Intensity

So I haven't gone to class yet today, don't worry I'm going at 6:30 but after Bill's earlier comment about this being "ONLY yoga" I thought a little perspective on this endeavor was in order. Now, I have always been a fairly good athlete. I played varsity softball in high school, I finished a triathlon, I used to like to run a lot, lift weights, spend many hours at the gym, etc. And while none of that is ever EASY, I can pretty much jump into any of those activities at any time and know that I'll be able to get through it, no matter what my condition is. Stairmaster with a hangover, no problem. Weight lifting on a full stomach, easy. My performance on every other athletic activity is predictable, and I'm not trying to sound boastful here, but rather trying to set up just how hard this class is. It's 90 minutes of unpredicatability and every time I walk into class, I have to be perfectly prepared, which means, well hydrated (but not overly hydrated), well rested, fed enough (which means eating a reasonable meal between 2-4 hours before class - can't have too much in my stomach to get nauseous, or too little to get weak). I have to have on the right clothes, make sure and use the bathroom, get a good spot in the room, make sure nothing is bothering me mentally so I can focus. And even if ALL of these things go perfectly as planned, sometimes it's STILL too hard to get all the way through the class. Some days, I feel like I could go twice, some days, I lay on my back for 50% of the class. Anyway, personally, I don't think any yoga is wussy, but this one takes it to a whole new level.