I wanted to drop you a quick note to share my experience with yoga while under a statewide “Stay at Home” order (a.k.a. “Lockdown”; a.k.a. “Quarantine”, etc.).
The gyms were closed almost immediately once the county (and later, the state) executive orders restricting travel and activity went into effect. Because of a nagging injury, I had been out of Muay Thai since March 1st. But the weather was just starting to get nice, and I had just started to rack up trail miles in anticipation of competing in a couple of enduros in the mountains. Though county parking lots to local parks closed due to social distancing rules, I have been able to get in plenty of challenging rides at a local trail on private land and at the US National Whitewater Center.
Cycling has almost always left me stiff and struggling with aches and pains. So I turned to yoga with a new dedication and intensity. Here’s what happened:
I started off with a random sequence from your library, primarily using it to rehab my shoulder and for pain management and basic flexibility. After a couple of days, I began feeling better and, finding myself with plenty of time on my hands, I started to do two videos a day.
Soon I felt like my yoga training lacked focus, so I checked out your “Programs” page. Not knowing where to start, I gave the “All-Rounder” program a shot, and stuck to it. I liked the mixture – Strength, Balance, Mobility, Flexibility, Recovery. I noticed I didn’t hurt as much on longer (15+ mile rides), and my recovery time following a ride became shorter. I wasn’t as tense in the bike’s cockpit and felt a little more active (as opposed to being a “passenger” on the bike). My confidence level in yoga grew and I no longer shied away from “Intermediate” or “Advanced” sequences.
When that program was done, I started to get “Yoga Goals” and began to focus on “Mobility” in the mornings (I really like flow yoga) and “Flexibility” in the evenings. Poses that were once a challenge began to get a little easier, and, though my hamstrings are still tight, and my neck still holds a lot of painful tension, I have noticed my range of motion and overall dynamic flexibility have increased. I sleep a little more soundly and people have told me that I seem a little calmer. I feel like my circulation has also improved.
The current state of the world may trouble me. And I really miss teaching face to face. However, I accept that these are things outside of my control. I wanted to write to tell you that your videos, and yoga in general, have helped me to focus on that which is in my control. They continue to help me condition myself, physically and mentally, for both athletic and daily activity. Tomorrow I will wake up and start my 46th consecutive day of yoga practice…
Back in August last year, Eric asked me to design a program of videos for fighters, which I was more than happy to do. You can find the 15-day program here and a specific sequence for fighters here.
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