The Yogi vs. CrossFit

Lets go ahead and state the obvious – I LOVE YOGA!

With this love of the practice also comes a responsibility to keep my body safe. Something I often mention in classes (when we veer off from traditional flow to do some corrective exercise) is “I want us all to be able to practice yoga when we are 90 years old”! Since deciding to make my career all about yoga this is very important to me. In addition to using Yoga Tune Up® I have been looking for ways to keep from over-stretching with all of the yoga I do. Finally I had an epiphany…well actually I read an article about over-stretching  by Jill Miller, Creator of Yoga Tune Up®  YTU Takes You From Floppy To Fit

“Tissues are living; they can change and heal if given the right stimulation, a disciplined approach and the correct exercises to balance them. For some this could mean more stretching; for others it might mean more strengthening, but always a combination of the two.” -  Jill Miller

So many of us have come to accept that aches and pains and lack of mobility with aging as normal. Which brings another Jill Miller quote to mind – “we have to find a new normal”. Finding a new normal for me means how do I stay healthy enough to practice and teach yoga 10, 20, 30 years from now?

Along came CrossFit City Of Angels

“CrossFit City of Angels is a community of healthy individuals who strive for a lifetime goal of overall fitness. Here at CrossFit COA we use life’s functional movements in varied ways executed at high intensity. Olympic Weightlifting, Gymnastics, Track & Field, Natural Running, Powerlifting, Kettlebells, Endurance Sports Training, Mobility, Nutrition - If it’s Effective & Efficient we use it. Our concern is not what method is used, but with the end result. We want a High Work Capacity from our Athletes that’s it! We believe in results, and we get them. Education, Practice and Coaching are the foundations of our fitness lifestyle.”

Just what my body needed to balance out all of the hours of yoga! In addition to working with friendly trainers, it is refreshing to train with folks that really know anatomy and how the body works – this means not only an effective workout  but a SAFE workout.

Of course it is much different from a yoga studio but that is why I like it so much – sometimes I can get so tied up with other yogis that I forget that there are tons of people out there trying to find a “new normal” too.

Stay tuned for more Yogi vs. Crossfit updates!

Jess