This summer I tried yoga for the first time. I didn't have the motivation to work out and I was stressed with college coming up, so I thought it would be nice to try yoga to relax. My first class was awkward because I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. As I kept taking classes I improved a bunch and was able to feel the true effects of yoga, which are great. Throughout the first class, I had a few thoughts which every yoga newbie can relate to.
1. I love Shavasana.
Sure, when I lie on my back in my bed at home I'm being "lazy," but when I lie on my back on a mat in a yoga room it's "exercise."
*Shavasana is a yoga pose in which you lie on your back and breathe. This pose is typically performed at the beginning and end of a yoga session.
2. Breathe..Breathe... Sh*t I forgot to breathe.
Yoga is all about relaxation, but when you're trying to figure out how to do a pose you often forget to breathe. Then whenever the yoga instructor reminds you to breathe, you're like "don't tell me what to do."
3. I will not fall.
I'm like Kung Fu Panda or Mulan. The grace of a butterfly, patience of a grasshop... yep I lost my balance again. How do trees not fall down? I tried being a tree, I don't think it's going to workout for me.
4. This counts as a workout, right?
Yoga is exercise. Does it burn as many calories as running or lifting? Probably not. Am I going to workout after this to burn more calories? Probably not.
5. Yay! That person is struggling too.
Nobody is perfect. We all struggle when learning new things, but you need to start somewhere and it's okay to not succeed right away!
I definitely recommend taking a yoga class if you ever get the chance! You get a good workout while being able to relax at the same time. The best part is that it's always fun to try something new!
