Outclassed
Last Saturday I tried a new yoga class described as "All levels".
I was apprehensive when I saw the other attendees, gym whippets carrying 0-2% body fat. The teacher arrived, spoke a brief phrase and I could just tell: yoga martinet.
For the next hour, time stood still. I shot bullets of sweat in a 30-foot radius, trying to haul my ample, 61 year old body through an extremely active practice. The teacher came to my mat at the end to ask "How are you?" and I managed to say, Fine. I wanted to say, Please say goodbye to my family for me.
(If you wonder why I didn't leave, walking out of a yoga class is tantamount to disrobing and retching simultaneously. I did pray to pass out.)
I thought longingly of my usual teacher, Sheila, who encourages middle-aged bodies toward strength and flexibility. There's considerable challenge, but no competition or judgment.
I limped out of Saturday's class filled with recrimination for not being able to do it. It's ironic that the winter Olympics (Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger) were playing in the club's lobby; I lack the drive and discipline any one of these athletes has in her baby toe.
When asked to perform over my physical capabilities and I can't keep up, I'm disappointed, sometimes frustrated, but not ashamed. I'm not in the right class.
I hope more teachers (of any physical discipline) make space for women like me in their classes: no longer able to push as hard, but as interested as ever in staying active.
Those are the ones I'll return to for years.
I was apprehensive when I saw the other attendees, gym whippets carrying 0-2% body fat. The teacher arrived, spoke a brief phrase and I could just tell: yoga martinet.
For the next hour, time stood still. I shot bullets of sweat in a 30-foot radius, trying to haul my ample, 61 year old body through an extremely active practice. The teacher came to my mat at the end to ask "How are you?" and I managed to say, Fine. I wanted to say, Please say goodbye to my family for me. (If you wonder why I didn't leave, walking out of a yoga class is tantamount to disrobing and retching simultaneously. I did pray to pass out.)
I thought longingly of my usual teacher, Sheila, who encourages middle-aged bodies toward strength and flexibility. There's considerable challenge, but no competition or judgment. I limped out of Saturday's class filled with recrimination for not being able to do it. It's ironic that the winter Olympics (Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger) were playing in the club's lobby; I lack the drive and discipline any one of these athletes has in her baby toe.
When asked to perform over my physical capabilities and I can't keep up, I'm disappointed, sometimes frustrated, but not ashamed. I'm not in the right class.I hope more teachers (of any physical discipline) make space for women like me in their classes: no longer able to push as hard, but as interested as ever in staying active.
Those are the ones I'll return to for years.
Comments
This same thing happened to me a few years back. "Oh, yes, our classes are for ALL levels," the receptionist assured me when I told her I'd never had any previous instruction in yoga. It was definitely NOT for all levels (they didn't even give *anything* in the way of instruction, just a rapid progression from position to position for 90 minutes). It was very intense with all of the guys in there grunting, not how I'd pictured yoga. I gave them a piece of my mind on the way out.
Haven't taken a yoga class since. Maybe I should try Tai Chi.
I've taken yoga, on and off, since the mid 90s and there were always gentle, beginner, intermediate and advanced classes with a number of yoga styles. Yoga should never be about competition.
Because of some neck problems I now take a gentle class. Before I started out, I splashed out and paid for a private class and made sure they were aware of my issues and could alter postures to accomodate my neck injury.
I hope both you and Deja both try to find a better yoga class!
Christnie
I do hope that you find a class that you love because it is such a great form of strength training for gracious gals like us!
So basically, I think you should try yoga somewhere else. It's not all competitive and obnoxious, there are some very good and understanding teachers out there.
I've been thinking of supplementing my regime with a weekly yoga class, but I'm a bit apprehensive for exactly the reason you sketch here. Still, the benefits seem worth persevering for -- and as we boomers age, there are likely to be more and more classes at our level, right?
I have also had extensive instruction in Pilates, Fendenkrais, T'ai chi, dance- pretty much all the movement disciplines except martial arts. At going on 62, yoga is best for my body and mind.
So I encourage anyone to begin, if interested in yoga; the right level and a noncompetitive atmosphere is essential. My usual studio offers yoga for absolute beginners, which anyone beginning should take, rather than try to 'follow along'.
metscan: About that butt, I don't know! But Pilates instructors tend to have very toned bodies :)
That health club just does not care, and caters to people in the competitive-athlete mind set. The teacher arrives 1 min. after scheduled start, not available to talk. Yoga studios are usually more attuned to safety.
I've had a lot of experience attending yoga classes off and on over the years. It very much seems to me that many classes at the "gym" tend to be more like exercise, whereas yoga studios tend to be more about the principles and practice of yoga -- and all its flavors. I believe the certification needed to teach at a gym is much different than what is needed for true yoga certification.
The bar is pretty low for instructors at gyms.
I'm not saying that's always the case, but that pretty common.
At least here in California, you get what you pay for when it comes to quality instructors. The general class at the gym, that comes with my membership, is a far cry from the instruction at a studio where one pays per session.
Anyway, just wanted to put that out there so people aren't intimidated to try yoga. I think it is one of the best exercises to keep us strong and stable as we age. And once you get some experience, you don't ever have to pay for a class again....
Do you know the site Yoga Today? A lot of very good classes to download for home practice, some free and others by subscription.
I know exactly how you feel. I think you did so well just showing up! Though I know you have loads of experience....so knowing that, this is an aside.
I used to have a personal trainer and was fit enough (so I thought) and after each session during the cool down, pull out phase there I was in a room filled with pro and semi-pro athletes. It was the best place in town and I felt its reputation was excellent but my body was in no shape for that type of self-imposed brutality. My head would be buzzing at the end of the work out- going from machine to machine. Later on it was amazing to be strong and feel energized by it but at the beginning it was sheer folly on my part .....My friend whose boyfriend at that time was Bikram of Bikram Yoga asked me to do a yoga class with him and honestly I just wanted to throw up- Hot,hot places with people sweating in my face lol .....so now I just do an online yoga and enjoy it and when I can do a one on one I do that and she tells me where I can improve.
Bikram plays beautifully to those who have a competitive, "no pain no gain" North American mentality. They even want to promote competitive pose-a-thons!
Good for you for exploring other styles!