• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Fitness Fatale

Fitness Fatale

Conquering Fitness Goals One at a Time

  • About
    • Press
  • Blog
    • Archives
    • Workout Program Options
      • 21 Day Fix Resources
      • P90X Resources
    • PRs & Race Reports
    • Pregnancy
      • Twin Pregnancy
    • Recipes
  • Coach Business Mentorship For Runners
  • Beachbody Accountability Groups For Runners
  • Show Search
Hide Search

5 Things This Runner Learned During a Yoga Challenge

img_6704

If you’re a runner, remember when you trained for your first race? The first time you ran 3 miles without stopping?  You may have read a training book and every blogger’s race report you could find, googled “what if I have to go to the bathroom during the race?” or  maybe even watched “The Spirit of the Marathon.” You absorbed yourself fully in the journey of getting to the finish line of your goal race. Everything was new, everything was exciting and everything was a challenge.

As we become more experienced runners, we sometimes forget what it was like to be a novice. We lose sight of the fact that things that now seem like common sense are a foreign language to a non or new runner. We continue to learn and grow as runners but we can never go back to that newbie feeling.

Last year when I was making my 2016 fitness goals, I had spent a lot of the past year practicing yoga. It made sense to put “do a yoga challenge” on my goal list. As I checked the other things off my goal list throughout the year and focused on running and 21 Day Fix, the yoga challenge remained untouched and mostly forgotten. Well, if you’ve been reading a while you know that I don’t like to leave goals unconquered, so I’ve started doing a yoga challenge if found on Instagram called “Twisty Christmas.”

Here are a few things I’ve learned so far from this yoga challenge:

  1. It’s fun to be a novice again. I didn’t realize when I chose this yoga challenge that the moves would be so challenging for me. Although I wouldn’t say I’m advanced by any means, I feel that I’ve done enough yoga to recognize most moves. However, this challenge was different – I’d never done most of the poses, so I had to teach myself and practice. I also happened to chose a yoga challenge that really focused on my weakness – twists. This has always been an area that needed improvement for me and this turned out to be a great way to get better.   img_6668
  2. Perfection is hopeless. I already knew this of course, but it reinforced the fact that none of us are perfect. Even one of those host admitted it took her a really long time to get into the pose and take the photo because it was so challenging for her. Searching through the hashtag for the challenge (#twistychristmas), I see many variations of the same pose. None of us are perfect -we’re all just a work in progress.

    This is a modification of a much more "Twisty" pose.
    This is a modification of a much more “Twisty” pose.
  3. Most yoga poses are deceptively harder than they look. I’d look at some of the yoga moves and think “no problem!” and then I’d attempt to get into them and they would be way harder than I realized. I can’t believe how twisty some of these people are!
    This move was way harder than I thought it'd be!
    This move was way harder than I thought it’d be!

    img_6623

  4. Getting a really cool Instagram photo is hard work. Most of my Twisty Christmas photos are pretty bad. I procrastinate and wait until the end of the day. I don’t put on an especially cute outfit for them, I don’t have a beautiful house to feature in the photos, and I don’t make sure the lighting is just right. I just take the photo and post it. This really made me realize how much work it is to be an Instagram star! Those beautiful photos don’t just happen! A lot of work goes into the perfect shot.

    Terrible lighting.
    Anything but perfect.
  5. Doing yoga every day is a habit I want to continue. We all need more stretching in our lives. I always mean to get in some stretching throughout the day and I rarely do. This challenge has made it more of a habit. Doing yoga before bed is proven to improve sleep quality and decrees the time to fall asleep and I could use improvement in both those areas. Come to think of it, I think it’s working already!

    I actually learned to do a handstand earlier this year (one of my goals for 2016).
    I actually learned to do a handstand earlier this year (one of my goals for 2016).

I still have five more days of Twisty Christmas but I’ve learned a lot already. I’m guessing you’ll be seeing some sort of yoga related goal on my 2017 list as well!

When was the last time you were a novice at something? Do you have any interest in a yoga challenge? 

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

December 13, 2016 By fitnessfatale 7 Comments

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: lessons learned doing a yoga challenge, running and yoga, yoga

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Pippa

    December 14, 2016 at 5:12 pm

    Every month I make it my goal to incorporate yoga into my regular routine…and every month I feel somewhat let down by my progress! To be honest I find it difficult to prioritize, but then again it has such a great effect on my life when I do get round to it. I foresee a January challenge or something!

    Log in to Reply
    • FitnessFatale

      December 15, 2016 at 3:30 pm

      Yes it’s something I love so much and know how good it is for me but don’t make enough time for.

      Log in to Reply
  2. Alicia @Bridges Through Life

    December 15, 2016 at 2:43 am

    I did yoga challenges every month and sometimes multiple in a month for over a year on instagram then I did yoga teacher training and took a break. Getting back into the challenges but like you said it is hard behind the scenes work for a good background. I much prefer to do yoga outside when it is warm but that isnt year round. I learned so many new to me poses and variations from instagram challenges though and i love it. Would love to host a challenge of my own someday.

    Log in to Reply
    • FitnessFatale

      December 15, 2016 at 3:54 pm

      I can’t believe how many new poses I’ve learned! I’ve been to yoga classes at several different studies (maybe 15+!?) and can’t believe how similar they always are. It’s nice to branch out!

      Log in to Reply
  3. Kim Nguyen

    December 15, 2016 at 5:51 am

    I just wrote about how much I LOVE yoga too! I love how accepting it is no matter what your body can do–all that matters is the effort. So amazing you’re doing this every day!

    Log in to Reply
    • FitnessFatale

      December 15, 2016 at 3:55 pm

      Just one pose a night is enough right now! I would like to continue – the accountability of the challenge is very motivating. Hopefully i’ve created a habit!

      Log in to Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 2016 Goal Recap | Fitness Fatale says:
    December 31, 2016 at 12:18 am

    […] in a row of experimenting with new yoga poses and it ignited that yoga passion in me again. I also learned some things while doing […]

    Log in to Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Let’s Get Stronger, Healthier & Faster Together!

I am specialize in working with runners to help them incorporate strength training & nutrition into their running routines.

I am passionate about mindset and love to help people find more joy and success in their running by breaking through mental barriers.

While weight loss is a result of our programs, women in my groups often find that they are running faster, are less injury prone, and have more energy and confidence!

I am the founder of Team Run the World, a group of BODi coaches who love running! I provide mentorship, support and training for women who want to start their own coaching business from home and work flexible hours.

I would love to help support you in reaching your goals!

Archives

  • September 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011

Footer

Copyright © 2023 · Fitness Fatale

 

Loading Comments...
 

You must be logged in to post a comment.