July 22, 2008
Actually, not really, more like double my pleasure…but first,
A HUGE CONGRATS TO THE MISSUS FOR COMPLETING HER 30-DAY CHALLENGE!
She was definitely my inspiration to start my own 30-day challenge, and at Day 22, I feel great!
Tonight I hit both the 5:30 and 7:45 classes. I had the same teacher for both classes, and even though it was nice and cool outside, both classes tonight felt hotter than usual. Or, maybe it is just because this teacher is a bit more strict on the temperature/humidity rule.
Both classes went well — I had a few dizzy spots, and a my knees are really sore for some reason, so Fixed Firm Pose is a little difficult lately. But overall, I had two great classes and feel so relaxed and calm tonight. After class it was lightly raining so I walked the long way to the T station to give myself a second shower…it was great.
July 21, 2008
I was fully expecting to have a vomitous class tonight, but other than being a little tired, it went great! My joints, especially my knees and hips, are definitely loosening up, which is making some of the postures a little “eek!” as I feel different doing them than I have in previous weeks. I am trying every posture, but slowly, as I don’t want to overdo it and hurt myself.
After yesterday’s LOOOOOOONG sleep, I was up past 1:30 a.m. last night…making today a bit of a sleepy day. After class tonight I stayed in the yoga room for quite a while, just relaxing and trying to not think. I debated staying for a second class, but decided that while I felt fine, I was just too tired, and I would get more out of a double session later this week, when I am more rested.
Day 22 tomorrow…and I still have 3 classes to make up…no worries!
July 21, 2008
Another missed day. I had such high hopes for yesterday, but after my family left to head back to Vermont, I crawled back into bed (around 9 a.m.) and slept til…wait for it…FOUR O’CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON! And the only reason I woke up at 4 p.m. was because the thunder outside shook the house.
So yeah, I guess I needed the sleep, but now I have three classes to make up. I’m not worried about making them up, just bummed I didn’t do ANYTHING yesterday. I’m headed to the 5:30 class tonight, and depending on how I feel after that one, I may stay for the 7:45…we’ll see.
July 19, 2008
Yes, today is my FOURTH skipped day. Yes, I know have to make up TWO classes. Fear not — I plan on doing double sessions tomorrow (and maybe I’ll finally hit up a class in Harvard Square!). Also, I do not plan on going ANYWHERE next weekend, so I will have plenty of time to make my 30 classes in 30 days by July 30th!
Even though I didn’t get to yoga today, I got PLENTY of exercise! My mom, sister, niece and sister’s niece came down for the weekend and we walked ALL OVER TOWN (in the 90 degree heat no less), so…it was almost Bikram, right? I did have a bit of cake batter ice cream tonight (by force, I swear!), so we’ll see how tomorrow’s classes go!
July 18, 2008
Sorry — got super busy once I got home last night and didn’t have a chance to post until just now.
Yesterday and today I hit the daytime classes, which I like better as there aren’t as many people. I like the emptier classes because I feel like I get more attention from the instructor and they are able to help me correct my postures better.
Yesterday’s class was tiny, only six other people besides me…actually, six other women! And the instructor was a woman as well (the “tough teacher”). Two days in a row with the tough teacher — yikes! But it was a great class.
Today’s class was a bit tougher. For one, it was about 90 degrees when I headed to the studio. Also, the noon classes are always hard on me, I just don’t have enough time to hydrate properly. I attempted every posture, just not both sets of every posture.
I have noticed that in the past week that I have been able to go all the way down in Fixed Firm Pose my knees have been really sore for the rest of the day. I have really bad/weak knees, so I am hoping this means I am breaking up some of the scar tissue around my knees and strengthening the muscles around them as well. That was always my problem with running, the muscles that supported my knees were never strong enough, so I always had very sore knees.
I am taking tomorrow off since my family is here for the weekend, but I plan on doing double sessions on Sunday and then one day next week and I will be caught up…
July 16, 2008
Did I mention that the “tough teacher” has an accent that prevents me from ever getting really frustrated with her? Right about when she tells me to “push, and push, and puuuuuuuush” and I’m ready to yell back at her that I am “puuuuuuuuuushing” she says something adorable like “use all your strungks here, show me your gahns!” and I just smile big.
I used all my strungks in tonight’s class, and afterward decided that I did not have any strungks left for a second class. My muscles are still a bit tired from last night’s double session (or “suicides” as The Missus likes to call them) and since the central AC in our building died yesterday afternoon, I didn’t sleep as well last night as I normally do.
No worries, I have 14 more days to hit 15 classes, easy peasy!
It is kind of funny seeing people react to the changes in me after these past two weeks of committed yoga. A co-worker has repeatedly asked if I am OK, because I seem different. I really am just more calm and am not in her office venting as often. Which is a good thing. A very good thing. I have noticed I let things go a lot easier lately, and don’t sweat the small stuff (probably because I sweat EVERYTHING out in class…). As much as I like the physical changes I am seeing in my body, the mental and emotional ones are pretty neat too!
July 15, 2008
I did double sessions today and had THE BEST TWO CLASSES EVER!
