Trucking Along

Two weeks have already gone by already! This challenge has flown by so fast, and I am sure that the next two weeks will be just the same. It has been a great ride thus far, and I feel my practice has been improving in many ways. The most improved aspect is I feel much more calmer in class. With being calmer, my breathing has been deeper, and in turn it has made my recovery time in savansanas much quicker. Even humid classes are not as crippling because I am able to breathe through savansana normally instead of gasping for air. Where this is most helpful is in the spine strengthening series where I am improving my technique of 80/20 breathing. I have also noticed that I do not use my hand towel as much lately to wipe the sweat of my face. It used to bother me that sweat would run into my eyes causing a annoying stinging sensation. My focus now allows me to block that feeling away! As much as this challenge has given me more focus, and determination, and I am very grateful that I have a yoga buddy to fall back on. I find Brenda has keep me in check on the days that I am feeling lazy and unmotivated - Vancouver has been extremely rainy, grey and gloomy lately....LOL! If it wasn't for her I wouldn't have completed my first double of my challenge a couple of days ago! After making dinner, and settling in for the night, I got a text from Brenda on my thoughts of doing a late class. I was not really "feeling it" mostly because we already did a morning class, and I just finished my after dinner treat - a bag of BBQ potato chips! I told her that I didn't think it was a great idea, and that maybe we can do a double tomorrow - a pathetic excuse of stalling...LOL! She said that she going anyways. Her enthusiasm was all I needed to change my mind, and we both had a stronger, and fruitful second class of the day!!! Thanks Brenda for that extra push!

On a side note I found my short shorts....LOL! They have been missing for a while I and just found them under a pile of clean unfolded clothes. I have a quite a few good yoga shorts, but they are on the longer side. Hiking and fooling around with the longer shorts can be annoying and frustrating. Now I am looking for more short shorts - screw modesty on the hot room...hahaha! Just as long as the shorts can hold in my junk!

On to week 3!!!!!!!

Detox

What a great weekend of friends, hockey, beer, and yoga!!! It is strange to put beer and yoga in the same sentence. I wouldn't say the two words are like oil, and water but it is certainly not an easy yoga class after a hard night of drinking...LOL!

Saturday's class was with Gabe. He is a really good instructor, and a really nice guy. I class was packed with a mixture of regulars, teachers, and newbies. It great to nice some of the newbies sticking around after their introductory week! I had a strong class again, and I my backbends are continuing to be better, and better! I was happy that Gabe didn't let me slack. He consistently reminded me to "keep my chest up" on various postures. I have a bad habit of not using my chest if I am tired, or if I am just plain lazy....hahaha. Foreword bends have being difficult of late. I wonder if this due to my increased flexibility of my backward bends. Standing separate leg forehead to knee, and now rabbit is very difficult.

Yesterday's class was very tough. I had seven friends for Victoria, and Calgary come into town for the Canucks/Flames hockey game. I knew I was going to "pollute" my body with a few overpriced beers at the game, but I wasn't prepared for the shots of jagermeister after the game though....LOL! I was conscience throughout the night to drink water to balance out the alcohol, and hoping it would be enough keep the hangover away the next morning....wrong. I was not looking forward to the class first thing the next morning, but I was glad that me and Brenda scheduled this class together (the night before) because my body was screaming for a detox. Doing a yoga class hungover is not fun, but I find that it is better alternative - lying on the couch wasting the day away...hahaha! The whole class was a struggle, but I did do all the postures, which is a miracle as I thought I wouldn't have the stamina to complete the class with out sitting out on something. Mental note to self - no more jagermeister!

This morning's class was way better class than yesterday, but I was pretty stiff for some reason. I felt my bones creaking in halfmoon, and all the way through to spine twist. I felt de-hydrated. This is probably due to the fact I forgot to take enough liquids the night before. Bad Richard! On a positive note I held my second set of standing bow for the entire time on the left side, and for 28 seconds on the right side - I would have stayed in for the full time, but the instructor held her breath a little longer. I know shouldn't be anticipating the instructors words....haha!

I can't believe we are almost two weeks into the challenge! There has been more "ups" than "downs" so far, and I know this will continue to be the case!

Home Sweet Home

After an extended stay in Victoria where my parents live, I am finally back in Vancouver after being away for over 2 weeks! I had a great stay! Spending Christmas, ringing in the new year, and celebrating both my mom and dad's birthday was wonderful! I even managed to practice yoga on a constant basis in what now feels like my second studio! That being said, I am thrilled to be back home. I was excited to be back at my home studio to see the familiar faces - especially my yoga buddy Brenda! I was surprised, and quite franky flattered that most of the regular yogis noticed that I haven't been at the studio in quite some time, and asked "where the hell" I have been, and welcomed me back! It great catching up with all the people, but now it is "back to business"...continuing with my challenge!

The waiting room was packed full of yogis waiting for the current class to be let out last night. So, imagine my surprise when my yoga buddy was able to snag two primo spots in the front left corner...YAH!!! THANKS Brenda :D!!! The class was SOLID!!! I even got a complement on the first posture in ackward!!! I am continuing to find my backbends getting deeper, and stronger. I look forward to the spine strengthening series now. Before, it was much like going for a root cannel!!! The air the room was perfect, and because of that my recovery between postures was really quick - recovering in the first 5 seconds of savansana, and leaving 15 seconds of pure relaxation!

