I made a good choice resting my body last night. I do not know why, but I felt like I needed to not do anything. Yesterday's morning I took it easy with a slow yin class, nearly falling asleep (and did, from savasana until forever) because I was tired. That was my only workout.
This morning, refreshed from a good rest, went for my ashtanga. It was more or less a good practice, with 50% concentration on the breath. Lost it halfway due to company of M, who came in while I was halfway through my first series. We talked on and off.
When I did my urdvha though, I managed to hold for 5 breaths all five times, even walking my hands closer to my feet. But M told me she saw that I've been keeping all my weight to my upper body, and nothing on my legs. They were straight, bearing no weight. So with her guidance she made me grip her leg placed in between mine while I was in wheel, and that made all the difference. The first time though when she pulled me forward to transfer the weight to my legs, I couldn't tell which way was which. It was that disorientating. I would use this helpful tool to work the legs even more. Put a block in between and then learn to engage the quads. I cannot believe the progress I have made in my urdvha D. It took me a year to finally feel pain free, thanks to tips from Noah M and other wonderful teachers. It is all about patience and practice. I realized now that I love the journey and work put in the practice that I don't even mind not nailing it. Because after hard work getting it just feels amazing.
No progress on Bhuja. Forget about the vinyasa. But well, its all about the practice!
Friday, December 14, 2012
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Reflection of a yogi
I havent been updating. But thats because I was having a ball of time, loving my practice. It's been a steady 3x per week of ashtanga, with vinyasa tuesdays and thursdays, and weekends are for backbends and arm balances.
What I learned: When you let go of expectations, and just enjoy practising for what it is a clarity for the body and mind. I tried to focus on my breath more, just inhaling exhaling, feeling good and sometimes feeling nothing at all, just awareness of my body, my legs engagement, shoulder engagement.
Arm balances class saturday was really sweet. Pretty easy, with vashistasana variations (of which all 4 I could do) bakasana, prasva bakasana, titibhasana and bhujapidasana. I find that the more I get rid of my expectations or frustrations of wanting to nail a pose, I find a peace within the practice that is waaay better than nailing a pose. My neck injury taught me this. In a way, that injury was sort of a gift. A gift to realign my mindset of how I approach yoga.
No technical updates here, just what I've been thinking about.
What I learned: When you let go of expectations, and just enjoy practising for what it is a clarity for the body and mind. I tried to focus on my breath more, just inhaling exhaling, feeling good and sometimes feeling nothing at all, just awareness of my body, my legs engagement, shoulder engagement.
Arm balances class saturday was really sweet. Pretty easy, with vashistasana variations (of which all 4 I could do) bakasana, prasva bakasana, titibhasana and bhujapidasana. I find that the more I get rid of my expectations or frustrations of wanting to nail a pose, I find a peace within the practice that is waaay better than nailing a pose. My neck injury taught me this. In a way, that injury was sort of a gift. A gift to realign my mindset of how I approach yoga.
No technical updates here, just what I've been thinking about.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Journey of Practice
I skipped yoga today. Ladies holiday, beside, wasn't really feeling it.
I did ashtanga monday and tuesday, knowing that I wont really do ashtanga today (moon day) and the next 3 days. This time though, I am trying to let go of all expectations, and instead focusing on the breath. I often say that don't I, but this time I was adamant. Trying hard to level the in breath with the out breath (the outbreath always longer). I enjoyed the forward bends, the janu sirsana as always. I have noticed that I favor certain poses and dread certain poses. It starts from the beginning - surya namaska B is not my favorite, then the UHP, then the revolved plank, then Navasana. I always do feel happy approaching janu sirsasana, bandha konasana, supta konasana, and now wheel. Surprisingly. I love wheel now. Cant get enough of wheel.
I have also noticed that my jump back seems smoother after bandha konasana. Definitely the open hips is the main reason, which always amazes me because I feel the same, but my hips showed me otherwise (that they are more open after bandha konasana). Goes to show that you might not realize it, how your body are already reaping from the benefit of the posture.
My Garbha pindasana was the best one yet. It is obvious what a properly calculated breathing could do to make your GP roll as perfect as sushi. I came up high and did perfect 9 rounds. It's like cutting 9 slices around a big gooey cheesy cake.
I have decided to forever take out setu bandhasana. Have tried to incorporate the real setu bandhasana (charlie chaplin pose) with my hands supporting the head, but it might not work with my body and injury. I did on Monday, and felt the repercussions of it the whole entire day. On top of my always and continuous achy neck and shoulders, my left elbow and fingers were tingling and numb. Bad bad sensation. It couldnt be the finishing postures because I've done the same thing about a few weeks ago and nothing was this bad. Definitely not going to be in my practice. Maybe... I would do viparita dandasana instead. Hmmm.
Forgot to let you know that I've sort of incorporated a few poses of second series into my practice. Not an ego thing... I just feel my backbends would benefit if I could incorporate the first few postures. It's not really a real practice - straight after Urdvha D I would do the first 6 poses straight, sometimes with a tiny vinyasa in between. It is more like a backbend supplement.
I did ashtanga monday and tuesday, knowing that I wont really do ashtanga today (moon day) and the next 3 days. This time though, I am trying to let go of all expectations, and instead focusing on the breath. I often say that don't I, but this time I was adamant. Trying hard to level the in breath with the out breath (the outbreath always longer). I enjoyed the forward bends, the janu sirsana as always. I have noticed that I favor certain poses and dread certain poses. It starts from the beginning - surya namaska B is not my favorite, then the UHP, then the revolved plank, then Navasana. I always do feel happy approaching janu sirsasana, bandha konasana, supta konasana, and now wheel. Surprisingly. I love wheel now. Cant get enough of wheel.
I have also noticed that my jump back seems smoother after bandha konasana. Definitely the open hips is the main reason, which always amazes me because I feel the same, but my hips showed me otherwise (that they are more open after bandha konasana). Goes to show that you might not realize it, how your body are already reaping from the benefit of the posture.
My Garbha pindasana was the best one yet. It is obvious what a properly calculated breathing could do to make your GP roll as perfect as sushi. I came up high and did perfect 9 rounds. It's like cutting 9 slices around a big gooey cheesy cake.
I have decided to forever take out setu bandhasana. Have tried to incorporate the real setu bandhasana (charlie chaplin pose) with my hands supporting the head, but it might not work with my body and injury. I did on Monday, and felt the repercussions of it the whole entire day. On top of my always and continuous achy neck and shoulders, my left elbow and fingers were tingling and numb. Bad bad sensation. It couldnt be the finishing postures because I've done the same thing about a few weeks ago and nothing was this bad. Definitely not going to be in my practice. Maybe... I would do viparita dandasana instead. Hmmm.
Forgot to let you know that I've sort of incorporated a few poses of second series into my practice. Not an ego thing... I just feel my backbends would benefit if I could incorporate the first few postures. It's not really a real practice - straight after Urdvha D I would do the first 6 poses straight, sometimes with a tiny vinyasa in between. It is more like a backbend supplement.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Bhujaaaa
Tuesday: What a great choice, I took a vinyasa flow with Seane C, a class that concentrates on hips hips and hips. We warmed up with sun salutations a and b, and got started. It was hard! We did the fire hydrant pose first on knees which was hard enough as it is and then standing. I failed those... could not even lift up my leg! We moved to reverse lunge, a lot of warrior 2, triangle pose, bound side pose, then onto the low deep lunges for long holds. That was insane... it was just mental. We also did supine gomukhasana.
Wednesday: Full Primary... with modifications. No chaturanga... only once or twice... or thrice, can help it, but mostly I just did full plank. My current issue on the practice now is Bhujapidasana. It's funny, isn't it. This wasn't an issue for me from the starting but once you sort of get deeper you realize there are ways to deepend the pose and that's when you fail. Trying hard to get the descent down on Bhuja, as well as the transition from titibhasana to bakasana AND jump back. It's hard because I get so sweaty my legs slipped off my arms. Will have to wear pants when I practice. At least legs wont slip easily down in Kukutasana too.
Lovely practice, and now finding myself looking back forward for the udrvha dhanurasana. As always, the first three was a serious one, then the last 2 a more relaxed, stay as long as I could. Less pain on the back, if I took the time to properly lift up following noah m awesome awesome advice. Then for fun I did one dwi pada viparita dandasana. Feels good, can feel it stretching my upper back.
My left shoulder feels doubly sore right now. Have to carefully not push myself so hard on Friday.
Wednesday: Full Primary... with modifications. No chaturanga... only once or twice... or thrice, can help it, but mostly I just did full plank. My current issue on the practice now is Bhujapidasana. It's funny, isn't it. This wasn't an issue for me from the starting but once you sort of get deeper you realize there are ways to deepend the pose and that's when you fail. Trying hard to get the descent down on Bhuja, as well as the transition from titibhasana to bakasana AND jump back. It's hard because I get so sweaty my legs slipped off my arms. Will have to wear pants when I practice. At least legs wont slip easily down in Kukutasana too.
Lovely practice, and now finding myself looking back forward for the udrvha dhanurasana. As always, the first three was a serious one, then the last 2 a more relaxed, stay as long as I could. Less pain on the back, if I took the time to properly lift up following noah m awesome awesome advice. Then for fun I did one dwi pada viparita dandasana. Feels good, can feel it stretching my upper back.
My left shoulder feels doubly sore right now. Have to carefully not push myself so hard on Friday.
A Real Yoga Entry
I was doing my daily rounds of reading yoga blogs and I just realized how different their entries are from mine.
Theirs are definitely more in depth, an exploration of their wonders and thoughts while going through the practice. I love the ones where the writer muses about the effect of a good, or a bad practice. They usually resonate with what I feel after my own practice.
My posts on this particular blog was at most, short, and squat. It bears a scary resemblance to my now quite defunct triathlon blog and literally has the mark of a triathlete. When I was training for races, I kept a blog/journal of my practice. They were always short, in lists, and informative: stating my drills, the routes, timing, and something new I introduced or learned. Hardly there was an entry about what I felt at that moment, unless it was really a mood changing training.
It sort of seeped into this blog.
The reason I opened a new blog was because I always feel I have a lot of things to write about with one interest. I just love to write, that I grew up with tons of blogs for my interests - I had a sewing blog, a running blog, etc and now a yoga blog. I had meant to use this as a vessel to chart my progress, both physically and mentally, well spiritually and emotionally as well into my forays of yoga. I wanted to write about how awesome this feels and how I am always feeling good after a practice. I want to yell out loud that sometimes I feel like I could sing from a good, hard practice. I want to write about how my hips would definitely feel more open after Bandha Konasana every single time. I want to write that practicing using a tennis skort is annoying.
It didn't happen. What I have instead, is a bunch of hastily written blog posts on the practice I did, more on quantity, than quality. It's an old habit of mine, to keep a record of every single workout. It doesn't matter if it doesn't sound pretty.
Would I change it? I don't know. Most of the times I get too busy to keep track of my practice, which explains the harried entries. Usually I enjoy the good feelings just by going through it, and when the feeling left me I was just glad to have experienced it. Being a serial documenter growing up I am starting to want to enjoy moments in its purest form, not to have it delayed by writing a post or taking a picture of it.
Anyway, here's an entry I did on my main blog, which sort of explain my inner relationship with yoga:
Theirs are definitely more in depth, an exploration of their wonders and thoughts while going through the practice. I love the ones where the writer muses about the effect of a good, or a bad practice. They usually resonate with what I feel after my own practice.
My posts on this particular blog was at most, short, and squat. It bears a scary resemblance to my now quite defunct triathlon blog and literally has the mark of a triathlete. When I was training for races, I kept a blog/journal of my practice. They were always short, in lists, and informative: stating my drills, the routes, timing, and something new I introduced or learned. Hardly there was an entry about what I felt at that moment, unless it was really a mood changing training.
It sort of seeped into this blog.
The reason I opened a new blog was because I always feel I have a lot of things to write about with one interest. I just love to write, that I grew up with tons of blogs for my interests - I had a sewing blog, a running blog, etc and now a yoga blog. I had meant to use this as a vessel to chart my progress, both physically and mentally, well spiritually and emotionally as well into my forays of yoga. I wanted to write about how awesome this feels and how I am always feeling good after a practice. I want to yell out loud that sometimes I feel like I could sing from a good, hard practice. I want to write about how my hips would definitely feel more open after Bandha Konasana every single time. I want to write that practicing using a tennis skort is annoying.
It didn't happen. What I have instead, is a bunch of hastily written blog posts on the practice I did, more on quantity, than quality. It's an old habit of mine, to keep a record of every single workout. It doesn't matter if it doesn't sound pretty.
Would I change it? I don't know. Most of the times I get too busy to keep track of my practice, which explains the harried entries. Usually I enjoy the good feelings just by going through it, and when the feeling left me I was just glad to have experienced it. Being a serial documenter growing up I am starting to want to enjoy moments in its purest form, not to have it delayed by writing a post or taking a picture of it.
Anyway, here's an entry I did on my main blog, which sort of explain my inner relationship with yoga:
In my yoga practice these days, I am obsessed about backbends. Backbends tend to choose their students. Someone would just take up yoga only for a day and could do an advanced backbend while alienating a dedicated yogi who’s been practicing for years. The thing about backbends is that it tends to make people practicing it to be emotional. It brings out the emotional picnic of panic breakfast, wistful lunches, and heartbreaking dinners. If you’re clueless as to what I am talking about, backbends essentially require you to bend backwards, which means you have to keep your heart open. Heart Openers is another name for backbends. And if you got issues in your heart, it’s not easy to make them open.
So here I go everyday working on my backbends. The process is challenging physically and draining mentally. I came to the world of yoga a skeptic on the spiritual mumbo jumbo of it. It’s just stretching, at least that was what I thought. But after bouts of crying and feeling emotional after a particularly intense session, I took notice. I would have a totally taxing session that night and suddenly burst out crying in the car on the way to work FOR NO REASON. Life was good. I just had sex. Money was aplenty. But I cried because I did backbends.
Needless to say, these backbends have turned me into a raging believer. It’s like having a totally heartfelt session with a therapist about my issues. It’s like writing in my journal with a cup of hot chocolate beside me, only I my body feels good afterwards. Sometimes I would think about my cat Daisy. Sometimes a face of a friend I have long forgotten popped up. Sometimes I came to it nervous, moody and irritable, but bending bending bending, I opened myself up to feelings I cannot describe. It’s a beautiful, emotional journey, and being a totally emotional person I never felt better.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Recappp
Wow I havent really updated in a while. Here's a recap:
Thursday: It was a public holiday so I planned to do a super long yoga session. First it was a 60 min class with Tiffany C, which was hard and tough, and it had me doing the standing splits and three legged dog and reverse half moon. Also crazy core work, like navasana crunches. Then it was a 90 minutes Marc H class. It was good. Attempted handstand hops and succeeded a few times. Loves it.
Saturday: Visvamitrasana class with Step S. What a class, it was fast paced to the point that I got annoyed. She never gave us any rest! But I managed to hold Visva for a split second on my left side. Worth it.
Sunday: Simple lovely class with Tara J. She's a little bit kooky, but love her twistting and side crane and urdvha poses.
Monday: Primary series. I did it in a no-nonsense style, just going through the poses concentrating on my breath, flow in and out. It went by fast. I attempted Setu B, supported. Felt it all the back of my body. Then did 5 wheel. And then I continued with second series - Pasvasana, Krounchasana, Salambasana, Dhanurasana, Utrasana and that's it. I think I'm going to incorporate the second series into my practice now... just to strengthen my back.
Daily night yoga: Handstand, Pincha, Urdvha, Dwi Pada Viparita, Bakasana. Loves it.
Thursday: It was a public holiday so I planned to do a super long yoga session. First it was a 60 min class with Tiffany C, which was hard and tough, and it had me doing the standing splits and three legged dog and reverse half moon. Also crazy core work, like navasana crunches. Then it was a 90 minutes Marc H class. It was good. Attempted handstand hops and succeeded a few times. Loves it.
Saturday: Visvamitrasana class with Step S. What a class, it was fast paced to the point that I got annoyed. She never gave us any rest! But I managed to hold Visva for a split second on my left side. Worth it.
Sunday: Simple lovely class with Tara J. She's a little bit kooky, but love her twistting and side crane and urdvha poses.
Monday: Primary series. I did it in a no-nonsense style, just going through the poses concentrating on my breath, flow in and out. It went by fast. I attempted Setu B, supported. Felt it all the back of my body. Then did 5 wheel. And then I continued with second series - Pasvasana, Krounchasana, Salambasana, Dhanurasana, Utrasana and that's it. I think I'm going to incorporate the second series into my practice now... just to strengthen my back.
