I worried that Aspen would not adjust well to attending the daycare
at the gym. I imagined going to class and being pulled out by one of the
care-givers so I could tend to a screaming kid. That fear is what kept
me going to late-night classes while Kev was home instead of going to
classes during the day.
Our first day there together, I
explained to Aspen that it would be a lot like going to nursery at
church. There would be nice teachers, toys, and other friends to play
with. At first she resisted, saying she wanted to do Yoga with me. I
suggested that instead we do Yoga together at home, and she seemed to
like that idea.
I took her to the bathroom in the
daycare and I'm pretty sure that's what sealed the deal. When she saw
the toilet was just her size, she was ecstatic. There was also a set of
stairs for the sink so she could clamber up and down all by herself to
wash and dry her hands. After seeing that bathroom, she was psyched to
be in the daycare. It's one of the first things she mentions when I ask
if she'd like to go back with me again.
That was a few
weeks ago, and she gives me the same reaction every time I pick her up
after my class- whining at me to go away so she can stay and play
longer. As annoying as it is to haul my screaming kid out of the daycare after an hour, it's way better than hauling my screaming kid in to the daycare.
The
care-givers there are wonderful and I appreciate their hard work to
keep the place clean and fun. I love how inexpensive it is to attend
this gym and have Aspen go to the daycare twice a week. I'm grateful she
has fun there and is excited to go. Since moving to WJ we've been much
more isolated than we were in Ogden and I have felt so guilty about
Aspen's limited exposure to other playmates. It was hard to go from
having at least three play dates a week to only having one (with SueAnn
before they moved). And now we're so sporadic with the bad weather and
all the plagues everyone keeps getting.
And, maybe more
importantly for me, I'm grateful I'm getting the structured exercise
that I love and a chance to do something that makes me feel amazing.
Challenging myself with Yoga again (and learning to not feel silly
shakin' my thang at Zumba) is so rewarding. My body responds extremely
well to Yoga and I've seen a significant change since starting classes
just two months ago. It's like reconnecting with an old friend.
It's
been a huge relief to know that I can not only go at night when Kev is
home, but during the day as well. It makes me more consistent when I can
go first thing in the morning instead of at 9pm.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Friday, February 8, 2013
Looking for a job in a new city
I picked up an application for the rec center in my neighborhood and
eagerly filled it out at home. When I first moved to WJ, I created a
fitness-only resume to hand in to gyms when applying to teach. I figured
gyms don't care about my experience working at GAP in high school... so
I pared it down to relevant jobs and my education.
The following day, I went to the early-morning Pilates class as usual. I yawned through the whole thing (545a is not my best hour) and was startled from my drowsiness when the teacher came up to me afterward to ask about my flexibility.
Although I've kept the information from my instructors until now, I decided to go ahead and tell her that I've been practicing Yoga/Pilates for 8 years, and that I'm certified for both. I didn't want to be treated differently in my classes, so I hadn't said anything the last two months.
But as soon as I shared, the teacher asked if I've ever applied to work at the rec center. I told her I just got an app and was planning to hand it in after class. She. Was. Thrilled. She said they're always looking for more teachers, especially since it's currently really hard for anyone to get a sub.
And not only did the teacher seem thrilled that I was considering employment with the rec center, but she announced it to the whole class as we were packing up our mats and props.
No pressure, right?
When I showed up for the Power Yoga class the next day, the instructor came over and introduced herself as the coordinator of aerobics. She asked me to stay after class and talk with her about my work experience.
She admitted they don't currently have room in the schedule to give me a new class, but once I fill out an employment packet I can go on the sub list. And she has connections with other fitness centers in the area and will help me get in touch with coordinators here and there as well. I've found that in this business it really matters to know someone. Otherwise, you apply online to a gym and your information just gets sucked into a vacuum and never acknowledged. While I'm nervous to be teaching again, I'm also really looking forward to it.
The following day, I went to the early-morning Pilates class as usual. I yawned through the whole thing (545a is not my best hour) and was startled from my drowsiness when the teacher came up to me afterward to ask about my flexibility.
Although I've kept the information from my instructors until now, I decided to go ahead and tell her that I've been practicing Yoga/Pilates for 8 years, and that I'm certified for both. I didn't want to be treated differently in my classes, so I hadn't said anything the last two months.
