Sunday 17 April 2011

Bikram Continues In My Life...

It's been a few weeks now since I completed my challenge and as with many who take on the challenge, I've become addicted. I crave the sweat and the heat, I like the way I feel 'lighter' after each class, not having to think about anything for a whole 90 minutes but the yoga, is great for the mind. I am also liking the physical changes it is making to my body, it's not so much about weight loss for me but my body shape has changed , it's much more toned and defined. 

I feel like I am overcoming what I imagine would be a drug addiction; I've gone from going everyday to a couple of times a week. Unfortunately, I can't commit to doing it more than 2 or 3 times a week now as (1) it's expensive and (2) I have a gym membership too and just wouldn't have the time to do it more than 2/3 times a week.

I've spoken to many about the challenge because they want to know not because I am forcing them to listen to my experiences! I feel like a sales woman for Bikram Yoga, many who I have spoken to have said they would love to try it, maybe they were being nice?!

One of my very early entries of this blog I spoke about a posture called Fixed Firm Pose - Supta Vajrasana, I was excited about it because it was one that I hadn't been able to do, ever! It appears, I still can't, I got a correction in class last week. The thing is that I'd been able to bring my body all the way back but actually I've been doing it wrong, I've been cheating, my feet are meant to touch the sides of my hips and mine don't, ahhh gutted! The start of the this position you are supposed to be on your knees, legs open, feet touching the sides of your hips and your bum should sink to the ground, mine doesn't. What I've been doing is opening my legs and knees wide to sink my bum to the ground but then feet aren't touching the hips. I've always had a issue with my hips being tight and this is one of those postures where it can be a disadvantage. Until I can sink my bottom to the ground with feet touching hips, I am not to bend backwards so I just have to sit upright on my knees for now...I will get that bum on the ground one day!

I'm in Japan at the moment on holiday and Bikram is big thing over here too I'm told but haven't found a studio yet. Some people have said to me, you know the postures, why don't you just do it on your own. It's not the same I cry! There's no heat and sweat and no teacher encouraging you on as you get deeper into the postures. I also don't like exercising on my own, I much prefer to be in a class even if I don't know people because of  the atmosphere and that feeling that everyone is working together to achieve the same goals. I can't think of  anything worse than bashing away on a treadmill..but each to their own. 

x

Wednesday 30 March 2011

Day 30...finished!

Whoop! Day 30 - done! It's a bit of an anti climax, I feel like... yay I've done it, ok then! It was another strong session today, I was getting deep into the postures and locking those knees, I am still crap with pulling the stomach in but that will be a focus in the next challenge, yes, I've decided I will do this again later in the year. 

I had a particularly good Standing Bow Pose - Dandayamana Dhanurasana, for the first time ever I held the posture for the full time (roughly a minute in the first round and 30 secs in the second), I normally fall out once during the first round so was pleased and it was deep:


My leg was not as straight as the lady in the image, this is something I'm working on but my focus was on point today. This is great for: stimulating the cardiovascular system, increases circulation to the heart and lungs, improves strength and balance and the elasticity in the spine. 

Going off on a bit of a tangent, I saw a couple of people blow their noses into the towels today! Gross!

I checked on my friend Bilal in the morning. He reported he was fine, phew (!) and said that his skin felt less dry than usual. This is certainly something I have found too, Bikram has been great for my eczema. It's also been great for focus and concentration, in general, I've been feeling great, energised and not moaned about being tired ( except for the day I did the 6.30am class) as my friend Good Time Mercer thought I would be doing, cheek!

I did this 30 day challenge because I like to challenge myself every year. I decided on Bikram because I've heard many medical benefits about this type of yoga. Not that I have any issues to worry about right now but I don't want to be in an situation when I'm in my 60's and I'm limping about cos I've got a dodgy hip or knee.  I'm also not the most flexible of people so I wanted to work on that too. Besides the physical, it's been great for the mind and escaping from everyday life for 90 minutes a day, just emptying away any worries....

Lots of people have asked me if I've lost any weight, up until last week, I didn't shift any pounds but I noticed today when I got onto the scales that I've lost 3kgs which is a result as I've just been eating whatever I've wanted and loads of it!

I've developed a bit of an addiction for Bikram and will continue with it at least twice a week until the next challenge in the autumn.....

x

Tuesday 29 March 2011

Day 29...penultimate class

From the beginning of the challenge, I've had a few people who have said they'd be interested in joining me at certain points of the challenge but until today, they've not managed to make any of the classes (out of fear I think!) except for my friend Bilal who actually made it today! He did awesome and was way flexible. 

