This is where I learn acceptance for myself.
See I'm not a naturally bendy person. Seriously when I was a kid I could punish at all the elements of the Presidential Fitness test except for the dreaded Sit and Reach. I couldn't even reach the lines with the numbers on them. I blame this on my long legs, my short torso and what I believe to be short hamstrings.
Flash forward to adulthood. I took Yoga classes at my Y but I was never that excited about it. I would be happily hit the snooze button and skip yoga class. But that changed. I got in a car accident and I had to trade my running workouts for yoga. I stopped skipping my yoga class and I even added yoga to my life at home using the Wii Fit.
Yoga is great for writers. We spend days hunched over a computer. Yoga can give those muscles a break.
Here are my tips for yoga
1. There is no prize on the floor.
2. Don't compare yourself to other people. Sometimes I close my eyes during poses so I don't look at other people.
3. Find someone in the class who is at your level. When I need to modify I look to one of the 65 year old men in the room for modifications.
4. Try out different teachers/styles. If your gym offers yoga it is probably taught by different teachers throughout the week. Different teachers have different teaching styles. There are also different styles of yoga.
5. Accept yourself.
If you want to try some yoga check out some of these resources.
Yoga for Artists , a free pdf by Cyn Narcisi
YogiChocolate download yoga classes, donation based.
Yoga Journal a yoga magazine. A great way to learn more about poses and yoga practice
My Yoga Studio- a yoga workout on your Kindle
My favorite Yogi
Do you practice yoga? Has it helped you with your writing?
9 comments:
I'm impressed, Carrie. Reaching my toes has always been a struggle. I too, could never get to the positive numbers on that dreaded line.
And you do Yoga. Makes me think I could look into it after all.
I've been trying to get into Yoga for years. It's hard to get a routine going, though, with so much else going on. It IS relaxing, though. I have a feeling I'd love it if I did it more often.
When I had Linklater training in college a lot of yoga poses was involved. I'm a fan of the ones that can double as sleep poses.
I've been thinking a lot about trying yoga lately, I think I would really enjoy it. Thanks for sharing the links, I'm going to check them out.
Almost to Z! :)
I also wrote about yoga and how it has given me a better body image. It has also helped with recovery of my deer/car collisons.
Wow, I wish I still did yoga. I was really active during my three pregnancies (go figure, I get fat and limber up) but now it just seems so hard for me to get back into it. I'm a tennis and jogging gal now:)
It doesn't help my writing but it does "miracles" for my blood pressure and my sanity...
I have practiced yoga, but my body and soul would appreciate if I practiced it more ;') Have a great Z
I don't but I should my back has been giving me trouble for a while now!
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