Sara tries yoga part II

What I wore: Purple Rese crops,
Lulu FTB bra, Lulu Salute the Sun Singlet.
Loved this outfit. 

I tried yoga!

I have done exactly one yoga class in my life. And I didn't go back. Neither did any of my friends. It wasn't my speed. I'm too ADD and fidgety. I always need to be moving. I am so bad at sitting still.

Fast forward two years. I'm determined to try yoga again. Everyone loves it. I could use some calm in my life.

There's a free yoga class I can go to. I never made it last semester. I'm determined to make it this semester.

My mood that morning.

So after an EXTREMELY STRESSFUL morning at work, I decide I will go to yoga for lunch. I will turn my phone off. And any emergencies can wait an hour until I get back. (I'd wanted to go to yoga that day so I packed yoga clothes.)

I'm leaving for yoga (I have one coworker covering my work for an hour) and another coworker is going to the same class. Even better! We ride together.

The class is maybe a dozen people of varying ages and body shapes. The light is off. It's dim and tranquil. There's calm-ish pop music playing. So far so good. I set up a mat in the back. I'm behind a fabulous woman with a white bob and cool lulu crops that I regret not buying. I bet she knows what she's doing.

People are getting pillows. And I do not know what the pillows are for. (I do like nap time!)

I make sure to tell the teacher that I'm TRYING but might not know all the moves.

And the class starts. It's lots of downward dog and plank positions. (I know these moves! Hooray!) I don't know warrior pose. (I was possibly the worst at this of anything in the class.) I wasn't sure what the position was. Where were my feet? My arms?

And since I was in back, I couldn't see the teacher. So I'd try to watch a neighbor, but when we faced the side, I had no one to watch.

I liked all the downward dog stretches. And I knew a good bit of poses—maybe just not all the details, or sequences. But I definitely wasn't lost. I kept up pretty decently.

I learned chair pose. (With eagle or evil arms!? I couldn't tell what she was saying.)

We tried tree pose, which some days I have pretty good. But the mats on the floors in this room made balance extra hard. I tried tree pose with leg extended, which I had trouble with. I'm blaming the mats.

We even got to work on crow (which I know. I hope that I impressed the teacher. Second ever yoga class and I can hold crow for 7 seconds before falling loudly to the mat. I did fall the loudest in the class.) Then we moved on crow to (almost a candle stick roll.) I like this part of class!

Playing with crow the next day. #badlighting #needahaircut

The class ends with something like supported fish, which you lay back on the pillows (they're called bolsters). Which I couldn't do with my knees open. My stupid hip flexors. The teacher came and put some blocks under my knees (so that's what they are for!). And then we decided just to put my legs straight out front (relaxed). And we sat there forever. We did some eye exercises. I was fidgety and seeing what everyone else was doing without being too obvious.

My apple watch said I burned 181 active calories in 56 minutes. (Which is interesting since it said 82 calories in a pilates class.) I also went running later that night. I think I felt less achey than I normally do going into the run. (Which yoga + running two -a-days might be what I need. Or yoga on my rest day. Decisions.)

MY THOUGHTS
I actually really liked this yoga class. I do think that I need to stretch more. And taking this class, which is a lot of stretching could add some balance to my workout schedule (run, abs, trampoline, gymnastics, run, HIIT barre, run, bootcamp, handstands, cycling)

I didn't get too bored until the end of class, when I decided just to relax instead of doing the eye exercises she was telling me to do (and think about how tight my hip flexors always are.) She had me engaged for 45 of 55 minutes, which is saying something. Some of the poses I was too ADD to hold for too long so I was looking around, but it was so much better than the last time I tried yoga. Maybe I liked the teacher better.

Overall, it was a good experience with yoga. And I liked that it was restorative. I feel like a beat myself up so hard running hills and flipping my body though the air, jumping and just pushing myself to my limit. It's nice to do something that challenges me (all the down dog pushups etc) but doesn't nearly kill me.

