Yoga and how I love thee.....

So I subbed a Body Flow class this morning and it got me thinking how much I really enjoy that class. I wish I could teach it/do it more often. I've also thought about how far I've come in 4 years. That's right. I've been teaching it for almost 4 years now! Geez!

Initially when I signed up for the Body Flow training, I had no idea what I was in for. That was my fault too. I didn't do my research at all. But I think it was a blessing in disguise because if I had known that it involved yoga, tai chi, and pilates, I would have never done it. Shoot, I even came without a yoga mat the first day. That's how clueless I was. I remember that first day of training too. I was completely sore. Every muscle and bone in my body ached. Yet I felt wonderful all at the same time. I completed the training over the course of 3 days and I have to say that it's one of the best things that I could have ever done for myself. It opened another door to fitness that I never knew was there. Up until then, I thought yoga was for wimps. I thought, "How on earth can this be a good workout if you're just sitting there humming for one hour?" Boy was that a misconception. It's NOTHING like that. The "humming" was part of a relaxation/meditation and we don't even do things like that in a Body Flow class. It's the poses that make up a large portion of the class.

My strength and flexibility have improved dramatically. Even Richard agrees that my body took on a different shape when I started teaching Body Flow. My back felt better than it had in years. I felt more relaxed and at ease after a class. I felt like I could conquer any task. I loved that feeling. One of the biggest benefits was finding another workout to sustain my craving for the gym. I just needed a break from all of the cardio that I was doing and Body Flow provided this. It provided an awesome workout that was very complementary to everything else that I was doing. So my risk of injury probably decreased as well. It also acted as an "escape" and proved to be very therapeutic for the mind and the body.

Recently I encountered a member of the gym that took my class. She'd always been such an advocate for all of the cardio classes too. After my class, she told me how she had gotten into doing Flow and she really enjoys it and she craves it after days of doing other, more intense things. She said that it makes her feel better about herself and her body. I totally saw myself in her! I just love it when other people "get it" and come to understand what the wonderful world of yoga is all about.

Another positive thing about Body Flow is that I can teach it forever if I want to. That class knows no age. I have had a 65 year old man come in to class and perform headstands before class and after. He's only been doing yoga for 7 years or so, but he's in awesome physical shape. He's an inspiration to me.

Yoga is the most gentle exercise that you can give your body. There are too many benefits to name. I cannot say enough good things about it. So if you can get your hands on a video or attend a class at a gym, then do so. I promise that it'll leave you standing taller, and you'll feel relaxed and better than ever.

If you want to learn more about Body Flow, go here.

For more information on yoga, go here.

Namaste! ;)