Less Talk, More Plank. These pics were taken by Chris Rosa for SoundCrossFit.

Yoga has never been my thing. It was really in for a while, with all of my friends. I remember going to a free class at Ballard Health Club. I just recall it being crowded, and I felt weird because I didn’t know what I was doing. The instructor wasn’t helpful or maybe I gave off a “don’t look at me” vibe as I felt very self-conscious. I went to a least a couple other classes like that. I tried doing yoga at home, with a DVD, but I never got much out of it. It sort of pissed me off that this lady I was watching was on some tropical island while I was stuck in our cramped tv space with dog hair on the carpet. Not very relaxing. Not relaxing at all.

My crossfit gym began offering a weekly yoga class maybe about a year or so ago. I went to a free trial class and it was not detestable. I didn’t hate it. It is taught by one of the instructors I love as a crossfit coach, and seeing her day in, day out as a crossfit coach I was able to hear tidbits about her adventures in taking extensive yoga courses.

So, I liked it. I didn’t like having to pay additional, and, frankly, it didn’t really work well with my schedule. Fast forward many months later, Yoga is switched to a 6 a.m. morning class. And the schedule change came right when I was training for my first race of the year, and my body was feeling a bit worn out. AND I find out I can use my existing membership classes to attend.

I can make this work, I decide, and finally, my 2015 workout goal has been determined. I’m going to try yoga for the year. Just once a week (how many times a week does one do yoga, anyway? Daily? Twicely?) for now. And, as I’ve been at it for a few weeks now and I’ve managed to make 6 a.m. work for me and my weekday morning routine (it means Max gets walked at 5:15 on Tuesdays, but I haven’t seen him complain yet).

So, after different attempts at trying yoga, and after pretty much ignoring it for years (even though many friends suggested I try it again), after saying many times (even to my yoga instructor, probably, before she was my yoga instructor), “oh, I’m just not into yoga,” or “It’s not my thing. I just don’t get it” … After too many “I would rather spend my time on a “real” workout,” here’s why this yoga class, at this time, seems to be working for me.

1) The familiarity. I’m a total rookie, and I don’t mind admitting it. But I walked into a class where I knew the physical space, I knew the instructor, and she knew me and was familiar with my physical abilities. I walked in and I knew most of the people in the room, too. Suddenly that first barrier of having to go through the rigmarole of figuring people out and deciding if you like or dislike this or that has been removed. For an introvert, this is a huge hurdle. Add on top of that the removal of class schedules and costs and suddenly the barriers are down (of course, if I continue this for the rest of the year I think I’m going to have to upgrade my membership status, but now that I know what I’m getting into, I’m more apt to accept that cost. I see what they’re doing here. Nice move, SCF).

2) The Crossfit connection. What’s nice about doing it all under the same roof is that you have a coach that is familiar with your regular routine. And can translate what you do in the gym (or, as they say, “the box”) with the yoga (relate a yoga move to your deadlift stance. Or feel how “plugging your shoulder” feels compared to a bentover row). Conversely, in Crossfit you translate what you’ve done in yoga, back into class. My plank is better. My push-ups are better.

It definitely helps that Jess, the instructor, is pragmatic and down-to-earth. There’s no hippie-dippie business going on here. Classes are instructional and challenging in a non-stressful environment. Not unlike our Crossfit classes.That fits my style.

3) Oh sorry, my bad. It is a real workout. If you do it right, and you concentrate in the right places, and it’s more of a “flowing” thing or whatever (see, I’m a rookie, haven’t got the lingo down yet), yeah, there’s a bit of sweat action going on. I’m not dripping or anything, but, like Crossfit, put as much effort into it as you want to get out of it, and you may see a sweaty outcome. As I was breathing through that crazy chair position for what seemed like forEVER, I thought to myself, would I rather be doing Wall Balls? Possibly.

Would I trade three weekly Crossfit WODs out for 3 yoga classes? Nope. But there’s no reason we can’t live harmoniously under one roof.