(image from Refinery 29)
A few months ago, I was browsing youtube (more than likely getting sucked into watching hours of eyebrow defining videos) and stumbled across an advert for shampoo that really stuck with me. I know that sound a bit mad, but it's not until the very end of the advert that it has anything to do with shampoo, so bear with me.
It's the story of a little girl becoming a rhythmic gymnast, and since I saw it I've been trying to find a ballet or gymnastics class for grown ups. I used to compete in gymnastics competitions when I was much younger, and have always wished I'd carried it on longer than I did. However, it seems that unless you're five, they don't really exist! I still wanted to become fitter (I'm slim but not overly fit anymore really) more agile, flexible and in tune with my body and breathing, so I started practicing yoga more regularly at home, but I was never really sure I was doing the poses in the most beneficial way. I completed the 30 Days to Splits challenge, and while I was a little more bendy by the end, I finished it thinking that I really need someone to point out where I'm going wrong and make sure I'm pushing myself as hard as I can (Also...I was nowhere near getting into splits!)
So last weekend, spurred on by my word for the year, I decided that I am going to become stronger, more flexible, more conscious of what my body is capable of doing. I can't do anything high impact anymore because it aggravates my back, so I booked myself into a yoga class (in a brand new studio) and a bootybarre class.
Thursday night, I set off for yoga. We'd had a particularly challenging day at work and so I'd been looking forward to it all day. As I said, the studio is new, but I was pretty sure I knew where I was going. When I got to where I thought I was supposed to be though, it wasn't the right place at all! After literally running around the streets of Norwich (all the while thinking this wasn't exactly conducive to a relaxing evening) I managed to find where I was supposed to be - but I was 15 minutes late! After deciding that I was really too late to interrupt the class, I made my very disgruntled way back to the car (which I'd paid £2 to park!!) and drove home in a strop with myself!
Fast forward to Saturday morning and I managed to make it to bootybarre on time, in the correct venue, and was even organised enough to be wearing the correct clothes and footwear!
In short - I loved it! I love how controlled the movements are, how focused you need to be on what each part of your body is doing, and how much it bloody hurts! It's a mixture of pilates, ballet and yoga, and the class I went to is quite upbeat and sassy (did I really just type the word sassy?!) and done to music, which I think will be a nice contrast to the more spiritual, mindful nature of the class I plan to do on Thursdays (assuming I make it next week!)
Also, it feels great to have done something just for me and as much as my legs and bum are aching now (I very nearly fell over trying to sit down on the toilet earlier!) it feels good to invest in myself a bit!
You never know...I may make it into a shampoo advert one of these days after all!
No comments