In comparison to yesterday, the room was so cool, the teacher kept opening the door for air to a point where I was beginning to think that it wasn't warm enough. The 'coolness' actually helped me so much with many of the poses, I was getting into them with no problems and was finding that I was more flexible today.

I've noticed in the last few classes that Eagle Pose - Garusrasana is fast becoming one of my favourite postures:

I'm liking the challenge of really getting low and getting that leg wrapped right round the opposite ankle, balancing on one foot throughout. When I first start I couldn't really get the leg wrapped round properly and now it goes all the way! It's a great posture, I think I've mentioned in previous posts, that this one opens up 12 major joints in the body, great for varicose veins, reproductive organs and improves the immune system. 

Tomorrow is my last day, I hope it will be a successful class also. I've decided that I'd quite like to do another challenge in October. Am I mad?

x

Monday 28 March 2011

Day 28...intense

"These people look like they are going to die!" This was a statement made by a newbie who was signing up to Bikram as we were coming out of class. The reception guy replied " Don't worry, they will be ok this time.." 

We did look like we were going to die, the instructor was ruthless today. The room was too hot and humid and it showed in class, there were many of us struggling. I know I've mentioned it being hot numerous times in my blog but never before have a been in class and someone has actually shouted out that we need air, it was unbearable. I've got a slightly blood shot eye as a result!  We were told, no air, imagine if you were in a class lead by Bikram himself would he give in to you guys? Fair enough to say that if we were training to be instructors but we're just amateurs. 

This was the first time in a while that I felt like I was absolutely shattered, felt light headed and could hardly move after. It was an intense session. I bet I sleep well tonight.

x

Day 27...it's the final countdown

I can't believe there are only 3 days to go, the challenge has gone insanely fast. Today was the first time during the challenge where I felt that I just couldn't and had to sit out of a few of the postures. I did the 8.15am class because I had plans for the day, this translated to 7.15am because the clocks have just gone forward in the UK. I set the alarm an hour early with the intention to get a light snack down me for energy and guzzle some water. Unfortunately I ended up hitting the snooze button quite a number of times and basically got up 20 mins before class, guzzled water and ate some Ribena sweets.  

This was a terrible start. I was fine for the standing series but then into the floor series (an hour in) I began to feel tired, weak, hungry and the heat was irritating me, I was wishing the teacher would open the door to let some air in. Unfortunately for me, this teacher likes it super hot!! 

x


Wednesday 23 March 2011

Day 21 - 23...suck the belly in

I've decided to write the blog entries less frequently in the last week of the challenge as it is becoming all a bit same-y, my practise is steady and nothing significant to report. The last few days the back has been repairing itself and I've been careful not to over stretch, it is feeling a million times better and the yoga is actually helping iron out the ache in certain postures. 

During a Bikram class, you often get told to 'suck the belly in', this is to protect your back. But as you get yourself into the postures, trying to remember to keep the legs locked and the arms locked, it's very easy to forget you've got to suck that belly in as well and it can sometimes just kinda hang loose. 

The last couple of days though, I've made a massive effort to suck the belly in and it has helped immensely with the back issue. Thanks to Kath over at A Sweaty Adventure  for reminding me about this. 

My practise was a little shocking tonight, my focus was just not there and I was wobbling a lot during the standing series. It didn't help though that quite a few people decided that they were going to walk in and out of the room tonight, it was really affecting my concentration. The rules are that if you are feeling a bit a dizzy or unwell, you just stay in the room and lie down, that usually sorts the problem out. The teacher tonight is good with her instruction but she isn't very strict so allows all this movement in class which is annoying. 

x

Sunday 20 March 2011

Day 20...being careful

The back is still giving me a little bit of trouble but not as bad as yesterday. I'm being careful not to over do it and being extra careful when it comes to the back postures. There's not a great deal to report today, I'm taking it slowly and looking forward to completing in 10 days. 

x

Day 19...I've done my back in

Bikram is now one of the more popular forms of yoga being attended with studios popping up all over London and even out of London. Though there are many medical advantages to practising this form of yoga, many have also criticised it as there are risks in performing this kind of yoga. You can experience dizziness, nausea and dehydration but if you keep yourself hydrated this shouldn't be a problem. One of the other problems is over stretching which is easy to do in a room heated to 40 degrees when the body is warmed and flexible. If someone stretches 20 - 25% of the muscle's resting length then it gets damaged. 

