17-21...Several doubles are in my future...

Last Wednesday night (17) was another steamy-hot class that was a rough one for me as I wasn't entirely recovered from my double on Tuesday. Typically after I have a terrible class one day I tend to bounce back and have a great class the following day, but it didn't work out like that Wed. Also, I can't remember if it was during Wednesday or Thursday's class, but I tweaked a really weird muscle in my back that's still bothering me. I think I was going too deeply into half-moon pose before I was entirely warmed up, but I started feeling this kind of sharp pain underneath the right side of my rib cage in my back. It's an odd sensation and occasionally bothers me slightly inside/outside of class but it always feels better after class. It's the first time I've really had anything happen to me physically in a negative way from Bikram yoga but I don't think I'm agitating it worse by sticking with it and if anything it's improving. It's a definite reminder that I really have to stay in tune with the messages my body is sending though.

Friday my practice felt back to normal as far as not being bothered by the heat and I actually had a really great and flexible class. I got compliments in a few postures that I haven't been called out in before like cobra and balancing stick. I got a bit off track this weekend and missed TWO days of class because I went to DC to visit my best friend. It was a great trip and a much needed mental break from the work week, but nonetheless I am going to have to double up two days in the coming week or so to make up for it. Monday's class was a bit of a de-tox from the weekend but my body was craving it so badly after a mere two day break. It was an extremely crowded class (as mondays tend to be...I'm not the only one who has to get back on track after the weekend evidently) so I definitely sweat plenty of my weekend sins out. They say that after camel pose (the deepest backbend in the series) people feel an intense variety of emotions. Monday I definitely felt ANGRY afterwards and felt like the teacher was nonstop blabbering "relaxing" yoga talk and holding us in postures and savasanas longer than necessary.

Yesterday I was having a pretty good class but I sort of ran out of steam by the end and the last 20 minutes or so of class were a struggle. After camel pose I felt this odd anxious energy pulsing through me to the point that it was even making me twitch a little bit. The highlight of class for me was probably feeling/seeing how much higher I could lift my legs and hips during floor bow pose. Since the spine strengthening series is definitely my weakest series in class, any progress is a huge morale boost and lets me know I'm making progress. 21 classes down and only...80 more to go! I'm planning on doubling up on thursday and then hopefully again one day on the weekend. If that doesn't work then I have a few days off for Thanksgiving so I can definitely catch up by then!

Days 12-16; The Tuesday Curse Continues

After a day of recuperating from a double on Wednesday including the advanced class, I was eager to get back in the hot room on Friday. It was not a really noteworthy class in any way, but nonetheless it was a good way to round out the week. I did feel that the front sides of my hips felt like they had opened up a bit from the advanced class and I was able to get a little deeper in both standing bow and floor bow. Saturday's noon class was number 13 and it was a relatively cool and calm class. I guess when I'm used to practicing at 6:30 on weekdays anything else seems less crowded by comparison. Except that 9:45 classes on Sunday are usually wicked crowded... evidently Bikram yogis are not a church going crowd.

I didn't go to class on Sunday as I had been out with friends on Saturday, and a good friend was only in town for the day on Sunday. I figured that with my relaxed work schedule for Monday and Tuesday would allow time for a double so I wasn't too concerned. I went to a 4:30 class on Monday and I was in the zone and felt amazing. I had also bought a few huge cartons of Zico coconut water at Whole Foods over the weekend that were $3 each (as compared to the tiny cartons of an inferior brand of coconut water that they sell at the studio for $3.50) and that has been a good after class treat. I was in a state of total euphoria as I left, and couldn't help but think how lucky I am that I stumbled upon a habit that I enjoy so much and keeps me healthy.

Today, Tuesday the 8th, I had off from work for election day so I decided to make up for my slacking Sunday and rock out a double. More like, rock out the first class and barely survive the second class. I really enjoyed practicing at 9:45! There was more of an older crowd with a calm energy as opposed to the energetic young professionals/ college students that tend to frequent the later classes. Plus, it was taught by my favorite teacher who has a contagious positive vibe. After showering, eating a healthy lunch, finishing my paperwork, hydrating a lot, and voting I thought I was ready for class again at 4:30. It was one of those sweltering hot classes that had me drenched in sweat by the second posture. I felt extremely flexible at first so I went really deep into the postures. I'm proud of how my body held out during the standing series, but after savasana I my body decided that it had enough yoga for the day. I kept control of my breathing but fell under the same Tuesday curse of overheating to the point where I lost feeling in my finger tips and toes, so I took it easy and only did selected postures.