I'd love to go again. But it's so hard to get out of the office at lunch. MAYBE I could fit yoga in once a week?

BONUS: I was a lot calmer after class. 

If I went again
1) I'd sit up front so I could see what she was doing. (So get there earlier)
2) Ask the teacher about the warrior pose, triangle pose sequence
3) Maybe do some stretching on my own--when I feel like I need to stretch something else or stretch further down. (I always want to do splits instead of pigeon.)

If you go:
1) I was really worried I'd be lost and wouldn't know the poses. I've learned so many of these poses from other exercise classes and stretching that I was not lost. So, don't think you'll be lost. You'll be fine!
2) Don't be afraid to sit up front. (Or bring a friend to watch).
3) Find a a teacher and speed of yoga that works for you.

And I was a dork and used the yoga blocks to do an L hold after class. I totally wanted to try over-splits on them.

A lady came up to me and had heard this was my first class (they'd all been coming all semester). I said it was. She smiled and said it was the toughest class they'd had all semester. I told her I was a beast. Bring on the hard classes!

The nerdy girl's guide to pilates

Today I tried pilates.

I felt like I knew what pilates was. There are elements of pilates in Pure Barre. I think I did a DVD or two of pilates back in college.

Pilates was not what I was expecting. I went straight for the tower class. I figured I'd done TRX before, I'd be good.

Hahahahahahaha. I'm not sure if I've even been so bad at something in my life.  (Well yes, I am bad at lots of things, but I should have set my expectations lower.)

The class was small. There are only three tower machines. So the class could max out at three. It was a white haired lady, me and the instructor. The instructor seemed really knowledgable and could tell what was tight on me (glutes, okay well everything).

For most of the class you're on a low table covered by a mat. One end is open and one end has the tower. You'll be sitting or lying or stretching on your side for most of the class. Part of the class used a bar on springs, or straps (like TRX) that attached to the tower and you put your feet in.

There were some hip openers (that would probably be familiar to yoga people), and deep breathing.

The class started off with a lot of stretching.

My favorite part of the class was using the bar and the straps. It worked all of your muscles harder. I even got to put my knees over the bar like a trapeze knee hang! (HIGHLIGHT)

That said, I'm pretty sure I did everything wrong.

Turn my shoulder in my socket? I don't even know what that means.

I got a lot of corrections. Which is understandable. The movements were completely new to me. Sure, I can push down on a lever and do leg or hip circles—but the pilates moves muscles in a way I wasn't used to. It was moving my abs deeper than I ever have before. And dropping my shoulders without popping my ribs. I just kept thinking "I don't move that way" when I got corrections.

I have a weird back. I have an eight degree curve in my spine. My tailbone sticks out more than it should. But if I go to the chiropractor every few months when I'm feeling out of whack then I'm fine. It doesn't bother me. Apparently, I should have told the instructor this, so she would know that my back really doesn't move that way. It's just never been an issue. It doesn't effect my ability to run or flip or stand on my hands. But when I'm lying on my back—it makes a difference.

I'm thinking about buying a month to the studio to try out the different classes. If so, I'd try it out again. And see if I'm any better the second time around. Apparently the learning curve is 3-4 classes.

The down side was that my heart rate never got up, there were only two or three exercises that used any sort of strength and I was probably doing them wrong. It could be day for a day when I'm all beat up

All in all, I I think the class hurt my pride.

Nerdy Girl's Guide to pilates

What to wear: I'd wear yoga clothes and socks. I wore socks and it was probably better to wear socks with the pilates straps. (I wore full length leggings since it was cold out.)

What to expect: Do more prep work than I did. Lots of stretching, movements using your core, especially hips, tailbone and some pelvic floor.

Best for: People looking for a low intensity workout. (Mother-in-law, you should try this.)

Advice: Maybe don't go straight to tower, if you're a newbie.