Daily night yoga: Handstand, Pincha, Urdvha, Dwi Pada Viparita, Bakasana. Loves it.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Last Mysore
the last class with Kiri was sweet. It was actually a moon day, but we went anyways. I took my time, this time properly breathing and focusing my breath on the postures. It was actually quite therapeutic. I got to (weakly) kick back after bhujapidasana. My supta K is still tight... K still positioned my feet on her knees instead of my neck. Maybe it's the injury... who knows. I told her I want to attempt setu bandasana... and she showed me, quite fast and abruptly, in my opinion. Maybe she felt I was more than ready for it? It was harddd, tough for the legs, and I foresee a looong time of supporting this posture with my hands before I got the guts to put them on my chest.
Went for a run this morning, and then did a 60 minutes of sweet flow with Jo t. she's fast becoming my favorite in yg! Her classes, like amy I, are always doable but at the same time challenging enough to break a sweat. It was a class filled with warrior 2 and 3, half moon, baksana, runners lunge, crescent lunge, twists, and a nice backbend to finish. Lovely!
Went for a run this morning, and then did a 60 minutes of sweet flow with Jo t. she's fast becoming my favorite in yg! Her classes, like amy I, are always doable but at the same time challenging enough to break a sweat. It was a class filled with warrior 2 and 3, half moon, baksana, runners lunge, crescent lunge, twists, and a nice backbend to finish. Lovely!
Sunday, November 11, 2012
urdvha
Fifth practice today with lovely K.
Nothing much, except that I felt soo tired and sweaty and out of breath. Maybe it is just lack of sleep... and a disturbed emotional state. My chaturranga was still mindful and proper; I skipped it sometimes if I feel I could not deliver it really well, alignment wise. My urdvha dhanurasana was good, the teacher asked me to walk my hands deeper and she helped me stretch. It felt good... only my armpits couldnt handle the stretch, the elbows always feel like splaying.
Fourth class was on a saturday. It was good, a bit fast because I didn't want to be the last one in. Again she helped me with urdhva D, it was good. Thankful for Noah M for the proper alignment and tips.
Thinking to attempt setu bandhasana tomorrow. Last class.
Nothing much, except that I felt soo tired and sweaty and out of breath. Maybe it is just lack of sleep... and a disturbed emotional state. My chaturranga was still mindful and proper; I skipped it sometimes if I feel I could not deliver it really well, alignment wise. My urdvha dhanurasana was good, the teacher asked me to walk my hands deeper and she helped me stretch. It felt good... only my armpits couldnt handle the stretch, the elbows always feel like splaying.
Fourth class was on a saturday. It was good, a bit fast because I didn't want to be the last one in. Again she helped me with urdhva D, it was good. Thankful for Noah M for the proper alignment and tips.
Thinking to attempt setu bandhasana tomorrow. Last class.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Yummy Practice
I have noticed a pattern.
When I practice ashtanga, I do the full primary series in the comfort of my own place. I do it every other day, with either hatha or vinyasa flow or yin in between. Reason? I do not want to overwork my injury prone body. Or maybe that is only an excuse. Maybe I am lazy to commit, to devote myself to a full 6 days practice.
I will get there.
However, when a visiting teacher comes and teaches at the KL shala I go to, I would take the full advantage to come and commit to a 6 day classes. And usually, it would be back to back. Only then I get to practice straight.
The first time I did it, it was 2 months ago. And I noticed that I began to feel lethargic and sick on the third day. It was such a horrible feeling, that laziness, that urgency NOT to get up and practice. Wanting a break. I had fever. I had sore throat. I just did not feel good. I went anyway, pushed myself and it went ok. I left the practice wondering if it was normal but Google didn't really tell me anything. Maybe it is just me.
Then it is happening again. Yesterday way my second day. It was, to be honest, a simple good practice. My bhujapidasana jump back was still horrible, but my urdvha dhanurasana was the deepest, and the most pain- free yet. I felt nothing, not even a twinge. It was amazing. The teacher helped deepened the pose by pulling my upper chest back and it felt realllly good. I wanted to continue but she was pushing me to pashimottasana. My left shoulder felt ok. I was careful.
Later that day, I felt it, the fever building up. And then my throat started to get sore. My head feels heavy, I felt sick. The same timing, the same symptoms. This seems too... precise to be a coincidence. Maybe this is the result of a straight back to back practice. And this decides whether you're devoted enough to commit and push to establish yourself a full 6 day practice. I know committing to a 6 day practice isn't easy, but if this is the preview of how you are going to feel it is a little scary. All that strength emotionally to fight your internal laziness, your reasoning of giving space to your body to 'relax'.
Today was a delicious, yummy practice. Everything was going well. I focused on my breathing a lot; attention did stray but I quickly reigned it in. My vinyasas weren't getting better, but the best part about it is that I don't really care. I have kept at this for a year, long enough to know that when the time comes, it comes. So many poses held evidence to that testimony: upavistha konasana, UHP, navasana, garbha pindasana. Today as I flowed through my garbha I noticed that touching my fingers to my head as I rolled up felt effortless, as was landing on my calves in supta konasana. And a few months back these two were so hard, so unimaginable to me. It really does work in your favor - practice, and hard work, and mindful alignment.
The teacher pushed me deep in urdvha dhanurasana again today, which I did 4 just for extra work. It felt goood. And as usual, my the UHP was the most dreaded part in the practice. With her holding to my feet I kinda have a hard time balancing, but it felt nice to let the feet rest instead of doing all the work. But for Supta Hasta Padangusthasana she strongly pushed on my straight thigh and asked me to lift up to kiss my knees. I did it! alhamdulillah.
When I practice ashtanga, I do the full primary series in the comfort of my own place. I do it every other day, with either hatha or vinyasa flow or yin in between. Reason? I do not want to overwork my injury prone body. Or maybe that is only an excuse. Maybe I am lazy to commit, to devote myself to a full 6 days practice.
I will get there.
However, when a visiting teacher comes and teaches at the KL shala I go to, I would take the full advantage to come and commit to a 6 day classes. And usually, it would be back to back. Only then I get to practice straight.
The first time I did it, it was 2 months ago. And I noticed that I began to feel lethargic and sick on the third day. It was such a horrible feeling, that laziness, that urgency NOT to get up and practice. Wanting a break. I had fever. I had sore throat. I just did not feel good. I went anyway, pushed myself and it went ok. I left the practice wondering if it was normal but Google didn't really tell me anything. Maybe it is just me.
Then it is happening again. Yesterday way my second day. It was, to be honest, a simple good practice. My bhujapidasana jump back was still horrible, but my urdvha dhanurasana was the deepest, and the most pain- free yet. I felt nothing, not even a twinge. It was amazing. The teacher helped deepened the pose by pulling my upper chest back and it felt realllly good. I wanted to continue but she was pushing me to pashimottasana. My left shoulder felt ok. I was careful.
Later that day, I felt it, the fever building up. And then my throat started to get sore. My head feels heavy, I felt sick. The same timing, the same symptoms. This seems too... precise to be a coincidence. Maybe this is the result of a straight back to back practice. And this decides whether you're devoted enough to commit and push to establish yourself a full 6 day practice. I know committing to a 6 day practice isn't easy, but if this is the preview of how you are going to feel it is a little scary. All that strength emotionally to fight your internal laziness, your reasoning of giving space to your body to 'relax'.
Today was a delicious, yummy practice. Everything was going well. I focused on my breathing a lot; attention did stray but I quickly reigned it in. My vinyasas weren't getting better, but the best part about it is that I don't really care. I have kept at this for a year, long enough to know that when the time comes, it comes. So many poses held evidence to that testimony: upavistha konasana, UHP, navasana, garbha pindasana. Today as I flowed through my garbha I noticed that touching my fingers to my head as I rolled up felt effortless, as was landing on my calves in supta konasana. And a few months back these two were so hard, so unimaginable to me. It really does work in your favor - practice, and hard work, and mindful alignment.
The teacher pushed me deep in urdvha dhanurasana again today, which I did 4 just for extra work. It felt goood. And as usual, my the UHP was the most dreaded part in the practice. With her holding to my feet I kinda have a hard time balancing, but it felt nice to let the feet rest instead of doing all the work. But for Supta Hasta Padangusthasana she strongly pushed on my straight thigh and asked me to lift up to kiss my knees. I did it! alhamdulillah.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Back to primary
After 6 days of time off, I returned to Primary. A visiting teacher is around, so I needed to take that opportunity to practice.
To be honest I caught myself going through the sequence in my head before I sleep, because it felt like forever since I rested!
I took extra care with my shoulder - skipping the chaturangga when I feel like it.
The teacher was sweet - why are they always sweet? - and didn't really adjust me much. Then came bhujapidasana. I took this chance to ask me questions - could I 'cheat' by walking my feet back and resting my head on the floor instead of slowly building strength to lower down? Yes, she said. You should do that, it will come to you later.
She taught me how to exist bhujapidasana. After bakasana, to lower my head on the floor, and kick back. By the time I wanted to try my arms were already fatigued, and when I kicked back the legs sort of fell in a heap on the floor, knocking my knees. Too tired to even kick back.
She said that I have strength.
Here's a thing I feel like I have to address: I hate practicing with other people because of my inner ego. I hate it when I mentally compare against other people... and feeling the pride when I know I am better, even to only one person. It sucks. I usually chastise myself, berate myself for feeling it but the feeling has come and gone. I do not get this when I am practicing alone at home.
5 days more!
To be honest I caught myself going through the sequence in my head before I sleep, because it felt like forever since I rested!
I took extra care with my shoulder - skipping the chaturangga when I feel like it.
The teacher was sweet - why are they always sweet? - and didn't really adjust me much. Then came bhujapidasana. I took this chance to ask me questions - could I 'cheat' by walking my feet back and resting my head on the floor instead of slowly building strength to lower down? Yes, she said. You should do that, it will come to you later.
She taught me how to exist bhujapidasana. After bakasana, to lower my head on the floor, and kick back. By the time I wanted to try my arms were already fatigued, and when I kicked back the legs sort of fell in a heap on the floor, knocking my knees. Too tired to even kick back.
She said that I have strength.
Here's a thing I feel like I have to address: I hate practicing with other people because of my inner ego. I hate it when I mentally compare against other people... and feeling the pride when I know I am better, even to only one person. It sucks. I usually chastise myself, berate myself for feeling it but the feeling has come and gone. I do not get this when I am practicing alone at home.
5 days more!
Monday, November 5, 2012
Backbends and Injury
For Sunday I did an easy backbend. Well, maybe I should change the key word to detailed. And focused.
It was Marc h teaching, and his classes are superb for alignment in backbending. He taught us the basic of curling the upper body back for backbend while standing and clenching the block between your inner thighs to feel your tailbone tucking in. It was surreal, the backbending your body is doing when you are aligned. Not to say that it felt easy, it just felt right. I do not know whether I could bend more than I normally do, but I felt 'bendier'.
A lot of cobra with good alignment. I only have to remember to suck my lower ab in to protect my lower back and my cobra automatically felt good. One bow pose, more standing and clenching and bending. Then urdvha dhanurasana, which was magnificent! He gave really good tips: lift the tailbone up, then move your shoulders back, physically moving the hands back, and curl your upper body more... and then lift. You will not feel it in your lower back. The bend is evenly distributed along your lumbar and thoracic spine. This is a class I could see repeating over and over for easy backbend days just to slowly cultivate that strength to dropback.
Then Monday I did a slow hatha with Steve E. It was a really good slow class - sun salutations, lunges, crescent, one bakasana thrown in, half moon, and ustrasana. Really relaxed and slow, with fairly strong poses.
My left shoulder cuff is reallllly injured. Hurts to even lift it up.
Tuesday: easy hatha with Amy I. did not even break a sweat, but it was a simple good session to stretch. I failed at the half moon arm circling thing btw!
It was Marc h teaching, and his classes are superb for alignment in backbending. He taught us the basic of curling the upper body back for backbend while standing and clenching the block between your inner thighs to feel your tailbone tucking in. It was surreal, the backbending your body is doing when you are aligned. Not to say that it felt easy, it just felt right. I do not know whether I could bend more than I normally do, but I felt 'bendier'.
A lot of cobra with good alignment. I only have to remember to suck my lower ab in to protect my lower back and my cobra automatically felt good. One bow pose, more standing and clenching and bending. Then urdvha dhanurasana, which was magnificent! He gave really good tips: lift the tailbone up, then move your shoulders back, physically moving the hands back, and curl your upper body more... and then lift. You will not feel it in your lower back. The bend is evenly distributed along your lumbar and thoracic spine. This is a class I could see repeating over and over for easy backbend days just to slowly cultivate that strength to dropback.
Then Monday I did a slow hatha with Steve E. It was a really good slow class - sun salutations, lunges, crescent, one bakasana thrown in, half moon, and ustrasana. Really relaxed and slow, with fairly strong poses.
My left shoulder cuff is reallllly injured. Hurts to even lift it up.
Tuesday: easy hatha with Amy I. did not even break a sweat, but it was a simple good session to stretch. I failed at the half moon arm circling thing btw!
Friday, November 2, 2012
Arm Strengthening Saturday
Woke up feeling well rested.
Started the class with Jo T, who is slowly growing over me. I love her sweet voice and her accent, australian, and the fact that her classes are similar to Stephanie S, strong but doable. She lead us to a bakasana twice early in the class, lunges, one legged plank and chaturangga, half moon, and then visvamitrasana, the peak pose, which wasn't hard, as our bottom leg is supported in the middle instead of straight out. But it was a good stretch holding the leg up. Love the way she provided access for us to work with advanced asanas.
Then it was a no-nonsense 20 minutes class with tiffany c, where she taught us ways and asanas to strengthen the upper body. It was a 2 minutes long dolphin pose with a block, to omit the alignment worries and focus on the strengthening aspect instead. Then some core work, with a block in between the thighs and our arms cupping the head, lifting the butt up while exhaling. Then it was a handstand against the wall, holding up 1 minute. I couldnt make it, my arms were shaking so bad. Even pincha against the wall I couldn't do in 30 seconds. Then she made us the the L-handstand and L-pincha. which was good, and I am going to incorporate that during my menstrual time. Then it was a downward dog with slightly bent elbows which put the whole outer part of my arms on fire. That was good.
Then a 45 minutes class with Jason C, whose voice irritates me a little bit but I love his classes because they are always delightfully dry but effective. He had us do repetitions of plank to chaturangga lifting up to downward dog again and again. I love when he asked us to pull our shoulders back and flay our palms away from our body, because I felt all the muscles and the sore parts engaging. That works the external part of the muscle but I felt the burning inside.
Great access to building strength in my arms shoulders and core to better prepare myself for arm balances and inversions.
Great day!
Started the class with Jo T, who is slowly growing over me. I love her sweet voice and her accent, australian, and the fact that her classes are similar to Stephanie S, strong but doable. She lead us to a bakasana twice early in the class, lunges, one legged plank and chaturangga, half moon, and then visvamitrasana, the peak pose, which wasn't hard, as our bottom leg is supported in the middle instead of straight out. But it was a good stretch holding the leg up. Love the way she provided access for us to work with advanced asanas.
Then it was a no-nonsense 20 minutes class with tiffany c, where she taught us ways and asanas to strengthen the upper body. It was a 2 minutes long dolphin pose with a block, to omit the alignment worries and focus on the strengthening aspect instead. Then some core work, with a block in between the thighs and our arms cupping the head, lifting the butt up while exhaling. Then it was a handstand against the wall, holding up 1 minute. I couldnt make it, my arms were shaking so bad. Even pincha against the wall I couldn't do in 30 seconds. Then she made us the the L-handstand and L-pincha. which was good, and I am going to incorporate that during my menstrual time. Then it was a downward dog with slightly bent elbows which put the whole outer part of my arms on fire. That was good.
Then a 45 minutes class with Jason C, whose voice irritates me a little bit but I love his classes because they are always delightfully dry but effective. He had us do repetitions of plank to chaturangga lifting up to downward dog again and again. I love when he asked us to pull our shoulders back and flay our palms away from our body, because I felt all the muscles and the sore parts engaging. That works the external part of the muscle but I felt the burning inside.
Great access to building strength in my arms shoulders and core to better prepare myself for arm balances and inversions.
Great day!
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Week roundout
Tuesday I did a nice hatha with Dharren R. He wasn't really my favorite after 2 classes with him but I like that he gives good strong poses, and his flow was good. He threw in locust, bow, UHP and its 2 sisters (which I loved), half moon! humble warrior (another favorite) and best of all the last pose he threw out was astravakrasana! That was a surprise, a good one because I really love that pose. Nailed it somewhat, even with gimpy arm.
Wednesday was my last day practicing primary before my period came.
It was a much needed exercise. I omitted chaturangga from the whole practice just to give more space for my left shoulder to heal. After all, there is a mysore style class I will be going to next week and I plan to really practice to get better adjustments.
