I want to get better!

This statement has been in my head for a couple of weeks now. These past few months have made me realize a couple of things and one of them is that Yoga really is a part of me. I love it and no matter how much blocks and challenges I face, I find myself going back to it all the time.
Having realized this, I told myself that I want to start getting better at it again. I now feel the urge I once did to try to do more that's why I've been pushing myself harder. I'm also really thankful that Frank(our new teacher in BYA), Ginger and Rina take the time to work with me after class so that we can all work on our backbends and other postures.
I am still quite sad that I am unable to have a solid ashtanga practice because of my injured wrist. I did try to go back a couple of weeks ago but I made my wrist worse so I'm taking Ginger's advice and I'm concentrating on Bikram now and when I'm better I will build up my ashtanga practice from there.
This week I started doing 30 backbends after class and it sure is painful!!!! It hurts so bad that I can hardly bend my back after even just to do forward bends. I have also been working on my standing head to knee and bow. I honestly thought that sometimes my knees and thighs would fall off already from the pain I feel there from trying to lock my knees or kick my feet up. My body is in pain but I know that I need this to get better.
I'm actually trying to make it my little pet project to convince people in BYA to try to work just a little bit harder and intensify their workouts because all our energies affect our practice and I think that since the studio has hit is first year anniversary then we should all be getting stronger. I respect each individuals' practice but if they ever need someone to motivate them to do a little bit more, I'd be happy to help since it is our collective energies that make or break us in class anyway =)

BYA turns 1!

Here are some photos of us in the photobooth that night. Thank you to Ginger Diaz for bringing Bikram Yoga to Alabang. It has definitely helped me mentally, physically and spiritually. More power and more birthdays to come to my BYA family!

Advance classes in Bikram

I know that I have been delinquent in posting the past month and it's because I really got busy with work and the kids. Anyway, I started taking advanced classes in Bikram last month and the first time I tried it I must say that every muscle in my body was hurting the next day! My body was so sore that even if my spine was hurting a bit from the deep back bends I couldn't feel it that much since the pain from my muscles beside it were overpowering the pain in my spine and preventing me from bending my back anyways.

So how was the class? It was hard! I must say that I was disappointed in myself that I didn't do that well with the arm balances because that used to be one of my strengths when I was practicing ashtanga. I must say that I absolutely hate the finger stands. In a nutshell, I felt heavy or maybe I'm just weaker now =( 

I did better in my next advanced class but I still have such a long way to go. Most of my postures need refinement and I really need to strengthen my arms and core more. The posture that I am most afraid of is the handstand. I don't know why I fear it more than backbends when in fact I should fear the other one more because of my injury. I love headstands but handstands seem to have an adverse effect on me, I don't really know why because I used to do a lot of this when I was in high school. Hhmmm....

I have also decided to start practicing ashtanga again even if it's on my own to develop my arm and core strength again. I started this last tuesday and since my left wrist is a bit sore, I wasn't able to do the whole series. My practice got surprisingly better at some points tho because I guess Bikram has helped me soften up and gain flexibility because of the heat that we undergo in every class. I am excited to see how the combination of ashtanga and bikram will change my practice =)

FLOW: SurfYogaSamba Goes Raw

I am inviting all of you who may be interested to go to my friend's surf yoga samba and raw food weekend retareat in La Union this Aug. 27-29. 

 

What happened after the 30 day challenge?

After our 30day challenge party, we drank some tequila and I was actually still able to go to Bikram the next day and it was one of the best practices I've ever had. I don't know why, maybe it's because I felt no pressure so I was able to nail my postures because I was just having fun while practicing.

I actually entertained the thought of doing the 60 day challenge and I consulted Ginger. She told me that since we were going to start doing advance classes on August as well, maybe I should hold off on doing the 60 days because advance can really take its toll on you. I was half convinced to not go through with it. What sealed the deal for me was that I was so busy with family and work duties that I had to miss a couple of days already and I didn't want to do doubles on top of advanced.

I did try doing a double last week because I missed it. I think that I want to commit to doing at least one double a week just to make my body get used to doing longer workouts--I'm also doing this in preparation for the advanced classes. My back is getting better and I've started doing full postures except for camel because I want my back to be 100% back to normal when I try that posture again.

If there's something that I have been neglecting to do after the 30 day challenge, it's drinking a lot of water. I've been so busy and I haven't been bringing my thermos with me that's why I don't get to drink as much as I used to. I end up getting so thirsty in class! I will start drinking more again--I have to so I guess it's back to bringing water with me everywhere I go once again.

Day 30 of the 30 day Bikram Yoga Challenge

Today was the last day of the challenge and I was up for anything I was ready to take in a hard class because I knew that I had the option of resting the next day. I just came from my chiropractor and I also had my myotherapy that morning so I was hoping that the adjustments would help me. Finally, I have been able to notice the improvement in my back. It's still painful but I feel more balanced and I'm able to go in deeper into my postures.

Ginger taught our class that day and everyone was in high spirits. It was quite humid so even if Ginger was generous in opening the windows and door, it was still a bit hard to breathe. I was so into my practice that I really got jolted when someone shouted "Excuse me, she passed out" in a very panic stricken voice. I looked back to look for who it was and I did get surprised to find the girl lying down flat on her back with eyes closed. We were still in the standing series here so it wasn't hard to see who it was. Ginger was quick to act and immediately took charge. She went to her just when she started to open her eyes and thank goodness that she smiled. I admit that I did get a bit rattled but I shook it off and forced myself to concentrate once again.

