Whew! After going away for the weekend and drinking alcohol two days in a row (a fair bit of alcohol, I might add), I was worried about how class would go at 4:15 today. However, even though I didn't drink enough water today (which I really should have tried to with being so dehydrated already), I had a great class. My dizziness seems to have eased up, thank God.
The funny thing about Bikram's--and everyone knows this--is that you don't make steady progress in the same way that you do with many other activities and workouts. I'm not saying that not every class counts because I think that every class really does count for so much; I really believe in that build-up of "merit". However, like I was saying, with other sorts of activities (and maybe even other kinds of yoga) you get a feel for the routine and master aspects of it and expect to gain steadily. For instance, in Pilates, once you can "do" a pose or go to a particular depth in a pose, you can now "do it". Meaning, it usually doesn't happen that suddenly you find you can't do it anymore, or if you do, you suspect it's because you've sustained an injury. Similarly, with jogging, say, once you've worked your way up to a certain pace for a certain amount of time, you figure you'll be able to go that distance from a point onwards as long as you feel all right. If you're really tired or hung over or sick or some other extraneous circumstance is interfering with your jog that day, you adjust and know to take it easy, or know it's going to be *that much harder*. I'm not saying that other workouts don't vary, but I don't get surprised all that often.
Think it's like this with Bikram's Yoga? No. It can be very surprising. I've only been practicing this yoga for a month and a half and I'm already amazed at the variance I've seen in my body with particular poses on certain days. Specifically, I will be fairly happy with a certain pose and feel that it is getting progressively less difficult for several classes only to get going in class and find that suddenly it has become one of the hardest of the 26 poses! And it will stay that way, class after class. So far, this has happened to me with the following:
1. Awkward Pose (the first part has become impossible - I just can't get down).
2. Eagle Pose (I can't seem to make any progress with this pose and it's become really hard to balance).
3. Standing Bow (everything in the world has gone wrong with this pose - I can't keep my balance, I can't get my leg up, I can't get my arm up, and it exhausts me).
4. Balancing stick (all of a sudden this pose is torture - I dread it and sweat buckets throughout).
5. Standing Separate Leg Head-to-Knee (in a big way for at least six classes, but finally a breakthrough! Now I'm better than ever with this pose and have almost straightened out my knee).
6. Tree (the most relaxing pose of all has become very hard to balance, have no clue how this has happened).
7. Rabbit (this pose has been unique torture for at least ten classes - my sister feels the same way).
8. Head-to-Knee (my hamstrings are in pain for the entire three-part posture. This one hurts like hell these days, but it may be that I am going deeper whereas I wasn't challenging myself very much in the earlier days).
Of course, it's worth mentioning that some poses actually get a lot easier and I find myself wondering how they ever gave me so much trouble to begin with (especially since the "newly difficult" poses now seem so much more dreadful in comparison. In any case, like I said - it goes up and down and you just never know what kind of class you're going to have.
***My studio is having a 30-day challenge beginning May 15th and I've decided I'd like to go for it. So far I've only been five classes in a row at most and I've really only been able to maintain a practice of 4-5 classes per week, but I figure this is a great opportunity. Going away out of town several times and overly busy weekends have been the main interferences with my practice. I had planned to go camping for the May-long weekend but I'm not that heartbroken over cancelling, and I'd far prefer to stay in town over this long weekend as opposed to later on in the summer. I can foresee no major events between the fifteenth days of May and June and as I anticipate my practice slowing down in the summer with hot weather and a busy schedule and going out of town, this is the perfect way to finish off the intensity of my first three months of Bikram Yoga. I'm excited!
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Lock the Knee
That's what the New West studio is called! I really like that. How appropriate.
Speaking of locking the knee, I do think that I'm improving. The hardest pose in which you must lock your knee is, of course, Standing Head-to-Knee. I think that having each knee locked firmly for the full sixty seconds on each side would be an amazing feat. I sometimes wonder if there is anything I can do outside of class to further me along in this area. However, I suppose that each person chugs along at their own pace, and I have heard it been said that this can take up to six months, so I'm hardly there yet.
