Inhale and Exhale Out...and Downward Dog.

I have only tried yoga on DVDs. Mainly Rodney Yee's Power Yoga, which always felt good and kicked my butt. I finally broke down and took a Vinyasa Yoga class at my gym.

Vinyasa covers a variety of yoga forms, but mainly describes the breath synchronization used while moving from position to position (and while in position).

Being the overly active, high strung person that I am, of course I did my "Hillside Dr." run prior to class, followed by a light leg workout and some core exercises. I mention this, because this particular run is brutal: multiple hills, small valleys, followed by more hills. It's only about a 3 mile run, but it feels like forever.

So...I went into the yoga studio and we got started. It was nice...until I realized how inflexible I am. I am almost embarrassed at how inflexible I am. Shame on me. And I was continually reminded of this for the entire hour. I liked the calm, relaxing music. I enjoyed feeling like I was getting the best stretch. ever.

I loved feeling like a limp noodle at the end.

Here is what I didn't like: breathing. I just couldn't get it down. I kept holding my breath. And while I was trying hard to focus on doing this very thing that comes naturally all day long, all I could hear (and thus focus on) were the twenty people around me, breathing in and out very loudly through their noses.

Swiiiiiiiiii....woooosss.....swiiiiiiiiiii........wwwwwwoooooos.

Holy downward dog, batman! I thought I was going to lose it. As we slowly worked out way through salutations to the sun, multiple downward dogs, cow and cats, monkeys and camels....all I could hear was the heavy breathing going on. Perhaps I would get used to this if I continue to come back. Maybe, once I get the flow of breathing down, I can sound all loud and powerful, too.

The point is, I stepped out of my comfort zone and tried something new. I found my weakness (although I kind of already knew I needed to stretch more). Fitness is multidimensional and doesn't just include strength, power, and speed. It also includes agility and flexibility.

Do I love it? Not after one class. Will I try it again? Yes.

I think I need someone else to tell me when to stretch and when to breathe for once.

But I swear, I kept thinking, at then end, how much funnier it would be if the instructor ended it the way I would imagine Dave Chappelle would....

"Namaste, bitches."

Anna Marie