I’ve walked a rope stretched between the top of two telephone poles despite a fear of heights for the demonic boss of a startup who insisted it was good teambuilding.
I’ve taken other very real risks in my professional life including going out on my own, which is working out okay despite the lack of a net. And I routinely run past my pain point. Through superficial injuries. EVEN In the rain, a very un-southern California practice that scares local running companions into staying home.
But I AM afraid to take yoga, even though I hear it will do wonderful things for my health and my running
It helps that as I was considering confronting my fear by taking a class I tweeted a question about Yoga as an adjunct to running and ALPHARUNNING, an LA Area outfit that does personal training for runners, offered a first class of their “YOGA 4 RUNNERS” free.
The other responses I got from Twitter and Daily Mile friends said essentially the same thing: “yoga is great for running: core work, stretching and balance. Doesn't take long to become proficient.”
Actually, that was the core of my fear. I could not fathom becoming proficient at yoga. I was afraid all my body could do was move forward slowly in a straight line after years of only running with biking and swimming to crosstrain. No flex in this fella. A battleship that takes a long time to turn cannot assume those positions.
I had already done some quick research to see if my fear is common, but an entry under yogaphobia in Wikipedia was not to be found. I decided not to tackle the novel, Fear and Yoga in New Jersey.
An Utne Reader piece titled “Fear of Yoga” said yoga was once perceived as a countercultural disruptive by the media, which pounced on fears of Love Cults, Swamis, orgies, and other hysteria, but that fear has vanished and millions show up at the gym to take yoga instead of exercise. Yoga is now just another shop in the Great Mall of the mainstream.
Love cults are not why I’m afraid of Yoga. Being last to the party and unable to get out of a position once I pry myself into one is. So is fear of picking which party to go to, yoga or pilates. Most articles about the choice end with “do both in conjunction.” I wasn’t even sure I had time for one more workout regiment in my life, much less two. Maybe I should just skip the party.
To be completely honest, now that I’ve been invited to the Yoga party I’m beginning to think Pilates is the way to go. Focusing the mind on the body as a whole and strengthening the body’s core as pilates does makes some sense to me, while yoga’s aim to unite the mind, the body and the spirit seems a bit far afield from my intent to become a better runner. Frankly the whole spiritual side of it spooks me. Pilates breathing techniques, not so much.
But mostly it’s the positions. My legs can carry me 26.2 miles at a quick pace no problem, but I’m not sure I can cross them at all, much less in a balanced and sustained way. To me, Yoga almost seems like something for crazy people.
That lead me to a reference to “Yoga for Crazy People” on Healthmgmtrx.com that had been removed, with a big red exclamation point. It was removed even in Google’s cached copy. And on the originating site, Rumpus.net. It seemed like some kind of conspiracy. But another reference to “yoga for crazy people” cited research suggested yoga was the best reliever of stress and anxiety and recommended it might be useful for treating mental illness.
Yikes. I’m not feeling crazy. Or in need of spiritual fulfillment, unless it’s a side effect of living well and right. I just want to run long and stay healthy. I love working out and getting out and chilling out after I’ve pushed it on a long run.
I’ll let you know how yoga class goes in my next installment. I highly doubt that it will be a "how-to." More like an "oh boy."