I'm not sure exactly what I've done but my lower back is causing me some discomfort though I did continue to practise today but sitting out of any postures which were going to cause any pain to my lower back. It's really annoying as I was fully aware of this and made sure I didn't over do it but I had a couple of strong practises this week which has obviously made me over stretch.

Oh well, I guess all I can do is continue with care.

x

Friday 18 March 2011

Day 18...please open the door!

Feeling better today but still flu-y, I've lost my appetite, I must be ill! Teacher was Michael today, I like his banter, the class always flows nicely in his classes. I also like him because he is one of those teachers who likes to open the door now again to allow a cool breeze into the room. When I get to the floor series, I crave some cool air, a couple of days ago I was directly under a hot air vent and I wanted to scream out to the teacher to open the door. It's all part of the challenge I guess to withstand the heat, I'd love to know how many litres I have sweated these last 3 weeks, if you've never seen Bikram in action, even people who don't normally sweat, will sweat buckets, you are literally dripping. 

The Bikram studio is one of those places where people don't care how they look, don't get me wrong, some of the girls have amazing yoga bodies and wear lovely co-ordinated pieces but there are some girls who are on the larger side but because of the heat, they have no issues showing their bods off in little shorts and crops tops and with their bellies hanging over, no one cares because it is so hot. I'm surprised how many men opt for the Speedos or tight trunk look, so European! 

Today was another strong practise, I had a particularly strong Dandyamana Janushirasana - Head to Knee, though I can get into the L shape, like so:

I still can't manage to get my head to knee like so:


As soon as I try, I lose my grip and wobble. This posture by the way is good for exercising the digestive and reproductive organs, good for diabetes (blood sugar levels) and strengthens backs muscles and abdominals. 

I've only 13 days left of the challenge and I'm already feeling like I will want to continue practising after this is over. I won't want to do it everyday but I would like to definitely continue to do it at least twice a week. If I didn't have my gym membership, I'd probably look to do it more. 

x



Thursday 17 March 2011

Day 17...feeling KO'd

I woke up this morning and the room was spinning, the cold I've been fighting has caught up with me. I can't believe I've fallen ill again so soon after my last cold. Everyone tells me it's because all the toxins are exiting my body from the Bikram, it better be, I don't want to be one of these people who are ill all the time. I am a terrible ill person, I moan!! I slept most of the day as I just couldn't keep my eyes open. 

I woke mid afternoon and felt a little better so I dragged myself to Bikram, I am determined to complete this challenge. I won't lie, I felt weak but I just thought I'd get to the studio and do what I can. I'm not sure what it is about that Bikram studio but I forgot I was feeling unwell and didn't really feel like I was unwell, maybe it's the focus and energy which is focussed on the postures, it makes you forget about everything else. Not sure where the energy came from. I know I should probably be resting but I am so focussed on finishing this challenge. 

x

Wednesday 16 March 2011

Day 16...where did that energy come from?

Just when I thought I couldn't go through with another class, I seemed to get some energy from somewhere. I had a super busy day with various issues going on at work, plus I wasn't feeling 100%, I'm not really sure what it is, I had a cold last week but what I have now doesn't feel like a cold but the nose is still a bit snotty (sorry for the gross detail!), head feels a bit heavy too, I actually felt a little dizzy going to class but I thought to myself the Bikram will probably make me feel better, which it did. The heat clears my nose and I'm not sure what it is but I just feel so much better once I've done a class. 

For someone who wasn't feeling 100%, I had a great class, tightness round my hip area seems to be loosening but I'm having issues with my glutes now, they feel tight.  Apart from that, my balance was on point tonight, I hardly fell out of any postures, my standing series felt strong. 

I've noticed in the past few days that I've been feeling really hungry as well. Everyone asks me if I have lost any weight doing the Bikram, I actually haven't so far because I am eating like an absolute pig!

x

Tuesday 15 March 2011

Day 15...officially 1/2 way through

Pat on the back for me if I do say so myself, I'm half way through and I did my first morning class today at 6.30am. Sounds crazy I know, that's two classes within 12 hours. I am not a morning exercise person and this was certainly not by choice. Before I had taken on the challenge, I had agreed to dinner with some friends and not wanting to miss out on some yummy food and great company, I sacrificed a few hours of zzzzz and did a morning class. There is the option to do 2 classes in 1 day too if you miss a day but that just seems too hard core for me. 

