Back to School
By Sage Rountree
For many years now, I’ve been feeding you a pose a month, describing how and why to include it in home practice. I like to think – and I sometimes hear – that these poses are helpful in keeping your body balanced as you train for whatever endurance events life throws at you.
This month, I suggest you do not a pose, but a whole class worth’s of them. Yes: Go back to school and find a local yoga studio or gym class to attend. I know, it’s intimidating. You probably expect you’ll be a fish out of water, the tightest one in the room. True, you might. As long as you are breathing the whole time, you’ll be fine. And just as signing up for a race that scares you a little pushes you into growth in ways you can’t anticipate at the start, so does trying a yoga class for the first time.
Ideally, you can find a class specifically for athletes; if not, look for the keywords “gentle” or “level 1” or an introductory class. But if you should find yourself in a faster-paced class, do what you can and rest when you need to. (If you can’t find a local class that works for you, try my online classes at YogaVibes.com, but know that the ideal situation is a live class where a teacher can observe and gently correct your alignment.) I promise you’ll learn something interesting about your mind, body, and breath that will have direct impact on your training.
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Sage Rountree, Ph.D., is Runner’s World’s expert on yoga for athletes and the author of books including “The Athlete’s Guide to Yoga.” A USAT-certified coach, she is co-owner of the Carrboro Yoga Company (www.mycyco.com). Find her class, clinic, and workshop schedule, as well as dozens of streamable classes, at sagerountree.com.