Until I'm there, though, Standing Bow just won't look right.
Speaking of locking the knee, I do think that I'm improving. The hardest pose in which you must lock your knee is, of course, Standing Head-to-Knee. I think that having each knee locked firmly for the full sixty seconds on each side would be an amazing feat. I sometimes wonder if there is anything I can do outside of class to further me along in this area. However, I suppose that each person chugs along at their own pace, and I have heard it been said that this can take up to six months, so I'm hardly there yet.
Until I'm there, though, Standing Bow just won't look right.
Sunday, April 23, 2006
The big 2-6
Last week wasn't a good week for yoga, to be perfectly honest. The problem is that...well, there certainly isn't just one problem. Where do I begin? Let me go through each posture and breathing exersise and describe the various difficulties.
1. Pranayama Breathing
On pretty steady ground with this one, actually. I can get my elbows up pretty high and I've become quite good at inhaling and exhaling for a count of six. Others in class seem to be having trouble with their timing. It's still difficult, though, and it seems to last forever.
2. Half Moon Pose
Oh. God. This pose alone is as hard for me as at least ten others put together; I find it excruciating. First of all, I can't jut my hips out very far to the right or left. My form is much better now that I have finally learned to push my arms back behind my ears as far as they'll go, as previously, the location of my big old head made it impossible for me to lock my arms and glue my palms together at the same time; it was either one or the other. It still takes incredible effort to hold each side for sixty seconds, and it doesn't help that my arms hyperextend. Anyway, I now feel home-free after the first set of left and right. On to pose 2, the backbend: the only saving grace of this pose is that it doesn't last sixty seconds. I can go back quite a bit further than I could when I started, but it hurts like hell (as the instructors frequently remind us) and I still find it extremely hard to breathe! What's with that? Also, it's hard to bring my arms back with my head. Anyway, I can't help but to be sure to take it easy with the U-turn into forward bending because this feels really hard on my lower back. As soon as my hands touch the ground and I begin to walk my hips out, I am sometimes amazed by the pain. (I always feel much better in second set, though.) Anyway, despite my bitter complaining up to this point, pose 3 of Half Moon is actually the most difficult. I'm not flexible naturally, and although I can bend further from my hips and my legs are straighter, my knees are nowhere near locked. Also, I tend to want to cheat and not touch my legs with my face. AND I don't know what is wrong with me because everyone else seems to be able to do it just fine, but when I place my palms under my feet, I can't get my pinky fingers side-by-side! I bend way down and give it an honest try, but I simply cannot even get into the position let alone hold it. So although my hands are well under my feet, they stick out from the sides still. Oh well. Again, the second set is much easier going than the first, as is not always the case in Bikram's.
3. Awkward Pose
If I was to use the word "like" in regards to any of the poses, I might use it for Utkatasana. But I'm not prepared to use that word yet! I'm getting much better getting into the first part of the pose, and I actually got some good advice from the instructor at Calgary Hot Yoga: don't even think about it before you drop. Just drop. The second part of the pose is more difficult as I only began to get up fully on my tiptoes a couple of classes ago. It's hard to hold, and I shake. I feel some pretty heavy temptation to drop my feet down a bit and I used to give in, but I'm trying really hard to keep my heels way up now. As a result, I can't get as far down. That's all right, of course. I work very hard at going down into the third part of the pose to a count of ten and I can usually do it, but coming up is really hard. I've noticed people racing up, and I try to stay among the slowest. However, I don't bounce up and down like I am "on a motorcycle" because I find it too hard on my knees. I don't know what's wrong with them but they hurt a lot in class.
4. Eagle Pose
As I strive to improve this posture, hidden difficulties have surfaced. I have always been able to hold the pose quite well but now that I am going deeper, I've begun to lose my balance a little bit. I can't get my foot around the side of my calf completely, but I've noticed other students lifting the leg up quite high before wrapping it around the opposite leg and I've been trying it, but so far, I haven't been able to go any further. I can't get very low in Garaurasana because I feel that I'm still working so hard on my form! I'm going to try getting my hands into prayer this week and really improve my concentration. I find I'm thinking about water way too much during this pose!
