Before you skip reading the rest of this post, this is not your typical yoga. I've done yoga before and found it somewhat boring and not a great workout, especially if I'm going to be spending 45-60 minutes out of my day doing it. We all know how precious time is - I want to maximize my workout in the short time I have available, and need something that challenges me.
So I said this wasn't your typical yoga; going through poses at a slow pace with slow music that nearly puts you to sleep. This is much, much different. Yes, you still perform the same poses, but at a much faster pace, in a heated room, with new, modern music. My favorite class is sculpt, where you perform yoga with hand weights, bands or a ball.
The heat in the room takes some getting used to-if it's been a few days between my sessions, I usually find it hard to adjust to the warmth at first. It's great knowing all that sweating you are doing is getting rid of "toxins", (or that Scratch cupcake I ate the day before). After my sculpt class this week, I left the studio thinking it was the best workout I had had in a long time, possibly ever. It's so different than going out and running 20 miles. I love how easy this is on my joints, how more flexible I have become and the strength I am gaining in my upper and lower body, along with my core. It will be a great accompaniment to my running.
Yoga also cleanses your mind and forces you to disconnect from the rest of the world for an hour. I hate how we are all constantly needing to be stimulated, whether it be watching TV, talking on the phone, or searching the Internet. Think about it, when was the last time you just sat in a room, without any interruptions? Even when we go to a gym to work out, we often watch television or play on our iPads to make the time go faster. It's so bad that when I have time where I'm not doing anything, I need to pick up my phone and play on it. These classes force me to disconnect for an hour, giving my full concentration to what I'm doing and the benefits I am gaining from it. The instructors help you focus on your practice, telling you to forget about the stressors in everyday life. They always leave you with a bit of advice at the end of the class, and you can't help but walk out of there feeling great.
Justin actually recommended I try this, and got me a groupon to try it out. They also offer a free week of classes so I decided to give it a shot. I loved it so much, I went to 6 classes during my free week of classes. I'm impressed by the variety of people who attend-guys and gals ranging in all ages. This is definitely a "sport" for all ages and the benefits are numerous-increased flexibility, weight loss, increased metabolism, and increased muscle strength. It also helps to de-clutter the mind and relieve stress (both necessities for this lady).
So give it a try, you may just become addicted too!
So give it a try, you may just become addicted too!
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