No jokes this times, just a wonderful class with Sara that I actually remember what happened in. Let's get to it!
Good: Can't...Get...Enough...Triangles. Regular, reversed, left side, right side, in the rain, on a train, something about twisting and extending is just wonderful for me. That's it, I'm going to go do a couple right now.
Okay, I'm back. Just to clarify, my triangles still need work and I am very appreciative of the adjustments Sara gave me in this class. They are just so fun and simple like reverse bon bons that make your body better instead of worse while still being oh so delicious.
Bad: Child's Pose Balasana http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/475 on the other hand, continues to be an issue for me. My tummy, gender, and overall tightness combine to frequently make this "resting pose" a source of frustration for me. Wah, wah, wah, I know. I can't (or won't, I suppose) do much about one of those problems, but a tighter tummy is certainly something I can and will work on and breathing work should eventually pay dividends with tightness. Be warned, child's pose, I conquered hero's pose and I am coming for you next.
Yummy: So I got to hang out with Elizabeth which is always fun and we even did wheels together. Go Elizabeth! You rock and I really appreciate the encouragement you have given me. Super cool Katie was also there and has decided on her special phrase. Check out the cast of characters for the latest addition and keep an eye out in the future for other fun new people I am getting to know better through the power of yoga and specifically the wonderful community at Amsa.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Class #45, 46 Yoga for Lunch with Anne and Gentle Yoga with Pam
Okay, so my life got super hectic and I misplaced my notes for these classes. All I remember is being frustrated I couldn't breath better and the oddity of having more guys than girls in Anne's classes. On the plus side, I went on a little trip immediately after Pam's class (left for the mountains approximately 11 minutes after class got out). I have a couple yogic anecdotes from that trip and some wonderfully bad yoga puns composed by either me or my wife during the drive.
I have been pretty frustrated about breathing lately aside from one transcendent class with Kimberly where I managed to keep breathing almost the whole time. I can do okay if the instructor reminds us during each pose when to inhale and exhale. Thanks for the training wheels. Someday I will learn to go solo, I promise. Anyways, we went on a couple walks and a fairly long hike up in the mountains and I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could breath really well if I kept ting my breath to my steps. I know I would have been out of breath quickly if I had undergone the same exertion pre-yoga. Ahh yoga, it makes everything better (kinda like Texas Pete hot sauce only not as sticky). So instead of having to focus on getting enough oxygen and having to make a bunch of stops, I got to just enjoy the moment and be present in the beauty of nature.
Also while up in the mountains I was lucky enough to be staying at place with a beautiful view from its front yard. So each morning I would get up and greet the day with some downward dogs, warriors of various descriptions and too many triangles to count. I also found that a good way to ensure good from in chatturanga/ up dog, plank, down dog vinyasa is to just practice without a mat on some dewy grass. No belly scraping here. You also can not really get frustrated with yourself while drinking in the mountain air and little birdies are hopping around and singing to you.
Lastly here are some of the best (or worst depending on your temperament) yoga puns we came up with:
What kind of vehicle did the yogis take to the retreat?
An Omnibus...
Why did the advanced yoga teacher not have to wear a life jacket when out on the lake?
She had mastered boat pose...
Why did the yoga teacher give all her students squeaky toys and tennis balls?
She wanted to improve their down dogs...
Why did the yoga student always go to a Longhorn Restaurant after yoga class?
Her instructor ended each class by telling her to Nom-A-Steak...
And Finally,
Why did the yoga teacher have to hide all through Christmas?
She had gotten stuck in Bow pose...
No yoga jokes next time. I Promise. : )
I have been pretty frustrated about breathing lately aside from one transcendent class with Kimberly where I managed to keep breathing almost the whole time. I can do okay if the instructor reminds us during each pose when to inhale and exhale. Thanks for the training wheels. Someday I will learn to go solo, I promise. Anyways, we went on a couple walks and a fairly long hike up in the mountains and I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could breath really well if I kept ting my breath to my steps. I know I would have been out of breath quickly if I had undergone the same exertion pre-yoga. Ahh yoga, it makes everything better (kinda like Texas Pete hot sauce only not as sticky). So instead of having to focus on getting enough oxygen and having to make a bunch of stops, I got to just enjoy the moment and be present in the beauty of nature.
