How to cheat at yoga (for purely egotistical reasons)

How to cheat at yoga (for purely egotistical reasons)

Tuesday 11 September 2012

Do you remember that episode of Friends, where Monica took a beginners class in cookery to make herself feel better about a bad review?

I just did that.

Instead of my usual advanced yoga class, I took the beginners one. And I mean, real beginners. This was their second week.

I've been doing yoga for almost six years now. So it's really very lazy of me to do a beginners class. But, that said...

Man, I totally rocked it. Best one there by far. If there had been a prize, I'd have walked out with it high over my head.

I know, I know. Yoga isn't a competition. It completely defeats the point to go in and try to better those on the mat next to you. It's the opposite of the true intention of yoga. But sometimes you just need to feel like you're the best at something.

In my class last week, I was a wreck. I hadn't practised for a few months, I was tight, stiff and achey. There was a woman on the mat next to me, 8 months pregnant, who was blowing me out of the water. Plus, the added fear of banging into her (I am prone to a bit of falling sometimes, my sense of balance is sporadic) sent the jitters up me.

So for once, it was nice not to be the one reaching for the extra props.

And, even if it makes me a rather sad little individual, I recommend you all try it.

We're number one! We're number one!