Has it been a week already? I swear I was just talking to y’all yesterday telling you how our trip with Adriene is going and here we are, Day 13 thru Day 19 giving another update. I feel like our journey is going so fast and I cannot wait to tell you all about this past week. If you are just now jumping in, go ahead and check out my two other posts. There is still time to catch up and join the pack. Here you go: My Sensational Yoga Adventure: Chapter 1 & My Sensational Yoga Adventure: Chapter 2
Does anyone else wake up now and have the first thing you think about be yoga? I hope so because I do and it is amazing. Every morning, a new day – a fresh, new day to do another yoga practice to get the body energized for the day. Gosh. It is such an amazing feeling. If you are new to yoga, so am I so you should subscribe and comment below so that we can connect and bond through our mutual struggles of starting a new practice.
A little heads up. This week I was going through some personal struggles with my work life so a few of the updates you will see are in reflection to some stress I was going through. But I’m really grateful that I could wake up every morning to start each new day off on the right foot. Doing so, really helped me get through this week. That being said, let’s get down to business with some good ole’ YOGA WITH ADRIENE. By the way… she liked another one of my posts. Gosh. I’m freakin’. #UsandAdriene @adrienelouise
Day 13 thru Day 19
Pre-Yoga Practice Continuation & Updates
- I’m beginning to get quite the routine here. I wake up, go to the bathroom (duh), brush my teeth, turn the coffee pot on, start the coffee, open the door to my porch and start the video
- I also have added that I move things out of the way before I practice because I do not want anything to hinder any pose that I may learn or do during my practice
- Let us talk about the important things: My new yoga mat & yoga blocks came in! I was beyond excited to come home to mail not only because I love getting mail but also because who would be sad about getting a new yoga mat in their favorite color? Not I. Check out where I got them here: this Yoga Mat
and these Yoga Blocks
and these Here is a visual
Overall Week 3 [And Week 1,2] Yoga Impressions
During this week we managed to hit the half-way mark which was extremely satisfying and really put a pep in my step. The best part about this is that slowly each day I’m getting more in tuned with how miss Adriene operates; how fast or slow she goes, her funny remarks are actually making me laugh.out.loud because I feel like I know her. [even though I don’t] I love reflecting, here are some overall highlights.
- I’m learning to push through the days that are hard to wake up for my practice because I know how important each day is and I have a goal to complete.
- Accepting that improvement is going to take more than a month is hard.
- We are so programmed to progress so quickly in the world and when it doesn’t happen we are disappointed. A funny thing that Adriene said this week on video 17 was that to not force yourself to go to the next level because you are only going to get frustrated and give up. I laughed because before I started this video I was just talking about how I was frustrated about not being able to advance.
- Unfortunately – I haven’t overcame this quite yet – I’m working on it.
- The deeper you get into the practice the faster she moves into different positions.
- Nothing wrong with this because she encourages you to have the freedom to do what your body needs and where it is calling your name. – Everywhere it calls my name. everywhere.
- I’m starting to pray that she ads ab work into the practice.
- I feel like as I lose weight and gain strength, my abdomen is also getting stronger. I’d do Adriene’s 30 Day practice 10 times over to get the abs to come in. Breath into the pain. She encourages you so much to complete the move. And I do and it feels great.
A couple of days this week Zach (my husband) ended up making it to the mat with me. I especially appreciate this because it makes it that much more exciting to do yoga! #yogawithhusband
After starting this yoga practice I thought that it might be nice to start up a learning journey to eat healthier too. You cannot get fit and feel better just by doing a 20 minute workout every day. So, to keep up my energy everyday I’ve started a journey to eat better too. This one won’t be as easy. Please take some time after this post to check out: The Unhealthy Truth About Changing Your Eating Habits
Oh yes, I’ve also started to follow pretty much all yogi’s on Instagram because they inspire me to keep up with the practice. It is very motivating to see so many people have such a passion towards the yoga practice.
As you will see below, I have taken images of almost all of the poses I’ve learned up to this point and will be posting them on these posts to shed light on the community for feedback on pose suggestions and feedback. Yes. That’s right – Go make those comments below!
Chapter 3 Difficulties
This week, I felt very tired and sore. Before I started this practice it had been a while since I did any form of a workout or exercise so I have a feeling that the soreness of new stretches are catching up with me now. I’m a lot more flexible then say, my husband, but that is not to say that I don’t get sore. I also feel like I pushed myself a little too hard week 2 because I was feeling frustrated with not being able to complete the poses. That being said, this week I couldn’t push so hard which allowed me to focus my energy on my breathing.
As I mentioned above, this week was especially hard because I was going through some difficulties with my work life so it made it twice as difficult to focus on the practice. Luckily, I was able to push through the words in my head during the practice because Adriene really walks you through step by step to focus on the moment you are in now; Yoga Practice.