Since it was my last day, I didn't back off as much only for camel and rabbit because they are very deep postures and I know that my back cannot withstand those for now. I surprised myself by not falling on standing head to knee where my right leg was my standing leg--this is my weaker side so it felt great to have been able to get in and out of the posture without falling off. 

I was so happy when we ended, starving but happy! I am really thankful that I was given the opportunity to do the 30 day challenge because it really has changed me. I'm physically and mentally stronger. I've learned to appreciate the power of my mind again. I have learned to face my fears head on--practicing during 4pm has definitely helped me face my fear of the sun's heat and lack of cold air! I am grateful for the friendships that we have formed also through this challenge. Thank you to our teachers, Ginger, Omar and Rina. You guys have helped us by practicing, teaching and struggling with us all throughout this month =)

Here are some photos of the party we had:

Day 29 of the 30 day Bikram Yoga Challenge

 I was looking forward to my practice today. I got to the studio quite early so I wasn’t harassed. I didn’t know who our teacher would be and at this point I didn’t care. If the class was going to be hard then I welcome it because it’s my 2^nd to the last day.

Omar was there eating his banana so I assumed that he would be teaching but then Ginger and Rina arrived and Ginger said she was teaching. I was looking forward to class because I knew that Omar and Rina’s energy would help us in our practice.

To be honest, I was quite surprised that Ginger was nice because she kept on opening the door and windows. Because of the rainy weather, the room was cold and since it was so early it was harder to sweat. Today was probably one day that I wouldn’t have minded the heat. I really was into my practice this morning. I admit that I was getting distracted a bit by someone constantly burping next to me but I just told myself to zone in on myself so that I wouldn’t get affected by others.

Because I had my physical therapy yesterday, my back muscles were more relaxed (still stiff but better than yesterday). I was able to go deeper into backbends and I felt that my legs were able to go higher in bow. I can feel my shoulders loosening up so I’m able to make them move more.

I can’t believe that it’s almost over. Just one more class to go then it’s time for our party. I am excited to celebrate. I know we all deserve it =)

Day 30 coming up!

Day 28 of the 30 Day Bikram Yoga Challenge

I woke up bright and early for my first day back after a 4 day leave and I was about to leave quite early when I couldn’t find the car keys. The helpers left to do their market and I couldn’t get thru to my driver’s mobile phone. I had to wake my hubby up to ask where the other set of keys were. I had a pretty rough start this morning.

I got to the studio a bit later than usual and chit chatted with the girls for a bit. Omar was our teacher this morning and the weather has been cold and wet so I didn’t mind that he didn’t open the doors much because my body needed heat! I was so stiff from having a break for too long and my concentration was a bit off.

I was right to have been wary of leaving for so long because I felt it in my practice. My muscles were tight and all the playing with the kids actually made me bend the wrong way one time so my back was tighter than it was before I left. I wasn’t panting in class but I felt the difference in my practice.

I hate to admit this but my body was craving for a double. I wanted to do a double so bad because in my head I knew that my second practice would mean that I was more flexible and that I wouldn’t struggle so much in getting into the postures. I was supposed to attend the 4pm class but hubby wanted me to go with him somewhere. I only have 2 more to go but I’ve been toying with the idea of doing a double tom and I’d still go to class on Saturday of course. I never thought that I’d like doing doubles but my mind and body really is wanting and craving for one. How odd. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I’d be longing for one. This challenge has definitely changed me and this is a testament of just how far I’ve grown and adapted into this practice in less than a month. I’m excited for my practice tom.

Day 29 and maybe 30 coming up tom =)

Day 27 of the 30 day Bikram Yoga Challenge

Ginger decided to have a 6am class just for this saturday so that people who need to catch up can do so this week. I wasn't supposed to take this class but since I had a chiropractor session this morning I opted for this  instead of the 3pm. 

Ginger told us that she would give us an easy class because it was early and it was a weekend. She was very lenient today so I decided to try harder because we had more recovery time in between postures. I had  a massage yesterday and it helped me a bit because my muscles were a bit more loose except for the ones in my shoulders so it was easier for me to open up in the postures. 

The energy in the room was relaxed and I felt no tension until Ginger decided to share a story about what my friend did. I was so shocked at what he did and how he name dropped me that I definitely had a renewed surge of energy afterwards. I couldn't help thinking--"Oh my gosh, I can't believe he said that!". Of course the whole class was laughing at the story but I really couldn't fathom how my friend could have misinterpreted my stories and hung me out to dry like that. After that story, my locust and bow were so high because of the surge of energy that I felt. 

What my friend did really was funny but quite embarrassing for me. Thank goodness that he's such a good friend of mine or else I think I would've given him a hard time after. Did this instance affect my practice? Of course! It made me do better because it absolutely woke me up! At least something good came out of it ;s

We all finished the class in pretty high spirits. I went to the chiropractor after and he said that I didn't have scoliosis based on my x-ray but I do have a slight curvature. I'm hoping that I respond well to his treatments because I want my spine to get better. I need it to get better!

Just a few hours ago it hit me that I wouldn't be able to do Bikram for 4 days and I really got tempted to do a double just for the heck of it because I'd miss it. Wow! I never thought I'd feel that way before. I always said that I wouldn't do a double if I didn't need to but now I'm wanting to do it just because. Hhmmmm.....I guess this challenge hasn't only changed my body but also my mind. I truly am so glad that I joined this challenge. It opened up so many things for me to experience. 

