This challenge is flying by. I can't believe it's already almost halfway over. I had one of the most breakthrough-filled classes in a long while today and I can attribute this to my mindest. I went to class today with the idea fixed firmly in my head that I would try my absolute hardest. I was not allowing any slack at all. "If you can, you must."
I know that's the attitude I should have before every class. I'll admit, I struggle sometimes to keep my head in the game. I'm working harder than I've ever worked in my life but sometimes I wonder if I'm really working to my maximum. Today, there was no doubt.
As a result, I had success with practically every posture. I did much better than usual on the second part of awkward and was able to keep my balance almost the entire time. I leaned farther back in eagle than ever before, too! I felt my leg wrap just a tiny bit more than usual on second set. Sweet!
Standing head to knee is becoming a posture I actually look forward to now. I'm now able to grab my right foot and kick it forward with a locked knee. I even locked my other knee today - then promptly lost my balance. But it's farther than I've ever progressed in that pose before and that is a happy success! Additionally, I was able to grab my left foot. Kicking out is still a ways off on the left side but to have two firsts in the same posture is really, really cool.
I had a huge breakthrough in bow! I tried really hard to keep my hips in line from the very beginning of the posture. I made sure I was perfectly balanced on my hips/chest before I kicked up and it really helped. With my hips not opened up, I was able to achieve intense compression in my lower spine. For the first time ever in that pose, I didn't feel even a tiny bit out of alignment. I think I felt how it's really supposed to feel for the first time. It was glorious!
I focused on my hip alignment in camel and was rewarded with more spinal compression than normal! I have been feeling this compression at the base of my back in my lower spine. It's a crazy sensation and it makes me feel fantastic. I love the feeling of blood pumping through my body after releasing a posture!
I can touch my head to my knees in rabbit. I'm doing this now with my knees squeezed together and my stomach tight. Tightening the stomach really helps in forward bends, come to find out. Of course, the teachers have been reminding me of this for months, but I finally decided to go ahead and listen!
I can consistently get my forehead to knee in sitting head to knee, which gives me the world's craziest rush. I got this particular rush a few times in class today, but it was strongest after head to knee. It sort of messes up my vision for a few seconds and isn't entirely unlike dizziness but is definitely NOT dizziness. I don't know how else to describe it! It's pretty cool, though.
In almosts: I almost touched my face to my legs in hands to feet. I almost held the entire standing bow. I almost got my head to the floor in separate leg stretching. Almosts are almost as exciting as firsts!
Class 28 tomorrow and then classes 29 and 30 on Wednesday! A double is in my future and I'm beyond excited about it!
Monday, December 6, 2010
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Days 24 (oops) and 25
Day 24 simply wasn't.
Jason and I planned on taking the 4:30 together since he took the day off work. We slept in and lazed around in the morning and then got ready for class. On the way, we hit a massive pile of traffic that conveniently had us reaching the parking lot at the stroke of 4:30. As we had to change, use the restroom, and purchase water, it dawned on us that we didn't really have time to get in there before the end of pranayama. So we made a split-second decision: We would skip class that day and commit to a double on another day. It just wouldn't be a 60-day challenge without missing a class due to circumstances outside my control, now would it?
It's kind of exciting, though. For starters, I've been wanting to try out some doubles but my silly brain has been doing a great job of talking me out of it for the past few weeks. This gives me an absolute reason to do one, which I'm hoping will turn into a desire to do more. Jason suggested doing a 7:30 am/8:15 pm combo which is way less intimidating than my last double, which I did back-to-back. Also, we've taken the 8:15 pm one day and the 7:30 am the next, so I've actually done doubles closer together than that before. I can come home, make some food, and even take a nap if I need to in between the two classes. I'm totally sold and Jason seems kind of pumped up about it too!
Today's class was nice. Jason gave me a great tip for balance in standing head to knee. Instead of trying to keep my leg lifted once I've got it in my hand, it makes a much bigger difference in my balance if I press my leg into my hands and pull my upper body up. It's got that "natural human traction" feeling to it and it makes my standing leg way more solid. I only fell out of the first set three times this way, which is a pretty great success for me.
A teacher the other day told us to push the tops of our feet into the ground on cobra, which has increased both the difficulty and the benefit of the posture for me. I am now touching my heels and toes without turning my hips out! It's not perfect every time, but I'm far more consistent than I've ever been. I can work a lot deeper into my spine this way. I like when things start to line up properly.
The absolute best thing about this practice is that you will never run out of things to work on. When you think you have a posture figured out, some small piece of it will open up and completely change everything. I love breakthrough days like this.
