How is your training going?
Doesn’t matter how often per week you go but did you set yourself a goal? Fitness once or twice per week maybe? At home or in a gym?
I leant that only if I set myself a target for example: “go 3x a week to Hot Yoga”, that I actually do it.
To be honest, due to my busy lifestyle, being in a full time job and fitness blogger, I struggle sometimes to do all things I’d love to do.
While setting myself the goal to go 3x a week to Fierce Grace Brixton, I also had to run 3x a week due to the Half Marathon race I signed up. But Yoga is a fitness choice that compliments a runners training. The stretching and strengthening from Yoga felt really beneficial to me. My first class experience was intense but I went back.
My week looked like this:
Monday: Hot Yoga after work
Tuesday: Run to work 7.6km & Hot Yoga after work
Wednesday: REST
Thursday: Run to work 8.8km & Hot Yoga after work
Friday: REST
Saturday: Run 13km
Sunday: REST
Yes, I did it! What a great feeling to achieve a goal. In this case 2 actually.
I woke up 6:30am to run to work with a very easy pace. During the day I realised that I felt good and ready for Hot Yoga, so I went.
Throughout the week I tried different classes.
PIC: Fierce Grace Brixton
This class was more challenging. It’s called Fierce Grace (FG) and is their signature class.
It combines the central poses from Hatha Yoga, Bikram and Ashtanga Power Yoga. The Yoga poses were balancing ones like the Airplane, standing one leg twist. It also including core exercises. It felt more like a workout.
From a runners point of view and especially in my case, that’s what I need for my weak ankle.
The heat was one challenge and I guess it takes a few classes to get used to it. The 2nd challenge was exercising while sweating like being in a sauna. It’s a bit annoying when your sweat running into my eye.
Anyway, about halfway through there was a relaxation part, I was really focused. It worked and I reenergise. Turing around, facing the mirror. There certainly was a pace which let me feel sometimes like a beginner. I still took it a bit slower than the others around me. I’m new and I like to do it save and in my own time. Just 2-3 times I decided to stay a bit longer on all 4 or standing up a bit slower than the rest of the room. But it was OK. Remembering that most of the other yogis come regularly. Easy, I just took this class easy.
I bought my own Yoga mat!
At the end of the week and 3 Yoga classes later, I felt some tightness in my lower legs. It was around my ankles and side of the leg. Was that from the running or Yoga? Or was the amount of exercising too much?
Please, do not copy my exercise schedule if you practice 1-2x a week or low intensity workouts.
I know my body well and I’ve done lots of intense workouts 3-4 times a week or 2x a day before. Therefore I know what would be too much. In this example I felt the muscle in a specific area. My weak ankles and around it. I went to 2 classes with lots of one leg exercises which was very challenging for my weak ankles. The result was, that my muscle have to adapt and get stronger. Perfect, that’s what I wanted. You always feel your weakest part of your body first and this is mine.
On Saturday I was hesitating a bit, if I really should go for the long run or rest, but as it was the long run and very slow jog, I thought I try and listen to my body on the day. All good, no pain. As soon as the muscles were warmed up, I felt fine.
Please, always listen to your body.
At the end of the week I felt great. I did a lot but on the same time planned in enough rest days. That’s important.
I just came home from another FG class and feel amazingly happy. Slowly I get used to the heat and can’t wait to go again.
Next update will be in a weeks time about the 2nd week incl. 3x hot yoga, running and the Half Marathon race.
Thanks,
Sabine