I'm a bit nervous about taking such a long break but Omar said that I'd come back strong so that's what I'm looking forward to.

Day 26 of the 30 Day Bikram Yoga Challenge

I have been really busy this month because of work, in-laws and other family obligations that's why I've been taking the 6am class so often. This day was no different. I set my alarm for 5am then got right out of bed after my alarm rung to get ready for class. By 5:40, I was in the studio laying my mat in my favorite spot. 

I was still tired from yesterday's double but I was also excited because I only had this day and saturday then I get to take a break for 4 days before I go back to the hot room on thurs next week. Rina hardly opened the doors and windows but I honestly didn't mind. It was so early and the room's temperature was just right. I was still sweating like anything inspite of the lack of heat--I'd like to think that this was because of the effort that I exert in my practice =)

I kicked out on the second part of standing head to knee and I noticed that I find it easier to touch my forehead to my knee on my right side. I can actually stay in the pose and get out of it the right way unlike my left side. I have a harder time touching my forehead to my knee there so I usually fall out on that side. I'm happy and thankful that I can do this pose inspite of lack of practice since I have only done this once before after I got injured. Overall, I had a good practice. My standing bows have been steadily improving as well. I feel the differences in my postures, the little adjustments that I have been able to make because of this challenge and I'm excited to unlock more things to make me go deeper in my postures. 

Day 27 coming up tomorrow!

Day 24 & Day 25 of the 30 Day Bikram Yoga Challenge

I took the 6am class for my Day 24 and the 4pm class for my Day 25. Rina was our teacher for both classes. In the morning, my energy level was quite low and I struggled with my water intake. I didn't drink much but I kept on wanting to drink most of the time. I was a bit mentally absent, my mind has been getting more and more restless lately so when I finished my practice I felt like I was in a daze.

Lea and I agreed to go to the 4pm class. I was a bit undecided about going into the room at such a hot hour but when my friend told me that he'd join me, I was left with no choice but to accompany him. The room was once again HOT! My friend couldn't stop panting and drinking beside me because of the heat. I actually got surprised that I was able to withstand the heat with not much resistance from my brain. I stood my ground in the postures and since my body was so much more flexible then, I had an easy time going into the postures. I was fueled by a sudden determination to stay in the postures for the entire time and I was successful about 98% of the time. I think that I was staying strong so that my friend wouldn't completely break down beside me. I wanted to give some of my energy to him and to help him finish the class.

I did drink a lot when we got to the floor series and I only started getting irritated by the heat when the sun was already creeping on my left side. The room was hot enough without its direct rays so having it so near me was torturous. I did survive my last double for the challenge and I loved it!

After the class, I did feel proud to have finished 7 doubles. I thought it was never going to happen last week but just like that and it was over! I feel quite contented =)

Day 26 coming up tom!

Day 23 of the 30 day Bikram Yoga Challenge

I took my 23rd day yesterday morning and Rina was our teacher. I don't know why but I had a hard time in class. It wasn't hot because it was 6am but I was sweating as if it was a 4pm class. Let this be known that Rina is often mistaken by people as someone who gives easy classes but the truth is she holds the postures almost or even as long as Ginger. The only difference with the two is that Rina allows us to have more air circulation by opening the doors and windows.
Yesterday, I really noticed and felt how my thigh muscles were struggling to do the leg work. I guess locking your knees for how many consecutive times can also really take its toll on one's body. I struggled physically with the class because I found myself trying to exert so much more effort just to try to get myself balanced in the postures(for both standing and floor series).
I finished the class tired also because I lacked sleep. Later that day, I went to see Dr. Camara. He's a very well recommended chiropractor and when he checked my spine he told me that I had scoliosis and that my old injury in my lumbar area is still not better as well as my middle spine. He pressed those parts with his fingers and my toes really curled up from the pain! The good thing about him is that he said I don't have anything that cannot be fixed. He told me that I could still do yoga and I can continue with cardio and plyometrics once he has fixed my alignment because it would be counter productive to strengthen my body when I'm not aligned yet.
I liked him instantly when he didn't tell me to stop what I'm doing. Instead, he found ways for him to be able to help me continue what I was doing(yoga of course). I'm crossing my fingers and praying that he'd really be the help I need to conquer my back problems.
Day 24 coming up!

Day 20, 21 & 22 of the 30 day Bikram Yoga Challenge

I was a bit busy yesterday so I wasn't able to write about my 20th day. I went to the 6am class and Omar was still able to give us a much needed breather. The good thing about the 6am class is that it's still a bit cool so I didn't really have to battle with the heat. I just had to stay focused and be in the moment. My shoulders are still a bit sore from my massages so that was what I had to work with but my body was ok and my mind was also ok yesterday, not so weak and not so strong.
For today, I did my 6th double for my 21st & 22nd classes. In the morning, I was feeling really tired but I decided to challenge myself. I knew that Omar wasn't going to make us hold the postures long so I made it a point to do better while I was in the postures. I kicked my leg out for the first time since my injury in standing head to knee and I was surprised that I was able to do the full expression and I didn't fall out when I was doing my right leg. It gave me such a boost of confidence even if I fell out of the left side. I couldn't believe that weeks of actually holding back has done me some good. My standing leg was more stable since I was able to form the habit of really locking my knees. I finished my morning practice tired but happy.
For the afternoon class, 4pm, I was dreading the heat! I think my memory of my 4pm class last week still had its lingering effects on me. I was quite surprised tho that I wasn't so bothered by the heat this time(of course this could also be because Omar opened the door and windows more than Ginger last week). My thirst was the nagging thing I was fighting with and yes I did drink about 4 or 5 times in class but at least I had a pretty strong and calm mind. I was in high spirits after the class and I only have one more double class to go! woohoo!
This has been quite a journey and I can't wait to see how I'll feel on the last day.
Day 23 coming up tomorrow!