5. Standing head-to-knee
This pose is so tough it's not even that tough yet, if that makes any sense, because I'm still stuck at the very beginning stage. I can now lock my knee for up to fifteen/twenty seconds, but that's still the limit for me. I'm lucky if I can hold each side for sixty seconds on the first set let alone keep my knee locked the entire time and kick out! I've tentatively kicked out a couple of times but I'm really not ready yet. I can usually hold second set for the full thirty seconds but as I mentioned, my knee is not completely locked the whole time. This pose takes a hell of a lot of concentration. I find that I go a lot smoother if I concentrate really hard on locking my knee before I even lift the foot of the opposite leg off of the ground. I think I'll see steady improvement with this pose, but it's very slow-going.
6. Standing Bow
Oh my gosh, I find this pose most aesthetically pleasing and I really yearn to go deeper into it. I really see a difference between my right and left side in this pose as I am much more comfortable on the right and I am able to kick up higher. My kick isn't that bad for a beginner, I think. I find the advice "if you're losing your balance, kick harder" to be very truthful. I have held the pose for the full sixty seconds on each side in the first set only about twice or three times, but I find it incredible tough. (Of course!) However, now I can usually hold second set for the full thirty seconds on each side so I am glad for that. If my balance is good that day I am really satisfied with going deeper into the pose for the final five seconds, but I am often feeling weak at this point. As I've mentioned, I'm not naturally flexible, particularly in the legs. I've never been able to do the splits fully, so I don't know how high I'll ever get. This seems to be a tough one for many in the classes.
7. Balancing Stick
I love the expression "you can do anything for ten seconds". Hah! We often have to hold Tuladandasana for longer than ten seconds - of that I'm sure. Lately I have felt exhausted by this pose and I find it makes me dizzy. Anyway, I didn't mind this one when I first started Bikram's but now I almost dread it. I don't know what I look like from the side, but I'm pretty sure it's not a "T"!
8. Standing Separate Leg Stretching
Arghhh! Here's where my problems really begin as this pose and the next two have left me feeling dizzy and weak. I think it's possible I'm not drinking enough water, especially since Canadian Springs went on strike. Anyway, I feel really unflexible in this pose. I can't spread my legs out very far to begin with, and my head certainly isn't touching the ground. During a good class, this pose feels all right, but during a bad class, it's really rough as my legs and back feel really tight. I can't get my hands under my heels yet; they are still underneath the middle of my feet. If I feel all right, I find it's a good idea to pull hardest at the last few seconds as I have made some real progress this way - it's important to really bend from the hips and get them high up.
9. Triangle Pose
Half-way mark! But oh my Lord this one just about kills me. Unbelievably--if my outstretched foot isn't slipping and sliding all over the place as it often is--I have developed pretty decent form in this pose (I know because I've actually been complimented on it by a teacher and recently received the most minimal of corrections). But it takes the utmost in effort to hold this nightmare pose, "the marriage of the heart and the lungs", and at no other point during class do I feel the desire stronger to collapse into Savasana!! I have skipped second set more than a couple times, I am ashamed to admit. It's just so damn hard! I think it's because I used to cheat by leaning hand pressure on the foot of the bent knee and not bending my knee to the full 90 degree angle. I do everything properly now, though, and sometimes it feels next to impossible to hold. But I keep chugging along. Once again, I find this particular pose very lovely (except when I'm in it, as I look like a shaky, pudgy mess).
10. Standing Separate Leg Head-to-Knee
When did this pose get so hard? Lately I've been getting really dizzy on my way down, and all I can think of at this point is hitting the floor in a few minutes. It took me a while to get good form in this one, and I have to concentrate on keeping my hips in line before descending. My leg in front is not straight yet; again, problems with the flexibility. It really is hard to breathe in this one, but they tell us that's normal. I've become tempted to skip a set, which is funny because when I first started I really did not have a problem with doing this pose - must have been because I wasn't doing it right! I find I need a lot of control on the ascent, or else I wobble.