Things were good from the practice. I took my time, focusing on my breathing, aligning my awareness to what I am doing. I really took my time for this one; I was on leave, therefore I was not subconsciously rushing myself through these poses. My Bhujapidasana needs work... it is not improving probably because I am not currently pushing at the moment, with my shoulder and all. UHP of course is getting better and better. Navasana always the hard one, this time I was too tired to lift my seat up but managed. Suptakurmasana I felt was still tight... wondering when I'll able to lift my feet off the floor but I am enjoying my time, no rushing. It was a sweet practice that came Urdvha Dhanurasana my back wasn't really hurting, and I managed to stay up for 5 breaths (albeit a shorter version) 3 times... plus 2 more times for strength and endurance. I was really a good practice.
Thursday I decided to do a long sianna s flow... which to be honest, wasn't really nice. I didn't really enjoy it because I felt she chatted a lot and in my opinion she sounded high. Maybe high on yogi endoprhins. But she gave good poses like half moon, bound half moon, reverse half moon, reverse UHP, natarajasana. Anusara definitely isn't my style.
Today due to my period I skipped ashtanga and did 2 csimple classes - hatha with dice and yin with tiffany. These two are one of my favorites! I love dice because his classes are always challenging and worth it. And tiffany because hers are always so painful but it works. I love her variation and flow from warrior 2 with gomukhasana arms leaning towards front leg, then flowing to side plank, which she said strenghten the whole rotator cuff and shoulder girdle.
so arm balances saturday and backbend sunday!
Wednesday was my last day practicing primary before my period came.
It was a much needed exercise. I omitted chaturangga from the whole practice just to give more space for my left shoulder to heal. After all, there is a mysore style class I will be going to next week and I plan to really practice to get better adjustments.
Things were good from the practice. I took my time, focusing on my breathing, aligning my awareness to what I am doing. I really took my time for this one; I was on leave, therefore I was not subconsciously rushing myself through these poses. My Bhujapidasana needs work... it is not improving probably because I am not currently pushing at the moment, with my shoulder and all. UHP of course is getting better and better. Navasana always the hard one, this time I was too tired to lift my seat up but managed. Suptakurmasana I felt was still tight... wondering when I'll able to lift my feet off the floor but I am enjoying my time, no rushing. It was a sweet practice that came Urdvha Dhanurasana my back wasn't really hurting, and I managed to stay up for 5 breaths (albeit a shorter version) 3 times... plus 2 more times for strength and endurance. I was really a good practice.
Thursday I decided to do a long sianna s flow... which to be honest, wasn't really nice. I didn't really enjoy it because I felt she chatted a lot and in my opinion she sounded high. Maybe high on yogi endoprhins. But she gave good poses like half moon, bound half moon, reverse half moon, reverse UHP, natarajasana. Anusara definitely isn't my style.
Today due to my period I skipped ashtanga and did 2 csimple classes - hatha with dice and yin with tiffany. These two are one of my favorites! I love dice because his classes are always challenging and worth it. And tiffany because hers are always so painful but it works. I love her variation and flow from warrior 2 with gomukhasana arms leaning towards front leg, then flowing to side plank, which she said strenghten the whole rotator cuff and shoulder girdle.
so arm balances saturday and backbend sunday!
Monday, October 29, 2012
vinyasa Flow
Today I woke up not feeling primary series at all. I checked the moon days and thank god that today was a moon day! I've never felt so excited. I usually look forward to a nice intimate session with the series, is only up to standing sequence.
So I chose to do a simple vinyasa flow with stephanie s instead. I like her classes because her strong is my moderate, and I just felt like having a moderate exercise. Nevertheless it was a fun workout: lunges, high lunge, low lunge with side plank, bound angle pose, reverse warrior, three legged downward dog, lots of side stretches, janu sirsasana, urdvha d, and a nice sirsasana. I was sweaty! and I had fun!
I've also incorporated daily handstand kick ups and pincha kickups. Some days it is a miss but mostly it is a hit. I am trying to stay up for as long as a minute but only managed to stay for about 5 long breaths now. It does get easier. Also, have to do dolphin everyday!
So I chose to do a simple vinyasa flow with stephanie s instead. I like her classes because her strong is my moderate, and I just felt like having a moderate exercise. Nevertheless it was a fun workout: lunges, high lunge, low lunge with side plank, bound angle pose, reverse warrior, three legged downward dog, lots of side stretches, janu sirsasana, urdvha d, and a nice sirsasana. I was sweaty! and I had fun!
I've also incorporated daily handstand kick ups and pincha kickups. Some days it is a miss but mostly it is a hit. I am trying to stay up for as long as a minute but only managed to stay for about 5 long breaths now. It does get easier. Also, have to do dolphin everyday!
Friday, October 26, 2012
Weekend Relaxation
took it real relaxed today with yoga.
Simple core salutation, then lunges, birds of paradise, crescent pose, half moon, navasana, happy baby and nice savasana.
Last week it was pretty slow: primary series on monday, hatha class tuesday and slow primary wednesday. Thursday I did a yin practice which was good.
Simple core salutation, then lunges, birds of paradise, crescent pose, half moon, navasana, happy baby and nice savasana.
Last week it was pretty slow: primary series on monday, hatha class tuesday and slow primary wednesday. Thursday I did a yin practice which was good.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Leg and Neck Stretch
I woke up not in the best feeling today. Scheduled in a run but body (or mind) wasnt feeling up to it. So I started with Dice's surprisingly very gentle leg flow, aimed to stretch the hips area to release stress. I didn't really feel any difference (my work problems are still there) but I do feel better, just knowing that I've done something to release the psoas and hip flexors. It was a lot of lunges, variation of lizard pose stretching to the side, virabhadrasana 2 with reverse virabhadrasana that burns the legs. Some utkatasana variation, and happy baby pose. It climaxes at the pigeon pose. Which was done a bit differently.
Then I continued with Tiffany's shoulder and neck stretch, which was INTENSE. I do not know what is it with her classes - they make me fidgety and uneasy. I guess because both classes I did with her was on the shoulders and neck, and obviously those are the body parts of mine that have the most issues (disc herniation at C5 and C6) and carry the most stress. The side neck stretch, particularly on the right side was torturous. I surrended earlier in the poses than I would have, it was that uneasy. It wasn't painful or excruciating, I just feel uneasy. I kept imagining someone slicing through the exposed, stretched part of my neck. How's that for creeping myself out of the pose. She mentioned something really nice along the class, trying to keep our attention from the effort. She said something about having the option to take the neck out from our attention, and focus on other body parts instead. And when you let go of the tension, choose not to acknowledge it, it disappears. How right... but somehow this time my inner discomfort won.
I've also decided that I'm going to pare down my Ashtanga for the next one week. I'm going to do a simpler version of no chaturanggas and skipping the bhujapidasana if I felt like it. My left infrasupinatus and teres minor still are achey. Really sore. Sometimes they burn. and tingle.
Anyway, good classes today. Those two are my two favorite teachers now.
Then I continued with Tiffany's shoulder and neck stretch, which was INTENSE. I do not know what is it with her classes - they make me fidgety and uneasy. I guess because both classes I did with her was on the shoulders and neck, and obviously those are the body parts of mine that have the most issues (disc herniation at C5 and C6) and carry the most stress. The side neck stretch, particularly on the right side was torturous. I surrended earlier in the poses than I would have, it was that uneasy. It wasn't painful or excruciating, I just feel uneasy. I kept imagining someone slicing through the exposed, stretched part of my neck. How's that for creeping myself out of the pose. She mentioned something really nice along the class, trying to keep our attention from the effort. She said something about having the option to take the neck out from our attention, and focus on other body parts instead. And when you let go of the tension, choose not to acknowledge it, it disappears. How right... but somehow this time my inner discomfort won.
I've also decided that I'm going to pare down my Ashtanga for the next one week. I'm going to do a simpler version of no chaturanggas and skipping the bhujapidasana if I felt like it. My left infrasupinatus and teres minor still are achey. Really sore. Sometimes they burn. and tingle.
Anyway, good classes today. Those two are my two favorite teachers now.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Monday: primary series... and did not even finish it, stopped untiil urdhva dhanurasana because time was short and also because I did not feel like myself. Only later did I know that it was MOON DAY. No wonder I felt so lethargic and I couldnt even lift my seat up for lolasanas.
My shoulder, left, the infraspinatus and teres minor, have been aching and feeling tender for a long while. I tried tennis ball therapy and it feels awesome painful but the gimp is still there.
Today I did a good easy flow with Katryn B, lots of one legged downward dog and kiss the knees, fire hydrant pose, chaturanggas and navasanas. Then continued with Noah M, whose flow I didnt quite like. I ended up cutting it short because it puts a lot of emphasis on my arms and I wanted a strong legs practice.
My shoulder, left, the infraspinatus and teres minor, have been aching and feeling tender for a long while. I tried tennis ball therapy and it feels awesome painful but the gimp is still there.
Today I did a good easy flow with Katryn B, lots of one legged downward dog and kiss the knees, fire hydrant pose, chaturanggas and navasanas. Then continued with Noah M, whose flow I didnt quite like. I ended up cutting it short because it puts a lot of emphasis on my arms and I wanted a strong legs practice.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Weekend fun!
Yoga weekend.
Its been great as usual for me. I woke up Saturday for a much needed run, a simple slow 5.5km. Then I did a 30 minutes post run stretch with Tiffany C, which was simple and sweet, a lot of forward holds, with minor twists. Then the fun part - a yin/yang class with felicia and dice! Saturday is arm balance day - so it was a great class for me as it had eka pada koundiyanasana 2, flying crow pose and astravkrasana (my favorite!)
The yin part was sweetly torturous - the dragon lunge was painful and my face was contorted. The pigeon pose was deepest than I've ever been, I could feel my hips and outer hips working and releasing. It was really good. When dice stepped in he had us do warrior and reverse warrior back and forth that reallllly burned the thigh muscle - worse than climbing up the steepest hills! Then we started off with eka pada koundiyanasana 2, which I somehow managed to get. The flying crow pose was hard... could not even find the connection between lifting and letting go, could not even engage. Astravakrasana was good/
Sunday is backbends!
I started with Dice energetic backbends, it was a great prep class for me as we did many backbend lunges. A lot about stretching the side of your waist, elongating your torse, keeping your ribs in, putting your sternum up, it was a tough workout, but fun. We had to do some hanuman backbends, but I couldnt get there yet so it was semi hanuman with extended chest.
Then a 60 minutes hatha backbend basics with Noah M. It was good... and HARD. Something simple as just stretching your arms straight, elbows straight, juicing your ears was hard core. We did a lot of those lunges, stretching up until I could explode. A lot of arching your upper back looking up towards the ceiling. We also had to do some dhanurasana kickback, which felt good to the shoulders. Then bhujangasana, salambhasana, upward facing dog, all good.
I finished with a simple 15 minutes of shoulder tune up.
Its been great as usual for me. I woke up Saturday for a much needed run, a simple slow 5.5km. Then I did a 30 minutes post run stretch with Tiffany C, which was simple and sweet, a lot of forward holds, with minor twists. Then the fun part - a yin/yang class with felicia and dice! Saturday is arm balance day - so it was a great class for me as it had eka pada koundiyanasana 2, flying crow pose and astravkrasana (my favorite!)
The yin part was sweetly torturous - the dragon lunge was painful and my face was contorted. The pigeon pose was deepest than I've ever been, I could feel my hips and outer hips working and releasing. It was really good. When dice stepped in he had us do warrior and reverse warrior back and forth that reallllly burned the thigh muscle - worse than climbing up the steepest hills! Then we started off with eka pada koundiyanasana 2, which I somehow managed to get. The flying crow pose was hard... could not even find the connection between lifting and letting go, could not even engage. Astravakrasana was good/
Sunday is backbends!
I started with Dice energetic backbends, it was a great prep class for me as we did many backbend lunges. A lot about stretching the side of your waist, elongating your torse, keeping your ribs in, putting your sternum up, it was a tough workout, but fun. We had to do some hanuman backbends, but I couldnt get there yet so it was semi hanuman with extended chest.
Then a 60 minutes hatha backbend basics with Noah M. It was good... and HARD. Something simple as just stretching your arms straight, elbows straight, juicing your ears was hard core. We did a lot of those lunges, stretching up until I could explode. A lot of arching your upper back looking up towards the ceiling. We also had to do some dhanurasana kickback, which felt good to the shoulders. Then bhujangasana, salambhasana, upward facing dog, all good.
I finished with a simple 15 minutes of shoulder tune up.
Friday, October 12, 2012
glowing!
Did primary series on Thursday.
I came to enjoy my mix of ashtanga (which is personal) and other forms of yoga - vinyasa flow, yin, etc. To me doing ashtanga is like delving deep into my own sacred time and enjoying every single second of torture. Most of the time I want the practice to end. But I ended up finishing it. Loving it, relishing it. I made a point to make urdhva dhanurasana as the main focus of this practice to enjoy it more. And I did... I am getting better in my backbends. So my primary yesterday was sweet, slow, and this time I was able to focus on my breath. I did supported headstand with blocks.
Later in the evening I kicked up to a 5 seconds handstand and pincha. At night I ended with pigeon pose, reverse pigeon, mermaid, eka pada raja kapotasana, puppy pose, supported backbend, utrasana, and dropback practice.
This morning I did a class with Dharren R, just a 15 minutes wake up class. It had a lot of sweet variation - eagle arms with tree leg, lots of side stretches (reverse warrior seems to be the recurring theme) warrior 1 and 11. Then I continued with stephanie s sweaty flow, which had me in a dolphin side plank variation, which burned my arms more than my core! It was nice, the mermaid pose and spidey were good.
I attempted to try to do Kathryn B super lunge flow but gave up because I was too tired.
I came to enjoy my mix of ashtanga (which is personal) and other forms of yoga - vinyasa flow, yin, etc. To me doing ashtanga is like delving deep into my own sacred time and enjoying every single second of torture. Most of the time I want the practice to end. But I ended up finishing it. Loving it, relishing it. I made a point to make urdhva dhanurasana as the main focus of this practice to enjoy it more. And I did... I am getting better in my backbends. So my primary yesterday was sweet, slow, and this time I was able to focus on my breath. I did supported headstand with blocks.
Later in the evening I kicked up to a 5 seconds handstand and pincha. At night I ended with pigeon pose, reverse pigeon, mermaid, eka pada raja kapotasana, puppy pose, supported backbend, utrasana, and dropback practice.
This morning I did a class with Dharren R, just a 15 minutes wake up class. It had a lot of sweet variation - eagle arms with tree leg, lots of side stretches (reverse warrior seems to be the recurring theme) warrior 1 and 11. Then I continued with stephanie s sweaty flow, which had me in a dolphin side plank variation, which burned my arms more than my core! It was nice, the mermaid pose and spidey were good.
I attempted to try to do Kathryn B super lunge flow but gave up because I was too tired.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Morning Yoga!
Early morning yoga makes me happy and in a good mood.
I realized that I have sort of not become attached to Ashtanga... which is good, in a way, because I know all about repetitive stress injuries. Not to say that Ashtanga gives you injuries, but you can get a little overexcited and overwork your joints. Especially in a practice that is as taxing as ashtanga. I am glad of my decisions to do ashtanga only 3 days a week, 5 max, but 5 is very rare. I like my cozy little ashtanga schedule - either monday wednesday and friday or tuesday thursday and saturday. And in between, I have fun with other types of yoga, my favorites would be a basic hatha, or a vinyasa flow, or restorative and yin! Before 'glow', I used to have my own fun with my own home sequence, taken off yoga journal's home practice. I still treasure them to be honest, and if in a pinch with no internet connection and resources I would turn to the home practices as a guidance.
But with glow now I am having a ball of a time discovering classes and teachers I would never though I'd have access to. Today I did a nice 20 mins sequence of morning yoga with Amy I. Very simple routine, cat and cow, downward dog, one legged downward dog, then with a twist, bow pose, warrior 1, half moon, bound half moon - that got me sweating - pigeon pose and twisted pigeon. It was a very good workout for 20 minutes! I continued with Kathryn B, a 30 minutes flow with reclined hamstring stretches ala ashtanga, with you leg to the side and cross over while the other leg is flat on the floor. Then some thread needle with the thighs, then puppy pose, thread the needle with the shoulders, warrior 1 and warrior 2, triangle pose, and little handstand kicks, which I failed miserably. It then followed with some twisting poses, which felt good.
Love it!! I feel like doing yoga all the time!
I realized that I have sort of not become attached to Ashtanga... which is good, in a way, because I know all about repetitive stress injuries. Not to say that Ashtanga gives you injuries, but you can get a little overexcited and overwork your joints. Especially in a practice that is as taxing as ashtanga. I am glad of my decisions to do ashtanga only 3 days a week, 5 max, but 5 is very rare. I like my cozy little ashtanga schedule - either monday wednesday and friday or tuesday thursday and saturday. And in between, I have fun with other types of yoga, my favorites would be a basic hatha, or a vinyasa flow, or restorative and yin! Before 'glow', I used to have my own fun with my own home sequence, taken off yoga journal's home practice. I still treasure them to be honest, and if in a pinch with no internet connection and resources I would turn to the home practices as a guidance.