Day 18 & 19 of the 30 day Bikram Yoga Challenge

My sister-in-law and her family are here visiting us and it's for this reason that I have been spacing out double sessions consistently this month so that I can make up for the time that we'd be going out of town with them. As we were talking this morning I realized that I completely forgot about the family reunion we'd be having next sunday so I had to do a double class today just to make up for that.
I honestly didn't know if I was up to doing a double especially if the class was going to be really difficult. Omar was the teacher this morning and God bless him because he gave us a wonderful break this morning. He was easy on us and I was smiling to Lea in class because I got my wish. What bothered me this morning were some of the people practicing. There were some girls who kept on talking to each other in class and it was quite distracting because they were right behind me. Because I was so irritated, there was a time that I looked at them and they were just staring at themselves in the mirror doing next to nothing. I said to myself that I would be damned before I acted that way in class. I mean, what's the point of going to class if you're not even going to try to do good in it? It would be such a waste of time.
Okay enough of that negative energy. As Lea told me this morning, positive energy and thinking only. That shall be my mantra for the remaining days of this challenge.
I was still undecided about doing a double but Omar told me that he'll be giving a really easy class this afternoon so I went home and ate, took a shower, played with the kids then I went back to the studio. I was so happy that Omar did give me a much needed breather today. I was able to exert more effort and energy into my postures because I wasn't gasping for air. I told Omar that I would love him forever if he gave us an easy class so I told him so after class. I told him that I would love him forever until he gave me another difficult class. hehehe.
Am I tired? Hell yeah! Maybe I'll get a massage later and try to relax my stiff muscles because I will be doing the 6am class again tom. 11 days to go. I can do this. Positive outcomes only!

Day 17 of the 30 day Bikram Yoga Challenge

For my 17th day, I was once again awarded with a very challenging class by Ginger. I guess my body is still getting used to staying in the postures for such a long time. The hard part is trying to regulate my breath after exerting so much effort. I find that the rest in between the standing series postures to be short that I struggle to get my heart rate down before the next posture.
Ginger was telling the class that we should try not caring about what the teacher is doing (i.e. whether he or she is moving near the door or window and you're hoping that they'll open it) and just concentrate on ourselves so as not to get so affected by all the external things happening around us. I completely agree with her but doing is so much harder than knowing right?
I notice that I'm really getting burned out and I'm trying my best to hold on to my sanity. AAAHHHHHHHHHH! That's me shouting as a way of venting out.
Day 18 coming up tomorrow.

Day 16 of the 30 day Bikram Yoga Challenge

When my alarm went off at 5am, I just stood up. I did not pay attention to how tired I was because I didn’t get much sleep or how fatigued my body was from my double class yesterday. I just got ready and drove to the studio.

I found out that Ginger was teaching so I knew we’d be in for a truly good morning in the studio (sarcasm injected here). Don’t get me wrong, I love Ginger but for the past few days I’ve been feeling the weight of the challenge. I’ve noticed that Ginger has really been making it a point to hold postures for at least a minute long this whole week. I guess she’s trying to make us push ourselves harder.

I was struggling mentally for the first 30 minutes of class because I was resenting the fact that it was 6am and I couldn’t get a break. However, something inside me changed and I dared myself to put my anger and frustrations into my practice by working harder. Instead of getting irritated I simply gave in to each and every posture even if it meant that my whole body would be shaking or falling out from trying so hard.

I was happy and relieved when we got to the floor series. Whenever we come to the floor, the postures that I dread the most are the ones in the spine strengthening series. I mean, it really just takes soooo much effort in each of the postures just to be able to lift up any part of my body so I knew that I just had to get through this last hurdle and then I’m good. When we reached to full locust pose, Ginger has managed to surprise me again by asking me to demo the posture in class. I couldn’t do anything but laugh and get into the posture—yes with my legs shaking from the effort I put in. Being asked to demo something in class is a lot of pressure but it’s not the worst thing I’ve had to do. The good thing about doing it is that I actually get to hear what I do right in a certain posture so I guess it balances things out.

I was ecstatic by the time we finished kapalabhati. I was done! I was actually supposed to practice some postures from ashtanga but after that workout, my body was protesting and telling me to just do it another day so I laid down and tried to rest for over two minutes.

Today, I’m really just thankful that I was able to finish the class without giving up.

Day 17 coming up tomorrow!

