I found out that there is a semi-early morning yoga class at my gym 2 days a week that I can take before I go to work. I've been wanting to do this because I've read, and been told, that it can really help running to work on flexibility and core strength.
So, today, I want to yoga class. I went to one once earlier this year (hatha, super easy) and another one that was advanced (too advanced) but this was was level I-II so I figured I was safe.
I have always been very, very flexible. When I was younger, I was in gymnastics, and did the vaulthorse and balance beam. I could do a backbend and touch my toes to my head. Even into my early 40s I continued to be flexible, so I figured that this class would be good for maintaining my flexibility.
I knew that I needed to warm up my muscles before I stretch them, so I did my upper body lifting routine, a
nd then ran about a mile at a good pace. Then, I headed up to the yoga studio.Here's the thing about yoga. First off, it seems that in time that I've been working on weight-training and speedwork, I've apparently turned into a block of wood. The instructor even came over and tried, very gently, to help me down into some of the poses that used to be easy, but I told her, "Trust, me, this is as good as it gets." My hamstrings, especially, and my quads, are very, very tight. No seriously. I couldn't bend as far as I used to, and they are bigger, so they seemed to be in the way when I tried to kneel, or maybe that was my quads, who also refused to stretch.
The other thing about yoga it is a magnet for the passive-aggressive whining type. who complains about about every damned little thing. Most of them are women, and they are an embarassment to my gender.
Everyone in there is senitive to something. It's too cold. It's too hot. or rather, "is anyone but me in here cold?" (No.) and, "are these mats natural or synthetic?" "There's a funny smell coming from the heater; maybe we should turn it off so that we're not exposed to anything toxic." and the ever popular, "what are you drinking? tea? oh, green tea is so good for yo--it has SPLENDA in it? OMG, you should never drink diet drinks. They are so toxic."
And, it seemed that it wasn't enough that a couple people in there were extremely sensitive to all sorts of things, and deal with it, but for some reason, we all needed to know about it, so it was verbalized. Constantly.
Anyway, it was an hour and fifiteen, and I did a lot of good stretching in the hips and legs, and discovered that my left hip is a bit weaker than my right and my right hip is less flexible than my left and my hamstrings don't stretch at ALL.
But they will. I'm going to do this twice a week until I get my flexibility back. Maybe I can wear earplugs or something.
And I found a hair dresser.
All in all, a good day....