The room was set up like a chessboard, there were plenty of spaces, for a morning class there were still quite a few people, around 30 I'd say, there was even a newbie. This was the first class where I could do Full Locust Pose - Poorna Salabhasana without hitting someone elses arms, well I say properly, I actually find this pose a little awkward and painful.



It really hurts my hip bones, also by the time we reach this pose, I'm exhausted, your heart is pounding in your chest.

x

Monday 14 March 2011

Day 14...start of week 3 already!

I can't believe how quickly the challenge is going, I thought I was going to get sick of it by now but I still enjoy each class. I was worried doing the same thing day in day out would bore me but actually I don't feel like that at all. I get excited about seeing what my body will be able to do from one day to the next. I won't lie, before class I often feel like I can't be bothered but once I'm there I'm all focussed and on a high afterwards. It's terrible if I do a very late class because I'm buzzing from class I don't sleep until late. 

I think I'm beginning to loosen up again, the last few days I've been feeling tight but today was much better, though my arms were aching from a Body Attack class from the previous day. I did the 7pm, it was rammed, each and every mat was taken. I sneakily removed one of the mats next to me to make a little space between me and the next person but I was spotted removing it and told to put it back, not sure how they saw me, the teacher was out of the room! It was horribly busy, everyone was on top of each and annoying when people don't know how to stagger themselves - one standing at the back of their mat and the other to the front. 

x


Sunday 13 March 2011

Day 13...still feeling tight

I started my day with off with a little Body Attack, it was nice getting back to something a little more high impact.  Don't get me wrong, just because you don't jump about in Bikram yoga doesn't mean it doesn't work the heart, it is very much a cardiovascular exercise and someone reported that their heart rate went up to as much 171 which is very high!

Not sure I would do Body Attack on the same day as a Bikram class again, I was feeling knackered by the afternoon but went ahead with the Bikram. Fatigue coupled with my body still feeling tight resulted in a rubbish class today. I was wobbling all over the place, falling out of postures, not being able to lock out my knees when I usually can....so frustrating. 

x

Saturday 12 March 2011

Day 12...hello hips!

I'm really feeling my hips after today's session, not sure why, I don't think I did anything different. I was feeling tight today though, weird, you'd think that going everyday would loosen me up but my stretches seemed to pinch. 

It frustrated me that one posture I can usually do without must concern was causing me problems, Head to Knee Stretching - Janushirasana Paschimottnanasa:

I can usually do it with my leg straight but for some reason I coudn't reach and had to lift the knee towards my head like in the pic above. 

I love Bikram for the calmness surrounding the whole experience and there are rules when in the studio, 2 important ones are:

1) Talking is a no, talking loudly is a no no!
2) Drinking during postures is a no!

There was a couple in the room today chatting away before the class started, it really bothered one practiser - not sure if I just made a word up there - but she went over and basically told them to shut up. The couple did stop talking but did look at this person as to say, 'who the hell are you?' This woman was one of those super serious types, whilst everyone else waited for the teacher to come in to take the class, this woman was there, twirling her legs about opening her hips out and back bending and stretching all over the place.

Dressing appropriately is so important. It's hot, so most people opt to wear not a lot, one lady actually opted to practise in her bra, yes her bra, it was flowery! Ladies underwear is always on show in the studio, as you get into postures, your top rides up or your bottoms slide down, that's when you see an array of g-strings on display, looks so uncomfortable, dental floss springs to mind...

x

Friday 11 March 2011

Day 11...my first candlelit class

Candlelit class happens every Friday evening, I'd never seen this on another timetable before so I thought let's see what this is all about. It says no beginners, so it was going to be a newbie free class, it was still rammed, it is Friday night and there are still loads of people, I was hoping to have free mat space on either side of me. 

The room was dark but not as dark as I was expecting, there were candles scattered around the room but there was still a very low light on. I didn't really see the big deal or point of the candlelit class but half way through the class I realised I had to focus a lot more to stay balanced. Also every time I got into Savasana I really had to force myself to keep my eyes open. 

I had a great Eagle Pose - Garusrasana today, the toes curled right round my leg today and could see them popping out from behind the other leg. 

Can't see her toes popping out from behind in this pic but this is what the posture looks like. It's a fantastic posture as it opens up 12 major joints, improves balance, good for varicose veins, the reproductive organs and strengthens your legs. 