Would I go back? I certainly have a lot to learn. I'd like to try some of the other pilates classes before I decide on this discipline. I should keep it in mind for days when I'm bruised, limping or achey. I really should stretch more.

What next?

I'm itching for my next gym challenge, though I'm not sure what it is yet. Here are a few things I've thought of.

1. Flying Trapeze

This is definitely on my to try list. It looks amazing.

It is kind of pricey and I'm not in that much of a hurry to try it.

2. Spinning classes

I've wanted to try a spinning class for years. I have an exercise bike at home, and I worry my left knee doesn't like cycling.

It could be intense.

3. Vertical Pole classes

Also on my to try list. I need to save up the courage to take this. I am so uncoordinated! But all the girls who do this have killer abs.

4. Kickboxing

I could be pretty bad at this, but if someone taught me how to do it, then maybe?

(There are two groupons for this right now.)

5) Blast 900

I've driven by this place on Baxter St. A million times. They offer you a free first class, but I don't know what it is.

(Note: I looked it up. It's interval training with treadmills. I'm not sure I like treadmills. Classes are $20 each or $195 for an unlimited month. Not sure I can afford to like this one.) 

Description from their website:

BLASTClasses

BLAST is a fat shredding, muscle toning, personalized group exercise class in which people of every fitness level alternate between cardio on a treadmill and strength training on the floor, each working at their own pace to reach THEIR maximum effort.

Other ideas

6) Running

I could take up running again. 

7) Canopy Trapeze classes

I've wanted to take trapeze classes at Canopy for a year now, but have had no luck. Despite emailing the owner a few times and knowing two instructors, there is NEVER an opening in their beginner classes and there's no drop-in classes. 

8) A friend suggested belly dancing.

I cannot dance. I'm not sure about this idea, but it is on the list of possibilities. 

9) Zumba

A coworker lost a ton of weight doing zumba. I can't move my hips so I think I'd be tragic at this one. 

10) There seem to be a lot of bootcamp classes in Athens. I could look into this.

I'm not sure what's next. What should I do?

The nerdy girl's guide to indoor rock climbing

Most everything you wanted to know about going indoor climbing….

1. You should try indoor rock climbing. It can be a lot of fun. And it's a cerebral workout without being too intense. If you could climb trees when you were little, you can do this. (And maybe you'll even feel like a kid again!) You won't feel like you're working out—but you'll be exhausted the next day.

2. A lot of gyms run groupons or deals, so check for discounts before you go.

3. You'll want to go with someone. This really isn't a solo workout as you'll need someone to belay you—ideally someone of similar size. A weight differential can be problematic say if a tiny girl goes with a burly guy. But this can work—then the girl will just have to be extra careful when belaying the guy down the wall (hook into the floor or get a staffer to help spot you.)

4. What to wear? Workout clothes. Capri's might offer more protection than shorts when your legs graze the walls and shorts are going to ride up when you put on the harness. Also, bring socks!

5. When you get there, make sure to rent climbing shoes. They help you grip the holds and can make climbing a lot easier.

6. Every place has a different belay system. Some places make you thread the rope, others have auto belays. Auto belays are easier. Most places make you pass a belay test. Some places will offer a free tutorial (which is great) before you climb, others have scheduled hour belay sessions, others leave you to figure it out for yourself. Obviously, places with auto belays and intros offered at any time are going to make it easier for first timers. Most websites will give you an idea what to expect.

Learning how to belay

7. When you're ready to climb, look for color coded tape (see the neon green and white tape in the back of that picture). Most places offer routes marked off in tape. Check the wall for the key. Red may be easiest, green the second easiest, white the hardest. Check the wall for the colors and start with some of the easier routes.

8. Not sure where to put your hands or feet? Ask your belayer. Take a second and think. Or try the wall again. You don't have to get it right the first time. And you can always try again.

