My Yoga History

Hi there!

Sorry for the lack of posting, it ended up that I didn’t get a chance on Friday after the conference (and didn’t want to buy internet for $17.95!) and I ended up running out of time both Saturday and Sunday night.  I’m back though

So, I had the opportunity to attend a workshop with Baron Baptiste called “Being of Power”.  In case it seems that I’m all-about-yoga-all-of-a-sudden, I want to give you a little background.  When I went away to school my freshman year of college, one of my roommates and I got really into Bikram yoga.  For about a year we did 3-5 classes per week and I really liked the challenge of hot yoga.  When I transferred from that school to one with no good hot yoga studios nearby, I got into other forms of fitness (running, teaching group fitness, lifting, etc.).  Well, when we moved to Boulder right after getting married (in 2006), I joined a CorePower studio and thus began my love affair with heated power yoga.

When we moved back to Lawrence in 2009 for Colin’s law school experience, I did the best I could without a CorePower studio.  I took some “regular” yoga classes but, to me, they’re just no comparison.  I tried to do a weekly (or monthly?!) podcast but it was never quite the same.  When we moved back to Colorado, on the very first day I signed up again and have taken 4-5 classes a week for the past five months.  I found something I truly enjoy.

The thing I love about power yoga is that it’s a cardio, strength, flexibility, and mind/body workout all wrapped up into one.  At various times throughout class my heart beats uncontrollably, I feel a bit nauseated, my shoulders burn, I’m out of breath, and I wonder if my hamstrings can stretch any further.  When my hour, 75-minutes, or 90-minutes are up, I always feel lighter, more balanced, and energized.

***

Being the perpetual nerd student that I am, I began researching and reading about the different styles and methods of yoga.  I found Baptiste yoga and it really spoke to me.  I’ve read two of his books and the opportunity to get to meet him (!) was an awesome experience.

This workshop was all day Friday (9-4:30) and for the morning we worked nothing but technique.  Wow, I learned so much!  Not only that, I picked up a bunch of body weight strength exercises for my boot campers.  When lunch rolled around we were starving and already starting to feel sore.

After a quick lunch, we headed back for an hour of discussion and then a 90-minute master class.  It.  Was.  Intense.

***

That evening we moseyed around the expo (there were tons of vendors:  Lululemon, Whole Foods, Manduka, Luna, Tulsi Tea…to name a few!) chatting with people and trying samples.  When we got back to our room it was 8:00 pm and we were ready to crash!  I took a shower, got into bed, watched a few episodes of Gossip Girl on Netflix and was out.  It was magical

Saturday morning we all woke up SO SORE!  I’m talking muscle soreness in places I haven’t been sore in a long time.  We ventured to farmer’s market at the Ferry Building, then on a long walk at Chrissy Field.  Basically, we had a view of the Golden Gate Bridge the entire time and that, too, was magical!  I love California.

That evening we headed up to Sonoma to spend the night at my parent’s house.  It was a pretty mellow night complete with amazing seafood and lots of good conversation.

***

Yesterday morning we started our day with an awesome class at Three Dog.  Anna, the owner and one of the main teachers, is phenomenal and the community is fantastic.  Although I was still pretty sore, it felt great to move and was truly one of the fastest 75-minute classes of my life!

The rest of the day was spent in route to the airport in shifts.  I got to spend a few solid hours with my sister who is, without-a-doubt, my best friend in the entire world.  There is never enough time together!

***

I had the day off from work today (hooray!) and enjoyed having a catch-up day.

Breakfast first:

[toast+almond butter+cinnamon+1/2 banana]

I took the dog on a 3.5 mile walk/run in the gorgeous sunshine.  It hit 60° here and was absolutely perfect…not a cloud in the sky.  I can’t wait for spring!

After cleaning up, I tried a new-to-me shake that I got in my swag bag from the conference and it was delicious.  It also fueled me for some returns/shopping/errands.

I had way low expectations as I usually don’t love the taste of protein powder plain, but this was great.  I mixed it with 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk in a shaker cup and bam!

When I got home from running around, I whipped up a quick late lunch/snack which hit the spot.

This was just enough to give me energy for CorePower class tonight, but not enough to leave me feeling weighed down or too full.  And class was tough.  It was PACKED and hot and sweaty and fun!

***

I prepped our dinner stuff before I left for class and all I had to do was cook when I got home.  Colin manned the grill and I did the veggies.

Now I’m enjoying some dark chocolate (duh!) and tea before bed.

Soooooooo…phew!  I think you’re caught up.  Sorry for the wordy post

I have a cycling evaluation tomorrow morning followed by a full day of work, an appointment, and some catching up with friends via the phone.

Have a great day!

*TIP TIME*
Think about your fitness history and how you got where you are today.  Maybe it was an influential person, a mentor, a teacher, a friend, or a family member.  Next time you see them, be sure to thank them for helping you along your journey, then think about those whom you have the power to influence.