Day 14 & 15 of the 30day Bikram Yoga Challenge

I have come to the realization that for the remainder of this whole challenge we would get out butts kicked by our teachers if one or more of them is practicing with us. Since most of them need to do doubles, I fear that we'd be in "hell" for the remainder of the month.
This morning Omar was very nice and opened the door and windows for long periods so I was happy to have a bit of a break from all the intense practices. I think that it's nice to have breathers from time to time because it re-energizes me. This challenge is taking its toll on my patience and mind control at times so letting myself have an easier time is something I welcome just so that I have time to ground myself once again.
Moving on, after this morning's practice I took the medication that my doctor gave me for my back muscle spasm. I really dislike that medication because it makes me weak and disoriented. When I was still feeling the effects at 2pm I decided to take coffee to help me have enough strength to get to the 4pm class.
Last week, the 4pm class was nice to be in because it was raining but today the heat was at more than 42degrees and the heat of the sun was really penetrating inside the room.
Silly me but I actually thought that Ginger would open the door and windows wider BUT noooooo! We did not have such privilege until we reached the last two postures. To make things worse, I had to pee while we were doing the standing series. Please take note that I did pee twice already before class started and I guess the coffee I drank was wreaking havoc on my bladder. When it was standing separate leg head to knee, I begged ginger to let me pee because sucking my stomach was actually painful already but I obediently finished the postures first before I was able to get my bathroom break during tree pose.
I hated the heat this afternoon but my brain wasn't cussing as much as yesterday. I don't know why. According to Lea(one of my classmates), I would be thankful after I regain my breath for today because I was able to do my double and finish my work and home duties at the same time and she's right, I am thankful for all of those today.
Day 16 tomorrow, I'm not sure how that will be but I shall hope for the best.

Day 13 of the 30 day Bikram Yoga Challenge

I did not wake up with the best feeling this morning. I was feeling tired inspite of having 7 hours of sleep. When I found out that Omar was teaching, I wasn't sure what kind of class I'd get but when I saw that Ginger and Rina were practicing with us, I got a bit worried.
It was not cold this morning and Omar hardly opened the door or windows so I was really feeling the humidity and how hard it was to breathe. When he did open the window for a very short time, not much air would come in. If thoughts could kill I think Omar would have fallen flat on his face right then and there. I think I just directed my frustrations at him because my mind was quite weak this morning. I gave in to my thirst and drank water about 4 times. Towards the end, I could feel the pricking sensation of pins and needles all over my hands, face and feet. I really despise that feeling because it paralyses me and makes doing anything a hundred times harder.
I think that I haven't been able to drink enough water especially since I did a double yesterday. It's just hard to remember to drink sometimes especially when I'm busy with the kids, work and household errands. I hope that tomorrow would be better for me.
For today, I'm thankful that I was able to go and practice despite the laziness that I felt.
Day 14 & 15 coming up!

Day 10,11 & 12 of the 30 day Bikram Yoga Challenge

I wasn't able to write about my Day 10 yesterday because I got quite busy but it was a fairly easy class because I attended the 6am and the room was nice and cool then. For my Day 11&12, I did a back to back class once again. I must admit that I was dreading it because of my traumatic experience last week.
For the 6am class, I was feeling tired and sleepy plus I drank my banana smoothie a bit late so my tummy was quite full. I couldn't suck my stomach in that much and I feared that since my energy level was low already then I'd really have a hard time for my second class. 6am classes are cooler but it's also a bit harder to move and stretch since my muscles aren't warmed up yet and it usually takes me until after awkward to really feel the warmth.
After my first class, I decided to take a shower to wake me up so that I'd be energized for my second class. My body was more flexible during this time because it was warmer from doing my first class. Surprisingly, I found my back-to-back classes a whole lot more manageable now. I only really struggled with my thirst. I did try my best to hydrate myself in between classes but I guess it wasn't enough so I drank 3 times in class. I felt so alive after my yoga sessions today so I did feel pretty good about my practice =)
I went to my doctor this afternoon and I still have to practice my modified postures until I fully recover but when I asked him about me back bending again, he gave me a funny look and said "we'll see". I think I will go to another doctor so that they can help me find a way to be able to get over my back problems aside from making me stop yoga. I have scheduled a consultation with a chiropractor as well that has been highly recommended by three people. I'm hoping that he can really help me.
That's it for now. Day 13 coming up tomorrow!

Day 9 of 30 day Bikram Yoga Challenge

Since I started my 30 day BYA challenge, I haven't been sleeping with my Baby because I know that lack of sleep will definitely make my practices harder but I saw my nanny the other day and felt bad that she hasn't been able to sleep so I told her that I'd take baby P with me on weekends. Last night, both my kids gave me a hard time. My eldest kept on tossing and turning until he fell off the bed while my youngest was being his usual self, which is like having a tazmanian devil on the bed while sleeping. I was hardly able to rest so I didn't know how my practice would be this morning.
When I got to the studio, I was a bit thankful that the weather wasn't so hot. As I was waiting for the 930am class to start, I was chatting with some friends and I heard my tummy grumble! I couldn't believe that I was soooo hungry! I did take 2 bananas before going to class but my stomach just didn't want to stop complaining. In my head, I knew that I'd be in for a challenging class because my mind was just everywhere and concentration was a bit difficult.
I actually surprised myself that I was focused in the whole standing series. My second round of bow pulling pose was better than my first and I didn't fall out that round. I could feel the improvement in my body from the challenge. I'm able to lock my knees more than before and my shoulders are starting to open up more. I was able to refrain from drinking water when we came to the floor series.
As I was in the locust pose, I noticed that I was able to turn my shoulders in more and I was able to shift some of my weight a bit more forward because my shoulders were turned in more. In this posture I also realized that since my right back muscles were a bit more stiff, my right leg didn't come up as high as my left either so I tried my best to balance and life both legs to the same height.
The spine strengthening series that I did today was the best from the time I got my injury. Rina made the postures longer for our practice this morning tho so after rabbit, I felt the irritating pins and needles once again overtaking my body! Whenever this happens to me, I really get destabilized because I seem to run out of energy pretty fast and I notice every single thing that is giving me a hard time. I notice my thirst as my insides start quivering and how the room is so humid that breathing gets even harder. I had a hard time doing the kapalabhati, I felt so weak.
I think that my water intake yesterday wasn't enough as well that's why I faltered in the end. Of course, I did my best not to show it. I was panting even after resting for 4mins after class. I guess it was just one of those days. I'm just thankful that I was able to be in the class.
Day 10 coming up!