But with glow now I am having a ball of a time discovering classes and teachers I would never though I'd have access to. Today I did a nice 20 mins sequence of morning yoga with Amy I. Very simple routine, cat and cow, downward dog, one legged downward dog, then with a twist, bow pose, warrior 1, half moon, bound half moon - that got me sweating - pigeon pose and twisted pigeon. It was a very good workout for 20 minutes! I continued with Kathryn B, a 30 minutes flow with reclined hamstring stretches ala ashtanga, with you leg to the side and cross over while the other leg is flat on the floor. Then some thread needle with the thighs, then puppy pose, thread the needle with the shoulders, warrior 1 and warrior 2, triangle pose, and little handstand kicks, which I failed miserably. It then followed with some twisting poses, which felt good.
Love it!! I feel like doing yoga all the time!
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Crazy weekend classes
It's been one crazy weekend of yoga. I thank my internet connection and the access to many awesome yoga videos.
Saturday morning I did a crazy standing flow class with KB. It was supposed to warm me up, and it did, but it was mild. Lots of warrior one and two, half moon, lunges. I continued with a one hour session with Jo T, who uses the word rhomboid as a key in her class, so I was expecting lots of upper body workout. But it was mostly just forward bend, janu sirsasana, some lunges and sun salutations. It's different, but what I loved the most was the slow gradual buildup to stronger poses. I felt tired, without really sweating much.
Then I decided to go for a yoga class. I expected thst it would be a vinyasa class today but she changes her schedule every first saturday of the month. So it was actually a full primary series led. I was on my period! Did not see this coming. But I ended up doing the whole practice except for the finishing sequence. It was actually awesome, and I was veryyyyyyy tired. I think I might have compromised my chaturranga due to the tiredness and I could feel the front of my shoulders a little bit sore. But what I hate the most about going to a class is how easy my ego gets in the way, especially when I am the most 'advanced' student/ I hate it when that happens. Because it is very hard to keep my mind focused on NOT feeling the ego. This is hard because I came from a background of sports where you should feel your pride and that churns you on. Also I noticed how short I've been holding the poses for. We did the class with david robson's gentle drumbeat and his counting is superlong!! But it works. I feel like I've been cheating on myself a little bit with the short 5 breaths. Need to breathe longer.
Today I woke up to a crazy 30 flow with KB. It has a loooot of lunges, with one leg downward dog and pike (she has us kissing our knees hehe) and crescent pose. The crescent pose was crazy aweosme... and tough. Lifting my whole body up, lifting my chest up, it was all I could do not to explode from the sheer effort of it. Oh I always have a hard time with my upper backbend. It was a very challenging class! It ends with eka pada raja kapotasana, but by that time my psoas were screaming. I did not even remember how my upper body felt like because my hips were on fire.
I finished with a nice 45 minutes of shoulder opening poses with Tiff C, who looks a whole lot like Natalie Portman. She's just too pretty. With her earrings and all. Her shoulder openers were intense, and I couldn't really settle, found myself squirming left and right just to ease of the mild intense sensation on my supraspinatus and infraspinatus, especially when I arranged them in sort of a cacus arm and played with the angle.
Anyway, I'm kinda hooked with how good yoga makes me feel. I'm so glad I got crazy over this.
Saturday morning I did a crazy standing flow class with KB. It was supposed to warm me up, and it did, but it was mild. Lots of warrior one and two, half moon, lunges. I continued with a one hour session with Jo T, who uses the word rhomboid as a key in her class, so I was expecting lots of upper body workout. But it was mostly just forward bend, janu sirsasana, some lunges and sun salutations. It's different, but what I loved the most was the slow gradual buildup to stronger poses. I felt tired, without really sweating much.
Then I decided to go for a yoga class. I expected thst it would be a vinyasa class today but she changes her schedule every first saturday of the month. So it was actually a full primary series led. I was on my period! Did not see this coming. But I ended up doing the whole practice except for the finishing sequence. It was actually awesome, and I was veryyyyyyy tired. I think I might have compromised my chaturranga due to the tiredness and I could feel the front of my shoulders a little bit sore. But what I hate the most about going to a class is how easy my ego gets in the way, especially when I am the most 'advanced' student/ I hate it when that happens. Because it is very hard to keep my mind focused on NOT feeling the ego. This is hard because I came from a background of sports where you should feel your pride and that churns you on. Also I noticed how short I've been holding the poses for. We did the class with david robson's gentle drumbeat and his counting is superlong!! But it works. I feel like I've been cheating on myself a little bit with the short 5 breaths. Need to breathe longer.
Today I woke up to a crazy 30 flow with KB. It has a loooot of lunges, with one leg downward dog and pike (she has us kissing our knees hehe) and crescent pose. The crescent pose was crazy aweosme... and tough. Lifting my whole body up, lifting my chest up, it was all I could do not to explode from the sheer effort of it. Oh I always have a hard time with my upper backbend. It was a very challenging class! It ends with eka pada raja kapotasana, but by that time my psoas were screaming. I did not even remember how my upper body felt like because my hips were on fire.
I finished with a nice 45 minutes of shoulder opening poses with Tiff C, who looks a whole lot like Natalie Portman. She's just too pretty. With her earrings and all. Her shoulder openers were intense, and I couldn't really settle, found myself squirming left and right just to ease of the mild intense sensation on my supraspinatus and infraspinatus, especially when I arranged them in sort of a cacus arm and played with the angle.
Anyway, I'm kinda hooked with how good yoga makes me feel. I'm so glad I got crazy over this.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Scattered Mind
I noticed that my home practice has been a little bit scattering. I used to practice with complete focus on my breathing, and which legs to cross behind and jump back, etc. But now my attention and focus are everywhere. I would even stop to check my phone! I do not know why this happens. The quality of my practice still is satisfactory, I feel like my urdvha Dhanurasana is improving day by day, but I feel like now it's more of a physical practice than also a mental one. It used to be totally emotional for me as well, and sometimes I could feel my mind tuning out to the rest of the world and concentrating only the sound of my breathing. I lost that...
Improvements: WAY BETTER chaturranga, and to my pleasure utthita Hasta Padangustasana has improved SO MUCH, thanks to la ruga's teaching. I am able to bring my feet up to my nose at all three poses. It also feels easier to stand and balance.
My Mary D feels tighter on my right than my left. And my Urdvha Pindasana is also better... I can balance on my shoulders only now, but my arms are not straight yet.
Love the practice today nevertheless.
Improvements: WAY BETTER chaturranga, and to my pleasure utthita Hasta Padangustasana has improved SO MUCH, thanks to la ruga's teaching. I am able to bring my feet up to my nose at all three poses. It also feels easier to stand and balance.
My Mary D feels tighter on my right than my left. And my Urdvha Pindasana is also better... I can balance on my shoulders only now, but my arms are not straight yet.
Love the practice today nevertheless.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
emotional hatha
Last Saturday I went for 2 classes. The first was a gentle hatha class that incorporates breathing, gentle stretching exercises and tons of intention settings and self affirmations. I was in an upset mode when I arrived; and the teacher's gentle undulating voice and tone and made me feel like the sadness was washing all over me like waves and water. There is nothing I can do but except that this is what is happening in my life. I have to acknowledge this sadness, and think on how I want to deal with this. I need to evaluate why this upsets me so much. The asanas were simple; table, purvottasana, gentle downward dog against the wall. She had me in an assisted handstand. But at the end it was just sitting against the wall and it went for long minutes and I just felt sad, so sad. I felt like crying.
The second class was fun. As usual it was Birds of Paradise and Reverse Birds of Paradise, which I love! Love it as much as Half Moon Pose. I love the balancing aspect of it. I noticed how much better I am at standing and balancing pose, that even when I stumble my foot manages to root my whole self steadily again. The triple chaturanggas dont even hurt at all now, and it feels so easy to do!
I also did eka raja pada kapotasana! my other hand barely managed to grasp my foot but it held... even for a few seconds. You need to have a really warmed up back for this. We started with mermaid's pose. I could do tripod but not the headstand variation.
I woke up today with my whole body aching. My uppder back!! and butt and abs. Ohh the agony... the pleasure.
The second class was fun. As usual it was Birds of Paradise and Reverse Birds of Paradise, which I love! Love it as much as Half Moon Pose. I love the balancing aspect of it. I noticed how much better I am at standing and balancing pose, that even when I stumble my foot manages to root my whole self steadily again. The triple chaturanggas dont even hurt at all now, and it feels so easy to do!
I also did eka raja pada kapotasana! my other hand barely managed to grasp my foot but it held... even for a few seconds. You need to have a really warmed up back for this. We started with mermaid's pose. I could do tripod but not the headstand variation.
I woke up today with my whole body aching. My uppder back!! and butt and abs. Ohh the agony... the pleasure.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Happy Baby
I skipped Wednesday practice because I came back home late and had to go to work early. No way out for me.
Last week I was dedicated. And it felt good. This week, I did only Monday and this morning. But this morning's practice was good. A little bit scattered... I noticed my focus and attention weren't really 100% good, at some parts my attention waned, my mind wandered off. It was obvious when I did Garbha Pindasana, the rolls weren't flowing as freely as it often did. My breathing wasn't really ujayyi at certain times. I found myself working through my inner turmoils, letting my mind wander to certain circles of issues I do not allow myself to think about on normal days, normal hours. Right then in the practice they resurfaced. Little things, random things too, popped through my awareness, saying their hellos.
I enjoyed the practice nevertheless. Would have loved to have a longer Urdhva dhanurasana but it was good enough.
I have missed doing classes online! Can't wait to get the connection for it.
My Chaturanga 'shoulder's don't even feel sore AT ALL anymore. It's like, why were they ever hurting again?? I feel like the problems of sore shoulder were in a distant past. I do though, still keep an eye on my lowering of the body just so it doesn't dip any lower than it should. I am also trying to make my shoulders move down and away from the ears when I dip. I do not know whether I do that but sometimes I have sore neck and I wonder maybe I've been hunching them involuntarily.
I am grateful for today's practice.
Last week I was dedicated. And it felt good. This week, I did only Monday and this morning. But this morning's practice was good. A little bit scattered... I noticed my focus and attention weren't really 100% good, at some parts my attention waned, my mind wandered off. It was obvious when I did Garbha Pindasana, the rolls weren't flowing as freely as it often did. My breathing wasn't really ujayyi at certain times. I found myself working through my inner turmoils, letting my mind wander to certain circles of issues I do not allow myself to think about on normal days, normal hours. Right then in the practice they resurfaced. Little things, random things too, popped through my awareness, saying their hellos.
I enjoyed the practice nevertheless. Would have loved to have a longer Urdhva dhanurasana but it was good enough.
I have missed doing classes online! Can't wait to get the connection for it.
My Chaturanga 'shoulder's don't even feel sore AT ALL anymore. It's like, why were they ever hurting again?? I feel like the problems of sore shoulder were in a distant past. I do though, still keep an eye on my lowering of the body just so it doesn't dip any lower than it should. I am also trying to make my shoulders move down and away from the ears when I dip. I do not know whether I do that but sometimes I have sore neck and I wonder maybe I've been hunching them involuntarily.
I am grateful for today's practice.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Pain free Chaturanga
Progress on yoga has been slow, but steady.
Have I mentioned the breakthrough I made based on last Friday's primary practice? I was reading up on the proper chaturanga alignment because my shoulders were killing me and I could sense the rate of degradation they are facing. So with the help of several googled articles and yoga journal's invaluable alignment articles, I learned how to really set my body up for chaturangga. Of course, Im no yoga teacher, therefore might need proper tweaks to make it 'perfect'.
But, the MOST OBVIOUS sign that I am doing chaturanga better is that the front of my shoulders do not hurt anymore! What an amazing discovery. Ever since I started ashtanga yoga the front of my shoulders have been taking the brunt. And it's amazing that I keep abusing it week after week and not really give a damn, or not caring enough to do something about it. I have read that if you activate the right chaturanga muscles, the front of your shoulders shouldn't hurt, while your serratus anterior and all the back muscles would feel it.
Friday I was adamant to work on my chaturanga. And what I realized that all these while, even though I am aware I should NOT do it, I was lowering my shoulders below my elbow, making the angle to be less of 90 degrees as chaturanga envisions us to be. I am suprised when I finally figured it out as I always thought my shoulder don't dip but I still feel it in my shoulders the very next day. But that Friday I was surprised to find out that I have been going down lower than I should be. And for the whole primary series I spent my chaturanga looking either to my right or left shoulder to make sure it is not going down below my elbow.
And the next day - my upper back hurts! Well, good sore, but still. It literally means i've been activating them as I should. There is no soreness on my shoulders, which feels amazing! And it ONLY took me a year to figure this out -___-.
Sunday was spent anchoring my proper chaturanga alignment, sort of imprinting the muscle memory. I admit it is hard work, making me dread the vinyasas a little bit more, but that's the beauty of primary series. I find that suffering or working through difficulties of a pose to get it right makes it so much easier and better. I remember when chaturanga with my knees off were horrible.
Hatha today!
Have I mentioned the breakthrough I made based on last Friday's primary practice? I was reading up on the proper chaturanga alignment because my shoulders were killing me and I could sense the rate of degradation they are facing. So with the help of several googled articles and yoga journal's invaluable alignment articles, I learned how to really set my body up for chaturangga. Of course, Im no yoga teacher, therefore might need proper tweaks to make it 'perfect'.
But, the MOST OBVIOUS sign that I am doing chaturanga better is that the front of my shoulders do not hurt anymore! What an amazing discovery. Ever since I started ashtanga yoga the front of my shoulders have been taking the brunt. And it's amazing that I keep abusing it week after week and not really give a damn, or not caring enough to do something about it. I have read that if you activate the right chaturanga muscles, the front of your shoulders shouldn't hurt, while your serratus anterior and all the back muscles would feel it.
Friday I was adamant to work on my chaturanga. And what I realized that all these while, even though I am aware I should NOT do it, I was lowering my shoulders below my elbow, making the angle to be less of 90 degrees as chaturanga envisions us to be. I am suprised when I finally figured it out as I always thought my shoulder don't dip but I still feel it in my shoulders the very next day. But that Friday I was surprised to find out that I have been going down lower than I should be. And for the whole primary series I spent my chaturanga looking either to my right or left shoulder to make sure it is not going down below my elbow.
And the next day - my upper back hurts! Well, good sore, but still. It literally means i've been activating them as I should. There is no soreness on my shoulders, which feels amazing! And it ONLY took me a year to figure this out -___-.
Sunday was spent anchoring my proper chaturanga alignment, sort of imprinting the muscle memory. I admit it is hard work, making me dread the vinyasas a little bit more, but that's the beauty of primary series. I find that suffering or working through difficulties of a pose to get it right makes it so much easier and better. I remember when chaturanga with my knees off were horrible.
Hatha today!
Thursday, September 13, 2012
neck pain - again
I feel great this morning.
Went for a warm up run of 1.5km, just to heat my body up. And then ASHTANGA!
It was good, except my neck feels weird. Serves me right for overriding my HUMILITY and letting EGO took over. I did unsupported headstands yesterday night and after 4 tries my neck started to take the heat. And right now all I feel is pain and pain going down my left neck and shoulder.
When will I ever learn? I CAN NEVER DO HEADSTANDS anymore. I need to be okay with just pincha and handstands as my inversion.
Anyway, this was a normal, not deeply rooted practice. I guess this is more for routine and habit than feeling.
Went for a warm up run of 1.5km, just to heat my body up. And then ASHTANGA!
It was good, except my neck feels weird. Serves me right for overriding my HUMILITY and letting EGO took over. I did unsupported headstands yesterday night and after 4 tries my neck started to take the heat. And right now all I feel is pain and pain going down my left neck and shoulder.
When will I ever learn? I CAN NEVER DO HEADSTANDS anymore. I need to be okay with just pincha and handstands as my inversion.
Anyway, this was a normal, not deeply rooted practice. I guess this is more for routine and habit than feeling.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Intro to Home Practice
I want to talk about my home practice.
I can't remember why I felt like starting a home practice, but I remember feeling like I must. I've just started ashtanga, and loving it, and then my teacher dropped the news that she's taking a months off to travel. Naturally I was devastated. After ashtanga I've sort of stopped my other exercises - running, swimming and cycling - and they couldn't really compare to the feeling I feel everytime I practice. At that time I was somewhat in between memorizing the poses, still had to refer. In a whim I bought a cheap intro to ashtanga book that I love until NOW to sort of guide me into doing a home practice. The rest is history.