Also while up in the mountains I was lucky enough to be staying at place with a beautiful view from its front yard. So each morning I would get up and greet the day with some downward dogs, warriors of various descriptions and too many triangles to count. I also found that a good way to ensure good from in chatturanga/ up dog, plank, down dog vinyasa is to just practice without a mat on some dewy grass. No belly scraping here. You also can not really get frustrated with yourself while drinking in the mountain air and little birdies are hopping around and singing to you.
Lastly here are some of the best (or worst depending on your temperament) yoga puns we came up with:
What kind of vehicle did the yogis take to the retreat?
An Omnibus...
Why did the advanced yoga teacher not have to wear a life jacket when out on the lake?
She had mastered boat pose...
Why did the yoga teacher give all her students squeaky toys and tennis balls?
She wanted to improve their down dogs...
Why did the yoga student always go to a Longhorn Restaurant after yoga class?
Her instructor ended each class by telling her to Nom-A-Steak...
And Finally,
Why did the yoga teacher have to hide all through Christmas?
She had gotten stuck in Bow pose...
No yoga jokes next time. I Promise. : )
Class #44 Deep Stretch Yoga with Sara
Well I didn't breath as well as I would have hoped in this class considering the last one, but it was still an improvement over my normal level so I'll take it. I had some trouble focusing overall and kept thinking about work problems. Sorry for not being more mindful and focused on the moment Sara. : ( Here is what I remember from my scattered thoughts:
Good: So I don't know the name of it, but I look like the girl in Christina's World by Wyeth (I really need a haircut and to get off the farm...) I am loving twists right now. It's silly, but if an instructor describes a pose as a twist, I breath a little better and unclench some of my muscles. The mind is a weird wonderful thing.
Bad: Maybe I can get Sara to call it Pigeon Twist instead of Eka Pada Rajakapotasana http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/863 cause that pigeon has definitely pooped on my psyche and is roosting in my head. I know I can have a decent pigeon because I have had them before and I am certainly more limber now than I have been in the past. If I could just find a way to relax I would be back to being the king of pigeons (or at least minor nobility of some sort) in no time.
Yummy: My savasana was pretty good. I know it's not sleep but mine seem to go a lot better if I am a little tired when I get to it. I felt super refreshed after the class was over and ready to see a better tomorrow. Thanks Sara!
Good: So I don't know the name of it, but I look like the girl in Christina's World by Wyeth (I really need a haircut and to get off the farm...) I am loving twists right now. It's silly, but if an instructor describes a pose as a twist, I breath a little better and unclench some of my muscles. The mind is a weird wonderful thing.
Bad: Maybe I can get Sara to call it Pigeon Twist instead of Eka Pada Rajakapotasana http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/863 cause that pigeon has definitely pooped on my psyche and is roosting in my head. I know I can have a decent pigeon because I have had them before and I am certainly more limber now than I have been in the past. If I could just find a way to relax I would be back to being the king of pigeons (or at least minor nobility of some sort) in no time.
Yummy: My savasana was pretty good. I know it's not sleep but mine seem to go a lot better if I am a little tired when I get to it. I felt super refreshed after the class was over and ready to see a better tomorrow. Thanks Sara!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Class# 43 Yin and Flow Yoga with Kimberly
I am so excited about this class. I feel like I had a mini breakthrough. Kimberly really emphasized the breath (as she often does) and I was able to do a much better job of breathing throughout. The poses really do come after the breath and not before it. I tried to just breath and let what was going to happen, happen and I was in a much better place mentally than I usually am. Hmm, I guess I am already in the "Good" so I'm going to drop down there and give some more detail.
({{{}}})
. . .
. .
.
Good: That was my attempt at happy shower drops by the way. So every day and every class is a new opportunity and recently I have been a bit frustrated (as you may have noticed) with how lacking my breath is. I have been coming at the problem from wrong angles though. Beating myself up doesn't really work. Obsessing over how good everyone else's breath is doesn't work. Even fixating over how my breath sounds does not really get at the heart of the matter. I wish there was a non-cliched way to say to say this, but deciding to "Just Breathe" seems to be the key. I took long deep even breaths and when I didn't for whatever reason, I used that opportunity to...
take a long deep breath. I don't know if my poses looked better or worse, but they certainly felt better and less stressful while I did them (yes I get stressed during yoga but not as much as I have before).
Bad: I am not even that upset about the bad, my old nemesis Seated Forward Bend Paschimottanasana http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/477 I don't usually get that far without aid of some sort like a strap or grabbing my legs and trying to wrench myself down. I am pretty sure this is not what the pose is about anyways, but rather gracefully stretching and lowering the torso without crumpling. So when I had hit a wall, Kimberly came over and gently but firmly helped me push through and after she left I was actually able to go even further. It would be great if I could do this unassisted, but I am still really happy with how it wound up and my prospects for the future.
