Let's Yoga

When you've been following too many Victoria's Secret angels on Instagram, it can make you feel slightly – disproportioned, let's say. It's important to show your own bodies some love by taking steps to leading a healthier life. Yoga, I heard, does just that; so, I decided to attend some classes with my mother to see how that works out. 

What I saw, when I walked into the class, wasn't a group of slender 20-somethings. Most of the women in the class were well over 40, and upon looking at them I felt a little underwhelmed as to the effects yoga can have on the body. My mother got to chatting with the ladies and I learned that a lot of the women had been taking classes for years, and that they firmly believed in the benefits of doing yoga. This was immediately followed by a discussion on aches and pains in several regions of the body yet unknown to me; so, you can understand why I was slightly skeptical going into this class.

Once the yoga instructor had taken her place in the front of the room, I realised this was very much like an actual class. Yoga mats at the front were competitively fought over by eager learners who wanted to sit as close to the teacher as possible, while others had to be glared at and told to be quiet, or else they would be sent out of the class. This, in a room of 40-year olds. Yes.

As the youngest person in the room, I had the added pressure of being thought to be flexible and full of energy. They didn't quite realise that all of my "energy" goes into binge-watching New Girl while stuffing myself with chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. It became apparent within five minutes of doing basic warm-ups that I was going to have a hard time keeping up with the moms. I gasped and panted for breath while aunties around me held their poses with unfathomable grace and poise. Their legs were doing things I didn't even know legs could/should do. 

To make matters worse, I couldn't understand a word the instructor was saying, because yoga poses refuse to be named in fewer than ten syllables. They ought to come up with abbreviations for these poses ASAP. I stood around cluelessly for the most part, unsuccessfully attempting to mimic the actions of the women around me, trying to make my limbs do things they just weren't meant to do. I left class that day, bruised and battered like a peach. And they say it's supposed to be relaxing. Lies.

If you've been looking to do yoga, and this article is putting you off – don't let it. Your first day will be tough and tiring, especially if you're as inactive as I am. But keep working at it and you'll be able to feel and see the benefits in no time. Or maybe it'll always be a painful ordeal. There's only one way to find out.

*Ohm* 

Nifath Karim Chowdhury likes to doodle all over her notebooks, textbooks and life. Send her a virtual high-5 at nifty_nicole@live.com or a wave on instagram @nifathkarim