11. Tree Pose
Tree is supposed to be relaxing, but I have not relaxed very well into it lately. I can't get both hands into prayer - maybe if I wore shorts, and I really should. I find it really difficult to straighten out my back and I just don't look all that good or comfortable in Tree. Bad posture! Also, my knees just kill me when I release my bent leg. I need to concentrate and meditate better in Tadasana because I can't stop thinking of Savasana!!
12. Toe Stand
Oh oh. I actually asked for extra help after class with Toe Stand because I was starting to feel that I was the only one unable to get to the floor without completely collapsing every time and falling right on my bum (I haven't improved vastly, but at least I know I'm capable of the pose now!) It takes a lot of strength for me to attempt Toe Stand but on a good day I can do the modified version (ie I can't get my hands into prayer, not even close). My knees, though - man are they ever weak! I don't get my foot up very high on my leg before heading down for this one but apparently that's okay. I can almost reach the floor without bending my standing leg but not quite, so I'm working on that. I look awful in this pose, I feel, very slouched and on the verge of falling over, which happens quite regularly! Getting up again is a nightmare, but I can do it now. Toe Stand continues to test my knees and overall strength on every attempt.
13. Savasana
Ah, freaking finally. I'm pretty good at laying still, and it is important to me to do so. I feel distracted by others in the class that move about constantly and really take their time getting into position (or so it seems). Sometimes I really want to itch or wipe but I try not to. I must say that I don't really like looking up at the flourescent lights, but I don't suppose there's anything that can be done about that.
14. Wind Removing Pose
Not much to say here - I went through a period during which I was having trouble grabbing at the elbow in the third part of the pose, but now I'm fine with it (though I find it hard to breathe and forget about lying my head flat). I have a lot of room to improve flexibility in my back and hips in this pose, and sometimes my hips pinch to the point of real discomfort. Still in relaxed mode from wonderful Savasana, though.
15. Sit-Up
Sit-up is fine, I suppose. I'm still sort of working on the double exhale but I think I've almost got it down. Of course, always looking to improve flexibility in my legs, and the sit-up really helps for later on during Head-to-Knee.
16. Cobra
Yikes, class sure gets tough again with the spine-strengthening series! This pose isn't too hard, but it's easy to slack off in it and rely on your arms. I try my best not to, of course.
17. Locust
I used to dread lifting both legs at the same time, but now it's the individual leg lifting that I face most difficulty with. First of all, it's hard to keep my hips in line. Second, I don't know how high up I'm getting my leg. High enough? Who knows. I'm still not getting my legs all that high up in the third part of the pose and you can really hear me groaning after each set!
18. Full Locust
It's sure getting easy to slack off in Full Locust! Generally, this pose is just really trying and it can feel awful to hold it while giving 100% honest effort...what else can I say? It can be done, but it hurts!
19. Bow Pose
Bow is my least favourite of the spine-strengthening series because I find that the full twenty seconds is excruciating. I also find that the right and left sides of my body look somewhat misaligned when I steal a glance in the mirror, like one hip (and, consequently, leg and foot) is in a different position than the other. To tell you the truth, I really have trouble holding this pose, and I am so relieved when it's over.
20. Fixed Firm
I always find that getting up from the spine-strengthening series gives me a head rush unless I take it very, very slow. So I can't always begin the pose at the same time as everyone else. However, it's not clear to me why so many people have difficulty getting all the way down in Fixed Firm because I've been able to do it from the very start and I don't find it hard on my knees. Usually if anyone finds anything particularly difficult, it's going to be me, and whenever teachers allude to a particular difficulty, it's like they're speaking directly to me! Must be because I've never really been a runner. I think it's athletes or the injured that struggle on this one. I'm not sure about raising my chest after getting into position, though. This is a nice one, and almost relaxing (though that probably means I'm "doing it wrong")!
21. Half-Tortoise
On the way down I can finally get my forehead touching the ground before my arms, but not every time, and I do feel the urge to just drop. This pose takes a lot of control. I actually don't find this pose all that relaxing, especially with trying to get my forehead and nose on the ground at the same time as I lock out my arms. The teacher at Calgary Hot Yoga got on top of my back while I was in Ardha Kurmasana and I was really surprised at how far she was able to push me down. Is that from bad posture? It actually felt pretty good.
