After absorbing the doom and gloom post election, I was ready to get back to my mind body workout. The plan: yoga at my usual spot first thing in the morning.
When I arrived at the studio and unrolled my mat, the instructor had us begin by lying on our backs. I immediately questioned my choice of yoga that morning.
What?!?! I got myself out of bed at the crack of dawn to come here and lie down?
Why didn’t I go for a run?
The thoughts were racing through my brain with extra emphasis on the word racing…my mind was in full-on 5k mode!
As I settled into a reclining twist, I couldn’t help but wish I had chosen cardio for that morning.
So what’s a yogi to do?
Slow down with the breath, right? Isn’t that always the answer for getting with the moment, settling into a situation?
Not this time. I was way too worked up.
Plus I was starting to get angry at my teacher. Her subtle instructions spoken in slow cadence were really grating on my nerves. Enough with the external hip rotations. I wanted high impact! I wanted to sweat!
At that moment, I picked up my mat, and moved it closer to the heater. That would help a bit with the sweat factor. (And thank goodness for early am classes where there’s plenty of room to roam!)
Here’s what else to do when you’re stuck in a class, and you’re not really into it.
1. Engage your core.
Sit ups aren’t the only way to work your abs. By pulling your belly to spine throughout the class, you’ll tighten your tummy creating a fully body workout. And stay with it! Holding your core tight is an exercise in itself.
2. Slow down even more.
In actuality, the slower your body moves, the more your muscles have to work. Think about it: if you lift your leg into a Downward Dog split at a snail’s pace, you’ll activate more muscle groups then if you just throw it up there. Make your movements concentrated with precision. This requires complete focus and total strength.
3. Connect your mind to your body.
When you’re consumed by your head, you’re operating with little or no mind body connection. Not only will your workout suffer, but you’ll stress yourself out in the process (which could lead to injury!). We spend way too much time in our heads throughout the day. Let your moment of exercise be your opportunity to drop more into your body, and connect with who you really are.
** Oh, one more thing. Acknowledge the fact that somedays you may crave high impact while other days you want something softer, like yoga. By listening to your body, you will know exactly what to do next.
How do you stay strong in your workout when you don’t feel like doing it?
(Photography by Here With You Photographhy, Prop styling by yellow house collective)
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