And So It Begins

There was a time when I chose yoga as my exercise routine and nothing more. Though, I noticed I always felt better after yoga instead of feeling depleted.

In the mid-2000s I began working out with a personal trainer at my fitness center. I was an overweight woman in my late 40s. The trainer I was paired with was nothing like me. He was a young, physically fit, personal trainer, aspiring to work with athletes. This was my first personal training experience and it was monitored by physicians associated with the fitness center. I placed my trust in the program. 

Spoiler alert: I got injured. When my trainer set the weights for me on the weight machines I was confident that I "was supposed" to be able to manage it. When he instructed me to hold the plank pose for what seemed like forever, I held my body in the plank position. The only problem was I was using the wrong muscles. I was using my back for strength to accomplish the weighted leg extensions. I was using my back to hold the plank position. I pushed through until I was hurt so badly that I couldn't walk without lower back pain. 

I put my personal training on hold while I went to physical therapy. 

The therapist worked with me to first establish my breath before performing any position. She worked with me to identify that the muscles I was supposed to use had never engaged. Physical therapy gave me a better understanding of breath with movement. She taught me how to recognize which muscles I was using and she showed me how to engage the correct muscles.  

Once I went through physical therapy I gravitated to yoga as my primary exercise. I found I got many of the benefits from yoga that I had gained from my physical therapist.

Over the last ten years, I have returned to yoga over and over. Even if I was not on the mat, I was able to practice controlled breathing to get through some of life's surprises. I became a "regular" yoga student at several yoga studios. I learned (and keep learning) that yoga is accessible to me at every stage of my life and fitness level. 

I started Yoga Teacher Training in late 2020 and earned the 200-Hour YTT Certification in May 2021.  

My body is stronger than before and my stamina has increased. I'm still learning every time I roll out my mat. My goal for each practice is to accept where I am each day, but more importantly, to embrace it. 

I am beginning to accept one-on-one students. I can meet you "where you are" in your yoga practice.

Reach out to me if you'd like to try a yoga class. The first yoga class is free.

Send me an email: Kimberly.is.thinking (at) Gmail (dot) com