247CM Fotografi | Diggy Lloyd
247CM Fotografi | 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 .
Jag försökte koncentrera mig på min andning, hålla ögonen stängda och till och med torka rent. Ju mer jag försökte, desto mer började jag tänka på allt från jobb till ärenden till det där jobbiga jag sa en gång i gymnasiet.
Vi började lätt med en bergsställning för att få igång våra kroppar. Så småningom byggde vi upp till andra klassiska poser som nedåtvänd hund , roterad triangel och sidoplanka . Själva passet utmanade definitivt mina muskler och fick mig att svettas lite, speciellt för att jag inte är van vid att göra plankor och förvränga min kropp på det sätt som yogan kräver. Det var imponerande att se hur lätt några av männen och kvinnorna fick det att se ut. Jag, å andra sidan, kunde inte komma i tankesättet att slappna av - att träna i den långsamma, medvetna takten bara uttråkade mig.
Jag älskar att gå till gymmet för ett svettpass eftersom det tar bort allt som tynger mig den dagen. När det inte finns någon hög musik eller konstanta rörelser för att kanalisera min energi, som under yoga, sitter jag kvar med mina tankar. Jag försökte koncentrera mig på min andning, hålla ögonen stängda och till och med torka rent. Ju mer jag försökte, desto mer började jag tänka på allt från jobb till ärenden till det där jobbiga jag sa en gång i gymnasiet.
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 , skulle passa mig bättre, men jag är inte optimistisk. Yogans övergripande atmosfär är helt enkelt inte för mig, och det är 100 procent OK. Jag kommer att hålla mig till cardio och vikter. . . och bara Namaste bort från yoga från och med nu.