Yummy: So much yum that day... Breathing makes everything better. The adjustments were wonderful. There is really an art to helping people find where they can go without pushing too far. Kimberly, you are a talented artist. The music was also especially cool with some really good songs that fit with the love theme of the class without being sappy (not that there is anything wrong with that. Yum, yum, yum. it was like eating some home made brownies without the guilt!
Okay, so now I just need to keep breathing and not get cocky. Wish me luck!
({{{}}})
. . .
. .
.
Good: That was my attempt at happy shower drops by the way. So every day and every class is a new opportunity and recently I have been a bit frustrated (as you may have noticed) with how lacking my breath is. I have been coming at the problem from wrong angles though. Beating myself up doesn't really work. Obsessing over how good everyone else's breath is doesn't work. Even fixating over how my breath sounds does not really get at the heart of the matter. I wish there was a non-cliched way to say to say this, but deciding to "Just Breathe" seems to be the key. I took long deep even breaths and when I didn't for whatever reason, I used that opportunity to...
take a long deep breath. I don't know if my poses looked better or worse, but they certainly felt better and less stressful while I did them (yes I get stressed during yoga but not as much as I have before).
Bad: I am not even that upset about the bad, my old nemesis Seated Forward Bend Paschimottanasana http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/477 I don't usually get that far without aid of some sort like a strap or grabbing my legs and trying to wrench myself down. I am pretty sure this is not what the pose is about anyways, but rather gracefully stretching and lowering the torso without crumpling. So when I had hit a wall, Kimberly came over and gently but firmly helped me push through and after she left I was actually able to go even further. It would be great if I could do this unassisted, but I am still really happy with how it wound up and my prospects for the future.
Yummy: So much yum that day... Breathing makes everything better. The adjustments were wonderful. There is really an art to helping people find where they can go without pushing too far. Kimberly, you are a talented artist. The music was also especially cool with some really good songs that fit with the love theme of the class without being sappy (not that there is anything wrong with that. Yum, yum, yum. it was like eating some home made brownies without the guilt!
Okay, so now I just need to keep breathing and not get cocky. Wish me luck!
Class #42 Hot Vinyasa Yoga with Kimberly
So as people may or may not know, I lost a good deal a weight and bad cholesterol through yoga and some diet changes. Unfortunately, I have managed to put five or so pounds back on despite actually going to more classes than I used to. My school schedule has been making it rough to eat healthy and I also have not been able to make it to as many of the hot and/or fast paced classes lately. Anyways, it was great to go to one of the classes that I have really happy associations with. Heat+moving=progress in my mind still. I got there just in time after oversleeping again. (I am trying out the special lights that are supposed to help with energy during winter time.) My body seemed really confused because I kept trying to yawn while being out of breath. I basically made weird fishy sounds. Sorry nice new guy that was next to me. I hope I didn't scare you with my glubs. So aside from being happy, nostalgic, and fishy how did it go? Let's see...
Good: The basic sequence of down dog, plank and chaturanga is something that comes up a lot both in class and in my home practice. There is always room to grow but I have been trying really hard to breath better during that time and it is starting to pay dividends. My mind is in a good place where I am neither complacent nor panicked. Hopefully that little acorn of mindfulness and a few others I have in some scattered poses can grow together into a healthy forest of not sucking...
Bad: Oh Extended Side Angle Utthita Parsvakonasana http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/749 what am I going to do with you? I still feel like I am stuck in between variations for this pose. I like the way my body feels when I am in this pose and my forearm near my elbow is pressed right behind my knee. My mind, however, will not shut up about how I should be doing it the way a lot of other people are and how it is in the picture I linked to. However, I don't feel stable and my "lines" don't feel right when I try it that way. The deal I have made with my ego lately has been that as long as the pose I am in can strengthen and prepare me for future poses then I don't have to beat myself up as much. Since, that does not really seem to be the case with this pose, I am having a lot of trouble making my peace with it.
Yummy: On a happier note there is a pose we did that I keep meaning to talk about that i just love. There is not a name for it that I have heard but Amanda has dubbed it "Happy Boulder". Kinda like in Happy Baby Ananda Balasana http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/2497 you are on your back but instead of reaching for your feet and drawing them down with knees bent, you just hug your knees into your chest and wrap your arms around them, then rock back and forth. To the casual observer, you look a lot like a tiny boulder and if you are smiling (and really how can you not?) then you are a happy boulder!
