Posted 12:06 am Sunday, January 27, 2013
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Yoga hits the spot for East Texas man
By DAYNA HUGHEY
KYTX CBS 19
After years of working out hard with weights and running, an East Texas man made the decision to give yoga a try and the ancient discipline helped him find “Fit City Success.”
KYTX CBS 19
After years of working out hard with weights and running, an East Texas man made the decision to give yoga a try and the ancient discipline helped him find “Fit City Success.”
Mike Taliaferro was reluctant, to say the least, at first, when a friend suggested yoga to him.
But he was having some joint issues, so he gave in and that choice made a huge difference in his life.
“I was shocked. My ego was busted and I was the only man in there and I thought I can’t fall out in front of all of these women,” Taliaferro said.
Taliaferro may not look like your typical yogi, but he is now. The intensity of his first class at the Yoga Spot in Tyler hit the spot. He only lasted 15 minutes, but that made him a believer.
“So, I came back two days later and lasted about 30 minutes. I obviously saw something that was happening here that I wasn’t getting anywhere else,” he said.
He said the poses and the way you handle your body weight so much showed him how tight he was.
“I couldn’t even touch my toes the first couple of weeks. Two years later, I am now doing head stands,” Taliaferro said.
Yoga also taught him how important breathing and balance are in exercise and in life.
“You work out a lot of stress in yoga and relieve a lot of tension. We also have quiet time and hold a pose. We just relax and don’t have cell phones. We don’t have noise. It is just quiet. I have carried that into my everyday life,” Taliaferro said.
“I was shocked. My ego was busted and I was the only man in there and I thought I can’t fall out in front of all of these women,” Taliaferro said.
Taliaferro may not look like your typical yogi, but he is now. The intensity of his first class at the Yoga Spot in Tyler hit the spot. He only lasted 15 minutes, but that made him a believer.
“So, I came back two days later and lasted about 30 minutes. I obviously saw something that was happening here that I wasn’t getting anywhere else,” he said.
He said the poses and the way you handle your body weight so much showed him how tight he was.
“I couldn’t even touch my toes the first couple of weeks. Two years later, I am now doing head stands,” Taliaferro said.
Yoga also taught him how important breathing and balance are in exercise and in life.
“You work out a lot of stress in yoga and relieve a lot of tension. We also have quiet time and hold a pose. We just relax and don’t have cell phones. We don’t have noise. It is just quiet. I have carried that into my everyday life,” Taliaferro said.
He has not only learned how to slow down a little bit, but he’s also lost more than 40 pounds.
“And I added about two hours of sleep to my night, not only did I get the benefits of exercise, but I also got additional sleep,” Taliaferro said.
Yoga has made him stronger mentally and physically. His 6-foot-2 frame no longer aches the way it once did.
He says yoga has helped him in spin class and when he lifts weights at the gym. He now has more endurance and he feels stronger.
“And I added about two hours of sleep to my night, not only did I get the benefits of exercise, but I also got additional sleep,” Taliaferro said.
Yoga has made him stronger mentally and physically. His 6-foot-2 frame no longer aches the way it once did.
He says yoga has helped him in spin class and when he lifts weights at the gym. He now has more endurance and he feels stronger.
