If you know anything about my time in Thailand, then you know I've gotten addicted to yoga since moving. I tried yoga on and off throughout the years but didn't stick with it. I always thought it was too easy. Growing up as a gymnast, you don't need someone to tell you how to stretch.
I moved on to aerial silks to make things more difficult. (SkyGym Atlanta, you're amazing!) But, ol' bum knee here isn't made for twisting around a ribbon. Acroyoga was the only thing I really loved but never had time for with my old job.
Pretty bad form here.
Myster, the best acro partner on the planet.
Alas, I gave up... Until I met this beast. This lady is in her 50's and can wrap both her legs around her head in a pretzel. She's insanely talented and comes up with poses and sequences that only crazy people can do. It's by far the hardest, hottest yoga / aerial / acro class I've ever done in my life.
I've never been more impressed with a teacher - especially one who doesn't speak English. After 18 months together, we've never had a conversation, and I don't even know her real name. (Her nickname is "Muay.") We spend most of our time pantomiming to each other, but she's still the best instructor I've ever met.
Muay's got one problem: core strength. Thai's are super bendy, but they aren't the most muscular people in the world. So, Muay teaches me stretches I didn't know were possible, and I teach her how to do handstands and partner work.
Haven't done this since high school.
Infinity pose.
Muay's such an inspiration that I decided to start teaching yoga. My first class as an instructor was with my fourth graders. We finished finals and had nothing to do the last week of class. What better way to spend the afternoon than in the 100 degree heat attempting tree pose?
To set the stage, physical education is not a priority for Thai kids at my school. They get 1 hour of PE a week that consists of forward rolls onto a mat. Sometimes, an instructor comes to their morning assembly and attempts teaching Zumba to a groovy, Thai dance mix (read: music that makes me want to kill myself). The complexity of the moves consists of something my 88-year-old Nana could do.
To say my first class was a failure would be the understatement of the century. Kids were falling all over the place because they've never tried stretching or balancing before. It was insanely hilarious listening to them cry out in pain when I asked them to touch their toes. Or, hearing them yell "TEACHERRRRR NOOOOOO" when I asked them to do Warrior One. Poor kids haven't stretched their hamstrings in their entire lives.
Pictures didn't do it justice, so I attempted to make a video. The quality is shit, the music is awful, and it's completely amateur. But, you get the idea:
Even though my first class didn't go as planned, I'm not going to give up on my yoga career just yet. Next up, fifth graders!