I feel great after today's class. I even had the energy to cook a new recipe, broccoli and potato soup, which I am now about to enjoy. And thus the blog comes to a close!
Jason and I planned on taking the 4:30 together since he took the day off work. We slept in and lazed around in the morning and then got ready for class. On the way, we hit a massive pile of traffic that conveniently had us reaching the parking lot at the stroke of 4:30. As we had to change, use the restroom, and purchase water, it dawned on us that we didn't really have time to get in there before the end of pranayama. So we made a split-second decision: We would skip class that day and commit to a double on another day. It just wouldn't be a 60-day challenge without missing a class due to circumstances outside my control, now would it?
It's kind of exciting, though. For starters, I've been wanting to try out some doubles but my silly brain has been doing a great job of talking me out of it for the past few weeks. This gives me an absolute reason to do one, which I'm hoping will turn into a desire to do more. Jason suggested doing a 7:30 am/8:15 pm combo which is way less intimidating than my last double, which I did back-to-back. Also, we've taken the 8:15 pm one day and the 7:30 am the next, so I've actually done doubles closer together than that before. I can come home, make some food, and even take a nap if I need to in between the two classes. I'm totally sold and Jason seems kind of pumped up about it too!
Today's class was nice. Jason gave me a great tip for balance in standing head to knee. Instead of trying to keep my leg lifted once I've got it in my hand, it makes a much bigger difference in my balance if I press my leg into my hands and pull my upper body up. It's got that "natural human traction" feeling to it and it makes my standing leg way more solid. I only fell out of the first set three times this way, which is a pretty great success for me.
A teacher the other day told us to push the tops of our feet into the ground on cobra, which has increased both the difficulty and the benefit of the posture for me. I am now touching my heels and toes without turning my hips out! It's not perfect every time, but I'm far more consistent than I've ever been. I can work a lot deeper into my spine this way. I like when things start to line up properly.
The absolute best thing about this practice is that you will never run out of things to work on. When you think you have a posture figured out, some small piece of it will open up and completely change everything. I love breakthrough days like this.
I feel great after today's class. I even had the energy to cook a new recipe, broccoli and potato soup, which I am now about to enjoy. And thus the blog comes to a close!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Day 23
I went to the noon class by myself today, since Jason and I have plans when he gets off work. It's nice to go a couple times a week during the day to get class out of the way early!
I'm noticing a big increase in strength the past few days. I'm pretty sore in my glutes and legs and abdomen. I've been feeling new muscles pop up all over my body in places I didn't even know muscles were supposed to be. I've been really ravenously hungry in the past few days and I'm assuming it's because I'm building muscle pretty fast. My cravings have all been for things like beans and cottage cheese, so I'm wagering that I need extra protein right now to sustain the rapid muscle gain.
Other than that, I feel a little like I did at the beginning of my practice. I'm suddenly floored tired again as opposed to light and full of energy. I'm hungry as hell. This has to be a sign that I'm achieving changes in my body. As out of shape as I was when I began my practice, I'm not really surprised that I'm reaching peaks and valleys along the way. It's going to take me a lot longer to get to a place where I can call myself "fit," but I'm motivated by more than just numbers on a scale now. And who knows? Maybe tomorrow's class will leave me bouncing off the walls! But for now... I'm going to lay on the couch and chill out until Jason gets home from work.
I'm noticing a big increase in strength the past few days. I'm pretty sore in my glutes and legs and abdomen. I've been feeling new muscles pop up all over my body in places I didn't even know muscles were supposed to be. I've been really ravenously hungry in the past few days and I'm assuming it's because I'm building muscle pretty fast. My cravings have all been for things like beans and cottage cheese, so I'm wagering that I need extra protein right now to sustain the rapid muscle gain.
Other than that, I feel a little like I did at the beginning of my practice. I'm suddenly floored tired again as opposed to light and full of energy. I'm hungry as hell. This has to be a sign that I'm achieving changes in my body. As out of shape as I was when I began my practice, I'm not really surprised that I'm reaching peaks and valleys along the way. It's going to take me a lot longer to get to a place where I can call myself "fit," but I'm motivated by more than just numbers on a scale now. And who knows? Maybe tomorrow's class will leave me bouncing off the walls! But for now... I'm going to lay on the couch and chill out until Jason gets home from work.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Days 16-22
I have had plenty of motivation to going to class but shockingly little for writing in this blog. My apologies! However, my practice is getting stronger and stronger despite my little respite in posting.
The biggest news is that I've begun to regularly keep my hips in alignment. I've figured out that if I really squeeze my inner thighs and keep my knees together, my hips stay in the proper place. It also really helps me to keep my stomach tight, which I've been working on very hard in the past week.
