#HOVB - Abdul
Hi I’m Abdul! I’m a motorbike Postie, a runner, and a hiker, and have been a Hike Leader for a few years for The Hike Collective. I’m super passionate about being outdoors, exploring and being active outdoors is my hobby, it’s what I enjoy the most especially near water. I’ve always lived in the foothills too so I don’t mind a climb, and I always want to explore every peak! I also believe in reducing the stigma around mental health, it’s a place where I feel I can really make a difference, no matter how small.
That’s actually how I found Vital Beat; I went to one of your outdoor yoga classes for charity.
I practice yoga because I’m a runner, it’s a complimentary training. Some people run to train for events but I run because I feel like it and always maintain a level of training where I could, in theory, enter anything.
I once injured my knee and my physio said I should keep running to move the fluid, but I find that the stretches of yoga increase my range of motion too and it’s always so freeing for the knee afterwards, especially when I do Yin Yoga. However I do prefer the vinyasa style because I’m such an active personality type.
Yoga is a really good way to complement a training style, it’s a cross training for me - to improve my flexibility and strength to round out my hiking and running. Breathing is also really important and the breathing you learn in vinyasa yoga - regulating the nervous system while moving - is a controlled breathing while in exertion and learning not to go into panic/fight/flight mode. I use that breathing skill in running, and if I hear people doing a shallow breath when hiking or running, I would suggest people try yoga to learn to breath properly into their diaphragm.
I’ve tried a few yoga studios but some are just a bit too serious for me and the overall vibe doesn’t suit me, I love the music here and have always been a fan of RnB - I’m always getting busted humming the songs in class! I even used to be a big karaoke fan! ‘No-one’ by Alicia Keys is always a really good track to flow to, and lately it’s been ‘Silence’, by Marshmellow & Khalid
I really like trail running & hiking because it’s a mindfulness practice, you have to pay attention to what you’re doing, your feet and balance. I guess that’s the same as moving in a yoga class; bringing the two things together makes the experience of both just so much better.
PS.
Right now Abdul is raising much needed funds for mental health. You can support his charity run: https://www.teamblackdog.org.au/.../ARMI86/create-your-own
