She's Lost Control

Not to be out done by My Namasexual Guy, and foolishly encouraged by the studio (their foolishness to encourage me, that is), I just registered to take the Kids Yoga instructor course. In many ways this feels like a most natural progression as they need kid's instructors and I have 8 years experience teaching children and I love to do it. However, that 8 years of experience was gained teaching kids karate. 

Karate has discipline built into the program. There is order. There are push ups. You may recall that at  5'1", by 11 years old the average child is taller than me. Even by 9 many are looking me in the eye. In a gi (karate uniform) I gain about 6 inches or so of cloth to my slender frame and I use my theatre trained big girl voice to control a room. Plus push ups, did I mention the push ups?

Yoga is the antithesis (see what I did there?) to karate. It is free expression, do as you feel and all those wonderful things. Except, children feel like doing some very freaky and often dangerous things. As I prepare to embark on this journey, I think about all of the outrageous child behaviour I have had to bring under control in my years of teaching karate and I worry that when you strip away the belt, the gi and the push ups, and I am left standing with this tiny shell I inhabit, will I still be able to guide the room without my array of dojo tricks? 

Breathe 

I've Crea-dated a Monster!

I was very pleased with my initial (resounding, I might add) success in hooking My Guy onto Power Yoga, not your gentle nap time yoga, this style kicks ass. He now regularly attends class with and often without me and tells anyone who will listen how great it is. He's always been rather a one man sales and marketing team but now he's on a mission. Last week he got his first pair of proper yoga pants (yes they make them for men) from a major manufacturer of yoga wear that I can't afford. This week he was asked to come in for a job interview with that very same major - with a capital MA - manufacturer of yoga wear. A sales position of course. His mother, yoga instructor and countless friends have already laid claims on his staff discounts and I'm told to go to the back of the line.

So here I am being out yogied by Mr. Fancy Pants, breathing in his shadow and down dogging my way through life in inferior yoga wear.

Namastuff It!

Bicycles, Yoga and Preparing for Battle

I finished the MS Bike Tour Acton-Waterloo 200 km (over two days), despite appalling under training and lived to tell about it! (I also lived to get up and teach a spin class the next morning). Since then I've tried to keep it going with some fabulous night rides under a full and full-to-waning moon with My Guy at my side - magical - another assault on Rattlesnake Point and even a bit of single track on my mountain bike. One cross country ride, in fact, just enough to remind me that I really don't like my Mountain Bike. 

Now, as fall looms and the madness that is teaching 4 beginner karate classes (as well as 2 intermediate and 2 advanced) per week is about to begin anew I take a big breath and prepare for battle. Speaking of battles, I am signing My Guy up for yoga. Not just a class a week, but a full 30 day unlimited yoga package. He knows, he has agreed to go, but he doesn't like it. Only because he's never tried. Likewise, I had dabbled in the odd classes at the community centres where I teach and found it not unenjoyable but nothing that really managed to hook me. Then, finally caving to the constant nagging, goading and pressure from my son, I agreed to try a similar 30 day unlimited offer at a hot yoga studio and I absolutely loved it. So, when I found out my first teacher in there was opening a Power Yoga Canada studio in my city near my work, I was very excited.  When the opportunity to get on board with the Energy Exchange* program came along, I jumped without hesitation. 

I have tried and tried to get My Guy to go to classes (yoga and other) in the past and he has always been reluctant. Fit cyclist that he is, he isn't the most agile and his flexibility is that of a 80 year old man (both my parents, who are in their 70's, have far better flexibility). So the adventure begins, can I turn my reluctant, gun loving, meat eating boyfriend into a yoga loving, flexible as Gumby, Namasexual? In my favour is his cheapness, he hates seeing money wasted so if I pay for it, he'll attend out of obligation to get his (my) money's worth. Working against me is his army training to "hate hippies". I think kick ass flexibility and rising to the challenge of arm balances just might win out over "drop and give me 50 maggot". If not, there's always karate - a little from Column A and a little from Column B...

*For those unfamiliar with Yoga Energy Exchange, most yoga studios have a program for those who cannot afford classes, you work 1 4 hr unpaid shift per week helping to run the studio and you get unlimited free yoga classes plus deals on merchandise. Fantastic opportunity!