Yoga……. I’m converted!

I’ve always considered myself reasonably fit, I know my flexibility could be better , as like many people I often opt for an extra ten minutes on the treadmill when  I know I should be stretching! So this year while on holiday I decided to do something about it and ventured into a yoga class. I figured it would be the good stretch that I was longing for and a gentle holiday workout. Boy was I wrong!!

I walked into the fitness studio in my usual “gym bunny” gear and trainers, mistake number one, everyone else had left their shoes neatly lined up outside. So I went back out and added mine to the row. Never mind start again. I looked around the studio to see what the “norm” was; I may as well have put a neon light on my head, “newbie”!! Everyone was perched on their mats, some had taken the blue ones from the pile in the corner and some clearly pros as they had their own rolled up in nifty little carry cases. I usually head straight to the front of fitness classes to get a good view of the instructor and plenty of room to bounce around, but for some reason this time I thought it best to hide at the back, I did not want to end up next to the carry cases bending in all shapes when I’m as stiff as a board. By this point I was saying to myself there was still time to scramble out unnoticed and jump straight on my comfort blanket, the treadmill! I didn’t I sucked it up and carried on thinking this stretching will do me the world of good and I’m on holiday I can afford to take things slightly easier. Mistake number two.

After a brief introduction the instructor started calling out things and getting himself into positions that I can only describe as something I did with my “Stretch Armstrong” toy as a child. Downward dog, child’s pose, press position, warrior, triangle pose some of a few that we worked our way through. I copied the instructor and the carry cases! We repeated the routine a few times concentrating on our breathing, it was tough. The strength needed to hold some of those positions for five breaths was unreal, that’s before you take into account the flexibility needed to get into the position in the first place. It wasn’t long before the instructor had found me at the back and was assisting that flexibility of mine, “sensations” he said “not pain”.  We worked our way through three sequences of movements repeating all the time and holding for five breaths. I really got into it by the second sequence and then pain, oh sorry; sensations seemed to be getting somewhere. My hips started to fell loser, I could feel my spine lengthening although it was still physically very demanding.

I left the studio feeling a lot lighter in my body but I still had my hard work sweat patches and had finished my full water bottle. I had never experienced anything like it, my body felt energised and calm at the same time. Needless to say I was there bright and early the next day with my shoes lined up outside and I’m pretty sure it won’t be long before I have my own mat in a nifty carry case.

Article by Rachel Williams

Fully qualified personal trainer and group exercise instructor