At the last minute, my evening opened up and I decided to take Fred’s Core Fusion class on Wednesday night.

I knew it was different from the beginning.

I knew it was different when I decided to stretch before class while sitting on the floor with my legs extended in front of me. I reached forward and for the very first time in my life — including the 12 years I spent taking dance class — I was able to touch my toes. Yes, I had to severely flex my feet to do this, but that’s neither here nor there. For the first time in my life, I could touch my toes.

I knew it was different when I was able to put my yoga blocks on the level closest to the floor instead of the middle or highest (there are 3 levels) during the stretches of our right leg, when we go into splits (or in my case, tiny attempts at splits). I knew it was different when I was able to abandon the yoga blocks completely during the stretch and split of my left leg, which has always been my more flexible side. But not that flexible.

I knew it was different when the class sat in rounded backs against the wall to put their legs straight up in front of them. I took my strap like always around my right foot, my tighter leg, my foot with tendinitis. I was able to stretch the leg higher than it had been recently.

I knew it was different when I moved the strap to my left leg and my leg stretched up so far towards my face that I couldn’t believe how naturally it happened.

Fred noticed.

He came up to me and told me to put the strap aside. For a second I thought he was going to show me a new stretch but when he told me to lift my right leg too and put my hands on my calves I understood what was happening.

“This is your graduation day,” Fred told me.

I was with the rest of the class. My legs were straight up in front of me. Shaking uncontrollably, yes. But they there. Straight. Up. I was in shock. I was smiling. No, it wasn’t easy. But I did it. Two months of hard work and I accomplished one of my initial goals. A goal, I might add, that I never really thought was remotely possible.

When I started this challenge in the beginning of January, I outlined my objectives to Fred, and one objective was to be able to join the class during this portion. I’ve often been frustrated when I feel like the only person in the room who can’t follow along. I sometimes feel jipped, like I am missing an essential ab workout. Of course, I was not jipped. I am getting there in my own time. Getting my body ready to go there — because everyone’s capabilities are different. Certain things will always be easier for someone else than they are for you. Certain things will always be easier for you than it will be for someone else.

But really, I never expected this to happen. I even told Catherine, the exhale health counselor & core fusion teacher, in our last meeting that I know my body and I know I will never be able to join the class in this exercise.

Ha! What do I know?

But Fred knew.

And it was in his class that I was pushed past any thoughts of “I can’t.” And, instead, I did. I accomplished a major goal. After almost 27 years of living with terrible flexibility and 12 years of dance where I just couldn’t do the stretches; after accepting that I am just not a flexible person, using the excuse that “I have a tight lower back” and being sure I could never significantly improve in this area, I was proved wrong.

There is no question about it. I knew Core Fusion helped me so far with building muscle, gaining strength, improving my core/glutes/abs/arms, transforming my body, helping me fit back into my clothes. But I wasn’t sure if it was helping my flexibility. Until Wednesday night, when all the small improvements I didn’t notice finally added up and became one big – and very noticeable – improvement.

After just two months of taking Core Fusion classes regularly, I can say with 100% certainty that I greatly improved my flexibility.

I will never again say “I can’t.”

• 19 comments

I usually have an early morning meeting on Tuesdays, but it was canceled this week. I was thrilled because that meant I was finally able to try Core Fusion Yoga with Kayleigh. I love any opportunity to get Core Fusion Yoga into my life, and it has been hard for me to get there on Sundays lately.

Class was at 7 am in SoHo, and I had no idea how long it would take me to get there. Me being me, I got there very early. So early, in fact, that exhale wasn’t even open yet. Oops!

I wasn’t waiting for long though, and I had the luxury of being the only person in the studio for awhile. I got ready, spread out my mat, got my props and stretched. Kayleigh arrived and I introduced myself to her and then three other students arrived as well.

When a Dave Matthews Band song came on a few minutes into the class, I smiled; I was so happy! Any teacher who plays DMB during an exercise class is a great teacher. This only happened to me once before, in a spin class. The song (Stolen Away on 55th and 3rd) was peaceful and relaxing and great for the beginning of class. (I’m going to see DMB for the 12th time in July!)

While it might have started slow, the rest of class was a major workout. The room was heated and the flow was nonstop. Every stretch felt so great after my long run over the weekend. We did a very long and intense set of planks mixed with side planks, without stopping. I was so proud of how well I did during this! I felt strong.

Core Fusion Yoga is seriously an amazing cardio session. I was literally dripping with sweat and my heart was beating fast. While I could get away with wearing cotton during Core Fusion, I wouldn’t do that in Core Fusion Yoga because there is just so much sweat! If anyone is considering joining exhale but concerned that they won’t get enough cardio in, trust me: between Core Fusion Yoga, Core Fusion Sport and the new Core Fusion Cardio, there are more than enough cardio options. And for me, Core Fusion Yoga is such an incredible way to get cardio in because you’re also getting deep stretching and strength training at the same time.

Kayleigh is a fantastic teacher and I felt so comfortable doing all the yoga moves, even though I am not much of a yoga person. We did many sets of 4 pushups throughout the class and I did all of them long form, not on my knees. I felt so strong! Kayleigh even complimented me on my pushups. She also corrected my form throughout the class which helped me experience each pose in the best way possible.

The class moved so quickly. It was all nonstop, and having just four of us there helped ensure we got a lot of special attention. I rarely felt limited by my inflexibility. I was able to do almost everything with no issue, and had the yoga blocks there for when I did need some extra help.

The most challenging part of class was these planks we did where we twisted to the side (working our obliques/waist) and bent one leg inward while keeping the other on the floor. We did a bunch of these on each side and it was so hard to hold this position. We held the last one on each side longer than the others, and during the last one Kayleigh noticed I was struggling. Her words of encouragement pushed me through and I finished the exercise strong.

We did something I hadn’t done in other Core Fusion Yoga classes that was really interesting. Kayleigh had us sit on the floor and hold on to the yoga blocks and we did a sequence of lifting ourselves up by pushing down on the blocks and stretching our legs forward and back in this way as well. It was so hard and I really felt it in my abs.

Speaking of abs, sigh. The curl. We held the yoga block between our thighs which I prefer to holding with our hands above our bodies, so that was good. The movements were so hard and toward the end I was really struggling. By the last 10 seconds I was doing my best with my arms off my legs, but right before we were about to be done I lost it and had to hold onto my legs with my hands. I quickly took my hands off to finish abs strong. Sometimes I feel guilty when I don’t finish something full out when I know I could have worked harder, but this morning I know I did the best I could so I felt great about it.

Towards the end of class, another great song that I love called Winding Road came on. Such a perfect song for unwinding (pun not intended!).

As we relaxed at the end of class, Kayleigh came around the room and fixed us. For me, she pushed my legs down further against my mat and pressed down next to my shoulders to make sure I was as relaxed as possible. I really needed that! I carry so much tension in my shoulders and have a hard time relaxing them myself. Kayleigh explained to me after that she is also a yoga teacher so she is able to get more into the yoga aspects of class. Core Fusion Yoga is a great class to take with any teacher, but I did like the variation here.

Wonderful music and an incredible class. Core Fusion Yoga first thing in the morning is the perfect way to wake up and start the day. I felt so rejuvenated after and in a great mood for the rest of the day! I’m sad I can’t go every week because of my early meeting, but luckily next week my meeting is canceled again. I will be back then – and I’ll be bringing friends!

• 6 comments