Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Yoga (with dogs)

Long time, no blog.  Yes, I know.

Jan was filled with two things fitness: cycling and yoga. I've given up on the trainer for now and we're back to riding outside, at least for long rides on the weekend. We have 6 more training weeks until the half-century. That's where my training focus happens to be.

But what I feel like sharing today is my yoga journey. I've had an on and off relationship with yoga over the years. I've usually gone into it thinking that I don't like it and am not good at it, and end up fulfilling that destiny.  Recently something has changed. I feel like I'm truly embracing it, and the result is that I'm starting to enjoy it and see improvement in strength and flexibility. Surprisingly, I've been doing yoga daily for 20+ min and sometimes more (longer or a second session) for the past month.

The biggest obstacle right now is that I am attempting yoga at home with dogs. For some reason, they can't stay away when the mat come out. Some photos of my escapades:

Downward Facing Dog (with dogs)
Every morning it's the same, the dogs want to be on the mat!

Sunbird Bow in a rare uninterrupted session. Dogs happened to be outside.

Swan Pose (with dogs)

Cat Pose (with dogs)

Tell me about your experiences with home yoga practice. Anyone else accompanied by dogs/cats/kids?

12 comments:

  1. I'm jealous of my dog's downward dog. She has such perfect form!

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    1. Right!?! Dogs are so good at that one... :-)

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  2. Nice! you get your heels on the floor during down dog. That's a good sign that your hamstrings are nice and loose. very cool.

    I've been doing Ashtanga yoga at home for several years. I like it because it's always the same sequence of asanas, so you memorize it and can roll through it anytime you can get on the mat.

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    1. Next I need to be able to fully straighten my knees. But it's getting better with practice and repetition.

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  3. I have dabbled in a bit of yoga from time to time but only ever at home and it's always accompanied by dogs. They like to lick, lie on my hands, lie on the mat, roll on the mat and drop balls on the mat or in my hand. I think that when I'm down on their level they think it's play time.

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  4. I think dogs are drawn to yoga like flies on you know what! That said, I've been off of yoga all year. My focus has gone to trying to swim. :/

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  5. Great that you're in such a good place with your yoga practice, and having your dogs to keep you company - or interfere? - as well! I've been doing a 30 Days of Yoga challenge I found online and really enjoying it - just 15-20 minutes a day makes a huge difference, I think it's better than doing an hour class once a week, actually.

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    1. Interesting that you are doing a 30 day yoga challenge. Glad that you are enjoying it as well! I do agree that the consistency of a daily 20 min practice seems to yield better results than a weekly hour long practice.

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  6. When I had a dog he ALWAYS came over when the yoga mat came out. As soon as I laid it down he helped himself to laying on it! Not conducive to my stretching! Haha.

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    1. Right?! Why do they think the mat is for THEM?

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