Recently I injured my left foot, where the toes meet the pad, it feels like it pops in and out of place when I stand up, with sharp pain each time it modulates. I talked to the doctor about it and he said likely a fracture, I should have come to him sooner, not much to do about it now except wait for it to heal up. Okay.
So I’ve been off the mats for two weeks, started training this week again, but no rolling, just technique. Skipping any chaotic parts of class so that my foot can get back to normal.
It’s working. The foot is getting better. But I’m feeling anxious about not getting the same level of physical activity that I’m used to. Doing any weight lifting that requires bearing too much weight on my legs is out. So I thought I’d give some simple Yoga a try.
I’ve been thinking about trying Yoga for a while. My wife has tried dragging me to her classes. But with jiu jitsu, work, and everything else going on, there just hasn’t been time to give it a shot.
I found a beginners video on YouTube (video below). Ten minutes in the morning, very little of it requiring much time on my feet, and I feel great. This simple routine had me stretching muscles in ways they’ve never been stretched before. My back is cracking in unusual ways, but it feels good. I noticed a real benefit in my shoulders, which I’ve traditionally had mobility issues with in the past.
An interesting side effect of doing this 10 minute Yoga routine is that my mind is simply more alert. I do this routine first thing in the morning, after my shower, before my coffee. It wakes me up in a way that no coffee has done for me.
This is the first week of trying Yoga, but I’m impressed at how good it makes me feel. A friend of mine who I train with had recommended a “Yoga for BJJ” video series that he was using to help with his hip issues, but I never gave it a try. I think I might have to check out those videos after I get through some more beginners Yoga videos on YouTube.