I've been debating whether I should invest into a special towel for hot yoga, it's basically a towel which covers the exact size of the yoga mat, non slipping and absorbs sweat. It's £25, seems steep for a towel and I'd need more than one. I bought some cheap towels for the challenge and I've managed to give myself towel burn on the right elbow and the tops of my feet, not sure how.

Which brings me onto feet. People's feet are on display all the time in Bikram, this exercise is done with barefeet, some people get a bit shy about this, you get the odd one who comes in with their socks on and are told to remove them but someone actually turned up in tights under her trousers yesterday!! What were they thinking! And some people seriously need to cut their toenails, I don't know how they wear their shoes, I've seen some bad feet!

x

Thursday 10 March 2011

Day 10...i'm a third of the way through!

I'm a third of the way through the challenge, still feeling good about it, I did have a few days of fatigue last week but I seem to have come out that now, the last few days have been great, feeling very energised after each class. 

Today the room seemed extra hot which was making me struggle with the floor series as my energy had been sapped out during the standing series. I wasn't so keen on today's teacher either, she kept wanting to demonstrate the postures which is great but I felt like it was really interrupting my flow as she made us look at her all the time and I'm not really sure it was that necessary as there were only 2 newbies in the room. She was certainly different to any other teacher I've had, she read some quote from a yoga book during Corpse Pose - Savasana and sang/chanted some tune in the final savasana, hmm not my cuppa tea. 

I had a 'small world' moment today, one of my friend's bf's was at the studio, I wasn't sure if it was him as I'd only met the guy once and it was a very brief introduction, so I kept looking at him to see if it was him, he probably thinks I was checking him out! Got home and texted my friend and it was indeed her bf. London is one of those weird places where you can bump into people anywhere and everywhere, it's not as big as you think!

Tomorrow night, I'm going to try out a candlelit class!

x

Day 9...i love corrections

Did someone tell Balham studios that I had a cold because today the vents or humidifier or something had eucalyptus coming through, it was awesome for me, really helped with my cold and it felt so fresh but humid at the same time. I did the 8.45pm again today, I am liking much more the late classes not just because there are less people as that's not always the case but I just feel calmer not rushing to class. 

New teacher today who I've never seen before, Andrew, his biog is interesting, he was a lawyer and was very much a 'yoga not for me' type. He had pick up many injuries from running and one Bikram session in Sydney showed him the benefits of this type of yoga and lead him to became a teacher. I liked him, there was a bit of humour in this dialogue and he gave me two corrections! I love corrections because (1) I like to know that I'm doing the postures correctly and (2) I have his attention. No, I'm not an attention seeker but it's good to know that the teachers have an eye on how you're getting into the postures and that you are doing it correctly and not just going through the motions of talking you through each posture. 

In previous posts, I've been going on about Toe Stand, another posture giving me trouble is Locust Pose - Salabhasana but I feel like I made progress in this one today, my arms definitely aren't hurting as much as before, you have to bring them right under the body and palms facing downwards then lift the legs in the air, like so:


Unfortunately, I can't see how high I am kicking up but it felt like a good 6 inches off the ground, I would love to know!

Now, this may seem like a strange thing to mention but I was told a few years back that I don't breathe correctly by a yoga teacher and this is something that I am very mindful of when I am in class, luckily the teachers repeat all the time how we should be breathing, so when you inhale your belly should rise and exhale, belly goes back to normal. I've been doing this wrong for almost 30 years! LOL!

x


Tuesday 8 March 2011

Day 8...another great day for the toe stand!

I have a cold. I've gone from someone who is rarely ill to someone who has had 2 colds already this year, what is going on!? Anyway, I wasn't going to let a cold ruin my challenge so I headed to class, once I was in there I was fine, apart from the odd moment when my nose was running in forward facing positions. The heat felt good for the cold, it unblocked my nose and cleared my head. 

Since managing to get into Toe Stand - Padangustasana yesterday, it has given me confidence for the posture and I decided to try it on my right side ( I could only do the left yesterday). It was strange, I had no issues getting into it at all. When I'm done in the final position:

I feel tight round the hips but it's not uncomfortable, it is a great stretch for the hip area. I love it!

Now, one little thing I wondered since I started, everyone can do what they like and all that but why do some girls wear make up in a Bikram class?! It is totally ridiculous, their make up is sliding off their faces within minutes from all the sweating, doesn't make any sense to me, you just end up with panda eyes as well, it's so not attractive! Anyway, rant over!

x

Monday 7 March 2011

Day 7...toe stand baby!

