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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.