I was a little intimidated during the first class because the two studio owners were in class, along with two other teachers, and two very advanced students. I know we aren’t supposed to compare ourselves to anyone else in the class, but COME ON, that is a little intimidating, right?
I had an AMAZING first class. I only took one small sip of water just before Fixed Firm Pose. I attempted every single set of every single pose. I got very deep into several of the poses and only during Camel Pose did I have to stop mid-way through the pose to steady myself.
After the first class I downed a Zico and an Owater and just relaxed in the tiny lobby outside the Bikram room. I felt really calm and great after the first class, so I decided I definitely could tackle a second class, and told myself I would just “do my best” and that it couldn’t possibly be worse than yesterday’s class.
Well…
I ROCKED the second class! Again, I only took one small sip of water during Fixed Firm Pose. I got further in Toe Stand Pose than I have ever before. AND…
I! DID! CAMEL! POSE!
I! DID! CAMEL! POSE!
I! DID! CAMEL! POSE!
I! DID! CAMEL! POSE!
I! DID! CAMEL! POSE!
For the FIRST time ever I fully got into Camel Pose, and I did it for BOTH SETS! Every time I go way beyond where I have ever been in a pose I get this ridiculous high, and you can see me just grinning from ear-to-ear afterward. And I get a really amazing calm after that, which feels incredible.
I read somewhere that the problem many people have with Camel Pose is that your body has various primal reactions, and in Camel Pose you are putting your major organs in a very vulnerable position. I realized during the first class that at the beginning of every class I get this rush of anxiety, and my head screams “WHAT ARE YOU DOING! GET OUT!” It goes away of course, and I have never acted on it. In between classes today I recognized that I have a very strong “Fight or Flight” instinct, and that I need learn to calm that down a bit. I am far removed from most situations that require such reaction, and I only deprive myself of opportunities when I give in to it. I wonder if this realization and acknowledgement is what allowed me to do Camel Pose in the second class…
I am almost caught up on my classes…another double session tomorrow and I will be good!
July 14, 2008
Garbage in, garbage out. Learned that lesson the hard way today.
After class on Friday until I got home from Maine yesterday I basically used my body as a trash can instead of one doing 90 minutes of training everyday. I won’t list out EVERYTHING that I put in my body, but let’s just say there was junk food, alcohol, and COPIOUS amounts of frosted mini wheats consumed in about a 48-hour period.
As a result, today’s class was quite possibly the most difficult I have ever experienced. Not even in my first few classes ever trying Bikram did I have such a horrible class. I made it through the standing series OK, but once I got to the floor series I got incredibly sick. I basically spent the floor series in Savasana, coming out to do Fixed Firm Pose, one set of Rabbit Pose, the Spine Twisting Pose and the final breathing exercise. Every other pose I just tried to control the vomit. The main goal of any Bikram class is to just stay in the room for the entire 90 minutes, and today was my first class ever where I actually considered getting up and leaving the room.
Needless to say, I did NOT do back-to-back sessions today. Hopefully I can hit two classes tomorrow.
The good news? Well, my body is definitely changing after all these days of Bikram. My legs, butt and torso are getting very toned. My right arm is getting pretty much back to normal strength and flexibility after my surgery (which, by the way was just about one year ago), and even though we have had lots of steamy, muggy, wet weather lately, the arthritis the fake elbow causes is non-existent.
I won’t let today’s class get me down — I’ll just learn from it, like I do every class, and be MUCH more selective about what I put in my body.
July 14, 2008
Saturday I was in Maine on a whitewater rafting trip and Sunday we arrived home too late for me to hit any of the classes in Boston or Cambridge. Looks like two days of double sessions for me this week to make up.
I believe the official rules of a 30-day challenge only allow you to miss two days, and subsequently have only two double session days, but I’m cutting myself some slack as this is my first 30-day challenge. I have had this weekend planned for a LONG time, and couldn’t miss it. I didn’t really plan for this 30-day challenge, it just sort of happened.
I’m going to attempt a double session tonight and then one either tomorrow or Wednesday…we’ll see!
July 11, 2008
Ugh. I had a good class, because I actually went, but I did not have a great class by any means.
I did not eat nearly enough this morning for breakfast, nor did I hydrate enough before class. I was STARVING all the way through class. I knew I was in trouble when, during the first pose of the class, my stomach growled very loudly. All throughout class I was hungry and dizzy and just not in the right frame of mind to have a GREAT class.
Also, all morning I felt very tight in my legs and lower back, something that didn’t improve even in the heat of the room. I did manage to do Fixed Firm Pose again today, which made me happy to know that yesterday wasn’t just some fluke. But the balancing poses were just not my thing today, I was falling out of them all over the place, which just frustrated me more…I know I need to let go of that and accept each position for how well I can do it that day, but…
I am not going to be able to go to a class tomorrow, as I am driving up to Maine tonight with some friends and going whitewater rafting tomorrow. I am *hoping* that we make it back by either 3 p.m. or 4 p.m. on Sunday so I can hit one of the afternoon classes, but since I’m not the one driving this weekend, I don’t know that will be guaranteed.
