My yoga goal

I'm usually not one for goals. I didn't make any New Year's resolutions - mostly because my goals are much more general in nature. But this week has been my first full week back to the gym for over 7 months. I would go to the occasional yoga class during our renovation, but not nearly as consistently as I had before and I was going to a different gym with different teachers. So now I am back to my old routine and I am LOVING it. I still have plenty of little projects to do around the house but I'm not putting the gym on the back burner anymore. I'm a little sore from jumping back in (especially with the cardio/weightlifting classes that I did none of) but I feel really good. And I missed all my old classes and instructors so much.

On Monday, I made it to yoga with one of my favorite teachers and we practiced this:

Source

That my friends, is a yoga headstand. And that is something that would usually really intimidate me because I've just never been good at headstands or handstands and I have that ever-present fear of just falling over flat onto my back. But once my teacher instructed us on how to get into this position, I figured I might as well try.

This is how you do it - all core strength and pressure on your forearms instead of your head and neck. (Source)

And let me tell you, I was thisclose to getting it. And it felt really good. Not just the trying and almost achieving part but the actual pose itself. So I made a goal to myself that I would get this pose. Because I know I can. I'm going to practice at home with Brandon spotting me (even though I could have asked my instructor after class but I was a little embarrassed) and with Lucy safely out of the way. I've just been loving the new things we've been doing in yoga - it's so challenging but it all feels so good. Who knows, maybe I can even master this pose for my next goal which would be very difficult for my because I have really weak, inflexible wrists.

Crow Pose (source)

And this one next:

Bird of Paradise - it's harder than it looks with the bind. (source)

And holy crap, I'm not sure if I have ever even seen this one before:

Grasshopper pose (source)

Hopefully, I will have some cool picture of my own to post on my blog like that crazy mom in the picture above. At least reading from her blog as I was searching for pictures, it took her a while to master grasshopper. Wow, what a rock star! Here is just one more to make you go, "whoa".

(Source)

Visvamitrasana pose - I've never seen that in my life. And some people think yoga is just stretching. Sounds like the mom above is just doing P90X2.

Anyway, we all have to start somewhere. I'll start with mastering a headstand.