Day 2

Day 2 of my challenge was another step in the right direction. Jason wanted to practice yesterday, so I waited til he was out of work and we hit up the 8:15 pm class. This class is usually pretty empty and yesterday was no exception. I sometimes love a smaller class, usually if it means the instructor gives a lot of personal corrections. Other times, I wish I had the bigger class to feed off the group energy. Either way, I know my class is dictated by my attitude and will and none of these details I sometimes obsess over.

The beginning of class was great for me again. I focused on locking my elbows a lot. I pulled harder and stretched further in hands to feet than I have in a long time. The stretch felt so good. The problem is, when I really push myself in the warmup, I'm pretty much hosed for the rest of the standing series. I know I have to just keep pushing myself in the beginning and my stamina will increase. I'll be able to struggle a little more with each attempt.

So, my standing series was lackluster at best. However, I had a good separate leg stretching with ZERO pain in either hamstring! And by zero pain, I mean zero bad pain. There was plenty of good stretching muscle pain. Savasana was really, really awesome after struggling through the first part of class.

The floor series has REALLY begun to open up to me. I love the spine strengthening series so much! I have strengthened my glutes and back enough that I've improved my depth in the last part of locust. I can actually feel muscles working that I've never used before. It's weird to explain, but I've never been a muscular person so to get to the point where I normally hit a wall and then have another muscle kick in to take over is really a bizarre and fantastic sensation.

Bow pose is getting really great! I love feeling the compression in different parts of my spine. I've wrapped my head around pushing my legs up instead of out and back, which has changed my approach to both standing and floor bow.

So, today, I'm exhausted and unfocused. I am going to rest a bit before class tonight (Jason and I are doing the 8:15 again) and hope that sleep and a decent meal will give me some energy. I know I'm tired because I'm exerting myself as much as I can in class and that if I keep it up, I will eventually get back to having energy instead of being drained. Just have to get over the hump. It's coming and I just have to work for it.

...and then, I'll think twice before letting my practice slip away again. ;D