Back to Basics

I must admit I wasn't on point with my personal challenge last week. My brother was off from work for a week and a half so we were running a lot errands. I think I did 4-5 days of yoga though...2 of those days I went to 2 classes. I think that counts. The reason why I've been doing more yoga is because my hamstrings and glutes are just really tight. Too tight to make weight training or endurance training fun or effective. I had to take my workouts down a few notches so that I wouldn't injure myself. The yoga helped a lot. Not to mention going to a physio therapist for my injury. I needed that release in my hamstrings and abductors. I even took a body pump class (total body) and used very light weight which I usually don't do. It's been helping.

Just because I toned down my workouts doesn't mean that it's easy. With the yoga classes, I had to go back to Ashtanga 1, Hot Flow 1, and Basic Core. Since I have neglected my yoga practice for the better part of last year, due to doing more weight training, I'm just not at the same level as I was previously. It's quite humbling to have to step back in doing something I thought I was advanced at. I know that taking this step back will help me move forward faster instead of trying to push myself in something I know I can't do right now...it'll just get me frustrated and set me back more. The basic classes have been challenging for me as well. Not only was I not as flexible anymore but my muscle endurance was lacking.

So the moral of my story is that it's okay to go back to the beginning in order to move forward. I had to tell myself that when my muscles and tendons were screaming for mercy. It's like that television game show "Are you smarter than a 5th grader?". Some of those adult contestants are probably saying "dang! I need to read up on my 5th grade math/grammar." Okay, it's NOT exactly like that but you know what I mean.

After that week and a half of going back to basics, I must admit I feel much better and have advanced pretty fast. I think I'll stick to Ashtanga 1 for a few more weeks though. That sh*t is HARD! But I can start my endurance Kettlebell training soon.

Did you ever have to go back to basics? Share your story here! I'd like to know.