247CM fotografering | Diggy Lloyd
247CM fotografering | Diggy Lloyd
Going to a yoga class has always sounded to me like going on a bad Tinder date — you know you aren't interested within the first 10 minutes, but you're already there, so you feel like you have to stick it out for at least an hour.
For years, I avoided taking what seems to be everyone's preferred fitness class. Whenever I chatted about workouts with friends, the conversation eventually led to favorite workouts , how tough they were, and if they were worth returning to. When yoga was brought up, most people were shocked that I had gone this long without ever taking a class.
The truth is, I never took a yoga class not because I was reluctant to try something new, but because I had always felt like I wouldn't like it. I've always loved high-energy workouts that keep me moving at a fast pace. You can usually catch me at the gym starting off with 45 minutes of cardio on the treadmill, elliptical, or stair climber, then, moving to weight machines and free weights for both my upper and lower body. Yoga seemed like the total opposite of exercise I would enjoy doing. Plus, I'm not exactly what you would call a calm person — I won the 'Most Talkative' superlative in the fifth grade for crying out loud.
After turning down invites to join my mom and my best friend for their weekly yoga class for over a year now (yes, they're friends), I was on a business trip and was offered the opportunity to take a yoga class. I took it, even though I wasn't thrilled about the idea. I was going to be among other fitness editors and writers my age and thought that, if anything, it would be a good bonding activity. I was also curious to see if what I thought would make me dislike yoga would happen to be true. For the record, I went into it with an open mind and was prepared to be zen AF, but it didn't go quite like that.
It was warm, comfortable morning at an outdoor venue with dozens of eager yogis and occasional class goers gathering for a 9 a.m. Vinyasa yoga session. I felt super official in my no-slip grip socks and excited to get my workout done first thing in the morning .
Jeg prøvde å konsentrere meg om pusten, holde øynene lukket og til og med tørke tankene mine. Jo mer jeg prøvde, jo mer begynte jeg å tenke på alt fra jobb til ærend til det pinlige jeg en gang sa på videregående.
Vi startet enkelt med en fjellstilling for å få kroppen i gang. Etter hvert bygget vi opp til andre klassiske positurer som nedovervendt hund , rotert trekant og sideplanke . Selve treningsøkten utfordret definitivt musklene mine og fikk meg til å svette litt, spesielt fordi jeg ikke er vant til å gjøre planker og forvrenge kroppen på den måten som yoga krever. Det var imponerende å se hvor enkelt noen av mennene og kvinnene fikk det til å se ut. Jeg, på den annen side, klarte ikke å komme i tankegangen til å slappe av - å trene i det sakte, oppmerksomme tempoet kjedet meg bare.
Jeg elsker å gå på treningssenteret for en svetteøkt fordi det tar bort alt som tynger meg den dagen. Når det ikke er høy musikk eller konstante bevegelser for å kanalisere energien min, som under yoga, sitter jeg igjen med tankene mine. Jeg prøvde å konsentrere meg om pusten, holde øynene lukket og til og med tørke tankene mine. Jo mer jeg prøvde, jo mer begynte jeg å tenke på alt fra jobb til ærend til det pinlige jeg en gang sa på videregående.
Yoga is harder than meets the eye — I was sore the next day — so I'm not bashing its physical aspect at all, but mentally I don't think I could ever truly relax and appreciate each and every muscle movement as other people in the class did. Hats off to them, but it's just not me. Regardless, I went through all the moves and tried to pull off the yogi persona as well as well as I possibly could. Honestly, the only thing getting me through the class was knowing I could grab breakfast afterwards. I was waiting to experience the relaxation that everyone talks about (and trust me, I tried), but instead I just found myself wishing that I was exuding more energy in my workout.
Sure, every yoga class is different and maybe another version, like a cardio-yoga hybrid class , ville passet bedre for meg, men jeg er ikke optimistisk. Den generelle stemningen til yoga er bare ikke for meg, og det er 100 prosent OK. Jeg holder meg til cardio og vekter. . . og bare Namaste unna yoga fra nå av.
