Pilates

Today I attended my first pilates class.  Pilates is the practice of yoga that focuses on our "core".  I'm definitely a "soft core" kind of gal.  If there was any doubt about that at all, pilates was there to prove the point.
First of all, a good deal of the warm ups were done sitting "indian style" by most people.  I just pushed by soles together butterfly style because I can't do that.
Beyond that, the beginning of the class wasn't too bad.
Laying on my back doing leg circles/extensions wasn't either.
Then she got to the "abs" portion of the workout.
Apparently "v"s aren't my thing.  Try it sometime.  Lay flat on the floor.  then fold yourself in half balancing on your tail.  Tear time.  At least for me.  I felt the burn.  Heck, that fire could have burned the whole studio down.
Then she instructed us to get into "plank" position, balancing on our arms, facing the ceiling, legs extended.  I couldn't even get up facing that way.
Next, was roll onto your side, and then lift your hips off the floor in a straight line.  Fail there too.
Then we went on our bellies and did airplane style stretches and reverse leg lifts.  That I could do!
In every class, there has been something I could do.  The trick is to find that something, hold onto it, and build from it.
Sure I could just hang out in chair yoga.  It feels good to know I can do yoga, competently, on some level.  But how much better will it feel to take on a challenge and master it?  Look back and see I rule my body instead of the other way around? Isn't that a goal worth reaching?  I think so.