But as soon as I shared, the teacher asked if I've ever applied to work at the rec center. I told her I just got an app and was planning to hand it in after class. She. Was. Thrilled. She said they're always looking for more teachers, especially since it's currently really hard for anyone to get a sub.
And not only did the teacher seem thrilled that I was considering employment with the rec center, but she announced it to the whole class as we were packing up our mats and props.
No pressure, right?
When I showed up for the Power Yoga class the next day, the instructor came over and introduced herself as the coordinator of aerobics. She asked me to stay after class and talk with her about my work experience.
She admitted they don't currently have room in the schedule to give me a new class, but once I fill out an employment packet I can go on the sub list. And she has connections with other fitness centers in the area and will help me get in touch with coordinators here and there as well. I've found that in this business it really matters to know someone. Otherwise, you apply online to a gym and your information just gets sucked into a vacuum and never acknowledged. While I'm nervous to be teaching again, I'm also really looking forward to it.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Yoga Love
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Yoga Triumph
So, I mentioned that while in Maine I took a yoga class that was
totally wrong for me. Regardless, I committed to two additional classes
the following week at the same studio.
I attended a one-hour Power class and absolutely loved it. The practice was led by the owner of the studio and she gave me the challenge I needed. I sweat so much I had to flip my mat over halfway through the practice. It's not that I don't appreciate the emotional and mental aspects of Yoga, it's just that I prefer to incorporate them into the physical aspect at my own pace. I don't like having those elements forced on me when I'm not open to them. When the instructor asked us to set an intention in the Power class, I chose to open my hips up throughout the hour. By the end of the practice, I felt it. I was there. I stayed on task and got the mental workout I also needed.
The Power class was so awesomely intense I could barely move the next day. So I headed to the Slow Flow two days later to work that out. Again, this class was more my pace. It gave variations and while it wasn't as physically strenuous as a Power class, it did offer a challenge. Which was good, because remember how I could barely move? Oh man.
What's my point, you ask? Well. I want you to know that even after 7 years of practicing Yoga, I occasionally attend a class I don't like. But I don't let it discourage me from continuing my practice. I understand that on any given day, a teacher could be "off." That might mean my practice suffers because s/he didn't deliver for the students. And just because I don't like one style of Yoga, it doesn't mean I won't like another.
I attended a one-hour Power class and absolutely loved it. The practice was led by the owner of the studio and she gave me the challenge I needed. I sweat so much I had to flip my mat over halfway through the practice. It's not that I don't appreciate the emotional and mental aspects of Yoga, it's just that I prefer to incorporate them into the physical aspect at my own pace. I don't like having those elements forced on me when I'm not open to them. When the instructor asked us to set an intention in the Power class, I chose to open my hips up throughout the hour. By the end of the practice, I felt it. I was there. I stayed on task and got the mental workout I also needed.
The Power class was so awesomely intense I could barely move the next day. So I headed to the Slow Flow two days later to work that out. Again, this class was more my pace. It gave variations and while it wasn't as physically strenuous as a Power class, it did offer a challenge. Which was good, because remember how I could barely move? Oh man.
What's my point, you ask? Well. I want you to know that even after 7 years of practicing Yoga, I occasionally attend a class I don't like. But I don't let it discourage me from continuing my practice. I understand that on any given day, a teacher could be "off." That might mean my practice suffers because s/he didn't deliver for the students. And just because I don't like one style of Yoga, it doesn't mean I won't like another.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Yoga Fail
Before my trip to Maine, I looked up Yoga studios in Freeport so I could get
some practices in while there. I wanted to take advantage of Kev being
available to watch Aspen, and once I found out there's a studio almost
in my parents' backyard, I got really excited. I walked over on Friday
morning and it probably took three minutes.
The studio is built in what used to be the local market, which was recently upgraded in a neighboring lot. It's amazing to go into the old market and see it 100% transformed. Freeport Yoga Company now has an open reception area and a huge studio where the checkout lanes used to be. So weird.
The class that morning was definitely not my favorite. It was actually the most boring class I have ever attended in my life. I always feel sad when people tell me they don't do Yoga because it's boring. But now I get it- too many people attend the wrong kind of class. For me, the wrong kind of class is one that focuses on vishudda, or the throat chakra. Actually, any class on chakra awareness is probably going to be one that I hate.
