30 Day Challenge – Days 13-16

(Oneika’s 30 Day Hot Yoga Challenge Continues)

 

Situpsana (Hot Yoga Sit-up) 

The hot yoga sit-up. This is a transitional posture in the floor series.

Hot Core Yoga does a great job detailing the sit-up:

1. Take in a full inhaling breath as you lifting the arms overhead.
2. Employ forceful quick double exhalation from the lower abdomen (this technique will make sit-ups effortless! try it!) Tongue is near room of the mouth…hissing sound. 3. Use forceful exhalation to hurl upper body forward…hands touching hands to feet & perhaps gently smacking forehead into shins.

 

Truth be told, the sit-up isn’t nearly as interesting as when the teacher says that it’s time to do the sit-up. If you take hot yoga, you know exactly what I mean and are now cracking up. Clearly, this is the way that you’re supposed to say it. But the word ‘sit’ is extended so it sounds like ‘siiiiiiiiiiiiiiit up’. I have trolled the Internet trying to find more dirt about the reason for this or even a sound bite because it fascinates me. No such luck. I wonder if it’s hot yoga conspiracy.

 

 

Pavanamuktasana (Wind Removing Pose)

You’d think that this pose might be more embarrassing for some in class, but I’ve never once heard any wind removed. Pavanamuktasana is meant to prepare the body  for the floor series. I’ve had a teacher help me really stretch here and it’s helped. Like all of the poses it comes down to the breath. I do like this video demonstration. Check it out.

 

 

Day 13

My appetite was out of control today. But I’ve been craving more carbs than usual. It may be because I’ve cut out meat, a new protein source is definitely needed!

 

 

 

 

Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)

This posture is the the start of the spine strengthening series. When you first start hot yoga it may seem that this is the easier part of class but it’s not. I’m not ready to wax poetic about the floor series mostly because I’m not that great at it. The key is to stay mentally connected to the class and not check out. Cobra pose is great for anxiety and depression because it opens up the chest and reduces fatigue in the body.

 

 

 

Day 14 

Something feels like it’s missing. I’m working hard that I know, but I don’t feel as achy as I thought I would. This is my second hump. I still have lots to work on in the first part of the series but as far as my stamina goes I feel good. However, I feel like a baby all over again once I hit the floor.  Don’t get me wrong I’m not a masochist but I want to feel this a bit more.

 

Locust Pose 

This is the second part of the spine strengthening series. The set-up when you first do this pose sucks.

 

No really, it sucks.

 

You put your arms underneath thighs palms down. This is an important part. Any old schmo can put arms together palms up. Your elbows hurt at first. Your teachers tell you that this will go away.

 

You won’t believe them. I sure didn’t.

 

But then it does go away. In one movement you use the back muscles to lift the leg. First one leg, then the other and then both. There are some freakishly strong people in my class who can put themselves in a vertical position. I know, I know I’m not to compare- but it’s so very cool. This posture and I are not seeing each other yet.  There’s something I’m not connecting with but I have bigger fish to fry. Locust can get in line baby.

 

 

 

Day 15

Looks like someone with a big mouth spoke too soon, my knees are sore. Soaking will help. I will make a date with my tub and Epsom salts. My thighs were burning climbing up the steps to 23rd St. They felt tight until class. The heat helped and after I felt fantastic. Today was the first day that I thought, ‘I think I will practice yoga most days for the rest of my life or at least until I can’t.’ I hope I’ll be like Jane Fonda in her 70s, with the with the Ted Turner settlement and sense of peace.

 

 

 

 

Poorna Salabhasna (Full Locust)

 

 

 

Day 16

Class today was a big blech. Or maybe more like a Liz Lemon blurg. It was a perfect storm of events that left me feeling less than thrilled. Mentally I’m dangerously close to the wall. You know the wall that makes you grind to a halt. This is worse than being exhausted and close to the wall. My body feels great. Frankly, I need to push harder. I’m at this point where my practice is going to another place. It’s awkward. I need more awkward in my life like I need five more pounds (unless it’s the web series, then yes, more please).

 

I need to to stop thinking so hard about it but it’s like an itch I can’t stop scratching. In Pema Chodron’s Getting Unstuck she talks about this need to scratch whatever is ‘itching’. Staying still becomes impossible because our minds keep telling us to scratch. That’s what being in savasana felt like today. I kept wanting to fidget. My sweat seemed to annoy me more than usual. There’s something amazing on the other side of this so I’ll stay focused. I should talk to my teachers about this block, but my ego isn’t letting me (note to self). On the plus side my whole body feels so much tighter!

Namaste!

 

 

p.s. The tempeh and iron I picked up a few days ago seems to be working. The fatigue when I climb stairs is gone. Hooray!