Flexible Fitness Fun with Faithful Friends

Pictured above is a scene from the October 2009 Yoga Retreat I had with my class.

My class meets twice a week and there are about 10 of us who have the most fun together. These ladies are some of the most committed exercisers I have ever taught in my many years of teaching classes. They are more than students. They are friends who love each other and love the Lord. We exercise together and then we pray together. It doesn’t get much better than that. I love these girls

If you have never tried Yoga I hope to try to persuade you to do so! I have done just about every kind of exercise but I think if I had to vote Yoga would be my number 1.

Yoga has been around for more than 5000 years and when most people think of Yoga they probably think about Hinduism. While it has its roots in eastern culture it is now extremely popular in our country. Yoga has so many benefits. It is great for improving strength, balance, flexibility, breathing and mental state of mind. With some active Yoga workouts it is even a cardio workout because you are using the large muscles of the body and switching quickly from one pose to the other will get the old heart to beating faster. It can be done by any gender, any age and any size.

I began experimenting with Yoga several years ago and found that it seemed to be a natural for me since I have always been pretty flexible. After teaching myself poses I begin to integrate the stretches with the cool down segment of my aerobics classes. It was a big hit and I soon begin to study it more seriously and got certified as an instructor.

I have to tell you all a funny story. One day when we were doing a Yoga class at the ROC a little lady who walked there regularly came through the building while we were having our class. She looked at us rather strangely and afterwards the director of the ROC told me that she came up to him and said, “Does your preacher know they’re doing that Hindu stuff in there?” He got a real kick out of that and couldn’t wait to tell me. I thought that was hilarious but I guess in the eyes of some it might appear to be a “cult thing.” Ever since then I have been careful to advertise our classes as Christian Yoga. Our meditation time comes at the end and it doesn’t include humming or chanting. We spend time at the end of each class either listening to Christian music or focusing on a short devotional thought. It truly is a spiritual (in a Christian way) experience.

I’d like to encourage you to try Yoga. It will benefit you in so many ways. Our class does aerobics for thirty minutes and toning and Yoga for the rest of class but you can probably find a class that is Yoga alone if you’re not into aerobics. It will strengthen your body as well as help you to manage stress.

Since February is recognized as American Heart Association month and fitness is emphasized I will close my February blog with a challenge to you to start exercising today if you haven't started already. Take a walk, go for a swim, join an aerobics class, do yoga, dance, run...............just MOVE! Your heart will be so happy.

Thanks for sharing February with me. I look forward to "MARCHing on" with you!

Get Fit, keep your Faith, tell your Family how much you love them and have lots and lots of fun!