I guess the reason it was easy for me to start - and sustain - the home practice is because I'm really anal about my work outs. I lead a tightly disciplined view in keeping my workout. I used to have a workout schedule and would slot in 'missed' running days or cycling hours. The discipline wasn't really hard for me, in fact, I have to do the opposite to try not to let myself get too attached to the whole 'practice' of the physical yoga. So motivation wasn't really hard.
The next is passion. When I discovered ashtanga, or just yoga in particular, I fell hard. I love how it connects both body, mind and soul, and also it teaches me a lot on alignment, body anatomy, and just how your body works in general. I love how on days when your mind is scattered your balance poses are off. I also love the non-attachment behind yoga. I love the discipline, the humility. It was all so different from the show-off attitude you must have in the sport of triathlons.
The area where I practice is at the space on the second floor where the computer is at. It's a tiny space, with a sofa against the wall, but it was goood enough. For poses like Supta Padanghustasana and its sidekicks I have to scoot left and right to give space to my descending leg. But other than that it was a good place to practice. It's always warm so the humidity gives me a good sweating. The only thing lacking was wall space but I managed to find a tiny area where I could practice my headstands, pincha and handstands in peace.
For props I just bought 3 blocks. I used pillows as bolsters and the computer chair when needed. Straps were pretty easy - towels or belts.
My practice is usually done every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I keep Tuesday and Thursdays for my normal Hatha practice... usually poses I love and would try to master, backbends, mostly restorative stuff. Right now it's a bit mixed up with the schedule but I try not to be to crazy about it.
The best thing about a home practice is that it's my time. My space, my practice. I don't have to care about anyone else or worry. I also do not have the ugly tendency to show off, which I absolutely hate but still get the feeling of anyway. If I had a good practice the pride is all mine and I keep it to myself. It's different when I do a mysore and I get caught up with what the others are doing or feel chuffed that my twist is deeper than others. It is an unsettling feeling.
I also love the fact that I could sometimes practice wearing nothing but my underwear on. :)
That being said, there's also the beautiful thing about mysore style practice. The 6 days I did with the visiting teacher in fact, taught me a LOT. Really changed and improved my practice. I nailed certain poses I never had the guts to try, I learned new stuff, and implemented some tips and tricks to my practice. When she left I was a little bit blue.
Well that was lengthy wasn't it. I guess I always wanted to document the start of my journey into ashtanga but never got the time. Well. glad I had time.
I can't remember why I felt like starting a home practice, but I remember feeling like I must. I've just started ashtanga, and loving it, and then my teacher dropped the news that she's taking a months off to travel. Naturally I was devastated. After ashtanga I've sort of stopped my other exercises - running, swimming and cycling - and they couldn't really compare to the feeling I feel everytime I practice. At that time I was somewhat in between memorizing the poses, still had to refer. In a whim I bought a cheap intro to ashtanga book that I love until NOW to sort of guide me into doing a home practice. The rest is history.
I guess the reason it was easy for me to start - and sustain - the home practice is because I'm really anal about my work outs. I lead a tightly disciplined view in keeping my workout. I used to have a workout schedule and would slot in 'missed' running days or cycling hours. The discipline wasn't really hard for me, in fact, I have to do the opposite to try not to let myself get too attached to the whole 'practice' of the physical yoga. So motivation wasn't really hard.
The next is passion. When I discovered ashtanga, or just yoga in particular, I fell hard. I love how it connects both body, mind and soul, and also it teaches me a lot on alignment, body anatomy, and just how your body works in general. I love how on days when your mind is scattered your balance poses are off. I also love the non-attachment behind yoga. I love the discipline, the humility. It was all so different from the show-off attitude you must have in the sport of triathlons.
The area where I practice is at the space on the second floor where the computer is at. It's a tiny space, with a sofa against the wall, but it was goood enough. For poses like Supta Padanghustasana and its sidekicks I have to scoot left and right to give space to my descending leg. But other than that it was a good place to practice. It's always warm so the humidity gives me a good sweating. The only thing lacking was wall space but I managed to find a tiny area where I could practice my headstands, pincha and handstands in peace.
For props I just bought 3 blocks. I used pillows as bolsters and the computer chair when needed. Straps were pretty easy - towels or belts.
My practice is usually done every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I keep Tuesday and Thursdays for my normal Hatha practice... usually poses I love and would try to master, backbends, mostly restorative stuff. Right now it's a bit mixed up with the schedule but I try not to be to crazy about it.
The best thing about a home practice is that it's my time. My space, my practice. I don't have to care about anyone else or worry. I also do not have the ugly tendency to show off, which I absolutely hate but still get the feeling of anyway. If I had a good practice the pride is all mine and I keep it to myself. It's different when I do a mysore and I get caught up with what the others are doing or feel chuffed that my twist is deeper than others. It is an unsettling feeling.
I also love the fact that I could sometimes practice wearing nothing but my underwear on. :)
That being said, there's also the beautiful thing about mysore style practice. The 6 days I did with the visiting teacher in fact, taught me a LOT. Really changed and improved my practice. I nailed certain poses I never had the guts to try, I learned new stuff, and implemented some tips and tricks to my practice. When she left I was a little bit blue.
Well that was lengthy wasn't it. I guess I always wanted to document the start of my journey into ashtanga but never got the time. Well. glad I had time.
home pracice
I did something I've never done before: pummeled and ploughed my way through an ashtanga practice.
I did it in 60 minutes. Started at 615, and finished at exactly 715... after shavasana.
I just knew it, KNEW it, that I needed the practice. And time was running out, but I was adamant. I want to do a full practice, even with the vinyasa. and the only way I knew how without compromising the integrity of the practice is to do it in a non-stop flowy way, without taking the time to move slowly and enjoying the transition. Oh I still enjoy the whole practice. In fact, the ujjayi breathing was still present, and drishti were 60% there. But it was just so good for my body and mind.
I thought I was pregnant. But I don't know. Hope is still there but it might not be. So without really putting much thought into it I did the full primary even with the unmodified marichyasana series. The practice a few days back I was doing the modified mary series - Mary C and D the opposite way.
It was good, and I enjoyed the practice... tiring but it was because I was pushing it. My bhuja still sucks. Need to get back into the early morning post.
I did it in 60 minutes. Started at 615, and finished at exactly 715... after shavasana.
I just knew it, KNEW it, that I needed the practice. And time was running out, but I was adamant. I want to do a full practice, even with the vinyasa. and the only way I knew how without compromising the integrity of the practice is to do it in a non-stop flowy way, without taking the time to move slowly and enjoying the transition. Oh I still enjoy the whole practice. In fact, the ujjayi breathing was still present, and drishti were 60% there. But it was just so good for my body and mind.
I thought I was pregnant. But I don't know. Hope is still there but it might not be. So without really putting much thought into it I did the full primary even with the unmodified marichyasana series. The practice a few days back I was doing the modified mary series - Mary C and D the opposite way.
It was good, and I enjoyed the practice... tiring but it was because I was pushing it. My bhuja still sucks. Need to get back into the early morning post.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Teachers
I love yogaglow.
I do not know how else to say this but to really really feel grateful that I signed up for it. I knew from a start that I love the freedom of home practice. Which is why I took to ashtanga the way I did. Once you got the sequence memorized, you do not have to worry about anything else. And it's a good thing that I am a stickler to alignment and I love reading on basics and proper anatomy usage to really make sure that the poses I do are safe.
Prior to the website, I have been enjoying my own home practice - using the much appreciated yogajournal home practice. It was good enough for me, and most of the times I ended up adding my own poses that I seem fit to be included in the flow.
this website just made it easier. And it just strengthened my resolve. Sometimes I give up a little tad to early in holding a pose, but when you have a teacher egging you on or encouraging you to just hold a little bit, you do. Like today's 90 vinyasa flow class I took with amy ippoliti, about chest openers and being happy. She did a killer sequence of urdvha dhanurasana, which we have to hold for 30 seconds. I've never held for that long before. and 3 times! I was figuring out how to last for the last time until she said, "when you're in the pose and you feel like you can't hold it anymore and need to go down, that is the time for you to take a deep breath and hold on to many 3 more breaths. This is to let you know that you can persevere through hard times." That was a good thing. That is actually the essence of my journey of exercising and 'training', be it running, cycling and swimming. I think that's why I totally love solo sport - because the only real opponent if yourself. And if you can conquer it, then maybe, perhaps, your determination in life just got a little bit steelier. I always go back to the toughest times of when I don't give up to pull me through a current tough crisis - mentally, emotionally, and especially physically - that I am plowing through.
So after that amy class I moved on to tiffany crushank's leg sequence, but eventhough its only 30 minutes I was tired halfway so I stopped. It's a good energizing sequence for sore legs. I did kathryn budig's shoulder stretcher and oh my god... my sore shoulders diminished. Even before the session is over I was freaking out inside on how much my shoulders don't feel sore anymore.
I finished the session with a 7 second handstand x2, a 7 seconds pincha and a melted leg pincha, with a headstand with blocks. Felt good.
Love it.
Yesteday's ashtanga ended after Bandha konasana because I was too damn tired... and apparently it was because of the full moon. I thought I was pregnant. hahah.
I do not know how else to say this but to really really feel grateful that I signed up for it. I knew from a start that I love the freedom of home practice. Which is why I took to ashtanga the way I did. Once you got the sequence memorized, you do not have to worry about anything else. And it's a good thing that I am a stickler to alignment and I love reading on basics and proper anatomy usage to really make sure that the poses I do are safe.
Prior to the website, I have been enjoying my own home practice - using the much appreciated yogajournal home practice. It was good enough for me, and most of the times I ended up adding my own poses that I seem fit to be included in the flow.
this website just made it easier. And it just strengthened my resolve. Sometimes I give up a little tad to early in holding a pose, but when you have a teacher egging you on or encouraging you to just hold a little bit, you do. Like today's 90 vinyasa flow class I took with amy ippoliti, about chest openers and being happy. She did a killer sequence of urdvha dhanurasana, which we have to hold for 30 seconds. I've never held for that long before. and 3 times! I was figuring out how to last for the last time until she said, "when you're in the pose and you feel like you can't hold it anymore and need to go down, that is the time for you to take a deep breath and hold on to many 3 more breaths. This is to let you know that you can persevere through hard times." That was a good thing. That is actually the essence of my journey of exercising and 'training', be it running, cycling and swimming. I think that's why I totally love solo sport - because the only real opponent if yourself. And if you can conquer it, then maybe, perhaps, your determination in life just got a little bit steelier. I always go back to the toughest times of when I don't give up to pull me through a current tough crisis - mentally, emotionally, and especially physically - that I am plowing through.
So after that amy class I moved on to tiffany crushank's leg sequence, but eventhough its only 30 minutes I was tired halfway so I stopped. It's a good energizing sequence for sore legs. I did kathryn budig's shoulder stretcher and oh my god... my sore shoulders diminished. Even before the session is over I was freaking out inside on how much my shoulders don't feel sore anymore.
I finished the session with a 7 second handstand x2, a 7 seconds pincha and a melted leg pincha, with a headstand with blocks. Felt good.
Love it.
Yesteday's ashtanga ended after Bandha konasana because I was too damn tired... and apparently it was because of the full moon. I thought I was pregnant. hahah.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Impromptu
Love it when I have an unexpected practice.
I am fasting today, but knew that I wanted to do some yoga. I just felt like it. Ashtanga was scheduled today, but my heart wasn't in it. So I logged on to yogaglo and did a 30 minute practice with elena brower which worked on the shoulders and legs. It was a slow practice which was topped off with an arm balancing - the side plank thing in third series ashtanga - that really made the practice worth it. Then I continued with Kathryn Budig's restorative class wich had a lot of laying on the bolster and ended with a refreshing supta bandha konasana and I felt so good. I continued with some of my own chest openers using the blocks and the chair which really worked my upper body.
then I did my sequence of low lunge, high lunge, warrior 1, warrior 2 and 3 then half moon, bound half moon and then reverse half moon, lizard pose then pigeon. I also did 2 rounds of handstand, the last counting up to 7 seconds. I did 2 rounds of pincha, the last counting up to 7 seconds as well, and supported headstand, for as long as I could stand. I want to make this my daily practice.
Then I moved on to sphinx, baby cobra, cobra, salambasana, bow pose, bridge, urdvha dhanurasana twice, then camel post. I love my camel pose now. Love it. Then the usual bandha konasana and the wide legged forward bend before a savasana.
I love it when I work with my body, following what it feels like having instead of forcing it to do just this. Strangely enough... my heart's kinda feel like its not into ashtanga for the moment. I don't know if it's the fact that I'm trying to conceive, or the fact that maybe I am already pregnant, or just that I'm fasting, but the thought of doing the repetitions just don't make me feel excited anymore. I still do want to practice ashtanga even throughout my pregnancy so I can't really make it stop. But I am also finding it beautiful to do poses that my body needs.
Love it today.
workshopp
It's been a week after eid, and surprisingly enough my practice during the ramadhan has been great. Pretty consistent. I lost count a couple of practice days so I'm not even going to put them here.
I want to talk about the amazing arm balance and backbending workshop I attended during the weekend. the first day was backbend which I was really looking forward to.
we warmed up with a variation of the surya namaskar, which got me all hot and sweaty. Then we procedeed with backbends. we did the sphinx, the salambasana, the bow pose, and then we moved to the padangustha versions - which really worked my shoulder cause they are so tight. I loved working on that. I did it with straps cause my feet got really sweaty. But my shoulder really felt it. then variation of eka pada raja kapotasana. Then we did the uttrasana, then the second series backbending leading up to kapotasana. I could feel my body or rather back getting better, as in, there wasn't much complaining felt from the lower back region.
When we moved to wheel we were playing into the pose for a while that my back started getting intense. We then moved to dropback and this was where I struggled. The front of my body kept on shaking so hard when I tried to lift up my arms and bend backwards. It's a struggle I have to keep practising with.
The next day was arm balances, which I have a little bit more confidence in. It was good we did the bakasana, titibasana, the grasshopper (which I nailed!!) the eagle one legged pose, the astravasana, the parsva bakasana etc. I enjoyed this class.
I want to talk about the amazing arm balance and backbending workshop I attended during the weekend. the first day was backbend which I was really looking forward to.
we warmed up with a variation of the surya namaskar, which got me all hot and sweaty. Then we procedeed with backbends. we did the sphinx, the salambasana, the bow pose, and then we moved to the padangustha versions - which really worked my shoulder cause they are so tight. I loved working on that. I did it with straps cause my feet got really sweaty. But my shoulder really felt it. then variation of eka pada raja kapotasana. Then we did the uttrasana, then the second series backbending leading up to kapotasana. I could feel my body or rather back getting better, as in, there wasn't much complaining felt from the lower back region.
When we moved to wheel we were playing into the pose for a while that my back started getting intense. We then moved to dropback and this was where I struggled. The front of my body kept on shaking so hard when I tried to lift up my arms and bend backwards. It's a struggle I have to keep practising with.
The next day was arm balances, which I have a little bit more confidence in. It was good we did the bakasana, titibasana, the grasshopper (which I nailed!!) the eagle one legged pose, the astravasana, the parsva bakasana etc. I enjoyed this class.
Monday, August 13, 2012
online class
Sunday:
Full Primary, with 4 solid urdvha dhanurasana. It felt good. I enjoyed it. I felt really sick and lethargic and weak the first few sitting poses and considered stopping until janu sirsasana but I told myself to take my time and go it slowly. and I did it. It was well worth the practice.
Monday:
Took an online class with steven espinosa a simple hatha class which worked on my legs a lot. He does a lot of high lunges and warrior one and two. My favorite is the one legged downward dog with the leg bent to the other side and you're sort of doing a backbend. The side plank was challenging, and I love the bridge at the end.
Tuesday: I plan to do primary series today.
Full Primary, with 4 solid urdvha dhanurasana. It felt good. I enjoyed it. I felt really sick and lethargic and weak the first few sitting poses and considered stopping until janu sirsasana but I told myself to take my time and go it slowly. and I did it. It was well worth the practice.
Monday:
Took an online class with steven espinosa a simple hatha class which worked on my legs a lot. He does a lot of high lunges and warrior one and two. My favorite is the one legged downward dog with the leg bent to the other side and you're sort of doing a backbend. The side plank was challenging, and I love the bridge at the end.
Tuesday: I plan to do primary series today.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Pre Iftar primary
Yesterday was a good Primary - because I finished it in one session, even with Savasana, although that Savasana was only for 5 mins.
I started at 6 and finished at 725. Perfect timing for iftar.
Not too tired or thirsty or drained, but I felt strong instead. Excited to do this. However halfway through Janu Sirsasana I was thinking how nice if I was at the finishing postures right now.
Things that baffles me: my chaturranga. Ever since I figured out how to 'round my upper back' I worried that maybe I've been coming down to chaturranga in a pike position - that is, butt high in the air. When i consciously lowered my hip my upper back automatically collapsed, even if I tried it with all my might to round it. I guess the strength isnt there yet. Need to work on it. Otherwise things felt good, no hiccups, still working on the Chakrasana, and the Urdhva Padmasana, the latter I am not that bothered. Come to think of it, even if I never nailed Chakrasana I think I would be ok. It will come and if it doesn't yoga is not just asanas.
