Day 6 - Core - AKA: I'm Not as Strong as I Thought
Another day, another 30 minute yoga session...
...but this time, I kinda got my ass kicked...
I approached Day 6 of my home-practice journey like I approach everything else in my life. With ignorant confidence and not a whole lot of planning.
While this strategy usually allows me to knock anything and everything out of the park -- I didn't do so hot at yoga last night. The theme of this practice was Core:
Welcome to your Day 6 Dedicate practice! Today's 28 minute yoga session focuses on strengthening your core. Need I say more? Implement your vocabulary thus far to make the most of your time on the mat today.
I had always imagined that my core-strength was halfway decent -- though, at the same time, I've often been telling myself recently that improving my core strength would go a long was towards improving my rock climbing performance. I've known I was a little wiggly for some time, if I were to be honest. The bulk of this session was different kinds of 'chest lifts'.
Starting things out, there were a few sequences involving some movements through downward dog/planks/three-legged-dog which I got through without much trouble. If anything hasn't faded from me -- it's probably shoulder strength. I'm probably a bit stronger through the shoulders than most other muscle groups -- so a lot of the postures that are on all fours, or relying heavily on shoulder strength are probably instilling a false sense of security in me. I cruised through the first portion of this session with ease.
Then I was promptly quieted
We hung out in boat pose for a while -- with some 'pulsing' / 'flexing' thrown in
Much of the practice was in a stance similar to the above, but with intention put towards maintaining a flat lower back while lifting the shoulders up off the ground. A few variations with some bicycling, or reaching (with hands behind head) alternate elbows to the opposite side, and stuff like that. No real 'crunches' per-se, but it was definitely a large quantity of time in a compressed state in the core.
Coupling all that with a focus on maintaining the breath and moving with it had me absoloutely gassed by the end of it all.
Day 7 coming later today -- looking forward to it, despite being a bit sore in the core. I'm imagining she has accounted for that though, as everything seems to be structured well and flows from one practice to another.
I used to be able to absoloutely destroy yoga sessions like this -- it's disappointing that my cushy day job sitting in front of a computer hasn't prepared my core for this. Despite getting obliterated in yesterdays session, I'm feeling motivated to get back to the level that I was once at -- which is a victory in one way, I suppose.
Regular core exercises at home (once the yoga journey is over) -- here I come.