I was in work an hour earlier than I usually am today as I was interviewing, girl decided last minute that she couldn't make it, really not the best start on a Monday morning! I'm feeling super tired. Then mid afternoon, a filling decides to fall out, great, more costs this month! The month of March was meant to be a money saving one with Bikram occupying my life, it was meant to stop me spending, however that's not happened...this month all the following has happened: car MOT, car insurance, a possible cam belt replacement, water bill and now my teeth!  Bikram itself isn't cheap either, I'm spending a fortune on bottled water and lots of it, yes I am a water snob, I can't drink London water. 

Anyway, I had booked myself into the 7pm class, I usually have about 15 minutes from when I get home to when I have to be back out of the door again. I got home and I was starving, tired and had a stomach cramp, then I thought to myself, why the hell am I rushing like this, I know it is because I don't want to be too late coming back but actually I thought there are advantages to going to the 8.45pm, though it is super late because I don't get back til around 10.30pm, I can eat, chill out for a bit and calm myself down a bit from rushing through rush hour, there should be less people in class too. So I did just that. I felt much calmer heading to the 8.45pm.

I was quite surprised at how many people there were (and loads of men), even at this hour and the amount of newbies! It was a good class for me, the teacher was Michael, I've had a him about 3 times now, his dialogue and instruction is good and he is firm and strict but not scary. One of my colleagues who got me into Bikram said to me that once you find an instructor you like, you'll enjoy your classes a bit more, she said she finds the firm bossy ones best, I think she might be right!

As you may have guessed I managed to do Toe Stand - Padangustasana today fully but only on the left side of my body, I couldn't stop smiling. I was actually explaining the posture to colleague at work today and how I was finding it difficult, so am super happy about that. Locus Pose - Salabhasana was better for me today as well, the arms weren't hurting as much as they usually do.

I came out of class with a massive energy boost, I felt so awake, probs not the best thing so late at night but I felt great and also my stomach cramps had gone, I had been complaining about backache during the day as well and the tension seemed to have gone from there too.

Late night classes seem to do it for me! 

x

Sunday 6 March 2011

Day 6...

After a couple of days lacking energy, today was much better, the energy was coming back, even after the session I was feeling energized. The room was super warm today, I immediately thought that it was going to be a tough practise. I was wrong, I felt fine throughout and not any spacey feeling after. 

There aren't many postures that I can't do, I'm not saying that I can do any of them perfectly but on most of the postures, I can do something but it would take me years to perfect them. There is one posture which I physically can't get into and that's Toe Stand - Padangustasana, I mentioned this one in a previous blog entry, it's one my body can't do. I can do the first part and I managed to get to this:

This was a first for me but then I attempted the next step which is this:


My hips are tight and I couldn't bend down, how frustrating, I got no where near the ground, I hope to be able to do this one by the end of the challenge, we'll see how that goes. 

My back is feeling particularly achy today as well, like I want my spine cracked.

During my challenge month, I decided to freeze my gym membership as I won't have time to do both. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a massive Body Attack fan and I am missing this, I miss jumping about!

x

Saturday 5 March 2011

Day 5...energy please come back!

5th day done. Somehow I feel even more tired than yesterday even though I slept for 9 hours. I went to a midday session hoping that I would feel fresh but I found it even more of a struggle; I think my breakfast was insufficient! I usually go to class after work, so I've had time to munch all day and drink plenty of water.

Second week is fast approaching and I'm going to concentrate much more on my diet, I need energy foods! Hope my body gets used to me drinking so much water soon, I can't stop peeing. I've heard that the Bikram series can have some effects on the digestive system, so far I can report movements are normal ;)

I was so tired today that I zonked out after lunch. Dear me, I hope the energy comes back soon and that this is normal!

Not sure if this is a normal result but my eczema seems to be disappearing, benefits of the sweat perhaps? Need to investigate!

x  

Friday 4 March 2011

Day 4...must keep my eyes open

I'm feeling tired today, my mind was determined but my body was not. As much as I tried to push myself, the concentration wasn't there and I'd fall out of postures. I got to posture 21, Half Tortoise Pose - Ardha Kurmasana and I was exhausted, weirdly, this posture gave me a headache but was fine when I came out of it. 

I know also I was tired because every time I got into Corpse Pose or Savasana as it is known (very often during the floor series) which is where you just lie completely still, I wanted to close my eyes and drift away but the pose is to be done with the eyes wide open which I found hard! Yeh yeh, I can hear the small eye jokes in my head already!

