natjtan I hope you all had a lovely weekend!
I spend the past weekend in the city, running, shopping, soaking up some rays and having a ah-ha yoga moment. That one where you finally get what it’s about.
I’ve been practicing yoga for about 4 years, at home with DVD’s and youtube with Tara Stiles. I tried a few yoga classes at the gym at the start, but found it was more like a basic stretch class. I didn’t think to look for other and carried on practising at home. I began to know the routines well (inside out), get a peaceful yet know I’ve worked out feeling afterwards. I’ll admit, I did want variation, but had a routine going and quite a few dvd classes to choose from. Moving to France, studio membership was out of my budget.
Fast forward to achillies problems last year, any yoga was out. Depending on which Osteopath I saw for treatment, even downward dog was out for a week. When I got back on the mat, at first it was sun salutations, each week adding more or less depending on the achiiles. 11 months later, I finally feel at my pre injury level (though I still can’t get my feet flat in downward dog as easily straight away) and been doing my own thing for a while, a few dvds, building back strength (knee issues in addition to achilles, while things repaired) and now, I want to spice up my practice, try different styles, advance my crows. My new osteopath, is encouraging the yoga and said something that stuck with me. Anybody who workouts needs one class or workout a week where all you do is follow along with someone else taking the lead. It gives the mind a rest. Much like how I am with aerobic salsa/zumba. I switch off from the outside world, follow along and have fun!
There are English yoga classes in Barcelona, but I believe they get booked out very quickly and I’m a little shy to try. A few weekends ago, I checked out some online recommended yoga classes and came across doyogawithme completely free sessions varying from 20 minutes classes to an hour and 30 minutes, different levels, different styles and different teachers. All classes are free with the option to buy the video for download.
I went for intermediate and the sound of the teacher’s voice. At first I didn’t get the analogies, open this, open that as thats not how I’ve been practising. Yesterday I selected Tracey Noseworthy’s, In The Moment video, a mix of power and vinyasa because I like to keep it moving and I finally had an ah ha moment. The analogies I got, I was able to expand, open up, lift more, feel the energy. I felt alive, yet at calm for a little while, similar to after the osteopath. Now I’m thinking do I join a gym, or continue working out at home and find a yoga studio to go a few times a week?
As for the rest of the weekend, Paul played catch up on his raw cuisine course, the days lost last week assembling furniture. I swear the blender/food processor will protest soon with the amount abuse use it’s getting. After a workout with jumping side plank burpees in (so much fun! Maybe too much) Saturday, I started to sort out the last of the boxes, being ruthless as I can over items that do I really, really need to keep, just beacuse?
Hydration shopping Saturday. Helps prevent until you drop, or rushing chasing closing time!
I took advantage of the overcast morning Sunday for a mid morning 10km run. Normally I’d run at night on such hot day, but the cloud cover gave enough coolness. Yesterday I must have been having a Go Nat day. Despite the sun being out from clouds than behind coming back, around 5km I decided I was doing 12km. This distance is new to me and I felt the last kilometre! I’m not working up to marathon distance. For now I’m just happy increasing distance and exploring more.
rio Besos nature reserve
My turn around point had a nice looking beach that we cycled to later, for an all important Sunday beach siesta. We stayed until wind and a mini sand storm came literally out of nowhere. We saw the clouds and then whoosh, ‘They’re coming!’ ‘RUN!’
Have you ever had an ah ha moment in yoga? Do you think at home practice or in a studio?
Well you already know how I feel about coconut…and coconut water. heehee
I love love love yoga studios…and prefer that kind of setting over anything. They have some wonderful studios here with kickass hard classes. Gym yoga does not excite me that much because it’s hard to find a good instructor and like you said the classes are very much beginner style. There are so many kinds of yoga though which is what I love the most about it! I need to find some videos to do more practicing at home. I do a lot of hip openers at home along w downward dog, childs pose etc after every run. I love yoga in my living room. Anyway I’m off on a tangent. I think doing yoga outside in Spain would be so wonderful!
Yoga studios are cheaper than they were in France, so I maybe check a few out. The only downside is that the classes are at odd times! And yes, we know who you feel about anything coconut! If you come across a good yoga videos, please share!