Yoga

I recently had the opportunity to try yoga, through a class offered at work. Since I'd had to give up karate (an ankle injury meant I couldn't hold up to the high impact any more), I'd considered yoga or tai chi as possible alternatives to get some exercise, but hadn't taken the time to actively pursue either one. Then this chance dropped into my lap, and I was in the mood to try something new anyway.

At this writing, I've gone to two classes, and I've really enjoyed it so far. I've got my wife half-talked into trying it herself. The most interesting thing about it is that it's real exercise (my muscles definitely felt that second, more challenging, session in particular), but it's not what you'd think of as strenuous. We basically get into a variety of positions, some more difficult to hold than others, and try to relax into them. I'm sure there are more difficult positions for more advanced people, but that's the gist of it. It's almost like meditation with stretching.

One odd aspect of the class is that I'm the only man in it. That's kind of a mixed blessing. I'm sure some of the women would be more comfortable if the class was entirely female, but we'll all just have to live with it. It's not much of an issue, really, since there's not much interaction between us.

The same teacher is also doing a meditation class off site starting in February, and I'll probably sign up for that as well. I've been meditating on my own, but I might be able to pick up some useful tips by taking a class.