Day 8 of the 30 day Bikram Yoga Challenge

We had a unique practice today because Omar made us face the back wall the whole time. This means that we had no mirrors to use to guide us in gauging our postures. Prior to me taking Bikram, I practiced Ashtanga and in Ashtanga we really were made to look at the drishti's warranted from each posture so I was used to not relying on the mirror before.

This was a different experience because each of the Bikram's gazing point is usually with your eye in the mirror and since it's been quite a while since I practiced not looking at myself, I did get a bit challenged when it came to concentrating especially when I could see the person in front of me falling. It was quite distracting and harder to be grounded. 

During the course of this 30 day challenge, I have noticed that I have starting perspiring more than my usual practices and I noticed my towel is more slippery now because it's drenched with my sweat. I asked Ginger and Omar if this was normal when we undergo the challenge and they said yes plus it's also because my body tries to cool itself by excreting more water out. 

I have noticed that I seem to have lost some weight so I stepped on the scale and I did lose about 2.5 pounds. I really wasn't trying to lose weight and I haven't modified my diet so I don't know what is actually taking place in my body but I'm happy that I have tightened up a bit more and that my back doesn't feel as flabby as it was before. I hope this keeps up--it would be an awesome effect to this grueling challenge =)

We had a potluck lunch after the morning practice and we at so much. The food and the company was great. It's wonderful to have a support system especially now that we're undergoing this challenge. It's also a good feeling to get to know people more. I feel like we're really becoming a community in the studio. Today, I'm thankful for BYA. I have regained my personal balance and confidence once again because of my teachers and friends in the studio =)

Here are some photos taken during our potluck

Day 7 of the 30 day Bikram Yoga Challenge

This day started as a challenge for me. I bumped my car on my way to the studio so I had to miss the morning class. This day did not start out well for me. However, I learned to let go because there was nothing that I could do and I am just thankful that I could take the 6pm class.
I can feel the fatigue that is starting in my body but I can also feel the improvement in my spine and the other parts of my body. My body seems to be more loose in areas that were once tight. I can feel my back starting to open up again but my shoulders are becoming a bit stiff and my thighs are starting to hurt. My abs hurt not because I do the sit ups (because I can only start doing those again next tues) but because I have been getting major cramps on my lower abs when I suck my stomach in during some postures. Gosh, having stomach cramps while curling in is not fun at all, it hurts like hell but I have to keep a straight face and try to practice with grace.
Tonight's class was good but I did have one drink of water. I had stomach cramps once again but overall I was calm and at peace in class even if I was sweating a lot!!!! I'm just happy and thankful that I am able to practice with a calm state of mind. Whenever my heart rate goes up I am able to calm myself again right away.
I am dreading tomorrow's class a bit because it's saturday and it's usually full on saturdays. Hence, it's harder also. I'm excited for our potluck in the studio tho because all of us can at least vent out our frustrations, motivate each other and get to know each other more.
Day 8 tomorrow!

Day 6 of the 30 day Bikram Challenge

I came back at 4pm for my day 6 and I reserved my mat. I prepared what I had to and I was a bit surprised that Ginger was the one practicing beside me. Omar was also going to practice at that time. Was I pressured much? Not really. The good thing about practicing with teachers is that they give off such good energy that I felt in the zone the whole time. It's true that when I practice the energy that people give off help or distract me from my practice. If I am practicing with people who don't stop complaining with their breaths then it becomes harder for me to practice. Since Ginger was the one beside me, I had a great practice because it seemed like our energies were there supporting and encouraging each other to stay in the postures and give more to each and every one. 

I did a double class yesterday but they were spaced apart and I found this to be more manageable than the back to back ones. I know that I do have to start getting used to long classes because I plan to take advanced classes on august so maybe i'll do 3 more back to back classes towards the end of my challenge. 

Today, I'm thankful for the energy that I shared with the class and that I was able to refrain from drinking water again.

Day 7 tomorrow!

Day 5 of the 30 day Bikram Yoga Challenge

On my way to class I bumped into Ginger and lo and behold she told me that she forgot to tell me that I should hold off on doing the sit-ups until my back is better. I gave her my "you've got to be kidding me" look and she said "i know, i know but i'm sorry you need to hold back". 

Today's practice was mental for me in the sense that I had to remind myself to hold back. Injuries are so frustrating and it really humbles you. I was fighting with myself the whole time not to be bitter about my modified practice and know that I will emerge stronger afterwards. Ok, that's what I tell myself but it was hard when I was going through it. 

For this practice, I'm thankful that I did not drink water for the whole 90 minutes and that I didn't fall in both sets of my modified standing head to knee.