I feel like I've bumped up my practice to a new level in the first part of this challenge. I'm working into different parts of my body. I'm actually going less deep in a lot of the postures but I'm doing them with proper form. "Form before depth" - yeah, I finally understand it!
I can grab my right foot in standing head to knee! YES! I can't hold it very long with my knee locked but, sweet sassy molassy, does it work my core. The discovery of muscles in my stomach continues to amaze me. I cannot believe how long I went without using these muscles! Finding my abs means slightly more stabilization and the ability to push my arm up to the ceiling in triangle. I actually got through all four triangles today! No sitting for me in the standing series. It was a very nice feeling.
I think I must be building a lot of muscle because I've been sort of staying in the same 3-pound weight range since the beginning of the challenge. I can feel it in my body but it can be tough to listen and be patient.
Life is good. Jason signed up for the auto-pay program at yoga so he's committed to at least three more months! YAY! Have I mentioned that going together is the best? IT IS THE BEST.
The biggest news is that I've begun to regularly keep my hips in alignment. I've figured out that if I really squeeze my inner thighs and keep my knees together, my hips stay in the proper place. It also really helps me to keep my stomach tight, which I've been working on very hard in the past week.
I feel like I've bumped up my practice to a new level in the first part of this challenge. I'm working into different parts of my body. I'm actually going less deep in a lot of the postures but I'm doing them with proper form. "Form before depth" - yeah, I finally understand it!
I can grab my right foot in standing head to knee! YES! I can't hold it very long with my knee locked but, sweet sassy molassy, does it work my core. The discovery of muscles in my stomach continues to amaze me. I cannot believe how long I went without using these muscles! Finding my abs means slightly more stabilization and the ability to push my arm up to the ceiling in triangle. I actually got through all four triangles today! No sitting for me in the standing series. It was a very nice feeling.
I think I must be building a lot of muscle because I've been sort of staying in the same 3-pound weight range since the beginning of the challenge. I can feel it in my body but it can be tough to listen and be patient.
Life is good. Jason signed up for the auto-pay program at yoga so he's committed to at least three more months! YAY! Have I mentioned that going together is the best? IT IS THE BEST.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Days 11-15
Ladies and gentlemen, I am hitting my stride.
Class has gotten to the point where it just feels good. Even if I have a sort of hard class with the dizzies or my focus, I still feel amazing when I leave. I'm noticing a lot of emotional releases in class now (camel and rabbit, i'm looking at you) and it feels unlike anything I've ever felt before. It's a lightness; it's an unloading. I am so intensely grateful for this feeling.
In awesome body-image news: I'm starting to notice HUGE changes in my body. A lady I see at class on occasion stopped me today and said, "I just wanted to say that I haven't been at class in the past two weeks and I can't believe how good you look since the last time I saw you! How much weight have you lost?" - to which I blushed, stammered, and said, "Creeping up on 50 pounds now!" and then it kind of hit me that I've almost lost 50 pounds. The most weight I've ever shed in the past was 35 pounds and that was with obsessive calorie counting which, of course, led to failure. I don't count calories or track my food or measure my portions anymore. I just do my yoga and it works itself out. What a release.
It's a little weird to, like, check myself out in the mirror but I've been taking visual notes on my body to track my changes. I've noticed some really big changes in my upper body since starting yoga but especially lately. My arm muscles are getting pretty defined (though I'll need to lose more fat before you can really see it), and my collarbone is starting to become visible further up towards the shoulder. On the lower half, my legs are freaking diesel (for me) and my hip bones have come out to say hi. This might sound weird but I had such a messed up idea of where my hips actually were. I now know! Heh.
I've had varying degrees of energy after class this week. Yesterday, I had the most ridiculous crazy energy. I couldn't sit still and I did an awful lot of standing. I kept finding myself creeping up on my toes and trying to balance (since the second part of awkward pose is hell for me to find my balance in) and I was light, happy, and talkative.
It makes me a little emotional when I look back on my progress just in the past year. When Jason and I went to New York City in September of last fall, I felt disabled by my size. I developed crazy pain and numbness in my right leg from the first day of walking. By the last day of our trip, I had to embarrassingly insist on taking a cab everywhere because my leg hurt so bad I couldn't walk. It was humiliating. I have never felt so bad about myself in my life as I did on that trip.
And now? I want to walk everywhere. Hell, I can even run - and not just fast walking, but actual running! My legs are strong and I know my quads are built up enough to guide my kneecaps (which was a problem I encountered when I first started to get in shape). I'm no longer handicapped by my size. I have come to a point in my life where the question of hitting my goal weight isn't even a question anymore, it's just a matter of time. I don't have any doubts I can be at a healthy weight for my height. My determination is fixed. I will be a success story and then I will help other people find the same success and experience this peace.
