Relaxing at will

I’ve been doing Yoga on and off for more years than I care to remember considering that I’m still a rank beginner!

Oh well, not that I’m counting, but it is kind of funny to be struggling with the same poses twenty years after learning them.   What I have found is that when I begin to practice with some regularity my rank amateur status seems to fall away pretty quickly.  In a matter of days, my body is limber again and I’m amazed at my renewed strength and the tautness of my muscles — and this from the “easy” Vinyasa Yoga (where you work on smooth breathing and the flow of movement), not to mention the “power” varieties that have you posing on the tip toes of one foot with your arms in the air or something like that.

Given that I’m no Guru, I do find that incorporating some Yoga practice into the day provides a chance to stretch safely in poses that help to slow down the breath — and therefore create a space for relaxation, the side benefit being some additional fitness.

My renewed flexibility also helps my boxing – a lot.  I find that my stamina increases and as my overall “tone” is improved, it adds a little something extra to my boxing training.

Yoga classes certainly abound for every level of fitness and stamina — YouTube, Netflix and Hulu have tons of online options.  If you are new to Yoga or haven’t done it in a while, you’ll want to look for beginning classes or find the sun salutation sequences which are a terrific way to wake-up your body in the morning. You may not be able to relax at will after your first class, but after a few days you’ll sure feel better and it is a nice option for your daily something.