Day 6 for me will be this afternoon.

Day 4 of the 30day Bikram Yoga Challenge

I was a bit harassed going to the studio because I encountered traffic and I thought that I wouldn't make it to class in time but thank goodness I did. Today, I've started truly feeling the aches and pains in my body such as my front hips and legs, my shoulders and my right back muscles. Why my right back muscles? I looked at myself while practicing the bow this morning and I realized that I was kicking my right leg more than the left that's why I guess its really much stiffer than the left.
Today's class was more manageable than my 2nd class yesterday but I had a harder time telling myself to not drink water until after class. Our teacher opened the doors and window so it wasn't the heat, maybe my water intake yesterday wasn't enough so today I made sure to drink even more and I have been taking a lot of the water with sea salt and lemon to help me. I'm not sure exactly how helpful it is, maybe I'll notice it when I later into the challenge.
I can't believe that I'm only on my 4th day. My body is starting to protest and stiffen but my willpower is still strong. I just can't imagine doing this everyday!
Anyway, I should be thinking positively so I'm thankful that today I was able to last the whole class without drinking water and that I was able to finish the class feeling alive and not like I was run over by a truck!
Day 5&6 tomorrow for me. I'll be taking two classes but one in the morning and one at night.

Day 2 & 3 of Bikram 30 day challenge

After my warm up yesterday, I decided to do my first double/back to back class today. When I came in the studio at 5:30am, I saw Omar and we talked a bit and he told me that he's making his first class easy but since I was doing a double he also said that the 8:30am class was going to be hard. He said that he wanted to get back at Ginger because she'd been giving him a hard time in her classes.

I set up my mat and had my first class. Omar was right and it was very manageable and I was so proud of myself because I didn't even drink water in class. I was able to nail standing bow(meaning: not falling at all). I came out of the class feeling pretty good.

I had some other people doing back to back classes with me and we even ate a bit of food before the next class(this is not for everyone--some people might vomit if they do this). The 8:30 class was full so I knew that it was going to be pretty humid. I set all negative thoughts aside and just went in the room to "BE" present in every moment and in every posture. 

When we were in the half moon pose, I knew that we were in for a looonnnngggg and hard class. Omar was true to his word and he really did keep us in the postures for quite a while. My spine hurts when I do the half moon to my left and since I have to stop myself from going down, I actually have a harder time in postures now because of my modifications. It's so hard to stop early when gravity is pulling your body down and the longer we stay in it the more difficult it becomes. 

I kept on reminding myself to just breathe--"long and slow", "long and slow" is what I kept repeating to myself the whole time. Because we had to stay in the postures for a longer period of time and since Omar only opened the door and window twice the whole standing series, everyone was struggling. People were sitting down left and right, they were breathing with their mouths open--all these really made practicing much more difficult. I could feel the energy of people going hay wire and I did everything that I could to keep my stillness. I did pretty well until the last two postures. I suddenly had the "creepy crawlers" feeling in my hands, arms and legs. I had to keep on shaking my hands to make the blood run through them to bring back some feeling into them. Why did this happen? I have no idea, maybe it was fatigue and thirst kicking in overdrive. 

I struggled with kapalabhati. I could hardly exhale with force and when the class ended, I drank my water as fast as I could before even hitting savasana. After resting for about 5 minutes, I attempted to stand up and dress up BUT I couldn't. I made it outside then my insides starting quivering that I had to sit down and make the feeling pass because I sure as hell couldn't drive in that state.

There were about 5-6 of us resting and venting out how hard the class was. In hindsight, do I regret doing my first double today? Not really. I know that I got tired and struggled but I know that this day will help me in moving forward and make other days seem easier. Sometimes, we really just need to get our butts kicked to get reminded of how far we can go if we wanted to. Today will be unforgettable for me and I know this experience will help shape my future practices.

Day 4 of the challenge tom!!!!

Day 1 of 30 Day Challenge

I have been neglecting blogging regarding my fitness because I hit a slump and almost didn't go thru with the 30 day challenge. I have told you about my back injury and it got a bit worse that I had to go to another doctor and he diagnosed me as having an inflammation in my spine. I kinda figured as much but what I didn't like was that he told me to stop doing any workout for two weeks. That's when I told my husband about it and he also agreed with the doctor and told me to rest.
Naturally, I got depressed and irritated. When I consulted Ginger she told me that she could modify my postures because she went through the same thing so I talked to my hubby and sulked a little bit until he allowed me to practice. So, 3 days have gone by with the start of July and I had to make up for my missed classes by doing double classes.
My first day went by okay. My ego struggled with me holding back with my postures but I just swallowed my pride. Better to be practicing with modified postures than non at all right? So, I took it easy on my first day. I have been drinking water constantly all throughout the day to help not drink during class and so far it worked. I also read that you expend more energy by digesting water when you drink so I have programmed my brain to conserve energy in class and I just try to take longer breaths. Surprisingly, the urge to drink has waned and I'm ok.
I'll be doing a double class for my day 2. I'll tell you how that one went tomorrow.

Psyching myself up for the 30-day Challenge at BYA!

This is it! I don't know how I'll do but it's definitely worth a try. Plus since I want to start taking advance classes, this should be good for me because I'll be able to start conditioning my mind and body for this. Am I scared? Yes. Will I back out? No. My fear comes not from how tired I'll be but from my back. I realized that my back injuries always surface when I get deeper into my practices and instead of backing down, I want to be able to learn to practice with it so that I'll be more in tune with my spine. 