I realised today how much I hate Locust Pose - Salabhasana, I find this one of the hardest postures to get into, this is what it looks like:


It hurts me as the arms are twisted with palms down, it's just uncomfortable but need to work hard on this. If I continue, I could do this!


AMAZING!

x

Thursday 3 March 2011

Day 3...getting stronger

Today, I had half a day at work as we were all being taken out for a nice lunch, going out for lunch at REN means that we don't go back to work. I took this opportunity to make an earlier class! Others took the opportunity to get pissed! Oh how Bikram has taken over my life this month, it's been a nightmare in terms of the social life, I'm having to decline anything during the week because I have to do my classes after work and not before, I just simply don't think I could get up and have the energy. Saying that, I do plan on doing a morning class in a couple of weeks as I had already agreed to something before I decided to do the challenge.

It was nice going to an earlier class today, I really enjoyed the fact that there was much more personal space and I could see myself in the mirror, I know this may sound vain but this is not to see if I look pretty, it helps to see if you're doing the posture correctly. 

I tried super hard today and tried to get as deep as possible into the postures, the space made me feel comfortable to do this without worrying if I was going to knock someone. 

Before the challenge I was concerned that I would start to get bored of the repetition but everyday I go, I think to myself, I wonder what my body is going to be able to do today, you can feel more flexible one day and less flexible on another. Each day has been a different experience so far, I was really tuned into the teacher's dialogue and was correcting myself as she talked through the posture. Each time, I learn something new and it makes it easier. 

I am having issues with sweaty grip! There are a couple of postures where you have to grip round the foot but my hands keep sliding apart which is making it hard for me to do the posture to my best ability. 

I attempted to bend down in Toe Stand Pose - Padangustasana from Tree Pose - Tadasana today but I'm still not ready, I wobble too much, so basically I have to go from this:

to this:


I want to be able to do this by next week! 

x

Wednesday 2 March 2011

Day 2...it's getting hot in here!

This may sound like a stupid comment to open with but it was very hot in the room today, unlike yesterday the room was cool and warmed up, today it was hot from the word go, I was sweating from just sitting in the room. The teacher realised it was hot as she kept opening the door and asking for air from reception. It was a different teacher to yesterday and I liked her a lot, she was nice and firm and I even got a correction which is great as it's hard to know some times if you are doing the postures properly. 

I was feeling excited following yesterday's class which left me feeling energised and wanting to see how far I could stretch my body in today's session. 

The studio was rammed, there was well over 60 people in the room. There are a few things that annoy me about this studio in Balham:

1/ the studio is way too small for the amount people who attend
2/ the changing rooms are too small
3/ the gap between classes is too small resulting in lots of people in that in between class period, people leaving and entering

But there are positives:

1/ it's clean
2/ and it's 10 mins from home

I got to pose 22 Ustrasana - Camel Pose today and the heat got to me, I was tired and I just didn't have the energy.

Camel Pose, Ustrasana, Camel Pose Asana 

I did the pose but didn't try very hard, I'm told this pose can be very emotional, it was making me feel a little nauseous. After that I just wanted the class to hurry up, I just wanted to get out of there. 

I ticked off my class on the 30 day challengers board and rushed out. I was feeling a little spaced out as I drove my car home thinking all the way that I probs shouldn't be driving!

I'm feeling achy today, it's mainly in the arms, I hope this means I'm getting nice yoga arms!

x

Tuesday 1 March 2011

Day 1...it has started!

I managed to do Fix Firm! (go back to my last post if you want to know what this is) This makes me happy because I have NEVER been able to do this but something clicked today, I made a couple of adjustments to my position and voila I was on the ground! Ahh, I'm so happy, I wasn't expecting to be able to do this until later on into the challenge. Ok, it did hurt me a little and I know I should be careful not to over do it but it felt soo good! At least I know now that I CAN do it!

I felt tired all day and wasn't all that motivated to go to the 8pm class but I made a commitment to myself to do this so I went. There were a couple of newbies, nothing wrong with those except when they are distracting me! Remember I mentioned the 'roaring lion' breathing exercise in my first post, they couldn't stop laughing and it was really annoying me. But fair enough, I'm sympathetic, I know I had a giggle the first time I had to do that. 

I found it very difficult to concentrate throughout the standing series, the newbies were whispering to each other even though the teacher had already told them to shut up, this made me lose focus and instead of concentrating on myself I was watching other people, those falling out of poses were making me do the same. My floor series was much better once the newbies were a little quieter. 