22. Camel Pose
Oh yeah, here's the "torture chamber" for you. If I do this pose at all, and sometimes I lie in Savasana right through the second set, I must admit, I have to go all the way down, otherwise I just can't breathe. I die in Camel, I swear to God. Nothing I can really say about improving my form as I think that it is all right, and I always just out my hips and stomach, but it's just so hard to hold and it wears me right out. I find it really hard to get through two full sets and YES I feel dizzy and nauseous upon ascending!
23. Rabbit
Hmmm. Because of Rabbit, I can't wear my hair in a high ponytail, which would otherwise be ideal because I can't stand lying on the lump my hair forms during Savasana. Rabbit is far from comfortable, but it's doable. I like how it stretches my upper back and it's a neat pose. Tough, as always.
24. Head-to-Knee
Begun to dread this one, strangely. I can't get my individual legs completely straight in the first part of the pose but I've been pushing myself recently and I may be improving. I feel really tight, though. In part two, I am finally able to not only get my legs locked out in front as I grab my toes, but also lift my heels for about ten or fifteen seconds or so. Not quite the full length, as it gets really painful and hard to breathe evenly. My back is surely slouched. This appears to consume all of my remaining energy, though! Whew! So far I can't get my torso very low at my legs, but this is one pose in which I've seen steady, consistent improvement, so I'm working at it.
25. Spine-Twisting Pose
I don't mind this pose. No issues here, except I've got to halt feelings of elation that the class is just about over and work on being more mindful.
26. Kapalbhati Breathing
Okay, I'm not sure if anyone else has issues, but I find this breathing exersise difficult to execute. Sometimes I'm sure I'm doing it right, but then I compare the movement of my stomach to others and it seems like my breathing is off. In any case, although this is a short one (not to mention the closer!), I can't wait to get through it. Sometimes I get a cramp in one or both of my feet and I almost have to get into cross-legged position, but I always tough it out. I don't know why I get this cramp. Also, in second set, (which, of course, is faster), I sometimes feel a weird pressure between my eyes, almost in my sinuses.
Well, that's where I stand with all 26. I hope this week is better than last, because I can't stand the dizziness anymore.
And just because I'm a yogini now:
Namaste :)
1. Pranayama Breathing
On pretty steady ground with this one, actually. I can get my elbows up pretty high and I've become quite good at inhaling and exhaling for a count of six. Others in class seem to be having trouble with their timing. It's still difficult, though, and it seems to last forever.
2. Half Moon Pose
Oh. God. This pose alone is as hard for me as at least ten others put together; I find it excruciating. First of all, I can't jut my hips out very far to the right or left. My form is much better now that I have finally learned to push my arms back behind my ears as far as they'll go, as previously, the location of my big old head made it impossible for me to lock my arms and glue my palms together at the same time; it was either one or the other. It still takes incredible effort to hold each side for sixty seconds, and it doesn't help that my arms hyperextend. Anyway, I now feel home-free after the first set of left and right. On to pose 2, the backbend: the only saving grace of this pose is that it doesn't last sixty seconds. I can go back quite a bit further than I could when I started, but it hurts like hell (as the instructors frequently remind us) and I still find it extremely hard to breathe! What's with that? Also, it's hard to bring my arms back with my head. Anyway, I can't help but to be sure to take it easy with the U-turn into forward bending because this feels really hard on my lower back. As soon as my hands touch the ground and I begin to walk my hips out, I am sometimes amazed by the pain. (I always feel much better in second set, though.) Anyway, despite my bitter complaining up to this point, pose 3 of Half Moon is actually the most difficult. I'm not flexible naturally, and although I can bend further from my hips and my legs are straighter, my knees are nowhere near locked. Also, I tend to want to cheat and not touch my legs with my face. AND I don't know what is wrong with me because everyone else seems to be able to do it just fine, but when I place my palms under my feet, I can't get my pinky fingers side-by-side! I bend way down and give it an honest try, but I simply cannot even get into the position let alone hold it. So although my hands are well under my feet, they stick out from the sides still. Oh well. Again, the second set is much easier going than the first, as is not always the case in Bikram's.
