Yoga at the YMCA

About a week ago or so, I took my very first yoga class from a friendly young woman named Michelle. We have decided to join our local YMCA (they are running a special that’s hard to pass up). I went to the class as kind of a test run to the gym on a free pass. It was very cool! I was worried that I would be crazy sore. I was not too bad the first day, then had a bit of second-day DOMS but nothing too bad! I was pretty shocked, as I took on some pretty aggressive poses. There were several hand stands and things that I could not do, but perhaps one day!

I really like the class and look forward to going to back to more. It was amazing how now my body seems to almost crave that trying to work yourself into those poses. I was also reminded of what a great core workout yoga is. My mid-section and obliques were sore, but it was a “good” sore.

My old friend Cindy has opened a yoga studio in Albemarle, N.C., which is very near my home town. It is called Albemarle Pilates and Yoga, so if you are from the area, defintely check it out. They have birkram yoga as well, which I have yet to try. I want to try that and try pilates, also something I’ve never done. You can also access her blog through her web site, so be sure to check it out.

I’m getting great core workout from my kettlebells. When people hear me talking about them or I show them a video, they think I’m nuts. I think the three people that I’ve actually gotten to try it were shocked at how “open” they felt through their hips. It stretches and rehabs, too. I hope to do some posts in the future on how I use kettlebells to compliment my triathlon training and recovery. It really is incredible how well you work your hamstrings, back, arms, hips, hip flexors, shoulders.

Here are some YouTube videos on kettlebells. Some of the movement involved, including turkish get-ups, are an incredible full-body workout in about 2 minutes. See what you think:

Swings: The king of exercises.

Snatches: The queen!

I will report back on the yoga and my upcoming training plans. I also have a few posts coming up that will be geared for folks who looking to enter triathlons and are wonder what to expect. I am just ramping up a little bit now, a bit of running, riding some. A group of about 15 of us braved the rain and rode 50 miles on Saturday morning. It was cold, so there were only a few brave souls out now. Big Woods and Jack Bennett, two of the local cycling friendly, or unfriendly as the case may be, roads (hills) will become easier over the next few months, thank heavens. Fifty miles was probably a bit much for my first ride in more than two months, but oh well!

Below are some before and after shots of my tri bike, a 2006 Cervelo P2SL. We were quite dirty after this one!

Dirty. Imagine our faces!

Rear view

50 miles was probably a bit much in the rain!

Yukkk!

After a quick wash.

Nice!

Cockpit!