I do believe I have found my calling.
Class has gotten to the point where it just feels good. Even if I have a sort of hard class with the dizzies or my focus, I still feel amazing when I leave. I'm noticing a lot of emotional releases in class now (camel and rabbit, i'm looking at you) and it feels unlike anything I've ever felt before. It's a lightness; it's an unloading. I am so intensely grateful for this feeling.
In awesome body-image news: I'm starting to notice HUGE changes in my body. A lady I see at class on occasion stopped me today and said, "I just wanted to say that I haven't been at class in the past two weeks and I can't believe how good you look since the last time I saw you! How much weight have you lost?" - to which I blushed, stammered, and said, "Creeping up on 50 pounds now!" and then it kind of hit me that I've almost lost 50 pounds. The most weight I've ever shed in the past was 35 pounds and that was with obsessive calorie counting which, of course, led to failure. I don't count calories or track my food or measure my portions anymore. I just do my yoga and it works itself out. What a release.
It's a little weird to, like, check myself out in the mirror but I've been taking visual notes on my body to track my changes. I've noticed some really big changes in my upper body since starting yoga but especially lately. My arm muscles are getting pretty defined (though I'll need to lose more fat before you can really see it), and my collarbone is starting to become visible further up towards the shoulder. On the lower half, my legs are freaking diesel (for me) and my hip bones have come out to say hi. This might sound weird but I had such a messed up idea of where my hips actually were. I now know! Heh.
I've had varying degrees of energy after class this week. Yesterday, I had the most ridiculous crazy energy. I couldn't sit still and I did an awful lot of standing. I kept finding myself creeping up on my toes and trying to balance (since the second part of awkward pose is hell for me to find my balance in) and I was light, happy, and talkative.
It makes me a little emotional when I look back on my progress just in the past year. When Jason and I went to New York City in September of last fall, I felt disabled by my size. I developed crazy pain and numbness in my right leg from the first day of walking. By the last day of our trip, I had to embarrassingly insist on taking a cab everywhere because my leg hurt so bad I couldn't walk. It was humiliating. I have never felt so bad about myself in my life as I did on that trip.
And now? I want to walk everywhere. Hell, I can even run - and not just fast walking, but actual running! My legs are strong and I know my quads are built up enough to guide my kneecaps (which was a problem I encountered when I first started to get in shape). I'm no longer handicapped by my size. I have come to a point in my life where the question of hitting my goal weight isn't even a question anymore, it's just a matter of time. I don't have any doubts I can be at a healthy weight for my height. My determination is fixed. I will be a success story and then I will help other people find the same success and experience this peace.
I do believe I have found my calling.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Days 10 & 11
The past two classes were great! I feel like I've had a big breakthrough with my breathing. I've been really focusing on my breath in class and it's helped me to stave off the dizzies and go much further into poses than normal. I have also started to come to like the feeling of blood being cut off to a certain body part, then flooding back in. It's taken a while. I hated the feeling at first but now it's something I look forward to in so many postures. I like that this practice makes me enjoy sensations I used to hate!
I'm finding a lot of success lately in hands to feet pose. I still can't get my face on my legs below my knees but it's looming ever closer. I think I've finally figured out the balance of weight, which always skyrockets my success in any posture. I've started pushing my hips up, which helps to pull my face below my knees. I definitely feel the stretch deeper than I ever have in that pose, so I know I'm doing something right!
I'm seeing small improvements in triangle. Mostly, I can at least attempt the pose now without nearly fainting. A teacher a couple classes ago told us to keep the weight in the heels, which will help with sliding feet. It works! So now my biggest problem in triangle is balancing once I turn my head up to the ceiling. Once I turn my head, I basically collapse and fall over. I'm working on it.
Bow is seriously my new favorite. I can feel so much going on in my spine during and after it! I think it's really helping to tone up my glutes, too. The last few seconds of bow really burn but it's so worth it to hold til the very end for the rush of blood that floods my entire back post-release.
Classes are going so well and I'm starting to be in love with my daily practice. I can't wait to go back tomorrow! The closer together I take classes, the better they tend to feel in my body. The noon tomorrow is going to be a beauty!
