From Weightlifting to Yoga: How My Fiancé Fell in Love with a New Workout
A few months ago my life, and my fiancé’s life, changed forever. Not just because we got engaged, but because of our neighborhood yoga studio, Mind the Mat Pilates & Yoga. My fiancé is a crazy weightlifting, marathon- running, machine of a man, who is always looking for a new challenge. He had spent many evenings “listening” to me ramble on about the yoga poses I was mastering in classes at Mind the Mat, and he watched my numerous attempts at arm balances and “yog-urt stuff,” as he once called it.
I had always told him that he would LOVE the challenge of a hot yoga class and that the stretching was so important for balancing his weight lifting and running workouts. The holding of postures, stretching and strengthening of muscles, the focus on breathing and the meditation/relaxation piece is something I knew he’d like and he could really benefit from. Six months went by, and he continued to seem disinterested. But, little did I know I was wearing on him. The whole time I knew he would be hooked…I just had to get him in the door!
Finally, one day it happened. He said he wanted to try a non-heated yoga class…because he claimed he sweats too much already for hot yoga. “Baby steps” I told myself. But I also knew that soon he’d grow to love the challenge of a hot room during an already tough yoga class. I looked at the schedule and I knew Laura’s Flow Yoga l class would be a great introduction to poses and body positioning. I emailed her a few days in advance to give her a heads up on Aaron’s athletic ability, but also his slight hesitation due to having zero flexibility. She assured me he’d be fine and reminded me that it is what you make it. If you enter class ready to push yourself to new limits, you’ll do it.
Laura didn’t disappoint. Don’t get me wrong, he struggled with positions and where to place what, but he left that class feeling stretched and successful (to some small degree), and he wanted more. The next weekend we were signed up for Hot Power Hour! He created a small pond on the third floor with sweat like he always does, but he survived and thrived. He was hooked. Now we love picking out two to three hot yoga classes each week that we enjoy together. Every class is different and takes us physically and mentally to a new level.
It’s easy to make up excuses and assume yoga is somehow just not for you, but you never know what you’re missing until you try.
Do you know that a man in your life would love yoga if they would just give it a chance? Sign them up for Yoga for Men at Mind the Mat on Saturday October 29 with Kevin! It will be a comfortable environment to start learning the basics of yoga so that they’ll be comfortable attending regular classes.
