Was it what I expected? Well, yes and no. As I mentioned before, I have mostly done very calm, relaxing, meditation-oriented yoga. Soothing talk, if any. Dim lights. Slow movement. Calm, calm, calm. This was pretty much the exact opposite. Bright lights. Constant instruction. Push, push, push.
The structure- at first I was extremely distracted with the continuous instruction, but after about 20 minutes, I actually began really enjoying it. It gave me something to focus on other than my own discomfort. Also, it really helped me be sure that my posture was correct and that I was giving my all.
The heat- wow, the heat. I was sitting on my mat before class even began, and I was already dripping with sweat. It was uncomfortable, but not unbearable. The only time the heat really got to me was when I was in a posture that required my face to be pressed into my mat or my body. I really didn’t like this feeling, and it made my breathing very awkward and I was tempted to alter the posture to make this easier. Also, I was so covered in sweat that I would slip out of postures a lot. I am a sweaty person. Other than those few moments, the heat didn’t get to me too much.
The postures- I have a lot of progress ahead of me, let’s just say that. I only sat out of 1 set of 1 posture, which I must say I am extremely proud of. I could not do 2 postures at all, but I did my best and stayed with the adaptations, but I am excited to push myself further and further each day and achieve these 2. Of course my hamstrings and lack of flexibility was very apparent, but I did my best to not get discouraged. I focused on what I could do rather than what I could not do. It was hard to not look at others (mostly so I could be sure I was doing everything right) and therefore hold some comparison, but I never felt frustrated about what I was not capable of. Granted, this is my first, and I am sure I may get more frustrated with time if I don’t see the progress I hope for, but for now, I am happy with where I am at.
The breathing- awful. I am really bad at not only remembering to breathe through postures (I tend to hold my breath), but my breaths were very unsteady and often through my mouth. I need to really focus on this during the next few sessions. I think once I get my breathing down, it will make the postures a bit easier.
The day after- I am not as sore as I thought I would be. My big toe on my right foot hurts terribly, but I think that may be from the awful shoes I wore to work yesterday rather than the yoga. My body is a bit fatigued, but not sore. I fell asleep in about 7 seconds last night, but I had a very restless sleep- waking up a lot, tossing and turning, mind racing. But I feel good today. Not great, but good. Better than I expected.
I am excited to get to another class. I hope to carry this positive attitude and outlook through the full 30 days, but I am sure there will be times when my attitude is my worst enemy. Nonetheless, I am ecstatic about the journey ahead and everything I will face along the way. I can’t stop smiling!
