My Week In Yoga: And Back…

Posting about my final couple of days in Morocco on a yoga retreat just over a week later is so strange when it feels like it was a month ago already. (If you have no idea what I am talking about then read last week's post here)

But they were an excellent end to an amazing trip so its nice to reminisce all the same. Though I must say its nice for me and the nearly 6-month-along-bump to be back at home as well. 

So this is how my week of two halves looked...

Monday:  

We mixed it up this morning with a 75min morning Rocket class taught by Irene.

Those of you that have been reading this blog since I started it last summer will know that Rocket yoga was a staple of my practice pre-pregnancy. London is FULL of amazing Rocket teachers, and if you are looking to work smart but hard and evolve your practice, you can rarely go wrong at a Rocket class (if Rocket is new to you – check this out to see what it’s all about.). But I generally haven’t felt well/strong/brave/ego-free enough for this style of yoga over the past few months. Today reminded me why I love it so much (the sequence literally has EVERTHING I love in it) and why there is so much value in seeking out amazing teachers. Ones you can learn new things from, and ones who will support you to say no, that pose isn’t for me today. I can definitely see myself trying to sneak in a few Rocket classes back home while I am still in this sweet spot of my second trimester.

Our evening session was a 75min arm-balance & inversion workshop with Sam. This girl is both crazy strong and now crazy comfortable balancing on her hands in all sorts of creative ways. But I know has had to work incredibly hard for every single ounce of that progress so learning these skills from her was a treat. I couldn’t do everything I would have liked (the bump definitely adds an extra challenge to most of these poses) but I tucked away some nuggets of wisdom that I look forward to whipping out when this baby is here and I am getting back to my pre-pregnancy practice, whenever that may be.

Tuesday: 

Final full day for me, and we revisited a shortened Ashtanga Primary sequence. On to seated postures today, and the realisation that my lolasana/jump-back is well and truly over for the next few months at least. Knees to nose just is not happening with this bump in the way now!

Our afternoon session was 75min of restorative/yin. After having a little moan about restorative yoga in last week’s post, it should bring a wry smile to your lips to read that this was exactly what the doctor ordered. 5 days of double yoga as well as lots of walking around Marrakech for sight-seeing/shopping/eating meant my body was well and truly done at this point.

Wednesday: 

Travel day getting back to London. Had ambitions to practice once I arrived home but the lure of kitten cuddles and a nap was too strong. So no yoga today.

Thursday: 

30min of self-practice after work. Well, really it was just me being on the mat and moving around a bit while cuddling kittens, but it still counts! My body felt surprisingly open given its usual reaction after a prolonged period of intense yoga is to seize up a little. Until I got to my hips that is. They were going no-where! So fancy king pigeons were swiftly abandoned. Such is life.

Friday: 

Another 30min self-practice after work. The weather in London finally felt like Spring so I got to throw open the garden doors and move in the warm evening air. I am always grateful for my special little yoga nook, but especially on days like today.

Saturday:

Normally Saturday is my big self-practice day, but on this occasion the sofa and a proper internet connection was just too tempting and I basically barely moved all day. Especially after finding out I can now get fresh poké bowls delivered to my door. 

Sunday:

Catching up with friends and more general laziness meant today was an evening practice kind of a day. Another 30min session - I seem to have an uncanny ability to time this pretty much exactly at the moment - full of lots of standing backbends. 

• Self-Practice: 1hrs 30min 
• Classes: 5hrs  
• TOTAL: 6hrs 30min