I’ve always wanted to like yoga. I tried Pilates–for two years. I wanted to be more connected to my body. Surely this would make me a better writer.
Today I’m going to CORE, a studio in the recently renovated and very cool White Provisions Building in 
Westside Atlanta. Outside its large rectangular windows, trains pass slowly. This will be the last 4 hours of a 24-hour pre-training course in the gyrotonic expansion system.
I stumbled onto gyrotonics by accident. Every January I try to visit a spa. In 2009, instead of choosing what I wanted to do while I was there, I asked the two women at the desk the name of the best trainer. Paul, they both said. I showed up the next morning, and Paul began talking as we walked past the machines and the free weights.
As I wrote in The View From Here, gyrotonics
makes sense to me. Most of the movements are circular and three-dimensional—like life. As founder Juliu Horvath said, “You will…find the unexplored parts of the body.” And I have, starting with my abs. Naturally it’s not for everyone,but I clicked with it. In late April, I discovered that the “wave” was a larger movement than I had understood. I was really supposed to roll far more and involve more of my body. “Oh,” I said, “I’ve been doing it wrong all this time.” “No,” Kayley said, “you’ve been doing it right. This is just a different level of right.”
The week before Thanksgiving, I had an appointment in Atlanta with a visiting Master Trainer. Bradley is tall and lean, and was wearing frayed gray sweatpants and a fitted t-shirt. He had been reading Truman Capote and, as I was arching and curling, he was talking about the long sentences in “The Thanksgiving Visitor.” Then I swear this is what he said to me:
“I think you like doing the movements in gyrotonics because each movement seems to hold a story within it.”
First, I went to the gyrotonic link and discovered the answer to all my exercise woes. I totally want that. It looks fun and effective. Right now my exercise consists of sitting on an exercise bike and immersing myself in a book. That’s all fine and good, but I pay no attention to what I’m doing and realize I’ve been peddling at a snail’s pace and putting out no effort at all.
Second, I love this “you’ve been doing it right. This is just a different level of right.”
I want to borrow that quote and repeat it to myself in every aspect of my life, parenting, relationships, writing.
Also, good article from The View From Here. I even looked around the site and read a few other stories, as well. I realized I spent my exercise time reading stories and now I don’t have time for it. Dang.
Tricia, so glad you enjoyed this post. Every time I do a gyrotonic workout I discover parts of my body that feel as if they’ve never been used before. It is just amazing. I wish there was a place I could do a workout closer to home. Did you check to see if it’s offered near you?
Thanks for visiting The View From Here. They do some really great interviews too.
I’ve wanted to like yoga too, but it doesn’t like me. If you google “I hate yoga” I’m on the first page. Good luck with it!
Cool hawk photos below.
Sarah, I thought you were kidding! But then I googled “I hate yoga,” and you were on the first page. I enjoyed that post of yours from 2007.