This afternoon's class was equally SOLID!!! We were able to get our favorite spot again..YAH! I can't remember if I ever was able hold my posture on the second set of standing head to knee on both legs, but I did it today!!!! Cobra felt great - I saw the ceiling for the first time!!!

The first week is now done. It has flown by very quicky! My enthusiasm for the challenge has not even wavered one bit, and I think it has just maybe even increased! Full steam ahead - Bring on week 2!!!!!!!!!

The Guilt Factor

Missed my first class of the year. I was hoping to take a the 7:45 class tonight, but I just rang out of time! I now I am sitting at the computer wishing there was a later class on the schedule tonight! It is funny how I crave the hot room one day, and have to drag myself to the room the next day...LOL! I am also disappointed because I wanted to continue from where I left off last night. It was my strongest class of the year, and the strongest in the last couple of months! I felt like a rockstar!!! Halfmoon pose with hands to feet - It seemed like I almost had my legs locked!!! Standing head to knee - Had my knees lock and I only feel out twice in the 1st set. Normally I would be falling out 4-5 times! Tree pose - I held the posture on both sets...first time!! The whole spine strengthening series was a complete success!! Felt my upper, mid and lower spine in the postures, especially in full locust where I felt it was the highest I have ever been! Spine Twist - FANTASTIC! Usually I have nothing left for this posture, but I literally felt my whole spine twisting! It hurt, but it is one of those "good pains"!

Enough of reminiscing of yesterdays class. Going back into the class tomorrow!!! CAN"T WAIT!!!

Number 99

I am at double digits today!! 99 more classes to go...hahaha! The number 99 reminds me of many fond childhood memories. Like many boys growing up in the early 80's, I looked up to Wayne Gretzky. I lived and breathed hockey in grade school! Every chance I had, I was either playing road hockey at home, or playing floor hockey in the school's gymnasium. I remember getting an Edmonton Oiler's jersey with the Gretzky's name and number on the back for my 10th birthday, and I don't think I took it off for a month! It is still hanging in my bedroom closet in my parents house. My mom has tried to throw it away many times through the years after I moved out, but I always told her stories of how I won "Stanley Cup's, Canada Cup's and other various World Jr. Championships" with that jersey. My mom still thinks it is a ratty old piece of crap...LOL! Many, many years later, I had a chance opportunity to meet Wayne at a Hockey Canada function at my workplace. I knew it was my one and only chance to have that jersey signed by my idol! Even Wayne remarked on how it seem like the jersey had gone through many battles!

Today's class was another JUICY class, though not as humid as the first 2 days. I felt sweat running down my back as soon as ackward pose! The humidity was mitigated by my new christmas present - Lululemon yoga mat!!! I thought a towel was a towel....NOPE! Man...these lululemon towels GREAT! No more fussing around with my old towel in between postures during the standing series! Today was my first morning class in a while. WOW....my body just did not want move! It did get a little better after triangle pose though. My shoulders have been quite sore after the classes, because of my focus of keeping my arms straight during the standing series. All in all the week has been great! Feeling limber and refreshed. I hope this will continue forever!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

The day has come! January 1st. 2010!!! Not only it is the start to a new year, and a new decade, it is the start of my ultimate physical/mental yoga challenge! 101 days of consecutive of hot yoga!

I never would have thought I would be the type to blog anything, let alone blogging about yoga! I have never been the diary type either, so this will be something of a first for me! Strange, as it might be to put my thoughts into words, it is strangely very natural too! I feel like there is no shortage of things in want to write about. Although, It never crossed my mind it write a blog, I do follow a few blogs

1) http://hannahjustbreathe.wordpress.com/

2) http://thirdstringgoalie.blogspot.com/

3) http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/

Although I have always been physically active (playing soccer in a men's league, ran a few 10K, half marathon, and full marathon races, to playing golf in the summer, and skiing in the winter) I never thought yoga as a legitimate physical activity. I had many misconceptions of yoga. I thought it was a flaky new age exercise that hippies did....LOL! Things started to change when Brenda - my dear friend, and now yoga buddy encouraged me to try it. Over the next 6 to 8 months she invited me to try a class with her, but I always had some excuse not to decline the offer. All this changed at a mutual friend's Victoria Day long weekend BBQ. It was a while since I saw Brenda, and I immediately notice how amazing she looked...she was "glowing"! I commented how great she looked, and she said it was due to Bikram's yoga! She went on to say how it has changed her life physically, mentally, and emotionally. I must admit that what she was saying was the same things she was telling me the first time she encouraged me to take a class with her. I guess I really never listened to what she had to say regarding yoga until the BBQ....sorry Brenda...LOL! Bikram's yoga came into my life in June 2009 and I haven't looked back since!!! THANKS BRENDA for being so patient, and so persistent!!

Here are my goals for this challenge

1) To be able to look at the back wall in the backbend in halfmoon

2) To have my hands in prayer in eagle

3) To fully kick out, hold and not fall out of the second set of forehead to knee

4) To touch my head to the mat on separate forehead to floor

5) To hold and not fall out of toe stand

6) To be able to wrap my hand to my inner thigh in spine twist

7) To hydrate myself properly so that I only need to drink water in class after eagle, and before fixed firm

8) To curb my urge for salty bad foods

So this is it!!! My very first blog entry! I am sure this is the first of many postings! It has been a fantastic feeling to be able to put down my thoughts onto words. I now understand why people write diaries.