Registered for yogaglo. yay!!
I started at 6 and finished at 725. Perfect timing for iftar.
Not too tired or thirsty or drained, but I felt strong instead. Excited to do this. However halfway through Janu Sirsasana I was thinking how nice if I was at the finishing postures right now.
Things that baffles me: my chaturranga. Ever since I figured out how to 'round my upper back' I worried that maybe I've been coming down to chaturranga in a pike position - that is, butt high in the air. When i consciously lowered my hip my upper back automatically collapsed, even if I tried it with all my might to round it. I guess the strength isnt there yet. Need to work on it. Otherwise things felt good, no hiccups, still working on the Chakrasana, and the Urdhva Padmasana, the latter I am not that bothered. Come to think of it, even if I never nailed Chakrasana I think I would be ok. It will come and if it doesn't yoga is not just asanas.
Registered for yogaglo. yay!!
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Tuesdayy
Simple and easy yoga session yesterday:
1) core salutations warmup
main set:
- downward dog
- warrior 1
- warrior 2
- downward dog
- garudasana
- high lunge
- warrior three with eagle arm
- half moon pose
- standing split
- reversed half moon
- utkatasana
- squat pose
- bakasana
- chaturangga dandasana
- downward dog
Then I did backbends sequence. Camel pose growing beautifully!
1) core salutations warmup
main set:
- downward dog
- warrior 1
- warrior 2
- downward dog
- garudasana
- high lunge
- warrior three with eagle arm
- half moon pose
- standing split
- reversed half moon
- utkatasana
- squat pose
- bakasana
- chaturangga dandasana
- downward dog
Then I did backbends sequence. Camel pose growing beautifully!
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Backbend
Yesterday I worked with my backbends.
Warmed up with core salutations.
Then did the strength and grace sequence:
utkatasana,
standing forward bend,
high lunge,
downward dog,
and forearm plank,
each for 15 steady breaths
then
locust
bow
headstand (in lieu for the tripod headstand)
ends in balasana
Then I worked on the sequence with high lunge variation, eka pada raja kapotasana variation (this one really pulled my quads) and then a while on the pincha mayurasana variation, where you're supposed to melt your whole legs on the wall.
I thought it would be easy, but it is hard! First of all I had a hard time figuring out which way was up and down. And then trying to get my butt there was the problem, either my lower back or my shoulders aren't open enough. But I managed after the third try... just lightly grazing my butt on the wall. This pose definitely going to be one of my favorites to work on.
Then the urdhva dhanurasana against the wall. Melting my heart to the wall isn't easy, could feel the lower back responding to the gentle squeeze.
Then I did the normal backbend sequence: sphinx, cobra, locust, bow and my favorite - camel.
This time my camel were nice. I practiced really lifting my heart up and trusting my lower back could take it and FELT the difference. No intense feeling, just nice uplifting sensation. Lifting up I tried engaging my lower back and butt to pull me up and it worked! Definitely going to try this from now on, to strengthen my back and work on dropback.
Loved the session yesterday :)
Warmed up with core salutations.
Then did the strength and grace sequence:
utkatasana,
standing forward bend,
high lunge,
downward dog,
and forearm plank,
each for 15 steady breaths
then
locust
bow
headstand (in lieu for the tripod headstand)
ends in balasana
Then I worked on the sequence with high lunge variation, eka pada raja kapotasana variation (this one really pulled my quads) and then a while on the pincha mayurasana variation, where you're supposed to melt your whole legs on the wall.
I thought it would be easy, but it is hard! First of all I had a hard time figuring out which way was up and down. And then trying to get my butt there was the problem, either my lower back or my shoulders aren't open enough. But I managed after the third try... just lightly grazing my butt on the wall. This pose definitely going to be one of my favorites to work on.
Then the urdhva dhanurasana against the wall. Melting my heart to the wall isn't easy, could feel the lower back responding to the gentle squeeze.
Then I did the normal backbend sequence: sphinx, cobra, locust, bow and my favorite - camel.
This time my camel were nice. I practiced really lifting my heart up and trusting my lower back could take it and FELT the difference. No intense feeling, just nice uplifting sensation. Lifting up I tried engaging my lower back and butt to pull me up and it worked! Definitely going to try this from now on, to strengthen my back and work on dropback.
Loved the session yesterday :)
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
second series
yesterday's led was a surprise: teacher decided maybe we should do 2nd series.
It was crazy. I wasn't really up for it because I know my backbend sucks and I have this crazy fear or snapping them backwards. Plus I was really looking forward for a nice practice with the primary. But well, since it was a major consensus...
It started out ok. Passasana (however you spell it) was fine, except that I cramped a little at the deeper region of my thigh. Krounchasana was ok, but I couldn't get my leg up close to my face without compromising my back. The bows and the locust was okay, and then came the kapotasana - the first time I tried it, I couldn't even land my arms on the floor because my lower back was feeling all kinds of intense. Then my teacher suggested we tried again, and this time i managed to find the floor, but the intense feeling in my lower back just scared the shit out of me. I flailed wildly to be pulled up.
I feel better when doing the LBH sequence.
I'm frustrated at how bad my body is taking to the backbend but grateful for the slow advancement of it at the same time. It's not as stiff as it was before, thats for sure, but definitely I have a long way to go before I could manage a decent dropback or a kapotasana without the intense feeling in my lower back accompanied by the paralyzing fear in my head. My teacher sad that my progress in doing backbends have something to do with maybe fear... or anger. I have no idea how to interpret that. Could it be true? I somehow refuse to believe that your body mourns the same like your heart. But so many acient yoga texts say the same thing. Maybe there is truth in it. Maybe this is why the acupunturist said that I am crazy. All the energy blockages, the crazy chi readings...
well. Allah swt knows best.
It was crazy. I wasn't really up for it because I know my backbend sucks and I have this crazy fear or snapping them backwards. Plus I was really looking forward for a nice practice with the primary. But well, since it was a major consensus...
It started out ok. Passasana (however you spell it) was fine, except that I cramped a little at the deeper region of my thigh. Krounchasana was ok, but I couldn't get my leg up close to my face without compromising my back. The bows and the locust was okay, and then came the kapotasana - the first time I tried it, I couldn't even land my arms on the floor because my lower back was feeling all kinds of intense. Then my teacher suggested we tried again, and this time i managed to find the floor, but the intense feeling in my lower back just scared the shit out of me. I flailed wildly to be pulled up.
I feel better when doing the LBH sequence.
I'm frustrated at how bad my body is taking to the backbend but grateful for the slow advancement of it at the same time. It's not as stiff as it was before, thats for sure, but definitely I have a long way to go before I could manage a decent dropback or a kapotasana without the intense feeling in my lower back accompanied by the paralyzing fear in my head. My teacher sad that my progress in doing backbends have something to do with maybe fear... or anger. I have no idea how to interpret that. Could it be true? I somehow refuse to believe that your body mourns the same like your heart. But so many acient yoga texts say the same thing. Maybe there is truth in it. Maybe this is why the acupunturist said that I am crazy. All the energy blockages, the crazy chi readings...
well. Allah swt knows best.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Split wednesday!
Quirky practice yesterday.
I knew I wouldn't have enough time to squeeze in a full practice in one go, so I did what I had to do: split them.
I did the surya namaskar and standing poses before iftar, went to the shop did my stuff and then came back and continued with the sitting and finishing poses afterwards. It was more relaxing and definitely not pressurizing for me. The standing poses felt magical! I didnt really sweat but it was a good workout! I love it when your breath and your focus and movement go together. My uthitta hasta pandangustasana felt steady and balanced, and I could lift my legs up to my knee now.
sitting poses as usual, my jump thorugh and jump back has somewhat improved maybe 2 percent, but it was significant to me. I am now working on doing the full supta kurmaasana complete with the correct vinyasa getting out of it. Also with garbha, although my arms would be tired. I am also practicing to straighten my legs in navasana, no easy feat I tell you!
It was a well deserved shavasana.
Tuesday:
I did a normal sequence of bound lunge, triangle pose, reverse triangle, locust, warrior three reverse half moon. I also did the core strengthening exercises - the side plank and jumping from bakasana as taught by kino. and I practiced on my side crow - getting there! hehe. alhamdulillah!
I knew I wouldn't have enough time to squeeze in a full practice in one go, so I did what I had to do: split them.
I did the surya namaskar and standing poses before iftar, went to the shop did my stuff and then came back and continued with the sitting and finishing poses afterwards. It was more relaxing and definitely not pressurizing for me. The standing poses felt magical! I didnt really sweat but it was a good workout! I love it when your breath and your focus and movement go together. My uthitta hasta pandangustasana felt steady and balanced, and I could lift my legs up to my knee now.
sitting poses as usual, my jump thorugh and jump back has somewhat improved maybe 2 percent, but it was significant to me. I am now working on doing the full supta kurmaasana complete with the correct vinyasa getting out of it. Also with garbha, although my arms would be tired. I am also practicing to straighten my legs in navasana, no easy feat I tell you!
It was a well deserved shavasana.
Tuesday:
I did a normal sequence of bound lunge, triangle pose, reverse triangle, locust, warrior three reverse half moon. I also did the core strengthening exercises - the side plank and jumping from bakasana as taught by kino. and I practiced on my side crow - getting there! hehe. alhamdulillah!
Monday, July 23, 2012
ramadhan primary
First ashtanga practice in ramadhan, post iftar. It was physically tiring, maybe because I didn't really drink a lot of water. I did a complete primary (complete being with half vinyasa) up until upavistha konasana and then I moved on to one bridge and one wheel, the final 3 postures and then savasana which was well and much deserved. I missed the practice and enjoyed it so much. I totally loved the janu sirsasana series because I get to relax.
I'm getting better in Utthita Hasta Padangustasana. It's will always be a hit or miss posture but today it was a miss.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
update
Wednesday:
Primarry LED, but up until Bandha Konasana because time was limited. It was good. Worked my body. Then it was the yin class, lots of hip openeers, the lizard, the baddha konasana, the virasana, upavistha konasana, etc.
Friday:
Full Primary and it was awesome. Then a vinyasa class, with humble warrior, bound triangle, half moon pose, crow, Urdvha Dhanurasana variation, etc.
Primarry LED, but up until Bandha Konasana because time was limited. It was good. Worked my body. Then it was the yin class, lots of hip openeers, the lizard, the baddha konasana, the virasana, upavistha konasana, etc.
Friday:
Full Primary and it was awesome. Then a vinyasa class, with humble warrior, bound triangle, half moon pose, crow, Urdvha Dhanurasana variation, etc.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Easy A
Yesterday was easy Primary.
I didn't have much time, but I still wanted to do ashtanga. So I started with the same even breath. But for the sitting position I omitted the vinyasa in between and only lift up in Lolasana. I only managed to do up until Kurmasana. It was ok though. I had fun working my body again.
I didn't have much time, but I still wanted to do ashtanga. So I started with the same even breath. But for the sitting position I omitted the vinyasa in between and only lift up in Lolasana. I only managed to do up until Kurmasana. It was ok though. I had fun working my body again.
Friday, July 6, 2012
Recap
Wednesday:
Great primary. Well actually I cant remember much cause its Friday. But it was no different than any other primary. My shoulders werent sore, so I was able to work the half vinyasas. The wheel greatly improved, loves it, thanks larugaaa. Garbha flowed beautifully. I did dolphin instead of headstand. And I incorporated the correct amount of vinyasa this time around. one before shoulder stand, one after sirsasana, and one after tolasana. It was tiring but I was glad I did it.
Thursday:
Tired, but still wanted to practice.
- core salutations x1
- warrior 1
- warrior 2
- bound pose
- intense side stretch
- half moon
Backbends sequence like tuesday. Worked on natarajasana with straps. king pigeon.
Friday:
ashtanga led this morning. this time I was exhausted. my shoulders ached and burned. my sides felt intense, especially during a downward dog. all downward dogs. we did only until navasana but I was glad for the half practice. my energy level was low. I did a wonderful wheel. loved it. we did headstand... and she made me do one. In a way I was ready; felt that my shoulder had gained some strength with all the work I did. I managed to balance a little bit. Definitely wasnt as easy as it was before.
later I did a vinyasa class. I LOVED this.
warmup: pushing our back up towards the ceiling, rounding, working to perfect the arms balancing postures. downward dog with bend elbows, that was hard work. downward dog stretching the calves, loved it too. then fire hydrant pose. That realllly worked my tight hips. Fired the sides of my hips in places I can't quite place. We also did the fire hydrant pose in a downward dog version. loves it.
then we proceeded. Today it was gentle, bound triangle, which reallllly worked my legs. maybe doing it again tomorrow. a hunble warrior with a gomukasana arms. then halfmoon.
for standing poses it was the bound parsva konasana, the third series balancing lotus thingy, cobra, and a dropback. she made me do it! I can't believe it. I was shaking and felt intense going down but when I lifted my hands back it felt natural. I can't wait to do it again! Maybe against the wall.
My whole body is achy right now. loves it.
Great primary. Well actually I cant remember much cause its Friday. But it was no different than any other primary. My shoulders werent sore, so I was able to work the half vinyasas. The wheel greatly improved, loves it, thanks larugaaa. Garbha flowed beautifully. I did dolphin instead of headstand. And I incorporated the correct amount of vinyasa this time around. one before shoulder stand, one after sirsasana, and one after tolasana. It was tiring but I was glad I did it.
Thursday:
Tired, but still wanted to practice.
- core salutations x1
- warrior 1
- warrior 2
- bound pose
- intense side stretch
- half moon
Backbends sequence like tuesday. Worked on natarajasana with straps. king pigeon.
Friday:
ashtanga led this morning. this time I was exhausted. my shoulders ached and burned. my sides felt intense, especially during a downward dog. all downward dogs. we did only until navasana but I was glad for the half practice. my energy level was low. I did a wonderful wheel. loved it. we did headstand... and she made me do one. In a way I was ready; felt that my shoulder had gained some strength with all the work I did. I managed to balance a little bit. Definitely wasnt as easy as it was before.
later I did a vinyasa class. I LOVED this.
warmup: pushing our back up towards the ceiling, rounding, working to perfect the arms balancing postures. downward dog with bend elbows, that was hard work. downward dog stretching the calves, loved it too. then fire hydrant pose. That realllly worked my tight hips. Fired the sides of my hips in places I can't quite place. We also did the fire hydrant pose in a downward dog version. loves it.
then we proceeded. Today it was gentle, bound triangle, which reallllly worked my legs. maybe doing it again tomorrow. a hunble warrior with a gomukasana arms. then halfmoon.
for standing poses it was the bound parsva konasana, the third series balancing lotus thingy, cobra, and a dropback. she made me do it! I can't believe it. I was shaking and felt intense going down but when I lifted my hands back it felt natural. I can't wait to do it again! Maybe against the wall.
My whole body is achy right now. loves it.
Tuesday recap
Tuesday:
An invigorating practice
- core salutations x2
- tadasana
- utkatasana
- hasta padanghustasana
- cat variation
- cow variation
- salambasana
- uttrasana variation
Moved on to:
- pigeon pose
- pigeon pose variation
- mermaid pose
- king pigeon pose with strap
Backbends:
- sphinx
- baby cobra
- cobra
- locust
- half bow
- camel
I also worked on my new pose to try Natrajasana. I love the fact that I thought my leg was up high and to glance at the mirror and realized it's way further from my hand than I wanted it to be. I like this pose and chose it to work on because its a mixture of many things: a shoulder opener, a balancing pose and a backbend. I used a strap to practice holding on and lifting up.
I also tried the King Pigeon.
An invigorating practice
- core salutations x2
- tadasana
- utkatasana
- hasta padanghustasana
- cat variation
- cow variation
- salambasana
- uttrasana variation
Moved on to:
- pigeon pose
- pigeon pose variation
- mermaid pose
- king pigeon pose with strap
Backbends:
- sphinx
- baby cobra
- cobra
- locust
- half bow
- camel
I also worked on my new pose to try Natrajasana. I love the fact that I thought my leg was up high and to glance at the mirror and realized it's way further from my hand than I wanted it to be. I like this pose and chose it to work on because its a mixture of many things: a shoulder opener, a balancing pose and a backbend. I used a strap to practice holding on and lifting up.
I also tried the King Pigeon.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Primary Monday
Full primary yesterday.
It was good, just what I needed. Wasn't really focused much because my husband keeps talking to me and he was playing really loud music. My cats keep coming up to me to. I would have been frustrated if this has been another day or practice, but yesterday I was welcoming all the chaos in my surrounding. Sure sometimes I lost count about my breath, but I was just glad that I was able to do my practice. It doesn't take much eh?