3. Awkward Pose
If I was to use the word "like" in regards to any of the poses, I might use it for Utkatasana. But I'm not prepared to use that word yet! I'm getting much better getting into the first part of the pose, and I actually got some good advice from the instructor at Calgary Hot Yoga: don't even think about it before you drop. Just drop. The second part of the pose is more difficult as I only began to get up fully on my tiptoes a couple of classes ago. It's hard to hold, and I shake. I feel some pretty heavy temptation to drop my feet down a bit and I used to give in, but I'm trying really hard to keep my heels way up now. As a result, I can't get as far down. That's all right, of course. I work very hard at going down into the third part of the pose to a count of ten and I can usually do it, but coming up is really hard. I've noticed people racing up, and I try to stay among the slowest. However, I don't bounce up and down like I am "on a motorcycle" because I find it too hard on my knees. I don't know what's wrong with them but they hurt a lot in class.
4. Eagle Pose
As I strive to improve this posture, hidden difficulties have surfaced. I have always been able to hold the pose quite well but now that I am going deeper, I've begun to lose my balance a little bit. I can't get my foot around the side of my calf completely, but I've noticed other students lifting the leg up quite high before wrapping it around the opposite leg and I've been trying it, but so far, I haven't been able to go any further. I can't get very low in Garaurasana because I feel that I'm still working so hard on my form! I'm going to try getting my hands into prayer this week and really improve my concentration. I find I'm thinking about water way too much during this pose!
5. Standing head-to-knee
This pose is so tough it's not even that tough yet, if that makes any sense, because I'm still stuck at the very beginning stage. I can now lock my knee for up to fifteen/twenty seconds, but that's still the limit for me. I'm lucky if I can hold each side for sixty seconds on the first set let alone keep my knee locked the entire time and kick out! I've tentatively kicked out a couple of times but I'm really not ready yet. I can usually hold second set for the full thirty seconds but as I mentioned, my knee is not completely locked the whole time. This pose takes a hell of a lot of concentration. I find that I go a lot smoother if I concentrate really hard on locking my knee before I even lift the foot of the opposite leg off of the ground. I think I'll see steady improvement with this pose, but it's very slow-going.
6. Standing Bow
Oh my gosh, I find this pose most aesthetically pleasing and I really yearn to go deeper into it. I really see a difference between my right and left side in this pose as I am much more comfortable on the right and I am able to kick up higher. My kick isn't that bad for a beginner, I think. I find the advice "if you're losing your balance, kick harder" to be very truthful. I have held the pose for the full sixty seconds on each side in the first set only about twice or three times, but I find it incredible tough. (Of course!) However, now I can usually hold second set for the full thirty seconds on each side so I am glad for that. If my balance is good that day I am really satisfied with going deeper into the pose for the final five seconds, but I am often feeling weak at this point. As I've mentioned, I'm not naturally flexible, particularly in the legs. I've never been able to do the splits fully, so I don't know how high I'll ever get. This seems to be a tough one for many in the classes.
7. Balancing Stick
I love the expression "you can do anything for ten seconds". Hah! We often have to hold Tuladandasana for longer than ten seconds - of that I'm sure. Lately I have felt exhausted by this pose and I find it makes me dizzy. Anyway, I didn't mind this one when I first started Bikram's but now I almost dread it. I don't know what I look like from the side, but I'm pretty sure it's not a "T"!
8. Standing Separate Leg Stretching
Arghhh! Here's where my problems really begin as this pose and the next two have left me feeling dizzy and weak. I think it's possible I'm not drinking enough water, especially since Canadian Springs went on strike. Anyway, I feel really unflexible in this pose. I can't spread my legs out very far to begin with, and my head certainly isn't touching the ground. During a good class, this pose feels all right, but during a bad class, it's really rough as my legs and back feel really tight. I can't get my hands under my heels yet; they are still underneath the middle of my feet. If I feel all right, I find it's a good idea to pull hardest at the last few seconds as I have made some real progress this way - it's important to really bend from the hips and get them high up.
