It all began about two weeks ago when I started feeling dizzy at every turn. I wasn't sure what was going on, if I was coming down with the flu or it was something I ate, or even stress. Anyway, on Tuesday the 8th I think it was I pushed myself VERY hard, and that was the first class I'd had in a while where I was able to produce a lot of sweat. (By the way, I don't know what's going on at the studios but there are some classes where it's been tough to even break a sweat let alone drip like I remember doing every class back in the old days. I don't know what's going on - now I know the condition of one's own body and the weather, the time of day, all of that stuff affects how humid the room gets, but this is a trend I've noticed. Maybe it's the new ventilation systems. I look around the room and notice the others aren't very sweaty either. The room certainly smells nice - that's definitely not like the old days!)
Anyway, that class may have actually been when my dizziness started. I had also pushed myself with a Cassie (blogalates.com) thighs routine that left me so stiff and sore I could barely move. So while Wednesday's class was good, after doing that really hard class and the other routine I really had to take it easy, plus I felt dizzy and nauseous.
On Thursday I felt dizzy all day long, and wasn't going to go to class at all, but at the last minute I decided to give 8:15 pm class a try - oh boy. I felt dizzy from the first set of pranayama breathing and it never ended. I had to sit out many postures, I would say about 1/4 of the class. That was my worst class since my return! I was so shaky. The teacher tried to offer me some correction and I actually spoke in class, which I almost never do, to say that I felt really sick and was just trying my best, basically saying I wasn't receptive to correction. It can be really hard on the ego to have a bad class like that when there aren't many people in the room, you just feel so useless. I know the teacher is well aware that everyone has classes like that. It's so silly, but it was on my mind.
I did take Friday and Saturday off, and returned on Sunday evening for a fairly strong class with little dizziness. However, I felt that I might have injured myself (and actually, I still feel that way) because my flexibility has been significantly compromised, I have lower back pain, and left hip pain, when usually my right hip is the problem one. I cannot even do Triangle, and Standing Sep Leg Head to Knee is VERY painful for me on the left side. This has never happened to me before! Anyway, on Sunday I just took it easy on myself but had a great class.
Then I made a pact with myself that I would attend 9:30 am class every day this week (I usually go to 4:15 pm or 6:15 pm) as I'm on a funny work schedule - I just wanted to see how that felt, and get yoga out of the way earlier in the day so as to get more things done.
Now I should mention that here in Vancouver where I'm located we're experiencing cold temperatures, meaning stiffer bodies. Also, I get a lot of soreness in my left wrist (arthritic beginnings, possibly) during cold weather due to a bad break I had about 10 years ago. I've been told this is something I will suffer with for the rest of my life. I spent last winter in Hawaii and the year before that wasn't too cold, so I haven't had wrist trouble in some time, but it's pretty bad right now.
Anyway, 9:30 am class on Monday morning - I could barely move! It was so painful. The forward bend part of Half-Moon with Hands to Feet was almost impossible for me. I almost fell over, honestly. I was in a fair amount of pain from stiffness and that left-side weirdness and it lasted all day.
Nonetheless I got up for 9:30 am class the next day as well : OH MY GOD. Never in my life have I been in so much pain during a BY class. It was utterly exhausting. The class went on for ever and ever, it was not enjoyable in any way, and I had trouble walking later that day. Really. Walking. Anyway I had a beer at a late lunch that day and I felt a lot better. Actually, I did feel pretty good for the rest of Tuesday but I did have a really busy day with a lot of walking, and it left me feeling unusually tired. I got home at about10 pm and totally crashed.
On Wednesday morning I slept STRAIGHT through my alarm. My body was desperate for rest. When I finally did wake up at about 10, after twelve hours of sleep, I made the decision not to go to yoga that day. I spent a few hours playing with my 1 and a half year old niece, who was being baby-sat by my parents, and used that as an opportunity to get some movement into my joints and limbs, and stretch out. I had limited mobility.
On Thursday (this is yesterday) I struggled with motivation and considered skipping class again - however, I turned to the letter I wrote to myself urging myself to fight my demons and make the best choice for my body, and decided to go to 12 pm class. I arrived a bit early and poured my heart out about all my aches and hurts and the limited flexibility to the teacher, (whom I had never met), and she was very understanding and patient. It felt good to let it all out. She gave the usual advice, nothing too out of the ordinary or insightful, but I wasn't really looking for any of that. She gave me just what I needed!
The room was nice and warm and it was quite sunny, so I put my mat near the window and pretended I was in a balmy place. It was truly a wonderful class. I tried extra hard in Half Locust to raise up my legs so as to hopefully offer a little healing to my wrist. In the past I've suffered from Carpal Tunnel (I type a lot) and I've found BY, specifically that pose, to be very helpful. My wrist does feel better on the days I practice but for me the most important thing is not to let my hands get cold.
Last night I had a nice dinner out and that included some cocktails. After going to bed quite late, when I woke up this morning I wasn't feeling the greatest and could not bear the thought of going to an AM class. I also had errands to run today and wondered if I would make it to class at all. However, any time I consume alcohol I like to get to class as soon as I can afterward to flush it out of my system, so I talked myself into going to class at 6:15. Driving there I somehow knew intuitively that even though yoga was the last thing in the world I felt like doing, that I would end up having a good class. And, I was right! The room was super humid and I sweat a ton. Besides a bit of a pinched feeling still present in my left hip and hamstring (reducing flexibility in about five of the postures) I felt absolutely great. Not my strongest ever, nor my most flexible, but Standing Head to Knee was surprisingly strong and I just felt very good in class.
So, am I healed? I hope so. The dizziness seems to have passed, thankfully. I am now wondering if the morning stiffness should be addressed with a few more attempts at 9:15 am classes, just taking it very slow and maybe trying to get a little walk in beforehand to loosen up.
God, you'd think I was about 80 years old!
Anyway, goes to show: your practice could change completely within a matter of days. You get sloppy, you get lazy, boom, there's a minor injury. Then you don't accept your injury and push yourself too hard, and you aggravate it even more. It's the ego!
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