Next class description is almost done. See you soon everyone!
Good: The basic sequence of down dog, plank and chaturanga is something that comes up a lot both in class and in my home practice. There is always room to grow but I have been trying really hard to breath better during that time and it is starting to pay dividends. My mind is in a good place where I am neither complacent nor panicked. Hopefully that little acorn of mindfulness and a few others I have in some scattered poses can grow together into a healthy forest of not sucking...
Bad: Oh Extended Side Angle Utthita Parsvakonasana http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/749 what am I going to do with you? I still feel like I am stuck in between variations for this pose. I like the way my body feels when I am in this pose and my forearm near my elbow is pressed right behind my knee. My mind, however, will not shut up about how I should be doing it the way a lot of other people are and how it is in the picture I linked to. However, I don't feel stable and my "lines" don't feel right when I try it that way. The deal I have made with my ego lately has been that as long as the pose I am in can strengthen and prepare me for future poses then I don't have to beat myself up as much. Since, that does not really seem to be the case with this pose, I am having a lot of trouble making my peace with it.
Yummy: On a happier note there is a pose we did that I keep meaning to talk about that i just love. There is not a name for it that I have heard but Amanda has dubbed it "Happy Boulder". Kinda like in Happy Baby Ananda Balasana http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/2497 you are on your back but instead of reaching for your feet and drawing them down with knees bent, you just hug your knees into your chest and wrap your arms around them, then rock back and forth. To the casual observer, you look a lot like a tiny boulder and if you are smiling (and really how can you not?) then you are a happy boulder!
Next class description is almost done. See you soon everyone!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Class #41 Yin and Flow Yoga with Kimberly
Going to this class helped some after my horrible experience at Gold's. I actually usually have a Friday evening commitment, but I cancelled since I wasn't feeling up to it or the driving I would need to do. I was still a little dizzy, but my wonderful wife Amanda drove me to yoga and practiced next to me, keeping an eye on me to make sure I was okay.
Good: I used to dread Chair pose Utkatasana http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/493 but now I kind of like it. I am not excited about doing it, but I have made my peace with it and when it is time for chair I do chair. The overall sequence that involves chair and uttanasana and stretching up with arms overhead is definitely fun. Of course, anything and uttanasana is pretty fun, but still...
Bad: I used to NOT dread pigeon Eka Pada Rajakapotasana but lately we have had a bit of a falling out. You can kind of get away with being tense in some of the poses, but pigeon will have none of that and it has been pretty brutal lately for me. Of course it is mostly mental. I think it will be painful and stressful so I tense in preparation which makes it worse and it downward spirals from there. I need to find something to bring out of this pigeon poopstorm...
Yummy: Anytime I get to practice next to Amanda is wonderful. Her schedule is very busy and it almost feels like a little vacation when we get to do yoga together. The overall class was a welcome haven after the trauma earlier and a reminder of the special oasis Amsa is. Thanks Kimberly and thanks Amsa community for being there!
Good: I used to dread Chair pose Utkatasana http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/493 but now I kind of like it. I am not excited about doing it, but I have made my peace with it and when it is time for chair I do chair. The overall sequence that involves chair and uttanasana and stretching up with arms overhead is definitely fun. Of course, anything and uttanasana is pretty fun, but still...
Bad: I used to NOT dread pigeon Eka Pada Rajakapotasana but lately we have had a bit of a falling out. You can kind of get away with being tense in some of the poses, but pigeon will have none of that and it has been pretty brutal lately for me. Of course it is mostly mental. I think it will be painful and stressful so I tense in preparation which makes it worse and it downward spirals from there. I need to find something to bring out of this pigeon poopstorm...
Yummy: Anytime I get to practice next to Amanda is wonderful. Her schedule is very busy and it almost feels like a little vacation when we get to do yoga together. The overall class was a welcome haven after the trauma earlier and a reminder of the special oasis Amsa is. Thanks Kimberly and thanks Amsa community for being there!
Class #40 Gold's Gym Full Contact Yoga with Headshot
Ugh. I overslept my normal Amsa class so I went to Gold's Gym where I am already paying for a membership and I literally got kicked in the head and thought I had a concussion. "Luckily", it appears to just be a really bad headache with some dizziness. I may try to come back to this post and somehow find good and yummy, but right now I don't want to even think about it.
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