Workkin' Out!

[monster]

Originally Posted by Sundae Girl

Just come back from a terrible yoga class - I won't go to one o that teachers ones again until (if!) I get a lot better. She was very fond of a position called Downward Facing Dog (I heard Diamond Dog, but HM corrected me on the way home). My arms aren't strong enough to hold it for more than 10 seconds, so back on my knees for most of the lesson.

Never mind, there are another 2 instructors so I'll be okay - and I feel better about the first class I took now!

Tomorrow I am going line dancing, and Wednesday to Water Workout. If my swimming costume arrives that is - had to buy it from eBay because the local sports shops don't stock my HUGE size...

Hey SG, "Downwards facing dog" (often shortened to downwards dog or down dog) is a "resting" position which you will encounter a lot in all yoga classes as it's often used as a "segway" between poses. And you will get better at it. But meanwhile, talk to the instructors ask them for an alternative -they will probably recommend the child pose. But if you keep changing instructors, you'll soon run out of them! 10 seconds is pretty good for a beginner, anyway! Well done you. Just try to see the instructors as allies rather than enemies. And don't see difficulty as failure. Ask for alternatives/help to improve.

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by monster

Hey SG, "Downwards facing dog" (often shortened to downwards dog or down dog) is a "resting" position which you will encounter a lot in all yoga classes as it's often used as a "segway" between poses. And you will get better at it. But meanwhile, talk to the instructors ask them for an alternative -they will probably recommend the child pose. But if you keep changing instructors, you'll soon run out of them! 10 seconds is pretty good for a beginner, anyway! Well done you. Just try to see the instructors as allies rather than enemies. And don't see difficulty as failure. Ask for alternatives/help to improve.

I wonder if we're talking about the same pose - HM said it was a dynamic pose. He did back me up, saying the class wasn't pitched correctly (it's supposed to be "All" but he said it was level 2). He's done yoga for years and felt it was too advanced for 75% of the class (not the dog position of course, that's just my currently flabby muscles), but in terms of strength and balance, not enough rest and the lack of interaction. He's going to carry on going to her class though, because he's at that level already.

The specific issues I had with this teacher I didn't have with Bernadette (the previous week), so I'll go to her class for the next few weeks. Or Margaret's - I haven't been to one of hers yet and I'd like to try them all. I know I'm negative, but the instructor in the above class really wasn't good for me - she demonstrated all the positions but then held them with her eyes closed for example, whereas Bernadette circles the room giving individual help. She also spoke very quietly and used the yoga names without their English description. She's only there until the end of October, so after that we'll go back to Vitor, who HM says is also very helpful to beginners.

I am going to keep going with this - if only because when I see the other women doing the harder versions of the poses with sweat drips off my nose doing the easy one I envy them their serene calm. I'd like to earn a bit of that.