I have no interest in breathing into my chakras (energy points in the body). I also have no interest in back bends when I already have lower back pain. I had to keep doing my own modifications for poses because the discomfort was so great in the traditional versions. Maybe as an instructor myself I'm expecting too much, but I was also disappointed that hardly any variations were offered to the class, nor was there any inquiry from the teaching regarding what any of us needed in our practice that day. It seems that this particular class is on a schedule, and they're methodically going through chakras, following the outlined practice the instructor had with her. While that kind of preparation is awesome, it just meant I was totally unfulfilled after a 75 minute class.
Also? I realized my bladder was extremely full after the first 20 minutes. I think my body absorbs the humidity and immediately turns it into pee. NOT COOL!!
So yeah. Disappointing class that day. Still, I put on a brave face and planned to attend a completely different class (with a different instructor) the next week.
The studio is built in what used to be the local market, which was recently upgraded in a neighboring lot. It's amazing to go into the old market and see it 100% transformed. Freeport Yoga Company now has an open reception area and a huge studio where the checkout lanes used to be. So weird.
The class that morning was definitely not my favorite. It was actually the most boring class I have ever attended in my life. I always feel sad when people tell me they don't do Yoga because it's boring. But now I get it- too many people attend the wrong kind of class. For me, the wrong kind of class is one that focuses on vishudda, or the throat chakra. Actually, any class on chakra awareness is probably going to be one that I hate.
I have no interest in breathing into my chakras (energy points in the body). I also have no interest in back bends when I already have lower back pain. I had to keep doing my own modifications for poses because the discomfort was so great in the traditional versions. Maybe as an instructor myself I'm expecting too much, but I was also disappointed that hardly any variations were offered to the class, nor was there any inquiry from the teaching regarding what any of us needed in our practice that day. It seems that this particular class is on a schedule, and they're methodically going through chakras, following the outlined practice the instructor had with her. While that kind of preparation is awesome, it just meant I was totally unfulfilled after a 75 minute class.
Also? I realized my bladder was extremely full after the first 20 minutes. I think my body absorbs the humidity and immediately turns it into pee. NOT COOL!!
So yeah. Disappointing class that day. Still, I put on a brave face and planned to attend a completely different class (with a different instructor) the next week.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Yoking more than just mind and body
There were two familiar faces in the back of the class, and I spent
the entire hour trying to place them. Did I live in the same dorm as one
of them during college? Are they friends-of-friends? Did I try to evict
one of them in my property management days?
After class concluded, the mystery was solved. The red-head told me she and her friend used to take my Pilates class, which would have been over a year ago. I was flattered they remembered me, and more still when one commented on my music selection.
"I love Band of Horses and Regina Spektor!"
I smiled, because who would have thought my music would blend so well with Kev's for a Yoga playlist? I admitted I couldn't take credit for all of it, and told her I'd pass the compliment on to my husband.
She also told me she originally attended Yoga about a year ago, and absolutely hated it. The instructor was very challenging, and offered no modifications whatsoever. She felt like she sucked at Yoga and would never do it again. But after attending my class, she felt renewed confidence.
"I want Yoga to be for everyone," I told her. "That's why I'mconstantly showing variations. Sometimes we forget to acknowledge the strengths of others, especially if they're different than our own."
I don't know if they'll come back again, but I'm hopeful. It's moments such as those that keep me motivated to teach. When the music reaches someone, when they realize they can do Yoga, that's what makes it worth it for me.
After class concluded, the mystery was solved. The red-head told me she and her friend used to take my Pilates class, which would have been over a year ago. I was flattered they remembered me, and more still when one commented on my music selection.
"I love Band of Horses and Regina Spektor!"
I smiled, because who would have thought my music would blend so well with Kev's for a Yoga playlist? I admitted I couldn't take credit for all of it, and told her I'd pass the compliment on to my husband.
She also told me she originally attended Yoga about a year ago, and absolutely hated it. The instructor was very challenging, and offered no modifications whatsoever. She felt like she sucked at Yoga and would never do it again. But after attending my class, she felt renewed confidence.
