Piyo

The first time my husband suggested we try a Piyo class last spring, I was petrified. Balance, strength and flexibility are not high on my list of attributes and I vividly envisioned flailing around like a train wreck in a room of sleek, composed fitness buffs. He was very gracious about my hysteria, and I agreed to at least try it.

Given that inauspicious start, it wasn't really surprising that he was shocked when I decided in July that I wanted to become a Piyo instructor! Wonderful as he always is, he agreed and I was able to attend the training this past weekend. Halfway through I sent him a text saying the new workout routine was awesome and crazy!

What made me go from petrified newbie to freshly-minted Instructor? I discovered in Piyo a workout that fits my personality!

Piyo is an athletic blend of Pilates and Yoga set to up-tempo music and taught in hour-long classes. I couldn't help but fall in love with it for three reasons:
1. It's completely honest.
2. It is the exercise version of multi-tasking.
3. You don't have time to be distracted.

The Piyo instructor who led the first class we went to was completely upfront about the poses/movements she couldn't do because of a knee injury and encouraged all of us not to be embarrassed about modifying anything that was outside our current comfort zone. Everything can be scaled back to where you are and scaled up later when you want a challenge so you can always have the fun without killing yourself or being left out. 

Much like Insanity (which I also liked), Piyo takes a full-body approach: you are never working just one muscle group. You consistently get a big bang for your buck, which is vital when you don't have a lot of free time to work out.

Best of all Piyo keeps your brain engaged. You don't have time to be distracted by mental to-do lists or emotional clutter - you find yourself completely focused in the moment, giving your brain a chance to relax, helping your body get the most out of your workout, and whisking you to the end of the workout time before you know it!

 

If you haven't tried Piyo, I encourage you to look for a class and give it a shot. You may not love it, and that's okay. But with winter rapidly approaching it is wise for all of us to get (and stay)  intentionally active. 

Darker, colder days and increased stress as the holidays approach can take a toll on your health. Exercise improves circulation, helps keep weight in check and balances brain chemicals - giving you stress relief and an emotional boost. Whatever format works best for you, make sure you're staying active this winter - and consider trying something new! There's lots of great formats out there and you might just find something amazing... even if you are little petrified the first time.