My right shoulder started to reallllly ache after garbha pindasana, so I omitted the vinyasas in between and just pause before poses. I love working on urdhva dhanurasana now... love taking the time to work on my shoulder alignment before lifting up. Feels good and my back isn't in pain, just feeling intense.
I nailed the vinyasa for supta konasana! Well, thanks to the mysore teacher but now I can do it without the fear of crashing my heels on the floor.
Poses I am working for now:
1) Side Crow: Getting the hang of it :) shoulder feels stronger!
2) Natarajasana: Love the challenge of opening and rotating my shoulders for this pose and it's a backbend and a balancing pose all in one.
3) Firelog pose
Poses that I can do now:
1) Handstand against the wall
2) pincha mayurasana against the wall
3) dwi pada viparita dandasana (but need to lift my head off)
4) mermaid pose: loves this. it feels natural
5) Bakasana
6) Half Moon Pose: I can't believe I can do this! Practice rocks!
7) Bound half moon pose: another favorite :)
It was good, just what I needed. Wasn't really focused much because my husband keeps talking to me and he was playing really loud music. My cats keep coming up to me to. I would have been frustrated if this has been another day or practice, but yesterday I was welcoming all the chaos in my surrounding. Sure sometimes I lost count about my breath, but I was just glad that I was able to do my practice. It doesn't take much eh?
My right shoulder started to reallllly ache after garbha pindasana, so I omitted the vinyasas in between and just pause before poses. I love working on urdhva dhanurasana now... love taking the time to work on my shoulder alignment before lifting up. Feels good and my back isn't in pain, just feeling intense.
I nailed the vinyasa for supta konasana! Well, thanks to the mysore teacher but now I can do it without the fear of crashing my heels on the floor.
Poses I am working for now:
1) Side Crow: Getting the hang of it :) shoulder feels stronger!
2) Natarajasana: Love the challenge of opening and rotating my shoulders for this pose and it's a backbend and a balancing pose all in one.
3) Firelog pose
Poses that I can do now:
1) Handstand against the wall
2) pincha mayurasana against the wall
3) dwi pada viparita dandasana (but need to lift my head off)
4) mermaid pose: loves this. it feels natural
5) Bakasana
6) Half Moon Pose: I can't believe I can do this! Practice rocks!
7) Bound half moon pose: another favorite :)
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Starting again
Not having a withdrawal, but the last time I did a complete primary was last Monday. I had to travel Tuesday and was busy with work that I didn't really manage to do a full practice.
I attempted a somewhat lacklustre practice but going into Dandasana I realized that my heart's not in it. And I reflected back on what I read on how to cope with yoga 'burnout' days - to leave your ego out and do less than on previous practice. That worked. I did simple stretching - mainly on the pigeon pose and the handstand and forearm stand. Cried the whole time.
Got a sweet reply from the visiting Mysore teacher after I thanked her for teaching:
Hello Nadia!
It was pleasure having you in class. I'm really impressed at how well you have taken to the practice in such a short time. Never apologize for sweaty palms and feet! It comes with the territory. A good sweat is healthy for the body. I worry when people don't sweat, haha.
Please feel free to email me anytime you feel the need. Never hesitate. I don't know everything, but I would be happy to share my experience and answer anything you may be curious about or at the very lease point you in the right direction.
Best of luck with everything. Hopefully I will be able to pass through KL again in the future!
Namaste
I attempted a somewhat lacklustre practice but going into Dandasana I realized that my heart's not in it. And I reflected back on what I read on how to cope with yoga 'burnout' days - to leave your ego out and do less than on previous practice. That worked. I did simple stretching - mainly on the pigeon pose and the handstand and forearm stand. Cried the whole time.
Got a sweet reply from the visiting Mysore teacher after I thanked her for teaching:
Hello Nadia!
It was pleasure having you in class. I'm really impressed at how well you have taken to the practice in such a short time. Never apologize for sweaty palms and feet! It comes with the territory. A good sweat is healthy for the body. I worry when people don't sweat, haha.
Please feel free to email me anytime you feel the need. Never hesitate. I don't know everything, but I would be happy to share my experience and answer anything you may be curious about or at the very lease point you in the right direction.
Best of luck with everything. Hopefully I will be able to pass through KL again in the future!
Namaste
I love the fact that she taught me how to do Urdhva Dhanurasana properly, especially the alignment of the arms. Ive been working on it as well, and my body does feel lighter with the arms properly stacking. I've also been doing Purvottanasana daily - just to give my body a good stretch and to strengthen the rotator cuffs. Doing the upper body stretch over the blocks have also opened my chest and my arms a little bit.
Today I plan to be doing a full primary, have been missing it. I have also been missing cycling and running. More cycling as my knees are officially kaput. Been reigniting my love for cycling the past week, cycling up to 14km at high intensity.
Namaste!
Monday, June 25, 2012
Last day of Mysore style
Last day with the visiting teacher.
She was amazing, and because this is the first time I've actually practiced with a teacher more than 2 days I kind of feel attached. I guess I miss the feeling of having someone knowledgeable to tell you the tips and tricks of doing ashtanga, someone you can just ask instantly, "Should I be doing this? should I be doing that?"
What I learned today:
Oh wow I can finally do the vinyasa for the supta konasana! It took me a couple of tries, but the teacher was gentle, asking me to really pull my legs toward me and them using my core strength to control the landing forward and I DID IT I landed on my putty calves instead of heels!
We worked on Chakrasana as well and I'm still working on building the strength to lift myself up enough to allow my head to roll out, but I'm still stuck.
The wheel now feels soo much harder now that I learned to use my whole arms correctly. Urgh, but it's a welcoming distraction from worrying about my lower back.
Now that I'm back to my square self, I'm thinking of maybe enrolling to mysore while I'm here. Ramadhan is coming so the I have to be quick.
She was amazing, and because this is the first time I've actually practiced with a teacher more than 2 days I kind of feel attached. I guess I miss the feeling of having someone knowledgeable to tell you the tips and tricks of doing ashtanga, someone you can just ask instantly, "Should I be doing this? should I be doing that?"
What I learned today:
Oh wow I can finally do the vinyasa for the supta konasana! It took me a couple of tries, but the teacher was gentle, asking me to really pull my legs toward me and them using my core strength to control the landing forward and I DID IT I landed on my putty calves instead of heels!
We worked on Chakrasana as well and I'm still working on building the strength to lift myself up enough to allow my head to roll out, but I'm still stuck.
The wheel now feels soo much harder now that I learned to use my whole arms correctly. Urgh, but it's a welcoming distraction from worrying about my lower back.
Now that I'm back to my square self, I'm thinking of maybe enrolling to mysore while I'm here. Ramadhan is coming so the I have to be quick.
Friday, June 22, 2012
5th day :)
5th Day!
I can't believe it. I never did more than 2 straight days in a row of ashtanga :)
The third day was the worst. I felt tired, sluggish and weak. No energy to even jump or focus on the jump.
Today was beautiful. Maybe it's all in the mind. I got to focus on my jump throughs, my chaturrangga, my poses my breathing. The teacher helped me on my Trikonasana A again, which when asked she said she was deepening my pose. I thought I was doing something wrong.
She also taught me how to do the vinyasa from Padmasana after my Kukkutasana. It was hard but worth it. So much core power. She said it was ok to do less than 9 rolls but maybe I should strive for 5.
I got her advices on the wheel. It was eye opening. All this while my arms weren't even straight... the elbows were splayed out, it wasn't stacked therefore did not feel light. It was hard work and I needed to rest before attempting again. I'm going to attempt to do 5... with rest. My usual practice was to just go through Urdhva Dhanurasana to finish it. Now I gotta change my mindset to really enjoy it even it if was the last pose.
in primary.
Rest day for the weekend. Maybe some light running or cycling.
And last day with the teacher on Monday :( I really like her.
I can't believe it. I never did more than 2 straight days in a row of ashtanga :)
The third day was the worst. I felt tired, sluggish and weak. No energy to even jump or focus on the jump.
Today was beautiful. Maybe it's all in the mind. I got to focus on my jump throughs, my chaturrangga, my poses my breathing. The teacher helped me on my Trikonasana A again, which when asked she said she was deepening my pose. I thought I was doing something wrong.
She also taught me how to do the vinyasa from Padmasana after my Kukkutasana. It was hard but worth it. So much core power. She said it was ok to do less than 9 rolls but maybe I should strive for 5.
I got her advices on the wheel. It was eye opening. All this while my arms weren't even straight... the elbows were splayed out, it wasn't stacked therefore did not feel light. It was hard work and I needed to rest before attempting again. I'm going to attempt to do 5... with rest. My usual practice was to just go through Urdhva Dhanurasana to finish it. Now I gotta change my mindset to really enjoy it even it if was the last pose.
in primary.
Rest day for the weekend. Maybe some light running or cycling.
And last day with the teacher on Monday :( I really like her.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Good Practice
Day 4 of guided mysore style.
Practising with sweet the teacher has been a blessing. She's gentle and has a soft voice and her adjustments are always appreciated.
Today she adjusted me specifically again in Utthitta Trikonasana A. Something about my pelvis and back leg placement. I tried to commit the feeling to my memory but might need to be adjusted by her again to get it right. She also corrected me in Upavistha Konasana A, asking me to keep straightening my legs when I lift them up, using my core. She adjusted the placement of my hands grasping the feet, asking me to point my legs. I appreciated that she taught me on the Urdhva Muka Pashimottasana, which was hard work with toes pointing but felt better. I tried the Urdvha Dhanurasana properly, lowering my head to the floor and lifting up, but by the second round my 5 breaths were short and hurried, and the third time my right upper arm at the socket started to feel intense and my breaths were starting to be ragged. Definitely can't do 5 rounds.
As usual the Utthita Hasta Padanghustasana really worked me. I find that my balance was out of control when I know I'm not alone. My standing leg burned, which has never happened before. This pose and the next two following it would remain as my dreaded pose ever. Because it's hard and requires strength AND flexibility. She left me alone today however for this pose, but helped me on the reclining version, the Supta Hasta Padanghustasana. Ooh the core work,
My Supta Kurmasana is growing beautifully. Easier to bind my feet together. No intense pressure.
Also today I greatly tuned my Chaturranga. I have always worried that my upper back sinks when I do them, and that this contribute to my rotator cuff problems. Today while doing my Surya Namaskar, saw the lady behind me doing her Chaturranga. Her back was rounded, and she kept her arms close to her. I tried it and it felt better. Not much work on the arms like yesterday. It was really nice.
Two days left before she leaves. I'm reconsidering upping my days with her.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Getting sick
Third Day of Guided Mysore Style.
And I think I have a fever. Either that or I'm very very very tired. Woke up at 540 every morning. Left the house at 630 and start practice at 7am. After that its full on working till 5 where I'd drive and prepare to sleep.
I don't know if this lethargy is due to lack of sleep or the hazy weather or the fact that I did full practice for 3 days in A ROW. I've never done that before. Id be too scared to hurt my rotator cuff or to get bored of it. But there's something about practicing with the visiting teacher. She's sweet, not to demanding and I love the energy in the room.
This time she helped me with my Urdhva Dhanurasana. I am told to practice to get 5 breaths, lower my head to the floor, lift up again and repeat up for FIVE rounds. I can barely do 3. I hate that my lower back feel intense, not painful, just intense... bordering on pain. Also that my left arm is longer than my right, which makes my urdhva dhanurasana a bit wonky and unstable. She corrected the placing of my feet, they were splayed out a little bit. I was wondering why she didnt offer to do a dropback to me when she did to another practitioner, but I decided that I am not ready for it, and she knows.
I am researching about the possiblity of feeling sick after doing primary straight for days. I certainly do not feel good.
And I think I have a fever. Either that or I'm very very very tired. Woke up at 540 every morning. Left the house at 630 and start practice at 7am. After that its full on working till 5 where I'd drive and prepare to sleep.
I don't know if this lethargy is due to lack of sleep or the hazy weather or the fact that I did full practice for 3 days in A ROW. I've never done that before. Id be too scared to hurt my rotator cuff or to get bored of it. But there's something about practicing with the visiting teacher. She's sweet, not to demanding and I love the energy in the room.
This time she helped me with my Urdhva Dhanurasana. I am told to practice to get 5 breaths, lower my head to the floor, lift up again and repeat up for FIVE rounds. I can barely do 3. I hate that my lower back feel intense, not painful, just intense... bordering on pain. Also that my left arm is longer than my right, which makes my urdhva dhanurasana a bit wonky and unstable. She corrected the placing of my feet, they were splayed out a little bit. I was wondering why she didnt offer to do a dropback to me when she did to another practitioner, but I decided that I am not ready for it, and she knows.
I am researching about the possiblity of feeling sick after doing primary straight for days. I certainly do not feel good.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Guided
Today I went for a guided Mysore.
The teacher was beautiful, soft spoken and sweet. I felt embarrassed that I sweated so much. I was also hoping that my deodorant works this time. But soon I got into the practice and kinda forgot about the little things.
She adjusted me in Utthita Trikosana A, asking me to lean my whole body back. I didn't know this before. Also she saw me doing the hovering thing in Bhujapidasana and asked me to sort of use my legs to propel me back, which was what I was doing before I worried I wasn't developing strength on my arms and putting too much pressure on my head. So I guess I would do the 'cheating' feet guiding thing with her but practice the hovering before I go to sleep.
Overall it was a sweet practice. I was a bit tired from lack of sleep but will try to rectify that tomorrow. I guess I will be coming the whole week to make full use of her while she's around!
I practiced Ashtanga on Wednesday still, and a good hatha and inversion series on Thursday. I am soo happy I could easily lift up into a handstand! against the wall but still.
The teacher was beautiful, soft spoken and sweet. I felt embarrassed that I sweated so much. I was also hoping that my deodorant works this time. But soon I got into the practice and kinda forgot about the little things.
She adjusted me in Utthita Trikosana A, asking me to lean my whole body back. I didn't know this before. Also she saw me doing the hovering thing in Bhujapidasana and asked me to sort of use my legs to propel me back, which was what I was doing before I worried I wasn't developing strength on my arms and putting too much pressure on my head. So I guess I would do the 'cheating' feet guiding thing with her but practice the hovering before I go to sleep.
Overall it was a sweet practice. I was a bit tired from lack of sleep but will try to rectify that tomorrow. I guess I will be coming the whole week to make full use of her while she's around!
I practiced Ashtanga on Wednesday still, and a good hatha and inversion series on Thursday. I am soo happy I could easily lift up into a handstand! against the wall but still.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Update
Monday was my No Yoga Yoga.
Felt very sluggish, disheartened and tired. I did drag myself to the mat, managed a half assed surya A before I really caved in. I am tired. Full stop. Knowing when to not do yoga, was my yoga for Monday.
Tuesday I did Primary. Couldn't help it. That's the Type A 'triathlete' obsessive athlete in me. I felt like I missed a workout therefore have to replace. It was the most scattered practice ever. Didn't really stop and mull, I just went through it, pose by pose, jump through jump back and before I knew it, it was done. I only skipped Headstand. I did it in 75 minutes. The practice I mean.
Aside from ashtanga, I am also working on Parsva Bakasana. It's hard... and apparently I have to be able to hold Chaturranga dandasana, Navasana, Handstand and Warrior 3 for at least 45 seconds before I have the strength to do most arm balances.
Today.. let's see if I want to do another primary... with my sore shoulder or rest and do normal yoga.
Felt very sluggish, disheartened and tired. I did drag myself to the mat, managed a half assed surya A before I really caved in. I am tired. Full stop. Knowing when to not do yoga, was my yoga for Monday.
Tuesday I did Primary. Couldn't help it. That's the Type A 'triathlete' obsessive athlete in me. I felt like I missed a workout therefore have to replace. It was the most scattered practice ever. Didn't really stop and mull, I just went through it, pose by pose, jump through jump back and before I knew it, it was done. I only skipped Headstand. I did it in 75 minutes. The practice I mean.
Aside from ashtanga, I am also working on Parsva Bakasana. It's hard... and apparently I have to be able to hold Chaturranga dandasana, Navasana, Handstand and Warrior 3 for at least 45 seconds before I have the strength to do most arm balances.
Today.. let's see if I want to do another primary... with my sore shoulder or rest and do normal yoga.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
dwi pada
Yoga update?
Many.. until I feel that I cant keep up with updating this blog.
Friday morning was full practice. It was tiring. I felt tired. Maybe from the morning, maybe from yesterday's light yoga. Can't remember what I did for Thursday. But I think it was Core Salutations, and some light home practice, and the customary backbends.
Friday's practice... I was happy with Bhujapidasana. Now I get the point, the idea behind the vinyasa. I can feel the strength in my upper body forming. My jump through and jump back were sloppy, but that's the last thing on my mind. I feel that my ashtanga practice serves to provide me with a sense of achievement and relaxation - never will forget the complete 180 feeling from fucking miserable to joyous wonderment.