"I want Yoga to be for everyone," I told her. "That's why I'mconstantly showing variations. Sometimes we forget to acknowledge the strengths of others, especially if they're different than our own."
I don't know if they'll come back again, but I'm hopeful. It's moments such as those that keep me motivated to teach. When the music reaches someone, when they realize they can do Yoga, that's what makes it worth it for me.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
It doesn't matter what you look like; it matters how you feel.
Senior year of high school I started working out for a boy. Into the
summer, I listened to Jimmy Eat World on my Walkman and ran my heart
out. I hoped that if I could look a certain why, that boy would like me.
Continuing into my Freshman year of college, I kept working out for that boy. I hated running. Hated it. But I still did it to change my body.
For the record, that boy never professed his undying love. Ever. He never even took me on a date.
I kept working out, though. And instead of working out for that boy, I started working out for the numbers on the scale. At one point, my boyfriend in Freshman year actually told me I should gain weight. Bless his heart.
Eventually my obsession with working out dwindled. Honestly, I was so poor in college I couldn't afford to eat much, and in turn couldn't afford to burn extra calories at the gym. I didn't have a car so walking to/from and around campus was sufficient exercise.
Then I found Yoga. Or did Yoga find me? I can't be sure. All I remember is starting my practice twice a week at the University drop-in classes and finding myself in love. Yoga gave me cardio, strength training, and peace of mind. Then I added two academic classes to my regime so I could practice four times a week.
FOUR TIMES A WEEK! I can't imagine having that kind of time again for Yoga.
The point, though, is that once I found Yoga I started working out for me. Not for a boy. Not for a certain number on the scale. For me. So I could feel good about myself.
To this day, I still work out for me. Not for a pair of pants to fit. Not for a curve in my hips to disappear. For me. Too many people I know are stressing about losing the "last few pounds" until they reach a target weight. Then there's frustration when those pounds hang on. Did you ever stop to think that maybe your body is trying to tell you something? Maybe those "last few pounds" actually belong to your body. Instead of trying to lose them to achieve a certain weight, it might be time to embrace them. Tone them. Put them into a pair of pants that fit, regardless of their size.
The journey to accepting my body has been a tough one, especially after having a baby and then finding my flabby self teaching Pilates classes a mere 6 weeks post-partum. It's intimidating to feel so exposed. But here's the thing- if you're not truly working out for yourself then you're never, ever going to be satisfied.
Continuing into my Freshman year of college, I kept working out for that boy. I hated running. Hated it. But I still did it to change my body.
For the record, that boy never professed his undying love. Ever. He never even took me on a date.
I kept working out, though. And instead of working out for that boy, I started working out for the numbers on the scale. At one point, my boyfriend in Freshman year actually told me I should gain weight. Bless his heart.
Eventually my obsession with working out dwindled. Honestly, I was so poor in college I couldn't afford to eat much, and in turn couldn't afford to burn extra calories at the gym. I didn't have a car so walking to/from and around campus was sufficient exercise.
Then I found Yoga. Or did Yoga find me? I can't be sure. All I remember is starting my practice twice a week at the University drop-in classes and finding myself in love. Yoga gave me cardio, strength training, and peace of mind. Then I added two academic classes to my regime so I could practice four times a week.
FOUR TIMES A WEEK! I can't imagine having that kind of time again for Yoga.
The point, though, is that once I found Yoga I started working out for me. Not for a boy. Not for a certain number on the scale. For me. So I could feel good about myself.
To this day, I still work out for me. Not for a pair of pants to fit. Not for a curve in my hips to disappear. For me. Too many people I know are stressing about losing the "last few pounds" until they reach a target weight. Then there's frustration when those pounds hang on. Did you ever stop to think that maybe your body is trying to tell you something? Maybe those "last few pounds" actually belong to your body. Instead of trying to lose them to achieve a certain weight, it might be time to embrace them. Tone them. Put them into a pair of pants that fit, regardless of their size.
The journey to accepting my body has been a tough one, especially after having a baby and then finding my flabby self teaching Pilates classes a mere 6 weeks post-partum. It's intimidating to feel so exposed. But here's the thing- if you're not truly working out for yourself then you're never, ever going to be satisfied.
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