I tried morning yoga for a week and to be very honest with you, when I first started I didn’t know how I would like it. Although I tried yoga before, I used it more as a rest day and relaxing kind of work out on sore muscles day. This is what happened when I dedicated myself for a full week of morning yoga.
I used the popular yoga Youtube channel Yoga With Adriene for my work outs, being a novice yogi and I needed a lot of guidance. I pulled out my dusty yoga mat out of the back of my closet that I acquired when I considered yoga a couple of years ago. I never got into it because it was always so expensive to join a yoga class and girl’s gotta pay the rent and eat. I am used to home work outs, but it was different turning on Adriene’s calm voice compared to my other work outs that start off with jogs and pushups. Adriene commented on harsh workouts and pushing your body through obstacles, which honestly I don’t mind in a workout. There is something to be said of being proud of your body after a tough workout as you lay on the ground slowly make a body outline with your sweat. However, as I got deeper into the morning yoga workout I became very much aware of the smoothness of yoga and the contrast between a high intensity workout and a collected and therapeutic one.
When I swung my legs off my bed the next morning I was not ready for the soreness in my pecks, arms, and butt. I was impressed that morning yoga could work my muscles that intensely without breaking too big of a sweat. My second go around with morning yoga needless to say was met with more grunts and groans as I shook through the poses with my sore muscles.
I used to absolutely despise working out in the morning. There was nothing worse than waking up and in a few hours being sweaty and gross. Morning yoga starting changing my mindset and as my morning routine was changed around, it started to become something that I worked around to make sure I could complete my morning yoga. Setting aside time that is only meant to focus on your body and your breathing is one of the most satisfying things in the world. Also when you complete it in the morning you feel great all day.
Oh god, when Adriene folded up into the Malasana pose with a smile (I had to find that name on google) I feared I would break my hip sockets. Slowly lowering down into the pose I swear I could hear my muscles and tendons plead for mercy. Although I would call myself slightly above average in flexability I have tight hamstrings and hips. My morning yoga wouldn’t let that slide and my hips and hamstrings were constantly being called out. As I continued each morning I could feel that loosen up a bit and I can happily report at the end of my week I could cautiously ease down into Malasana for a couple of terrifying couple of minutes without injury.
I started seeing a little more definition in my arms and abs at the end of the week of my morning yoga routine. A week is hard to see any results in with a workout because you want lasting results and not just instant. But there was a little more toning in my triceps (all those Chaturanga Dandasana) and my obliques were slightly more defined. I would call that a big win, considering I have the hardest time getting any results in my abs.
Not pushing through an intense work out I thought I was going to be a little lost. I like the feeling of accomplishment when I work out but morning yoga gave a little more than just a tired body. Adriene focuses on quieting in the mind while in the mist of your yoga practice. I was used to having a workout task to complete and then being able to let my mind wander to all the things going on in my life. Morning yoga brought attention to keeping your mind focused on the movements, and perhaps the workout was foreign or the reminders but my mind was present rather then far off. Nothing like a relaxed mind to start your day.
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