Working up a sweat...

Week Two:Yoga

It’s only about 24 hours since I completed my first yoga class and I’m definitely feeling the effects. My shoulders and lower back are particularly tender followed closely by the back of my thighs and my abs (or belly if we’re being accurate). I’m not in any sort of real pain, just experiencing a bit of residual soreness. Thankfully, however, it’s the good kind of sore, the type that occurs from stirring up long dormant muscles or pushing yourself well beyond your normal level of physical exertion. It’s a level of soreness that’s more satisfaction than regret.

Trust me, I’m far from being a fitness guru. I do enjoy being physically active; after all I’ve been fighting the good fight since discovering my love of food somewhere during early adolescence. However, that said, I’m no Jack LaLanne. Therefore, the decision to try yoga was not to add another wrinkle to an already grueling exercise regimen, but instead was inspired by a class I took in college.

While enrolled at Buff State, I was fortunate enough to take a course called Voice and Diction in which each class consisted of a variety of stretches and breathing exercises. Although this basic description sounds similar to yoga, this was a theater class aimed at improving vocal delivery through proper posture and use of breath. Now I realize this doesn’t sound like a very meaningful step towards the completion of a Secondary Education degree, but I was more concerned with fulfilling an art requirement while padding my GPA with a nice little softball course. However, as the semester wore on I quickly realized the benefit of these exercises. During that hour and forty-five minutes every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, all the stress of a full class load and full-time job faded away as our instructor guided our breathing through visualization and mobility drills. Although these exercises were designed to loosen our bodies so we could better project our voices, I just appreciated that I felt physically and mentally rejuvenated at the end of every class. In fact, I continue to employ many of these strategies in my daily life with similar results.

My appreciation of these sorts of breathing and stretching exercises inevitably led to an interest in yoga. The similarities are clear but Yoga has the added benefit being a much more physical activity, which is definitely something I lack during these long, beautiful Buffalo winters. However, since I have a tendency to be a little lazy and kind of a wuss, I never made an effort to actually try Yoga. Of course, that’s why we’re here, right? To overcome my general laziness and fear in the name of new experiences during this pivotal year in my life.

So here we are, it’s week two of my adventure and I’ve decided to finally give Yoga a try. The benefits of yoga are well documented so I won’t bore you with all the details. However, I will mention that I have taken interest in yoga for several reasons, including its effectiveness in stress relief, flexibility, increased strength and weight management just to name a few (for more info - http://www.yogaalliance.org).

After doing some research on various studios in the Buffalo area, I decided my best option based on class time, location and skill level was Buffalo Yoga, located in the Tri-Main Center on Main Street. Joining me on this daring adventure was my good friend Ryan who is always eager to take part in a new experience. The two of us had previously discussed giving yoga a try sometime and since I decided that time had come, I knew he’d be interested.

Ryan and myself arrived at the Tri-Main Center ten minutes early for our 7pm Beginners class. I’ve driven past this building many times but never had the opportunity to go inside. The main lobby was very nice and well maintained but as we emerged from the elevator on the fourth floor we had to navigate through a winding maze of fluorescent-lit halls painted the same dull gray from floor to ceiling. Thankfully, there was ample signage leading to our destination, otherwise we might still be wondering through that dismal labyrinth.

However, as soon as we entered the Buffalo Yoga studio, our previous surroundings were quickly forgotten. The studio was very warm and lit with a soft orange glow that provided a notably soothing environment. The faint trace of incense that filled the room was also very comforting as our instructor Darcy greeted us. Darcy was extremely friendly and supportive as she helped us get situated for our first yoga experience.

There were six students scattered throughout the room by the time class began. Darcy started us off by focusing on our breathing and introducing some basic yoga positions and terminology. Then, before I could realize what was happening, she took off. One position led to another, which led to one leg this way with the other arm that way and I was sweating like a champ. The truly surprising part however, was that all these motions were slow and fluid but strenuous enough to provide a productive workout.

At one point, we were holding a pose in standing position with one arm overhead and the other elbow resting on the knee when my legs started trembling. I thought I was about to collapse until I refocused my breathing and suddenly my whole body loosened and I felt totally comfortable. This was a point Darcy continually emphasized throughout our session, breathing stabilizes the whole system so you feel at ease while one part of your body is working and another is at rest. Please don’t ask me to clarify it any further I just know it worked for me.

In what seemed like a fraction of the time, the one hour and fifteen minute class was coming to a close. Darcy finished with a relaxation technique in which we laid on our back with a blanket supporting our head and neck while shed talked us through some breathing patterns. This process was crucial to the whole experience as it was like hitting the reset button on my entire body after a pretty intense work out.

Despite the residual tenderness previously discussed, I feel fantastic. My body feels loose and strong and I was totally reenergized by the end of the class. I really hope to make yoga a regular part of my life in the future, and while I will likely try some of these exercises on my own, I appreciate the importance of being in the studio with the instructor. Not only for the guidance they are able to provide but also because the ambience of the studio provides a very relaxing escape I don’t think I could achieve in my living room or bedroom. If you’ve never had the opportunity to experience yoga, I highly recommend it.