Saturday I practiced inversions - handstand (which is improving... feel stronger in the shoulders) and pincha and headstand. Also, I nailed Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana - the VERY first pose that intrigued me with backbends... especially on the upper back. Asked my husband to check out my alignment and shape of the pose. He said it looked just like in the pictures.
Many.. until I feel that I cant keep up with updating this blog.
Friday morning was full practice. It was tiring. I felt tired. Maybe from the morning, maybe from yesterday's light yoga. Can't remember what I did for Thursday. But I think it was Core Salutations, and some light home practice, and the customary backbends.
Friday's practice... I was happy with Bhujapidasana. Now I get the point, the idea behind the vinyasa. I can feel the strength in my upper body forming. My jump through and jump back were sloppy, but that's the last thing on my mind. I feel that my ashtanga practice serves to provide me with a sense of achievement and relaxation - never will forget the complete 180 feeling from fucking miserable to joyous wonderment.
Saturday I practiced inversions - handstand (which is improving... feel stronger in the shoulders) and pincha and headstand. Also, I nailed Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana - the VERY first pose that intrigued me with backbends... especially on the upper back. Asked my husband to check out my alignment and shape of the pose. He said it looked just like in the pictures.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Yoga Play
i enjoyed my yoga practice today so much.
Did the core salutations to warm up. Then picked a home practice:
- side bend
- utrasana variation
- forward bend standing
- cat and cow variation
- one legged downward dog
- frog pose
- uttrasana variation
Then I worked on trying to do the one legged pigeon arm balance but bailed out after doing a chaturranga variation. I worked on doing the side bakasana, which was fun. Then moved on to navasana, and half moon, reverse half moon, warrior 3.
Then I moved to backbends - from sphinx pose to the chair backbend. Camel pose felt nicer... but still intense.
Then I worked on the handstand, forearm stand and headstand. For one moment I could feel my body balancing before I lost my nerve and let my feet land on the wall. But it felt light.
I end with some seated seated konasana to stretch out my hamstrings.
Great workout.
Did the core salutations to warm up. Then picked a home practice:
- side bend
- utrasana variation
- forward bend standing
- cat and cow variation
- one legged downward dog
- frog pose
- uttrasana variation
Then I worked on trying to do the one legged pigeon arm balance but bailed out after doing a chaturranga variation. I worked on doing the side bakasana, which was fun. Then moved on to navasana, and half moon, reverse half moon, warrior 3.
Then I moved to backbends - from sphinx pose to the chair backbend. Camel pose felt nicer... but still intense.
Then I worked on the handstand, forearm stand and headstand. For one moment I could feel my body balancing before I lost my nerve and let my feet land on the wall. But it felt light.
I end with some seated seated konasana to stretch out my hamstrings.
Great workout.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Yoga this yoga that
Since i was back in my country, I have been doing in and out of yoga. Went to classes, which fr the first time ever, I focused on the breathing. It was fantastic.
Did easy yoga last night, with medium intensity backbends. Careful not to push it so much.
My current favorite asanas:
1) Bakasana: of course, because I worked hard for it. Could stay up comfortably for more than 5 seconds now. Working on having a real steady bakasana before moving to something else.
2) Half moon pose: So much better at it. I like to do variation of warrior 3 and then reverse half moon.
3) Urdva dhanurasana: Because it works my backbends.
Did easy yoga last night, with medium intensity backbends. Careful not to push it so much.
My current favorite asanas:
1) Bakasana: of course, because I worked hard for it. Could stay up comfortably for more than 5 seconds now. Working on having a real steady bakasana before moving to something else.
2) Half moon pose: So much better at it. I like to do variation of warrior 3 and then reverse half moon.
3) Urdva dhanurasana: Because it works my backbends.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Taksim calling
I am in Istanbul. I could only imagine before yesterday that I could be here.
You know, I was thinking, how yoga has changed my life. I hardly ever do this reflection, but I catch myself thinking about the changes in and out, mostly when I'm faced with a situation that years ago I knew I would have freaked.
I am more calmer. Yes this is obvious. I don't know when, but I do know it's both yoga and my religion. Like I said before, yoga strengthened my religious beliefs because it really brings my attention to what I already have instead of what I could have or wanted. It's that simple. Life is here. It might be hard, or bad, or unfair, or totally awesome. Ride on it, like a wave. If it's bad right now, hang in there - someone has it worse. If it's good right now, alhamdulillah, remember that someone does not have what you have.
I eat better. You know again, I do not know how yoga influence this, but I do know that I made a lot of changes after seriously practicing yoga (and by serious I try to keep a 6x a week practice, home or classes). I worked hard to keep my body healthy that eating all the junk just counters whatever good I have done. And I don't really think twice about not having it. I tell myself that some people just dont have the luxury of eating it. But when I do get to eat food that I love, I am appreciative. Subhanallah.
There are actually more that I could see but they all stemmed from being calm. My attitude's adjusting so well that I am so grateful to find ashtanga when I did. And also how it deepened my faith.
Anyway, today I did the primary series. It was... weird. My concentration was so haphazard, off the rack. If I had videotaped myself I would have looked like an ADD doing yoga. I stopped mid asana to adjust the mat, I stopped and for no reason just stared into space mulling and thinking before continuing. I did not even sweat that much. Nevertheless, my garbha flowed beautifully. Alhamdulillah.
You know, I was thinking, how yoga has changed my life. I hardly ever do this reflection, but I catch myself thinking about the changes in and out, mostly when I'm faced with a situation that years ago I knew I would have freaked.
I am more calmer. Yes this is obvious. I don't know when, but I do know it's both yoga and my religion. Like I said before, yoga strengthened my religious beliefs because it really brings my attention to what I already have instead of what I could have or wanted. It's that simple. Life is here. It might be hard, or bad, or unfair, or totally awesome. Ride on it, like a wave. If it's bad right now, hang in there - someone has it worse. If it's good right now, alhamdulillah, remember that someone does not have what you have.
I eat better. You know again, I do not know how yoga influence this, but I do know that I made a lot of changes after seriously practicing yoga (and by serious I try to keep a 6x a week practice, home or classes). I worked hard to keep my body healthy that eating all the junk just counters whatever good I have done. And I don't really think twice about not having it. I tell myself that some people just dont have the luxury of eating it. But when I do get to eat food that I love, I am appreciative. Subhanallah.
There are actually more that I could see but they all stemmed from being calm. My attitude's adjusting so well that I am so grateful to find ashtanga when I did. And also how it deepened my faith.
Anyway, today I did the primary series. It was... weird. My concentration was so haphazard, off the rack. If I had videotaped myself I would have looked like an ADD doing yoga. I stopped mid asana to adjust the mat, I stopped and for no reason just stared into space mulling and thinking before continuing. I did not even sweat that much. Nevertheless, my garbha flowed beautifully. Alhamdulillah.
Turkmenistan
After one week of completely nothing, I started again my ashtanga. My body was STIFF without a week of yoga. I can't even do a plough pose. That was surprising.
It started out ok, 5 surya namaska a and 3 b. Don't think that was enough cause I wasn't sweating. The standing poses were fine but my oh my my jump throughs were HORRIBLE. Didn't have enough strength in me to lift off. My garbha went well, bhuja still sucks... still relying heavily on my forehead which makes me worry about my neck. Not strong enough to jump back from bakasana. Nothing moving there.
I'm working on opening my heart and upper back. Still sucks there. Finally managed to do a handstand against the wall.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
A Week of YOGA!
Tuesday 05/15:
I did the wonderful core salutations and the steady and confidence sequence: a lot of standing poses, half moon, warrior 2, and 3, a locust pose. Then moved on to the backbending routine I always did.
Wednesday 05/16;
LED ashtanga. It was VERY HUMID. I felt like fainting. It was a great workout in a way that it felt like when I was training for a triathlon - happy but tired. My Garbha flowed beautifully. I finished fast because it was nearing the next class.
Thursday 05/17:
Core salutation and hip opening sequence: lizard, low lunge, pigeon, bandha konasana, etc. Felt great. Tried LBH sequence as well. Then the normal backbending sequence. Upper back still has cement on it. Tried a few of the second series poses up to Salabhasana.
Friday 05/18:
Mula bandha workshop. This was great. Learned about the KCC principles - knee chest chin and cobra that helps us to get the mula bandha correct. And their application in almost every poses - especially the lift off. We were mostly doing handstands - against the wall with a bolster to pad. The teacher helped me to lift off but my abs were not strong enough to hold the legs halfway. Then the half handstand to practice the tip off. Then the pushing against the wall - that was good to engage the feel of my abs working. We also worked on pushing the chest back, rounding the chest pushing off from the earth to get that strength to lift.
Saturday 05/19:
Vinyasa based ashtanga class. It was superb! We did the funky tripod with one leg off and the prep poses are: the bakasana on forearms, the one leg off crow, the tripod headstand. Then mayurasana (which I NEARLY got, balance for a milisecond). Also did one legged Urdhva Dhanurasana... that was hard to balance! It was awesome!
Sunday 05/20:
Lift off workshop again. It was cool - practiced the lift off balance against the wall, which I did, but the disorientation really failed me. I was also to scared to do the dropback handstand as well. We practiced jump through and back using the blanket - sliding the blanket through and the slipperiness really helped in having us to use our abs and really round the back. going to do this often. Then the Bhujapidasana, titibasana and bakasana transition. I target to at least try to do a jump back from Bakasana. Can't wait to regain strength!
Later in the evening an ashtanga workshop as well. We did the standing sequence which was tiring and then the vinyasas to go through - I like the half lotus vinyasa. Going to try the Chakrasana roll back as well. Need more strength!
Monday, May 14, 2012
Greatest Practice... Yet
To be honest yesterday was one of the best practice ever...
It is funny, because I didn't see it coming at all. I wasnt feeling strong; physically, emotionally, mentally. I contemplated for a long time whether I want to start practicisng because I know the work I need to do. For one and a half hour, it's all my body and breathe and focus and work - it all seemed daunting. But I gently told myself - just sun salutations at worst. Work up to standing pose if you feel like it. Or even better, up to navasana... or bandha konasana, yoga practice milestones. Finishing was not an option at that time.
But starting into surya namaska A I was feeling good. B felt even better, instead of feeling tired, or challenged, B felt like an old friend. Practiced on keeping the inner elbows facing front to press my index finger down on chaturangga, a helpful trick given by my teacher.
Standing poses went well. I was working on the breathing. Utthita Eka Padasana felt easier on BOTH legs. I usually have reservations for this poses, and the 2 prior. But they were thankfully easy.
come dandasana. Jump throughs were flowy! Still need work to 'float' but at least I wasn't dragging my whole foot or thumping them on the way to swing through. I actually swung through 60% of the time! My jump backs - or Lolasana, were SO MUCH BETTER - i could actually swing my legs through before lack of strength succumbed to dragging my feet back to plank. O was thanking GOD all the time. Alhamdulillah. Really. Before I know it it was time for Navasana, then Bhujapindasana (which felt lighter) and Garbha Pindasana.
Let me tell you. I FLOWED 9 times, Beautifully. No jerky movements, but easy, rapid, fluid breathing in and out falling back and riding up. Oh the pleasure and joy bursting out from my body. I was gloriously smiling while doing my Kukutasana.
This is why I love ashtanga. why I am GLAD, very, that I found it when I did. What a mind blowing, mentally stimulating exercise. Is it exercise? Because I started today's practice with very low morale and mood and self love and ended it feeling I could be - I want to be - a better person, a better WIFE. And I keep thanking God. Because I am able. No other workout made me feel like it. Except maybe cycling.
Maybe also because I bought a new mat today - Manduka Pro in Sage Black, superlong! I LOVED it. Thick, steady, solid, and dependable. My cats love it too. My heels don't hurt anymore!
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Compiled entries
Monday:
Greetings from turkmenistan. Even with all the travelling, I will not abandon my practice. In a way, while doing these calming, familiar poses, I thought to myself how lucky I was to be discovering ashtanga when I did. It's the most efficient exercise for me, with having to be moving about, and the fact that I am now covered. Swimming was the hardest to continue after my covering - there is no way I could swim without exposing skin, which I am trying to minimize. Running poses no problems, except that I hate running alone when you live in an area with too many guys (ogt) or an unfamilliar territory. Plus it's mentally challenging. Sometimes you're lazy and a km seems like forever. Cycling requires an effort with the logistics. Not only I have to drive to the RV place, I have to make sure everything is ready. This is the most tiring workout options, but the hardest to let go.
Yoga provides all that in the comfort of my room. For 1 and a half hour, I am guaranteed to get a good, physically challenging and mentally calming workout. And for no reason, finishing the workout gives me a high buzz. It's a good feeling, a sense of achievement. And instantly my spirits and mood are lifted.
Monday, arrived at the Onshore Gas Terminal, with my cozy cabin room, I set up the primary series. It was a cold night, and I hardly sweat. How impossible was it to practice on a yogitoes without being sweaty. It wa slike gripping silk. I practised up to Bandha Konasana, telling myself this is as good as it gets.
Tuesday:
Full Primary, with a pincha thrown in. Everything was ok, except I wished my Garbha Pindasana was better. That's always the issue I am working on. Bhujapidasana still escapes me. My jump throughs and jump backs though, were the best yet that night.
Thursday:
Full Primary. A little tired. I concentrated more on my bandhas and breathing. I only got probably 20% of trying to focus on my bandhas and breathing, sometimes losing focus. Garbha was veryyy sketchy. Bhujapidasana felt better. Lift up to jump back weaker, probably because I was tired. I was squirming in Shavasana... something I would want to work on in the future.
Great week.
===============================================
Sunday. Morning practice after a while. I was tired, and sore from traveling, but i figured a little perky exercise would do me good.
I definitely dedicated today's practice to concentration of the uddiya bandha and the breathing. I tried not to let my mind wander so much before I get it back to my breathing, and I tried hard to breathe with my lungs instead my stomach, therefore engaging my uddiya bandha. 30% of the time I could feel it strongly working, even begin to feel the heat working in my body.
My jump through is getting better, or maybe the same. I noticed I wasnt really lifting up my butt in order to let my feet swing through my arms, instead letting my foot thump lightly on the mat before clumsily 'swinging' through. My jump back was weak today, maybe because of my arms, but I managed to lift my seat up almost everytime. My Bhujapidasana did not feel as great at last time I practiced, and my garbha was not that good. Nevertheless, I'm happy with my Supta Konasana and Uddiya Konasana.
I am also working hard on my Shasana though. This time it kinda worked.
===============================
I am back in Malaysia for a while. Went back last Wednesday.
Monday: Backbends and hoome practice. Simple and sweet
Wednesday: Full Primary. Enjoyed it.
Friday: Full Primary LED and then flight class. It was awesome. Did 8 limbed pose.
Saturday: 1 hour Hatha class. Relaxing.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Musings. and left out Navasana
I was excited to start Primary this morning. Maybe it's all the books I'm reading, or the high from yesterday's class, but I was looking forward to it.
Everything was ok, my standing poses were strong, my focus were ok. My jump back is getting better, once i changed from exhaling when lifting to inhaling when lifting. My jump through has also improved, thank God cause I don't think I can survive another carpet burn on the outside of my left foot.
I have forgotten to do Navasana! and it's when I'm in the shower that I remembered. So what do I do? Straight out of the shower, went and did 5 Navasana. Just because my abs needed the work. My Supta was better, need to not worry so much about my hair (really, now it sounds ridiculous) and work on getting the feet behind my head.
I wish Urdhva Dhanurasana would not feel that uncomfortable. I am trying now to work myself into 5 deep breaths for 3 counts instead of my ragged, harried 5 breaths. Maybe the next time it's 5 deep breaths for one round and then normal for the other 2. I need to do this because I am aware of the power of just pushing yourself through the hard ones. Who could forget the hard part of working my arms in the chaturangga to upward dog and then again in Lolasana? Hard work pays off. So longer, deeper wheel.
Everything was ok, my standing poses were strong, my focus were ok. My jump back is getting better, once i changed from exhaling when lifting to inhaling when lifting. My jump through has also improved, thank God cause I don't think I can survive another carpet burn on the outside of my left foot.
I have forgotten to do Navasana! and it's when I'm in the shower that I remembered. So what do I do? Straight out of the shower, went and did 5 Navasana. Just because my abs needed the work. My Supta was better, need to not worry so much about my hair (really, now it sounds ridiculous) and work on getting the feet behind my head.
I wish Urdhva Dhanurasana would not feel that uncomfortable. I am trying now to work myself into 5 deep breaths for 3 counts instead of my ragged, harried 5 breaths. Maybe the next time it's 5 deep breaths for one round and then normal for the other 2. I need to do this because I am aware of the power of just pushing yourself through the hard ones. Who could forget the hard part of working my arms in the chaturangga to upward dog and then again in Lolasana? Hard work pays off. So longer, deeper wheel.
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