb doing this and WHAT does he mean by breathing through my feet- I had a pretty good time.  I could not hold some of the poses for as long as the other participants in the room (like the plank- not so easy), but I also had 100-120 lbs on most of these women and was a yoga virgin.  At one point the skinny minny next to me actually fell over trying to hold a pose, and that made me smile more than a bit. 

Yeah, I'm not there yet...

My funniest moment was towards the end of the class (which wound up being 100 minutes including the cool down period).  We were all on our backs, and the instructor wanted us to put our feet over our heads and then make them go past our heads so they would be resting on the floor.  Ha ha ha.  I got my legs/feet somewhere towards perpendicular to the floor, and I expected that there they would stay.  I was wrong.  The guy took my legs and pushed them until my knees were just about behind my head and my feet were even further from their natural position.  I didn't even care that my big ole arse was sticking out for all to see, but it must have been quite a view. 

   

Let's see if I can actually pull myself out of bed in the morning.  If I can, I might try to make this my weekly Friday workout. 

   

Happy Friday!