9. Try bouldering. It's like rock climbing without the belay. These walls don't go especially tall and have gymnastics mats underneath. This is a good way to learn about climbing and routes without belays, levers and ropes. And you don't have to go higher than you want.

10. Watch the little kids. They know where to put their hands and feet and if they're nimbly climbing a route, it may be a good route for you to try when they're done.

And don't get discouraged. If bouldering is getting difficult, go back to a climbing with the belay. Take a break.

Stay for an hour, maybe two. Try climbing, belaying, whatever looks fun. Don't be afraid to try the slide they have set up for the kiddos.

The Nerdy Girl’s Guide to the Barre Method

I’ve been hearing a lot about Pure Barre, a ballet based fitness chain that’s popular in Athens. One of the instructors also goes to Aerofit and offered me a class on their Free Friend Friday. I was curious about what this was (and she assured me I didn’t have to be a dancer to take the class), so I tried it.

In my town, it’s in a little studio in a busy shopping center (near the Moe’s I go to and the pet store where I get dog and cat food.) You walk upstairs and there’s gorgeous studio and storefront ($90 workout pants.)

There’s a room with cubbies for your stuff, and for you to take what you need to workout: weights, a red mat, a red tube.

I then walk into a silent dance studio—full of toned women in Pure Barre socks. Thankfully, I have a friend in the class and we were chatting before class began.

The instructor is at the front of the class—on a headset. (There were 20+ people in the class). And she guides you through the workout—but after the first demo she walks around the room correcting body position—move your feet out, hands in, bend your knees, on your toes etc. She calls out kudos to those doing a good job. And it’s all encouraging, and nonstop. There is no break. There’s not even time to complain to the person next to you!

For some of the exercises I wasn’t sure what to do and because the instructor was walking around, I was trying to figure out who looked like they new what they were doing and copying them. I’d probably get the hang of this with more experience. Hopefully I wasn’t flailing too gracelessly and didn’t look TOO stupid.

The class is set up in rows—kind of a choose-your-own space situation. Part of the class is in these rows. Arm stuff with the little weights, Jane Fonda-esque leg lifts, crunches on the little red bar (killed me!). And tucking. That’s the signature move. It’s tucking your hips underneath you, bringing your tailbone down and out. Maybe the tiniest bit like an athletic baby twerk. (Your booty goes a little back when you contract).

The other part of the class is on the bar. It’s not really ballet though. It’s holding on to the bar and doing leg work—on your toes, holding one leg out, doing circles. And this part really makes your thighs burn.

And everything is in a 10-count. I kept dropping my form after 8, being relieved to be done, only for the instructor to still be counting. Oops. I’m not even a dancer and I’m used to an 8-count.

I survive the first class, fumbling through most of the motions. My thighs and abs were burning. (The crunches on the red ball really got me.) My legs hurt walking down the stairs on the way out. If I went to more classes, I’m sure I’d know what I was doing soon enough. I thought it was a good workout (but wasn’t too tired to go tumble at Aerofit for an hour afterwards).

Quick guide to Pure Barre

Verdict: I'd sum up the Pure Barre experience in one word—intense. It also worked everything I want to tone: core and thighs. Exactly what I need. And no need to be a former ballerina. I thought there was only the finest bit of dance/ ballet in the workout.

Atmosphere: For those serious about working out. This isn’t a giggle with your friends class. There isn’t even time for talking. It’s non-stop. When the workout gets too intense and you’re ready to quit, the instructor calls out stretching, so it’s active rest—with no real breaks.

Intensity: Super intense. Like Aerobics on caffeine pills and Red Bull. One of the most intense classes I’ve been in.

Price: $20 for one class. A monthly membership is $200.

What to wear: Leggings or capris, a yoga-looking top and socks. The website urges against wearing shorts. They want your leg muscles to stay warm.

Would I go again: Yes. I thought it was a great workout. I’d love it if I could afford to do this once a week or once a month and I’ve heard you get more benefit if you go everyday, but at their prices I can’t afford more than once a month.