Modifications on the Mat
I used to be one of those people who HAD to do the hardest version of every pose.
The reason was twofold: to challenge myself, but also to prove my strength. While that hasn't entirely changed, I have made a few modifications. Lately, I've been opting to step rather than jump when given the option to "jump or step your way back to plank."
Sometime in the last few months, I finally started listening to my body a bit more rather than powering through everything (ahem, taking an active rest day). And many days, I notice it feels much more natural to step back to plank rather than jump.
With this little change, I've also found that I no longer look down on the "easier" version of poses. Some days, easier is better.
The point is, no matter how small the change is, listening to your body can be a game changer. It can shift the way you see yourself and what you "have to do" in life or on the mat.
Have you had any revelations lately while on a run, laying on your yoga mat or spinning on the bike?
In the early days when I only ran alone, I used to say running was the cheapest therapy. And in a lot of ways, I still agree. Solo, uninterrupted time is much too sparse in our daily lives.
The reason was twofold: to challenge myself, but also to prove my strength. While that hasn't entirely changed, I have made a few modifications. Lately, I've been opting to step rather than jump when given the option to "jump or step your way back to plank."
With this little change, I've also found that I no longer look down on the "easier" version of poses. Some days, easier is better.
The point is, no matter how small the change is, listening to your body can be a game changer. It can shift the way you see yourself and what you "have to do" in life or on the mat.
Have you had any revelations lately while on a run, laying on your yoga mat or spinning on the bike?
In the early days when I only ran alone, I used to say running was the cheapest therapy. And in a lot of ways, I still agree. Solo, uninterrupted time is much too sparse in our daily lives.
Comments
We also had a teacher recently who showed us how to correctly "jump" back into plank - ha, it's supposed to be very gentle and flowy...not the jolting way most of us were doing it. ;)
Anyway, this lesson is always valueable, and we all need the reminder more often than not!
I'm modifying lots of stuff these days, but pre-pregnancy I was always a big block-user. In triangle or in lunges, it just makes me feel more stable.
I don't care how I look when I modify poses. In fact, I think maybe someone will feel more comfortable modifying something themselves since they see someone else doing it?