Saturday, January 26, 2008

Touching My Toes

I am more flexible now than I was in Middle School.

I started practicing Yoga around 2001. I used videos and books in the beginning and eventually had the opportunity to attend classes at a gym. It helped me perfect what I already knew and learn new poses, but I didn't like the gym and eventually dropped my membership to save a few bucks. Back to relying on my own memory, videos, etc., I don't practice nearly as often as I should, but I still have a regular series that I do whenever I feel like it, just to get my blood moving and muscles stretched.

I do a combination of child's pose, upward facing dog, and downward facing dog. I really like how this combination stretches my back, front, and extremities. I always start in child's pose, then move through upward dog, downward dog, and back to child's pose (rinse, repeat). When I'm feeling ambitious, sometimes I throw in a pigeon pose or forward bend. This short series of poses does a world of good and usually makes me end up thinking "I need to do more yoga" - but if I had a dollar for everytime I said that about something....

Does anyone remember doing those fitness challenges in Middle School? For me, the dreaded activity was always the V-Sit. You sit with your legs out straight, about 4-6 inches apart, and see how far past your feet you can reach with your fingertips. I struggled to touch my toes, much less reach past them, but I think I could wipe the floor with that darn V-Sit now! Or at least I could when I was at the height of my Yoga practice. ;)

Do you do Yoga? Any poses you particularly enjoy doing?

4 comments:

hamdy said...

I am the worst stretcher ever. I think my personal record for the v-sit is something around -5 inches.

Astarte's Student said...

haha...the V-sit was always the one where girls did far better than boys....except in my case. :/

Alison at Wardrobe Oxygen said...

My husband became a yoga instructor a year ago during his... I guess you could call it third-life crisis ;) We did it a but beforehand, but now it's a regular part of my life. I love that now when I am asked to do the head-to-knee pose, my head almost touches me knee. Back in middle and high school I was skinny and a swimmer and lifted weights and couldn't get anywhere near my knee or touch my toes. 15 years later I may be rounder, but I am FAR more flexible. Would love that presidential fitness thing now! Wonder if I could climb the rope now, or do a chin up!

Anonymous said...

Allie - same here! I was much more athletic in school but way more flexible (and have better balance) now. That's neat that your husband's an instructor!