New yoga class

Tuesday being library day, yesterday I walked over to Monroe St with library books & back again. Hour and a half, 45 minutes each way, including stop at coffee shop AND library, so I was moving faster than lately.

Later in the afternoon Jon and I walked over to a one-hour yoga class at the Chakra House on Lakeside. Pam down the block had recommended the Monday & Tuesday teacher, and would like us to come with her on Monday, but that one is right during our usual dinner time, and first I thought we should try it out. Jon of course is in fine shape for cardiovascular and strength, but extremely stiff, always has been, and this was the first yoga class he has ever taken. It's billed as "Yoga for Everyone" and the whole schedule there is drop-in sessions. I talked to the teacher Mary a bit before and after, and she's a PT, but even with only ten students she doesn't really have time for a lot of individual teaching.

Fortunately all that work with Susi for the last three some years had me just about up to speed for the actual Salute to the Sun. It was a lot more strenuous than my other yoga class, a lot of up and down and lunges and more than a few Downward Dogs, but okay. Also more Warrior 2, and Bridging, and a couple more stretches (one prone and one sitting). I need more arm & shoulder work anyway. My legs were sore from all the Warrior, and my lower back, today my shoulders are a little stiff but otherwise the usual. My left arm actually hurts WHILE I am reaching overhead, which is probably why I don't practice that.

Jon is apparently up for trying it again each week for a while, since he knows the amount of stiffness he has is very slow to work with, but of course the squats and strength moves were no problemo. (This morning he was pushing his car out the driveway and across the street so he could jumpstart it, and it's a small car, but still.) In the evening we talked a bit about finding him enough pillow or prop to sit on so that his knees can drop down and his back straighten up more when he sits cross-legged on the floor, which is something he has never been able to do anyway. In class I used one of the yoga blocks to sit on, as it is just about the right height for me and my sitting bones fit on it, although sometimes I use a folded blanket. (My hip mobility has improved quite a lot over the last couple years.) And then getting him padded enough to try sitting on his heels with folded legs -- a pad under his feet so they don't get smooshed uncomfortably flat, and then a pillow behind his knees. I use a small one there if I'm sitting that way for any length of time. The plan is to just practice sitting on the floor for a little while in the evenings, instead of always on the sofas. Half hour? fifteen minutes? ten minutes! five minutes! whatever. Use it or lose it.