9. Triangle Pose
Half-way mark! But oh my Lord this one just about kills me. Unbelievably--if my outstretched foot isn't slipping and sliding all over the place as it often is--I have developed pretty decent form in this pose (I know because I've actually been complimented on it by a teacher and recently received the most minimal of corrections). But it takes the utmost in effort to hold this nightmare pose, "the marriage of the heart and the lungs", and at no other point during class do I feel the desire stronger to collapse into Savasana!! I have skipped second set more than a couple times, I am ashamed to admit. It's just so damn hard! I think it's because I used to cheat by leaning hand pressure on the foot of the bent knee and not bending my knee to the full 90 degree angle. I do everything properly now, though, and sometimes it feels next to impossible to hold. But I keep chugging along. Once again, I find this particular pose very lovely (except when I'm in it, as I look like a shaky, pudgy mess).
10. Standing Separate Leg Head-to-Knee
When did this pose get so hard? Lately I've been getting really dizzy on my way down, and all I can think of at this point is hitting the floor in a few minutes. It took me a while to get good form in this one, and I have to concentrate on keeping my hips in line before descending. My leg in front is not straight yet; again, problems with the flexibility. It really is hard to breathe in this one, but they tell us that's normal. I've become tempted to skip a set, which is funny because when I first started I really did not have a problem with doing this pose - must have been because I wasn't doing it right! I find I need a lot of control on the ascent, or else I wobble.
11. Tree Pose
Tree is supposed to be relaxing, but I have not relaxed very well into it lately. I can't get both hands into prayer - maybe if I wore shorts, and I really should. I find it really difficult to straighten out my back and I just don't look all that good or comfortable in Tree. Bad posture! Also, my knees just kill me when I release my bent leg. I need to concentrate and meditate better in Tadasana because I can't stop thinking of Savasana!!
12. Toe Stand
Oh oh. I actually asked for extra help after class with Toe Stand because I was starting to feel that I was the only one unable to get to the floor without completely collapsing every time and falling right on my bum (I haven't improved vastly, but at least I know I'm capable of the pose now!) It takes a lot of strength for me to attempt Toe Stand but on a good day I can do the modified version (ie I can't get my hands into prayer, not even close). My knees, though - man are they ever weak! I don't get my foot up very high on my leg before heading down for this one but apparently that's okay. I can almost reach the floor without bending my standing leg but not quite, so I'm working on that. I look awful in this pose, I feel, very slouched and on the verge of falling over, which happens quite regularly! Getting up again is a nightmare, but I can do it now. Toe Stand continues to test my knees and overall strength on every attempt.
13. Savasana
Ah, freaking finally. I'm pretty good at laying still, and it is important to me to do so. I feel distracted by others in the class that move about constantly and really take their time getting into position (or so it seems). Sometimes I really want to itch or wipe but I try not to. I must say that I don't really like looking up at the flourescent lights, but I don't suppose there's anything that can be done about that.
14. Wind Removing Pose
Not much to say here - I went through a period during which I was having trouble grabbing at the elbow in the third part of the pose, but now I'm fine with it (though I find it hard to breathe and forget about lying my head flat). I have a lot of room to improve flexibility in my back and hips in this pose, and sometimes my hips pinch to the point of real discomfort. Still in relaxed mode from wonderful Savasana, though.
15. Sit-Up
Sit-up is fine, I suppose. I'm still sort of working on the double exhale but I think I've almost got it down. Of course, always looking to improve flexibility in my legs, and the sit-up really helps for later on during Head-to-Knee.
16. Cobra
Yikes, class sure gets tough again with the spine-strengthening series! This pose isn't too hard, but it's easy to slack off in it and rely on your arms. I try my best not to, of course.
