My Week in Yoga: Short Work Weeks and One Long Practice

I'm officially blaming pregnancy brain but it's seriously getting harder to write these posts all in one go at the end of the week, because I just can't remember what I did anymore!! Must. Start. Writing. As. I. Go.

Monday:  

Ah, the month of May and your generous double bank holiday flex! A bonus day off meant the rarest of rarities occurred... MORNING PRACTICE. I am 100% an evening practice kind of a girl. My body and my mind need (a lot) of time to get going so I just get so much more out of my time on the mat if I don't do it first thing.

However, after a chilled Saturday and Sunday, and with plans for the rest of the day (celebrating my sister's birthday nonetheless) meant I could have both a relatively slow start to the day, and still make it onto my mat before noon.

30 minutes, lots of hip focused standing postures as these feel much safer for my pelvis these days. And some long-hold headstand work as well. Of course.

Tuesday: 

Work + best friend catch ups meant no time for yoga today.

Wednesday: 

Back to my normal evening flex. 25 minutes of slow, slow flowing. The first 5 of which were just basically sitting still. Things did get going a bit after that, with some decent strength required for some of those slow holds, but still this was not a dynamic practice by any stretch of the imagination. Which was a-OK for me then, and a-OK writing about it now a few days later.

Thursday: 

Best laid plans and all that... a evening schedule of birth/baby class (NCT for my Brits) meant today was penciled in for a micro-practice wedged between work and heading out. But naps got the better of me. 20 minutes turned into an hour, which probably could have been two if I am honest, but yeah, mat time got bumped in short.

This pregnancy malarkey is definitely a great teacher of doing what needs to be done, not necessarily what you 'want' to do.

Friday: 

A long and hectic work day.

Saturday:

Double yoga day! Not quite of the 2-3hrs I could manage on one of these pre-pregnancy, but still. It's a turn up for the books these days. 

First off was a quick 5 minutes before heading off for a girly pedicure/lunch/baby clothes shopping day with my mum. I waffle on often about the power of taking whatever time you can for your mat. Even if that is 5 or 10 minutes. So this was me walking the walk rather than just talking the talk.

Second came later in the day. I felt really energized after my day out (and a rather long nap truth be told) so I revisited my mat. And magic came out. 45min of strong, dynamic, fluid. Like the old days. But BETTER. Because I appreciate it so much more now! Sun sals, arm balances, inversions.

Seriously, this was a total treat as I so rarely have either the will or the energy for a practice like this these days. Which is fine: both my body and my mind have some other pretty big commitments to contend with at the moment. But still, when it comes, I am going to enjoy every sweaty, quickened breath minute.

Sunday:

The previous day's shopping and yoga endeavors, while totally amazing, did catch up with me today and a slow Sunday was in order.  So a quiet evening practice it was. 25 minutes. Not a single chaturanga or inversion. Lots of gate pose variations and other hip work (chapasana and tiger pose). 

• Self-Practice: 2hrs 10min
• Classes:   0
• TOTAL:  2hrs 10min