I feel really energised after this session and the 90 minutes flew by. I didn't feel as spaced out as I did from my last session I did a couple of weeks ago. 

So I've come home and I've gulped copious amounts of water and I'm ravenous! Quick shower and I made chicken and broccoli pesto pasta for dinner, bit late for dinner and probably a bit heavy but that's what my body wanted, I don't like to deprive myself ;) 

Bring on day 2....

x


Saturday 19 February 2011

10 days to go...

I've been thinking about what I need to do in preparation for the challenge. I've frozen my gym membership until the challenge is complete, I need to think about my diet, I read somewhere that red meat should be avoided, need to look into this a bit more and also what I'm going to wear..yes I still  like to look good even if I am going to look like I've just came out of the shower after the session. 

It dawned on me last night that I should do at least ONE session before the actual challenge to reacquaint myself with the moves (it's been over a year since I last practised) and also the heat!  So, I popped to a class....I'm lucky to have a studio 10 minutes away from home.

I forgot about the stench of feet at the door. When entering any Bikram studio, everyone removes their shoes and leaves them by the door, this does present me with a slight problem because I do hate walking about barefooted. 

I quickly register and enter the studio to claim my mat. I decide to go right to the back as I haven't practised in so long and will need to copy others. As I claim my space, I notice this woman run towards my direction but I place my towel down just before she gets to the spot, I realise now she wants my spot. I ask if she wants it as I'm not that bothered, she says no but seems a bit awkward about it, so I ask her again, she then tells me that she has a bad habit of standing at that particular spot as it's a little cooler as it is by the emergency exit .Anyway, she starts chatting and is actually quite friendly. Class begins...

We begin with a breathing exercise which used to make me giggle, it always makes me think of roaring lions, the noises made during this exercise can be quite loud! I just join in now! I find myself remembering most of the postures and manage to get into most of them though my back and joints do make cracking noises along the way and I can feel how stiff I am. I still can't do posture 20 - supta vajrasana (fixed firm pose), it requires you to sit on your knees and bend right back onto the floor but with your bum touching the floor too. 

yp_vaj2.gif (5700 bytes)


Throughout the class, I notice a girl at the front who has obviously been practising Bikram for years, she has the yoga body I would like and she is so deep into the poses, she will be my benchmark!

Half an hour before the end of the class, I now realise why the woman who wanted my space wanted my space! The teacher opens the door and cold air gushes into the room and I feel like I'm in a club with a steam machine! It was a real treat though not sure it's good to be so hot then suddenly have this cold air on me. It's been nice not to think of anything but concentrate on getting into the postures and I'm feeling energised which doesn't last long.

When I get home, I'm feeling very light headed and drink 2 litres of water and get some food down me. I feel sleepy for the rest of the evening.

This morning my body aches, especially my arms......hope this means bye bye bingo wings! 

x




Wednesday 16 February 2011

What's it all about?

Hello! Welcome to my first post. So what's with the blog you may ask? Well...we are well into the new year and every year I give myself a new challenge. This year it's the 30 day Bikram Yoga challenge. 

What is Bikram?  "Bikram is a form of yoga that is based around a strict set of 24 ‘asana’ (postures), 2 ‘panayama’ (breathing exercises) and a high temperature dynamic and is becoming increasingly popular. So, what does Bikram Yoga entail? Well, let’s get one thing straight: it’s not for the faint-hearted this intense workout takes place in a room that is warmed to a heatstroke-inducing 40ºC (105ºF) and 40% humidity. The cardiovascular class generally lasts for 90 minutes and in that time students are put through a gruelling regime of stretches and flexibility exercises aimed at increasing strength, balance and suppleness". (realbuzz.com)

My last Bikram class was well over a year ago and I was never a regular but always enjoyed it, however the repetition put me off going anymore than twice a month and it's not so great for your wallet! One sesh can cost up to £15. 

How did I decide on this challenge? I was totally inspired by two people I know who are both midway through their challenges, one of whom (Kath) is going through her second challenge, follow her here: http://asweatyadventure.blogspot.com/ I've been saying for the last few months that I want to get back into Bikram as the benefits are numerous: lose weight, flushes toxins from your body, improves flexibility, tones, strengthens, improves circulation and much more. So what better way to get back into Bikram than to throw myself into a 30 day challenge! 

The challenge is self explanatory, do it for 30 days consecutively. Start date is 01.03.11 - 12 days to go......this blog will give you a daily account of my challenge. 

Wish me luck!

x