I can already cross one thing off of my 2014 Bucket List - Doing something new but out of my comfort zone.
What did I do, you ask. Well I tried out a Lyra class.
Lyra, or
aerial hoop, is basically a metal hula hoop that dangles from the ceiling for the intent of doing acrobatics on it.
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Christina Performing on the Lyra with Circus Du Soleil (Via) |
Now, you may not know this but I am insanely clumsy, totally klutzy, and not at all graceful or athletic, but I really wanted to try this class.
I signed up at a place called
Soft Sensuous Moves, which offers Ladies Only sensual exercise and fitness classes including aerial yoga, lyra, and pole aerobics.
I admit that I was a bit intimidated at first, especially arriving in my old, shitty workout pants and a plain T-shirt but once I went in and saw women of all different sizes and shapes I became more comfortable.
The class caps at 8 so it's a very hands-on, intimate class. Only one girl had ever tried the class before so the rest of us were a bit hesitant but excited to try it out.
The teacher was a petite woman who has nine years of aerial experience. She was very thorough and very helpful. She made the hardest of things look insanely easy and she looked super sexy doing it all. While the rest of us tried to struggle through the motions she'd remind us to -smile! - and we'd try through our grimaces.
We learned how to get on and off the lyra, how to pose on it, how to turn on it and various other things. It was really a lot of fun.
I was most definitely the worse person in the class. I am not at all flexible and it was kind of a challenge trying to put my leg so far up just to get it in the hoop. The teacher had me stand on a yoga block!
Though most women don't focus on upper body strength, with the lyra it's definitely needed. My arms, shoulders and back were sore the next day. In hindsight I realized that I probably should have gotten in a good stretch before.
But despite being the worse person in class and looking like a complete and total idiot - I had a lot of fun. My hands were raw and red, my hips hurt from trying to balance on the hoop, my arms ached, and yet I really want to do it again.
I'm going to do some push-ups, try to attempt a pull-up, and try getting through the first rung on the monkey bars as practice so that the next time I do it I'll be able to dazzle everyone with my strength and flexibility.
I hope that in just a few short weeks you'll be able to hire me for your weddings and parties.
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Original Photo Via |
Totally kidding on that.