10 posts tagged “yoga”
How do you stay in shape?
Cycle to work. Yoga. Run. Gym. Walk. And squash when my ankle will allow. (The theory is having lots of different forms of exercise to choose from means I'll hopefully be in the mood to do one of them. In theory.)
Just to prove that if you try, try and try again (4 months of practicing) you can achieve what you thought was impossible.
EBeen meaning to get a new lock for my bike. The one I have is year's old d-lock and would probably yield with a sharp tap from a hammer but as I rarely leave my bike locked up in public places I've never felt the need to get a more up to day and, most importantly, a more effective one.
But now I'm planning to change yoga classes which will mean using a railing to lock my bike to on a main road so off I toddle to Cycle Surgery where I am sold this all-singing, all-dancing kryptonite* lock, with wire extension for the front wheel, complete fancy light-up key for those dark nights locking and unlocking my bike.
And why was this such a wise purchase? Well, because the guy in the shop told me about how, using a common and garden biro, you can pick a d-lock and just to prove it some kind person has put this clip on You Tube:
* Not even superman can get this lock off
My winter duvet has made a swift appearance having left temperatures of well over 30C in Egypt to find it just 7C at Gatwick. Very glum to be back, in the space of a week nearly all the leaves have disappeared from the
tree in my front garden and just two days ago I was snorkeling for the first time in the beautifully warm Gulf of Aqaba!
But I still have my photo's to keep me warm.
Small selection here, more in my Egypt collection and the full set is on my flickr account.
Saturday was H-day and after some intense preparation it was time to try it out.
First against the wall and then free-standing. Fellow yoga student Jeremy had a go first, then Jan but they've done them many times before and made it look quite easy. Then I decided to go for it.
I was having problems getting up into the halfway position which you are supposed to do with minimum of 'flipping' action so Greg, helped me into it and then up into the full pose - supposed to be a graceful movement using your stomach and back muscles.
He lightly kept hold of my ankles while issuing instructions on body position so that I was doing it properly and not in danger of hurting myself. Then after what seemed like an eternity and with a massive grin on my face, he stepped away. I'm very pleased not to get my money back, it felt amazing.
This picture, which fellow yogi, Amanda kindly took on my camera, didn't quite capture the solo moment but I've been assured that others did and as soon as I have a copy it will be posted.
V v proud.
First you do a handstand:
Over half way through my Egypt trip and I'm definitely making some progress with the yoga, well my muscles have stopped aching anyway. We had a two session break and classes resume tonight and I really thought the novelty would have worn off by now but I'm actually addicted and can't wait to get my mat unfurled. I've told Greg, our instructor, that if I can't do a free-standing headstand by the end of the holiday I want my money back. He thinks I'm joking. If I manage it I'll get photographic evidence if only to prove to myself that I could do one!
I'm a complete mossie magnet despite slathering on the most toxic of repellants. If anyone knows of anything you can put on the bites to stop them itching which actually works then please let me know. The stuff I bought for this trip contains, rather alarmingly, ammonia and it is about as effective as rubbing in jelly. When it comes to insects I think that hard core chemicals are usually the only way to go but obviously not in this case.
I've also discovered the delights of sunbathing, well not for any great length of time. I think the last time I actually laid in the sun on purpose was Ibiza with Reenie in 1995.
Still haven't tried any Arabic, other than 'thank you' but I did barter over the price of a couple of silk scarves which counts as a cultural experience in lieu of me actually going to visit anything. I'm sure I could have got a much cheaper price but there is time yet to hone my skills.
Pics to come...
So I'm in Egypt, on my own. From my seat here I can see the sea which is full of snorkellers and divers. It is about 35C - a bit warmer than it is supposed to be at this time of year but I can cope, the hotel has a pool!
It is slightly weird being away without Mosh but my fellow yogis, as we call ourselves, are a pleasant bunch and tend to hang out together so there is company if I want it.
The hardest thing to get used to is being a woman on my own in a Muslim country and the inevitable interest that attracts - I don't have 6ft strapping Mosh man to act as body guard. The men don't make any pretence of staring but have all been harmless so far.
I'm dressing reasonably modestly when out and about - covering my shoulders, wearing skirts below the knee - but I never realised quite how many of my t-shirts have v-shaped necklines until I got here and realised where most of the men were staring.
I've love the difference in etiquette when you are abroad. Sayeed - my driver from the airport who spoke a few words of English - had three questions for me once we were heading off into the desert towards Dahab: "Have you a husband?" "How old are you?" and "How much did your watch cost?"
He went on to invite me to his bedouin tent for tea the next day and there was something in there about ease of becoming a wife, so he may have been proposing. I would be his third wife should I choose to accept his kind offer, if indeed it was a proposal. I'm thinking about it, obviously.
He tried to teach me some Arabic but either he wasn't a very good teacher or I wasn't a very good student because I arrived in Dahab none the wiser.
I've since had an hour long Arabic lesson to learn some pleasantries and how to barter but even after that I don't think I know much more than I came here with without my bit of paper as a reminder. I really am rubbish at learning languages because for most of the class I didn't have a clue what was going on even though the teacher was asking everyone the same thing!
And the yoga? Well that is fantastic so far. We do four hours a day in two slots: a more intense morning session and a more sedate evening session. I actually fell asleep during our half an hour relaxation/meditation yesterday evening, something that has never happened before so the holiday must be working it's magic.
I've already had an hours massage and have hot stone therapy booked in for later in the week. I may do an introductory dive and some snorkeling but then I may decide that wandering around the town and reading by the pool are more attractive options.
This is proving to be cultural shock in more ways than one!
Posts about holiday's are starting to remind me a little of postcards in the "Ha Ha, I'm here and you aren't" kind of way but sadly not enough to eliminate my fascination with where people choose to go and what it says about them.
So read into it what you will but today I booked a yoga holiday in Dahab just up the coast from Sharm el Sheik on the Red Sea. It will be a first for lots of reasons: first time in Egypt, first time in a hotel on a beach, first time on a yoga holiday (my tutor is called Greg) but, most of all, my first time away on my own.
There is so much to look forward to and be a bit nervous about but if I don't end the week able to do a free-standing head-stand, like Greg is doing in his picture on the website, I want my money back.
Eight weeks and counting. And yes, subconsciously I'm saying "Ha Ha I'm going away and you aren't".
During my Monday lunchtime yoga classes my tutor has been gradually building us up to attempting a head stand. Now I
I didn't think I would be able to get up into the position let alone support myself sufficiently with my arms so that my head and neck didn't feel under huge pressure.
Anyway today was h-day for those who wanted to give it a go. Alan and Nadia both went before me and made it look easy. So I had a go and, with a bit of assistance actually getting up, it wasn't too difficult and reasonably comfortable. In fact my arms felt surprisingly strong with little weight on my head and neck.
We did them up against a wall and with our mats folded over to cushion our heads rather than a free-standing one on bare floorboards like this picture but I'm still very proud of myself.
What are five things you're good at?
Submitted by HapaLove.
Baking cakes
Burping words
Watching films/TV
Not phoning relatives
Making up excuses for not going to yoga
This won't mean much to anyone else but I wanted to mark the occasion. After nearly three months of yoga classes tonight I finally managed to get into the the crab without assistance. OK so I only held it for the briefest of seconds before the teacher stepped in to help support me, but I did it! I've still got a smile on my face from the sense of achievement.
Next goal: to go into the shoulder stand and then be able to drop my knees down so they touch the ground either side of my head. I can get my feet on the floor which is a step in the right direction.
