Aspire, Perspire, Nourish Yourself

Acroyoga: Tried it Yet?

On Saturday, I walked into my local Lululemon store for a complimentary yoga class expecting the usual soothing yoga poses. This class was no usual yoga! The class leaders (2 of them) asked us to move our mats closer together. They wanted our mats to touch so we had no personal space between us.

As we all sat in close quarters watching the leaders warm up, I started to think that I should have stayed home to get through that long list of chores waiting for me at home.

Scoop, the male leader, laid on his back with his legs and arms up, and knees bent. Ashlyn, the female leader, put her stomach on Scoop’s legs, grabbed his hands, as he proceeded to lift her above him. She performed a number of yoga poses while in the air. In another move, Ashlyn did a headstand with her head between his legs. Talk about intimate!

Here are Scoop and Ashlyn in a promotional video demonstrating their moves:

Demonstration Over…

After their demonstration/warm up, they told us that we were in for a treat as we would learn to do these poses in class. Scanning around me, I could see others in the room with wide-eyed panic in their looks. Most of us were here alone and didn’t want to have our heads tucked between someone else’s legs. Scoop and Ashlyn reassured us that we would be fine, safe and feel comfortable with each other during the session.

Acroyoga

http://hot-yoga-wirral.co.uk/acroyoga-workshop/

If you’re still wondering what we were doing, it’s called Acroyoga. It’s a combination of yoga and acrobatics. Although I had not heard about it until Saturday, there are many people practicing this form of yoga, which has been around since 1999. If you want to learn more about it, visit this Wikipedia page for general information.

Giving it a try…

Okay, back to my Saturday experience. To get us ready to try the poses they demonstrated, Scoop and Ashlyn got us mingling with each other. After a few icebreaker activities that helped us get to know each other a bit, we warmed up our bodies with a few traditional yoga moves. After that, we were ready for business. The leaders divided us up into groups of 3’s so that we could practice being ‘base’, ‘flyer’, and ‘spotter’. These are 3 important roles in acroyoga.

I’m lucky to have had in my group an experienced acroyoga practitioner (Whitney), who made the experience both enjoyable and rewarding. I’m happy to say that I managed to get in the air and do a few moves, including a headstand. As the base, I managed to raise someone up in the air so she could practice her yoga moves, and I helped a very tall, strong man do a headstand – although wth additional help from the spotter. With more practice, maybe I can help my husband do the headstand move!

http://acroyoga.com/gallery/1

Sadly, I didn’t bring my iPhone to class so I don’t have photos to show you of my proud moments. Maybe next week.

Am I glad I went to class? Yes. Would I try acroyoga again? Definitely. If you want to challenge your strength and improve your core, acroyoga may be for you.

Recipe of the Week: Quinoa Glory Muffins

Sidelined by Injuries?

If you’re a runner and currently injured, then welcome to the club! I hate feeling vulnerable to those aches and pains that make you hesitant to do anything with your body. When feeling this way, I remind myself that there are tons of other physical activities I can do with less impact and max results.

So, while being sensible not to injure myself more, I’ve been taking a break from running and doing other equally wonderful things. Here’s a sample of my workouts the past two weeks.

Bike and Spin Sessions

For easier days, I’ve been biking on a stationary bike or around town on my mountain bike.

On days that I needed a little more intensity, I tried these two spin workouts from Global Cycling Network (GCN). They are fantastic fat burners. My iPad Mini is a perfect companion to view GCN’s videos on the spin bike. Their videos are easy to follow and professionally done.

Strength Training & Abs

With extra stretching of my calf and hamstrings, I’ve managed to continue my weight routine, albeit with lighter weights and minor modifications. As a bonus, I’ve had a little more time to train muscles that get overlooked when focused on running performance.

Swimming

Ok, I look so goofy with my swim stuff on so please don’t judge…

Ah, so soothing are my afternoon swims in the ocean. The water is getting warmer so it has been easier to jump right in. The major benefit has been working on my cardio while feeling no pain which is common from the repeated impact of running on my legs.

Yoga

Thanks to Lululemon in Waikiki, I’ve enjoyed a regular weekly dose of complimentary yoga. Some weeks I’ve even managed 2 sessions. The teachers who have volunteered their time for yoga practice have been phenomenal. Thank you for helping me through the latest injury.

Walking

Whether for shopping, getting to appointments, or just a mind-clearing breather, I’ve walked. There is so much to see and appreciate when the pace is slower than running.

If you’re injured, try something other than your regular sport or activity. It will give your muscles the much-needed rest, and you may even discover a new favorite activity.