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.

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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.

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.

Mysore style with Sarai

When I knew I was going to visit my sister, I looked for a Mysore class. Jason Crandell was teaching a workshop the weekend I arrived in London, but we had plans to go to Amsterdam so I had to pass that. Then I saw the 20 pounds for 3 mysore classes at the yoga center. And the teacher is Sarai Harvey Smith.

I've read about her when I was checking out the Ashtanga instructors. I also knew she assisted Hamish from the Ashtanga Yoga Center London and that her credentials were awesome. I decided the pulling factors of the center with the price and location and the teacher were enough to make me sign up.

The first day I was nervous. Walked into the heated room and saw a few people already in the midst of their practice. Sarai was there, small and unassuming. I had to calm and center myself before I started my practice.

She corrected my feet placement whenever I moved from Downward Dog to Upward. I knew I had a problem with that but I didn't think it would be an issue. She corrected me by firmly adjusting my heels so they were straight instead of splaying out. It took a while of awareness while doing the poses to assert the correct placement. My lower back definitely feels the brunt.

She also corrected me on Bhujapindasana - right foot over left.

She encouraged me to jump through. Her techniques were: to spread my arms apart a little so my legs can go through, then looking ahead and when I lift up my hips (knees to my hips) I had to move forward so my shoulders go either directly above or over my wrists and then sliding my butt through. she asked me to do it again which scared me. She told me the problem was because my arms were not straight - strength in the arms. I didn't manage so she asked me to try it again. This time she asked me to lift my butt up and scoot through. It happened... just a little. I was thrilled!

She helped me in Supta Kurmasana. Lifted my feet up behind my neck. It felt sublime.

She gave me tips on Dolphin pose: to scoot my legs closer to my palms, and engage and lift my butt up high in the air to activate my core and shoulders, and to use instead the headstand hand arrangement, pressing the wrists straight down.

She helped me with the bow pose - to flare out my palms and look forward to lengthen my neck.

She said my thumbs should not be on the floor in prasarita padatosana D.

And that my knees should be straight.

Mysore style with Liz

Friday: went to a class with liz.

had the opportunity to attend her workshop before, and she was a humble, gentle and great teacher with tips on modifications. she remembered me, asked whether she's seen me before.

Her changes/adjustments: bow pose - to drop my butt or relax them so my thighs are doing the work.

she also encouraged me to do shoulderstand and plough pose everyday a little bit to introduce them into my practice instead of completely chucking it out. one day I might be able to do all the finishing asanas fully. Not that it matters.

Youtube Teachers

Been following and enjoying youtube channel of a favorite online yoga teacher of mine - Esther Ekhart. I first found her when I was googling for Crow pose tutorial and she gave a very comprehensive preparation on how to do a safe crow pose. I ended up following Jason Crendell's tutorial but kept coming back to Esther because her videos are always good, relaxing and now i only realize the benefits of preparations.

My current favorite teachers: Sadie Sardini, Esther Ekhart, and Kathryn Budig and Jason Crendell. I also like Kino, but who doesn't?

My body feels tired and spent today. I really think it's yin yoga yesterday. We held the pose for 5 minutes and some poses were painful... good painful.

Yesterday was also my Ashtanga LED and it was good. I worked on my breathing and it is coming along beautifully.