17. Locust
I used to dread lifting both legs at the same time, but now it's the individual leg lifting that I face most difficulty with. First of all, it's hard to keep my hips in line. Second, I don't know how high up I'm getting my leg. High enough? Who knows. I'm still not getting my legs all that high up in the third part of the pose and you can really hear me groaning after each set!
18. Full Locust
It's sure getting easy to slack off in Full Locust! Generally, this pose is just really trying and it can feel awful to hold it while giving 100% honest effort...what else can I say? It can be done, but it hurts!
19. Bow Pose
Bow is my least favourite of the spine-strengthening series because I find that the full twenty seconds is excruciating. I also find that the right and left sides of my body look somewhat misaligned when I steal a glance in the mirror, like one hip (and, consequently, leg and foot) is in a different position than the other. To tell you the truth, I really have trouble holding this pose, and I am so relieved when it's over.
20. Fixed Firm
I always find that getting up from the spine-strengthening series gives me a head rush unless I take it very, very slow. So I can't always begin the pose at the same time as everyone else. However, it's not clear to me why so many people have difficulty getting all the way down in Fixed Firm because I've been able to do it from the very start and I don't find it hard on my knees. Usually if anyone finds anything particularly difficult, it's going to be me, and whenever teachers allude to a particular difficulty, it's like they're speaking directly to me! Must be because I've never really been a runner. I think it's athletes or the injured that struggle on this one. I'm not sure about raising my chest after getting into position, though. This is a nice one, and almost relaxing (though that probably means I'm "doing it wrong")!
21. Half-Tortoise
On the way down I can finally get my forehead touching the ground before my arms, but not every time, and I do feel the urge to just drop. This pose takes a lot of control. I actually don't find this pose all that relaxing, especially with trying to get my forehead and nose on the ground at the same time as I lock out my arms. The teacher at Calgary Hot Yoga got on top of my back while I was in Ardha Kurmasana and I was really surprised at how far she was able to push me down. Is that from bad posture? It actually felt pretty good.
22. Camel Pose
Oh yeah, here's the "torture chamber" for you. If I do this pose at all, and sometimes I lie in Savasana right through the second set, I must admit, I have to go all the way down, otherwise I just can't breathe. I die in Camel, I swear to God. Nothing I can really say about improving my form as I think that it is all right, and I always just out my hips and stomach, but it's just so hard to hold and it wears me right out. I find it really hard to get through two full sets and YES I feel dizzy and nauseous upon ascending!
23. Rabbit
Hmmm. Because of Rabbit, I can't wear my hair in a high ponytail, which would otherwise be ideal because I can't stand lying on the lump my hair forms during Savasana. Rabbit is far from comfortable, but it's doable. I like how it stretches my upper back and it's a neat pose. Tough, as always.
24. Head-to-Knee
Begun to dread this one, strangely. I can't get my individual legs completely straight in the first part of the pose but I've been pushing myself recently and I may be improving. I feel really tight, though. In part two, I am finally able to not only get my legs locked out in front as I grab my toes, but also lift my heels for about ten or fifteen seconds or so. Not quite the full length, as it gets really painful and hard to breathe evenly. My back is surely slouched. This appears to consume all of my remaining energy, though! Whew! So far I can't get my torso very low at my legs, but this is one pose in which I've seen steady, consistent improvement, so I'm working at it.
25. Spine-Twisting Pose
I don't mind this pose. No issues here, except I've got to halt feelings of elation that the class is just about over and work on being more mindful.
26. Kapalbhati Breathing
Okay, I'm not sure if anyone else has issues, but I find this breathing exersise difficult to execute. Sometimes I'm sure I'm doing it right, but then I compare the movement of my stomach to others and it seems like my breathing is off. In any case, although this is a short one (not to mention the closer!), I can't wait to get through it. Sometimes I get a cramp in one or both of my feet and I almost have to get into cross-legged position, but I always tough it out. I don't know why I get this cramp. Also, in second set, (which, of course, is faster), I sometimes feel a weird pressure between my eyes, almost in my sinuses.
Well, that's where I stand with all 26. I hope this week is better than last, because I can't stand the dizziness anymore.
And just because I'm a yogini now:
Namaste :)
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