This video totally makes me smile. It's the same doods who did the super funny Whole Foods Parking Lot. There are many "yoga girls" in my neighborhood, carrying yoga mats & wearing leggings + Toms--including me. :) The only reason I also don't wear Toms is that my feet are too sweaty and my Toms would stink up the town! Aren't you glad you know that about me now?
I've been doing all kinds of yoga (for me at least, about 3 or more times a week) lately at Yoga Garden right by my apartment. I'm trying the unlimited pass for a month and have been going to different classes. It's challenging for me because different teachers tell you different things and everyone says to do "what's right for you." But since I'm sort of new to the more intense yoga at this place (I'm more used to huge classes at 24 hr fitness where students didn't get too many individual corrections), I don't yet know what's right for me. Today I tried a beginner Ashtanga class, which I really did like, but the teacher said it was OK I hunched my shoulders if it meant I could get into the poses. Whereas my other Hatha Flow teacher emphasizes to NOT hunch, even if it means you are barely doing the pose. With the Hatha class, I like to feel like I'm doing it correctly, but don't have much patience with myself when I can't even touch my toes without slouching/rounding my shoulders. With the Ashtanga class, it felt good to get my heart rate up and participate in more poses, but I worry that improper form will be bad for me in the long run. Anyhow, that's all. I have liked every class I've been to, so I'll just keep going and keep trying to "listen" to my body.
Since I'm on hippy subjects now, I'll also just share that this is my new favorite beverage. I should make it at home and probably will try soon, but while I'm being lazy it's pretty good! The ingredients are just celery, cucumber, spinach, mustard greens, kale, collard greens, and parsley. It does taste like a liquid garden at first, but I've grown to really like the taste. I wasn't a huge fan of kombucha at first, either, but that's another expensive fad drink that I was addicted to. Of course, coconut water is another place my dollars disappear to. Though, I try not to drink too much of the latter because of the sugars and my sweet fang ensures that I already get enough sugar elsewhere.
And let's just keep it real, Folks. I even out the hippy with my LOVE my super carne asada burritos. I've been going to The Little Chihuahua (above) and getting burritos almost every day. Kinda normal for California, but I better watch it. The Little Chihuahua even has plantain burritos! Have you ever heard of such a thing? You know I already tried one. It was good, but I'm thinking a more protein heavy rito may be a better choice for me.
Let me just leave you with this burrito gem from Anchorman--filmed in my hometown of Sandy Eggo, BROSEPH!!:
ha! that video cracked me up! 'let's get a vegan cookie & talk about your day". hilarious & accurate.
ReplyDeletealso, i'll try to keep this short BUT proper alignment is soooo important. yes, there are certain poses where the back rounds & your shoulders come off the back a little. but generally that is only in deep forward folds. before you can get to that point you really want to keep your shoulder blades moving back and down.
if you can't touch the floor in a simple forward fold (like uttanasana) then you should use blocks under your hands. it helps to have something to ground into. having your hands floating in space can put stress on your back. and pressing on the front of your shins (which is another common method) can encourage hyper-extension of the knee joint.
listening to your body should imply working your edge with proper alignment! moving deeper into a pose before your ready with incorrect form will only teach bad habits and possibly create injury.
ok, that was not short!! sorry. but it's something i feel strongly about & it makes me crazy when teachers don't emphasize this stuff. i like my studio now but i still feel like teachers there don't adjust people enough.
alright. done. what i really should be saying is, i'm SO GLAD your're going to yoga!!! it is awesome and life changing.
Thanks, eri--this is SO helpful! I've been making a point to go to the class more where the teacher emphasizes form. She brings up a good point by saying that we spend so much of the day hunched that she would not tell us to do it in her class. I know it's soon, but I swear I'm already feeling gradual progress. I'm just so grateful to be able to do more yoga right now. Extra time is a luxury and I am trying to remember that. My teacher is doing a hip-opener workshop in a few weeks. If I'm not visiting the hothot sun in Austin, I want to go!
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