Reluctant Yogi

[christopher575]

Early in November, I finally went for a first visit with my new doctor up here. It was mainly a checkup, but I also had a skin tag I wanted to get rid of, and I was hoping there was something that she could do for my lower back. It's a lot better than it was, but it still bothers me more often than I care to deal with.

I was pretty disappointed when her only suggestion was to try tai chi or yoga. I'd gone in thinking, laser surgery? E-stim? Nothing so medical. I've always thought that the old people who do tai chi in the park are cool, but that I'd end up as the type who walks in malls instead. But recently I decided that if I don't take my doctors advice, I don't have any business complaining when nothing changes.

Lessons are expensive, but that's no excuse now that tons of them are on YouTube for free. And the prospect of trying it at home alone was less daunting anyway. Who cares what I'm wearing or if I'm panting if nobody else is here? All I really needed was a mat, which was easy to get on Amazon.

I've actually had the mat for a few weeks, and was meaning to get started soon. Yesterday became the day when I realized the kids are still out of school all week and there'd probably be a ton of them at the pool like when I went last week. No thanks. So I went for it. Yesterday I tried this video, and it kicked my ass. Its definitely a little frustrating to try a class "for beginners" and find so many of the moves so difficult, but then again, it's not a video specifically for fat beginners. Really all there is to it is that my gut gets in the way sometimes, but I worked around it.

I tried her morning yoga video today and felt at the end that it was definitely more of a daily warm-up type routine and not a workout, so I got geared up and walked for a little over an hour afterward. I saw the start of a trail leading off the road recently and was hoping it might be a route into the park, so I decided my goal today would be to make my way there and see where it goes.

As it turns out, it doesn't go much of anywhere at all. There's a reservoir hidden in the middle of a bunch of houses, and several trails between them surround it. There's a couple of benches. It seems like it might be nice for the residents, or it might be annoying if teenagers hang out there.

So anyway, I'm giving yoga a try. Just another reason I'm glad I have the house to myself during the day.

Comments

[notmypresident.livejournal.com]

Good for you! I hope you can enjoy yourself as well while you learn.

[kazzy-cee.livejournal.com]

I would be careful about doing Yoga without an instructor as it's easy to throw out your back if you do it incorrectly. Might be worth seeing if you can get to a free trial class once you've practiced a few of the forms and get the instructor to check you are doing it properly.

I'm a big fan of the short workouts that concentrate on specific areas (being a bad back sufferer too!). I find that gently working on stomach muscles helps. The much maligned 'plank' is good for your 'core' muscles which help support your lower back and you can increase how long you hold the pose for each day. It's a good move to practice alone as you can pretty much do it for as long as you want and at home no-one hears you swearing when it's hard ;)

[christopher575.livejournal.com]

This is excellent advice, though I will say I'm not super worried about it because it all felt very familiar due to physical therapy I've done.

The planks were part of it. Perhaps I should also get into a big plank habit. :)

[cuntress.livejournal.com]

I highly recommend going to a class after you've done the videos a few times (helps to learn the lingo).  The feedback that a teacher can give you for your individual body, ouches, and limitations will give you so much more benefit, which you can take with you in your at home practice.  Most places have beginner classes so you don't feel totally inept.