New Lady

Try being the “new lady”

Any type of fitness or movement I love but I have always had a strong “aversion” to “inversions”! To my non-yogi followers .. wondering what an inversion is? It is any type of exercise or yoga posture that requires you to be upside down. Simply put, it is any pose in which your heart is higher from the ground than your head. Inversions are believed to release tension, increase circulation, energy levels and strengthen muscles. An inversion can be done on your hands a.k.a. Handstand or on your head…a headstand. I have always admired yogis that can do these postures seamlessly. Note that this exercise or posture isn’t for everyone and if you decide to try it be sure to seek guidance and instruction from a professional. 

My favorite yoga studio offers a handstand class each week. So I decided it was time to conquer my longtime fear of inversions. I signed up online and off I went, nervous but never one to step away from a challenge. 

As I arrived at the studio, I quickly realized most of the participants in the class were “regulars.” They were talking with one another and appeared excited about the class ahead. I was not feeling this same excitement but I placed my mat against the wall and took a deep breath. I told myself to have an open mind, you are strong, you completed the Alcatraz triathlon with sharks in the ocean, you climbed a 14er Mountain in Colorado, you can do this! All this positive self talk had me ready to face my handstand fears!

In strolls the instructor, a fit, confident guy in his 20’s. Before the class officially begins he proceeds to do his own warm up which consists of flipping easily upside down and walking on his hands. He begins to move his legs in various directions making it all appear so easy. I tell myself it is a good sign to have such a proficient instructor but I do admit I am a bit intimidated.

“The little voice in my head reminds me that yoga isn’t about comparison.”

The little voice in my head reminds me that yoga isn’t about comparison. I always tell my students to seek the sensation the shape or posture brings you, not how you think it should look. It is time for me to take my own advice. I am supposed to be seeking the sensations and feelings I find from inversions not visualizing how I will look upside down.

We start the class with some simple warm-ups to get our shoulders and core primed and ready for the work ahead. I’m feeling pretty confident now. I’m thinking I got this! The next thing I know the instructor is saying “young lady” do this move first. I realize he is talking to me and I think ‘Oh I like this, he is calling me “young lady”.’ However, I am clearly the oldest lady in the class. 

Then, I realize he is actually saying “new lady”. Inside I am thinking ‘Oh no, now I really stand out in this group!’ Well, I had to face it, in this room I was the “new lady”. 

Throughout the class he gave me beginner drills to work on while the other more experienced handstand class attendees received more advanced instruction to meet their needs. His instruction for me was on point and exactly what I needed to begin my journey to a handstand. As he came back over to give me more instruction. I told him my name was Sacha. He quickly replied that I must come back to a second class before he would call me by my name. Until then, I am the “new lady”. 

The class was challenging physically and I had fun! It made me feel vibrant and alive to try something new. There were definitely feelings of being unsure and uncomfortable during the class but I decided at that moment it was worth it. I still have a long way to go on my journey to a handstand but I always say “fitness is a journey not a destination.” 

“By being a little uncomfortable we grow.”

Two valuable insights were gained through this handstand class experience. One, how brave my “new” students are when coming to my fitness or yoga classes. It is not easy to open yourself up and try something new. When you do this you are making yourself vulnerable to failure, which is uncomfortable. But by being a little uncomfortable we grow. From now on I will have much more empathy towards these first time participants in my classes. a.k.a. “New ladies”. 

And second, I was reminded how important it is to step outside of your comfort zone as you get older. As we age, we have experienced enough in life to know what we like and don’t like. So very rarely anymore do we step into areas that are uncomfortable physically and mentally. I believe by getting a little uncomfortable every now and then we feel young and alive. And isn’t that what we are all seeking on our journey to health.

I encourage you to ask yourself, ‘When was the last time I was the “new lady”?’