Also, for the friend of Rachel's in East Texas who is currently doing a 60-day challenge in her bathroom who reads this blog: Hi! You are an inspiration! Keep up the awesome work. :)
I'm finding a lot of success lately in hands to feet pose. I still can't get my face on my legs below my knees but it's looming ever closer. I think I've finally figured out the balance of weight, which always skyrockets my success in any posture. I've started pushing my hips up, which helps to pull my face below my knees. I definitely feel the stretch deeper than I ever have in that pose, so I know I'm doing something right!
I'm seeing small improvements in triangle. Mostly, I can at least attempt the pose now without nearly fainting. A teacher a couple classes ago told us to keep the weight in the heels, which will help with sliding feet. It works! So now my biggest problem in triangle is balancing once I turn my head up to the ceiling. Once I turn my head, I basically collapse and fall over. I'm working on it.
Bow is seriously my new favorite. I can feel so much going on in my spine during and after it! I think it's really helping to tone up my glutes, too. The last few seconds of bow really burn but it's so worth it to hold til the very end for the rush of blood that floods my entire back post-release.
Classes are going so well and I'm starting to be in love with my daily practice. I can't wait to go back tomorrow! The closer together I take classes, the better they tend to feel in my body. The noon tomorrow is going to be a beauty!
Also, for the friend of Rachel's in East Texas who is currently doing a 60-day challenge in her bathroom who reads this blog: Hi! You are an inspiration! Keep up the awesome work. :)
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Days 8 & 9
Jason and I decided to do another 8:15 pm / 7:30 am class pairing this week so that we could practice together. I'm actually growing to like this structure; it feels almost like a double since the classes are so close together. We had the same teacher for each and I feel like he got the best out of both of us, so score!
Last night's class was so great that after I got home, I couldn't stop buzzing around the house doing things. Jason and I started a fire in the fireplace and I went on to finally clean the bedroom of our post-vacation debris (suitcases, clothes all over the place, etc). I cleaned the laundry room a touch and did a slew of laundry. It was awesome to have so much energy, especially so late at night when I usually just want to lay on the couch and be lazy. Jason did all the dishes and cooked a delicious dinner for the both of us. Yay, yoga energy!
The 7:30 class this morning was a good one as well, though I am pretty physically tired right now. Granted, I only got a few hours of sleep, so it's understandable. I'm definitely not as tired as I normally would be after five hours of sleep, so there is something to doing yoga to stave off tiredness.
The teacher today told me he thinks I should start competing. Talk about a total shock! I don't really think of myself as competition-ready but I suppose that competition isn't really about winning a prize, it's about pushing your practice. I explained that I'm aiming to teach sometime in the future and he said competition could help me get there. It's an interesting thought, one I will likely bandy around in my head for some time before I settle into it. I know I plan on doing another 60-day challenge basically as soon as this one's over, so that's a step in the right direction.
This challenge feels a lot different from the last one. In the last one, I was focused on just getting through and making it in the door every day. I'm now able to do so much more of all the postures and I derive much more benefit from each asana as a result. I am not daunted at all at the thought of going to class every day for the next 51 days. I'm actually looking forward to it. It's ten times more fun now that Jason and I are going together. I love the ride home after class where we compare notes about how class went for each of us.
I'm very happy these days and I have this practice to thank. :)
Last night's class was so great that after I got home, I couldn't stop buzzing around the house doing things. Jason and I started a fire in the fireplace and I went on to finally clean the bedroom of our post-vacation debris (suitcases, clothes all over the place, etc). I cleaned the laundry room a touch and did a slew of laundry. It was awesome to have so much energy, especially so late at night when I usually just want to lay on the couch and be lazy. Jason did all the dishes and cooked a delicious dinner for the both of us. Yay, yoga energy!
The 7:30 class this morning was a good one as well, though I am pretty physically tired right now. Granted, I only got a few hours of sleep, so it's understandable. I'm definitely not as tired as I normally would be after five hours of sleep, so there is something to doing yoga to stave off tiredness.
The teacher today told me he thinks I should start competing. Talk about a total shock! I don't really think of myself as competition-ready but I suppose that competition isn't really about winning a prize, it's about pushing your practice. I explained that I'm aiming to teach sometime in the future and he said competition could help me get there. It's an interesting thought, one I will likely bandy around in my head for some time before I settle into it. I know I plan on doing another 60-day challenge basically as soon as this one's over, so that's a step in the right direction.
This challenge feels a lot different from the last one. In the last one, I was focused on just getting through and making it in the door every day. I'm now able to do so much more of all the postures and I derive much more benefit from each asana as a result. I am not daunted at all at the thought of going to class every day for the next 51 days. I'm actually looking forward to it. It's ten times more fun now that Jason and I are going together. I love the ride home after class where we compare notes about how class went for each of us.
I'm very happy these days and I have this practice to thank. :)
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