As always, I felt amazing after class even if it was a challenging experience. So far I have really enjoyed the motivation that a 101 day challenge has given me. They say that the first 30 days of a challenge are all about physically adjusting to the regular yoga and the next 30 are about mental adjustment. I can feel parts of my spine tweaking and moving around, so hopefully that's realigning things as they should be. Last night I woke up in the middle of the night with a pretty dull ache in my lower back. My ankles have been cracking nonstop and I have had a little bit of odd soreness in my wrists and elbows. As they say with Bikram yoga, you just have to "trust the process". So far it seems to be working out. I've lost 5.5 lbs already without changing my diet at all, I've had absolutely no trouble falling asleep, and I actually feel more energized throughout the day. Can't wait to see what the next 85 days bring!

Days 6-11

I have officially made it into double digits! Class on Saturday morning was great as it was one of the first frosty cold days that made me really crave the hot room. My spine was pretty stiff at first partially because of the cold maybe but mostly because I don't really practice in the mornings. I warmed up after the first few postures and had a normal practice from then on. The studio owner was teaching class which was a great treat because she doesn't teach incredibly often but she's a phenomenal teacher with such positive energy. She is also very good at suggesting adjustments for people who are not beginners and gave me a few helpful tips for better form. Sunday I was dreading the 4:30 class a bit because my brother was home for the weekend and as we went out to lunch to celebrate, I ate heavier than usual and thought I would pay for it in class. Surprisingly it went alright and I didn't even feel like puking during the floor series!

Monday (Day 8) was Halloween and I rushed out of work so I could make the 4:30 class and be home earlier to help hand out candy to the trick-or treaters! In celebration, the studio encouraged people to practice in costumes and offered a free month pass to the best costume in each class. I racked my brain for something creative and hilarious to wear, but I gave up and decided on black adidas spandex and a cut up argentina soccer jersey that I had worn for a previous costume party. I was glad that I hadn't gone all out because it was extremely comfortable and only about 5-6 others in the class were dressed up. The girl who won was in a scandalous Eve costume that basically consisted of a beige thong with leaves on it and a green bikini tops with leaves and a beanie baby snake wrapped around. Another girl managed to survive practice in a long sleeved kimono, and a sweat drenched snow white also made it through. Another girl wore a HUGE afro wig with normal yoga clothes and said that her neck had never gotten such a workout during class, haha. I think they may have had the heat down slightly lower than usual so people in costumes would still have fun because it felt relatively cool and I wasn't even drenched in sweat by the end of the class.

Tuesday was quite a different story (last Tuesday was hellish too...maybe it's my unlucky day). My towel was completely soaked by the middle of the standing series and it took some serious focusing on my breath to complete the class without skipping anything. As always though, I made it through and felt incredible afterwards. Wednesday turned out to be class 10 & 11 as I stayed for the 8:30pm advanced class after the 6:30. I had no idea they were offering advanced that night as it's kind of sporadic but the teacher mentioned it to me while I was signing in.

I figured that I would play it by ear to see if I had enough steam for an advanced class after 10 days of consecutive practice, but I was really hoping I would as I knew that I would have to miss class Thursday due to babysitting after work. Doing a double during the weekend to make it up would have been fine also, but I knew I'd feel better if I had made it up in advanced. I'm really glad that I stayed for advanced because it turned out to be a very encouraging experience! There were only 3 of us practicing including the teacher. The first part of advanced class is kind of like a sped up version of the postures in the beginners class and then it moves into some crazier bendy postures. In some ways I'm better at the advanced class than the beginners class because it requires freakish joint flexibility that I have. The teacher was extremely complimentary of my practice and said that I should become a bikram advanced series teacher! Maybe one day...

I didn't get home till almost 10:45 after double-yoga but it was totally worth it. It was great that I took yesterday off because I was SORE in muscles that I didn't even know existed. I feel better and more energetic today (Friday) and I'm ready to knock out number 12 tonight!