I feel like that might be the key. You always hear people advice you to just focus on the good or the greater picture but it isn’t always easy (obviously) or everyone would do it. But, the cool think I’m noticing about yoga or really any workout session is that you truly can just push it away and focus on making that 20 minutes worth your time. This week was the week that I did achieved that. #winnumber1
Putting my emotional struggles aside – Here are some poses I struggled with this week:
Side Plank Pose
Really super thrilled to talk about this pose because it sucks. That is the hard cold truth. It is hard and it really triggers the abs. (which I love) The unfortunate thing right now is that when we do this pose I always cannot wait for her to say ‘ok, good. Let’s exhale and slowly come out.’ Though, each time we do this practices I always look forward to the ab-focus poses because I know that I’m only going to get better. The key that I have to focus on is channeling my core here – which is difficult if you are focused. Adriene helps by having you focus on your breathing through your entire body. Pish. I’ll keep working on that one.
Warrior 1
So, this pose look really easy by just looking at the picture but it is actually quite difficult when you come from high lounge straight up to Warrior 1 using nothing but your core and strength of your legs pushing your feet up from the earth. Not only are you doing all of this internal energetic strength you are also having to balance yourself. Seriously, didn’t we talk already about how my balance is terrible. I hoping Adriene continues to put this combo into the rest of the practices because it is really helping my balancing technique.
Side Angle Pose
Who knew that just leaning on your side to touch the ground was so difficult. The unfortunate thing here is that Adriene suggested using fancy Yoga Blocks
The Not So Difficulties
Some of these poses you will see are some that have been one of the easier ones from the beginning so they are ones that I have been able to embrace the ease of them and to more so channel my inner breaths and that is what I am focusing on with the below poses. To be able to overcome the ability to find calmness in your practice can actually be quite difficult; at least for me. Everyone has so many distractions throughout their every day life – like I did, especially this week. It some ways i find these poses to provide more strength than any of the hard poses.
That being said, they may be easy but if you are doing the pose right at all – it is not at all that ‘easy’.
Standing Knee Hug
This pose you are required to maintain a balance that channels from your planted foot all the way up through your core. Once you find your balance – which for me it wasn’t too difficult – then, it is all about breathing to stay in that balance. I liked this one because it was a really good stretch as well as helping me focus on breathing and only breathing which is exactly what I needed this week. The only interesting thing that was confusing was that Adriene encouraged you to stay soft in the standing leg but I didn’t know how to do that while staying strong with the pose. If you have clarification on this please comment below!
Flat Back Position
Adriene loves the sequence – forward fold, then half way fold, forward fold, then take it to the sky or to mountain pose, and so forth. We do this quite often during her videos and I’m really starting to dig it because I don’t have to look at the video and I can anticipate exactly what move she is going to do next which actually allows me to relax and take in the move. The only sad thing is that I have not mastered the forward fold yet which is why it it is not yet on the not so difficult list.
Cat Cow
Ahh yes. If you have done any yoga at all, You had to of done this pose sequence at least once. This is a two step process where you basically walk up your tailbone all the way through your neck make a breathing movement with your eyes shut of course basically breathing into every part of your back. It feels extremely funny at first but then, you realize that it is one of the best moves for morning practices because it really helps you get loosened up. I always try to focus tremendously hard during this move to really capture every inch of the stretch.
I’ve talked a lot about some of my favorite moves throughout this journey. I’d love for you to comment below with some of your favorite poses during your practice! Let’s get the conversation going my yogi friends.
Overall Findings From Chapter 3
- I hope you saw that I got a new yoga mat and blocks. <3 I’m not sure if you can feel my excitement
- Just because a pose looks easy doesn’t mean that it actually is. Often times I’ve found that the ‘easy’ ones are harder than the ‘hard’ ones.
- Breathing has become one of my most important step in my yoga practice. With the stress I go through throughout my daily activities, it’s nice to be able to find a moment to breath and slow down in life. I am appreciating that more each day I continue on this journey.
- It’s amazing how much strength and core muscles you need to complete yoga moves. I honestly did not expect this.
- Falling is okay and makes me laugh but it means that inside – I enjoy learning new moves and focusing on my ability to achieve them is a goal that I strive for. It is always good to have goals right?
Each day that I wake up and head to the mat is another day that I find strength within myself. This isn’t a fortune cookie or a hallmark card; it is honesty. I’m surprising myself that I can get up every morning and do the practice when I’ve never really been up for exercising or working out but with yoga – it is a place where I can find a calmness and release stress and I like that. If I give you any advice – it is to start the yoga practice because even if you can’t fully do the moves you will at least get rid of some stress and no one can say no to that.
I appreciate you more than anything for taking the time to read these posts. Please know that if ever you need someone by your side – I am here.
Thank you for your time and your energy and I will see you on the mat next week!
Until then,
I love what yoga does for the body soul and mind!