So, here's some of the post I did for her. Leila has been slow to fall in love with yoga (I know she will, though!) so I thought I would help her out.
My blog post is titled “The Best Laid Plans”. And that would be because I intended to write a post on one of my new toys, a medium-strength resistance band I intended to add to my pool workout today: Aquatic therapy is a very arthritis (and, therefore lupus)- friendly workout. It’s also a great way to switch up your workout if you find yourself in a rut.
However, my brother-in-law was here visiting and I loaned him my pool key. Then, I realized he would need a house key as well. I put both on the pool keyring, leaving me with separate rings for my car/work and my home/pool. After I got the ring back I never re-combined them. I remember locking the house using the pool/house key ring before I went off to visit a client. That's the last time I remember seeing them...And now it’s missing... I'm sure that will cost some money to replace (mostly the pool key). Apartment complexes are cranky what you misplace their stuff. I'll just pretend like it's payback for my leaky fridge.
However, my brother-in-law was here visiting and I loaned him my pool key. Then, I realized he would need a house key as well. I put both on the pool keyring, leaving me with separate rings for my car/work and my home/pool. After I got the ring back I never re-combined them. I remember locking the house using the pool/house key ring before I went off to visit a client. That's the last time I remember seeing them...And now it’s missing... I'm sure that will cost some money to replace (mostly the pool key). Apartment complexes are cranky what you misplace their stuff. I'll just pretend like it's payback for my leaky fridge.
So, my new plan was yoga, which is nice since Leila hasn’t quite fallen in love yet. Long ago, I would do P90X Yoga- a part of the Beach Body Workout. Two car accidents (and two damn big boulders) later, I’ve lost the stamina to complete much of P90X. In addition, my arthritis makes it difficult to do a few of the poses. Then, I discovered these little beauties:
Rounded yoga blocks have helped tremendously with my form and fixes my issues with my hands in poses such as downward facing dog....
…and triangle pose.
...and corpse pose (one of my personal favorites)...
As Tony Horton says, he’s not in great shape because he can do a bunch of push-ups... it’s because he does yoga. Yoga tones and encourages core strength. I enjoy it because it slowly strengthens around my joints to support them. I find that if I do yoga after bicycling or the elliptical my chances of a flare (arthritis acting up) is much less. Yoga is great for all levels of flexibility, ability, and strength, not to mention great for clearing your mind.
On Leila's blog I took the time to explain why my blog was titled "Sisyphean Effort" and then I posted a very inappropriate photo from James Franco's movie 127 Hours... Then I brought it back to the movie star by bringing up that this is my favorite Yoga DVD:
This is the star of the series (best shot I could find):
They look alike to me.... seriously. Although I would take James Franco over a guy in purple yoga capris any day.
My point (I recognize that I digressed from my point long ago) is that yoga is hard to get into... especially if you’re a runner and you like “feeling it” immediately. In high school I was a hardcore tennis player and weightlifter. As my lupus progressed, I yearned for ways to nurture my love of exercise. I actually fell in love with yoga with the P90X video- it was fast-paced and fun. Others enjoy group experiences... that would freak me out as a beginner, but my goal is to be up for some hot yoga by winter! Some studios offer brief individual sessions to offer personal tips, point out weak areas, and correct minor form flaws. And let me say- yoga does NOT have to be super spiritual (or as I call it... hippie-dippie). Find something you’re comfortable with and when you find something you like... STICK TO IT! I once went to a Piloga (Pilates and Yoga) class that nearly turned me off from both forms of exercise forever. Too hippie-dippie and they played music of running water that made me need to pee. I left the class early. Experiment, and STICK TO IT! Just like I’m sticking to my James Franco look-alike.
Now... what is stopping you from getting stronger, more flexible, and possibly- a more centered person? I’m great at pep-talks if you need one!
**BTW, the blond beauty doing the poses is NOT me. In the very first picture, I’m on the far right.
Rounded yoga blocks have helped tremendously with my form and fixes my issues with my hands in poses such as downward facing dog....
…and triangle pose.
..
...and corpse pose (one of my personal favorites)...
As Tony Horton says, he’s not in great shape because he can do a bunch of push-ups... it’s because he does yoga. Yoga tones and encourages core strength. I enjoy it because it slowly strengthens around my joints to support them. I find that if I do yoga after bicycling or the elliptical my chances of a flare (arthritis acting up) is much less. Yoga is great for all levels of flexibility, ability, and strength, not to mention great for clearing your mind.
On Leila's blog I took the time to explain why my blog was titled "Sisyphean Effort" and then I posted a very inappropriate photo from James Franco's movie 127 Hours... Then I brought it back to the movie star by bringing up that this is my favorite Yoga DVD:
They look alike to me.... seriously. Although I would take James Franco over a guy in purple yoga capris any day.
My point (I recognize that I digressed from my point long ago) is that yoga is hard to get into... especially if you’re a runner and you like “feeling it” immediately. In high school I was a hardcore tennis player and weightlifter. As my lupus progressed, I yearned for ways to nurture my love of exercise. I actually fell in love with yoga with the P90X video- it was fast-paced and fun. Others enjoy group experiences... that would freak me out as a beginner, but my goal is to be up for some hot yoga by winter! Some studios offer brief individual sessions to offer personal tips, point out weak areas, and correct minor form flaws. And let me say- yoga does NOT have to be super spiritual (or as I call it... hippie-dippie). Find something you’re comfortable with and when you find something you like... STICK TO IT! I once went to a Piloga (Pilates and Yoga) class that nearly turned me off from both forms of exercise forever. Too hippie-dippie and they played music of running water that made me need to pee. I left the class early. Experiment, and STICK TO IT! Just like I’m sticking to my James Franco look-alike.
Now... what is stopping you from getting stronger, more flexible, and possibly- a more centered person? I’m great at pep-talks if you need one!
**BTW, the blond beauty doing the poses is NOT me. In the very first picture, I’m on the far right.
Thanks again for the guest post! I'm going to have to investigate these yoga eggs!
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