I will definitely blog about this 30 day challenge to document my ups and downs. watch out for it!

Class Struggles

For the past few days that I've been doing Bikram, my practices have been good on the outside but they have been killing me and my body! My middle spine now is the one that has been hurting and I think because it's opening up--this is good but painful/uncomfortable. 

Omar, one of our teachers, just came back from a trip in India. My first two classes with him were hard because he hardly opened the door and he did it one time in a full class(33 students). While in class, I could feel myself having shortness of breath. I would try my best to breathe deep and slow but it was damn hard! The air was so thick and I could feel everyone sucking so much oxygen and I could hear everyone panting. When I told Omar after class that I had a tough time breathing he told me that he didn't even notice since I looked well in class and that my practice was strong. In my head, I couldn't believe it because I really was struggling just to get enough air in my system. 

This morning, we had a full class once again and Ginger was our teacher. I knew we would be in for a tough class and I was right. I don't know why but I felt real hunger at the start of the class and it threw me off a bit at the start but I was fighting to be in control. When the triangle pose came, my true test came. Ginger told everyone to sit down except for me and she placed a towel in front of the class and asked me to demo the posture. (I just want you to know that a towel on the floor without a mat was slippery as hell so I had to tighten everything while doing the posture while going in and out of it.) I think it was good for me to demo in the sense that it jolted me and made me try even harder and to put in more effort in every posture while breathing deep and slow once again. 

Sometimes I wonder if I am improving because in my head, I think that I have improved with regards to the postures but I know that I need to train my mind some more. I know that I still make excuses so that I can just breeze thru classes some days. I would still drink water more than I should and I hate it that I can't seem to stop myself from doing so. 

This July, the studio will be having a 30-day bikram challenge and I plan to take it. When I first about it, I told myself that I wouldn't do it because I didn't want to hassle myself when I know that I can practice and still get better. But I realized that I need to strengthen my mind. I know that I'll have a tough time doing this but our bikram yoga community in BYA has been getting closer and I know that I'll have a good support group to help me through it. 

Plyometrics FAQ's

I found this really informative site and it has FAQ's about plyometrics. For all those who might be interested to learn about it. Here are some information that may be helpful to you:

1) Q: What are plyometrics?

A: Plyometrics are any exercise where the muscle is contracted eccentricly then immediately, concentricly. In plain English, the muscle is stretched (i.e. loaded) before it is contracted. A good example is push-ups with a clap in-between each push-up. Your muscle (pectorals in this case) is elongated and loaded by the downward force of your body, then immediately you must contract the muscle to push yourself back up.

2) Q: Why do I care?

A: Because plyometrics is one of the best ways if not the best way to improve power. To justify this answer lets first look at what is power. Power is similar to strength except you are adding the time factor. Therefore the relation of strength and speed is what we are talking about when we talk about power. A person who can perform a specific resistance movement, such as jumping, bench press etc., the fastest would be said to have more power in that movement. So what we are looking at is not just the contraction of the muscle, but how fast will it contract. It has been shown that a muscle will contract the fastest when it has been loaded. This is why you should be able to jump higher if you crouch down then immediately jump up than if you started in the crouch. So if this is the best way to perform a powerful movement lets practice these movements. This practic e is called plyometrics and has been shown in study after study to decrease the time it takes for the muscles to contract, resulting in more power.

3) Q: What are good plyometric exercises for increasing vertical jump?

A: There are an infinite number of plyometric exercises to increase vertical leap but here are a few good ones:

Two foot ankle hop (low intensity)

keeping your feet together and remaining in one place hop up and down using only your ankles and calves. Concentrate on getting as high as you can and exploding off the ground as soon as you land.

Rim Jumps (medium intensity)

Stand under a basketball rim. Jump up touching the rim (or net or whatever) with alternate hands. Concentrate on getting as high as you can and exploding off the ground as soon as you land.

Box to Box jumps (high intensity)

Place two boxes that will support your weight about 3 feet apart. Standing on one box step (NOT JUMP) off to the ground and immediately jump back up to the other box. Turn around and repeat. Obviously the difficulty of this exercise is increased as the height of the boxes are increased. Once again concentrate on getting as high as you can and exploding off the ground as soon as you land (notice a pat tern here?)

In all the above exercises you are using your body weight and gravity to load the muscle before contraction. The forces you generate are much larger than could be safely accomplished using conventional resistance (read weights) exercises. It is true these forces only exist for a brief amount of time, but they still stress the muscle which is the point.

Also these exercises can be combined. For example try jumping off a box before jumping up to the rim.

4) Q: What are good plyometric exercises for increasing speed

A: While all of the above exercises will also increase your speed (leg speed), these are many others that just focus more on movement. Here are some examples

Zig Zags ( medium intensity)

run an elastic cord about a foot off the ground. While on one foot hop back and forth over the rope. Repeat with other foot.

Side to side ankle hops

Same as regular ankle hops (see above) but instead of remaining in place you jump 2 to 3 feet side to side.

Sprints

Yes sprints are plyometrics since the force of your body coming down loads the hamstring.

5) Q: Do strength shoes work? Where do I get them? How much do they cost? Are there alternatives? Why are strength shoes included in a plyometrics FAQ A: Yes strength shoes do work, they make every step a plyometric exercise for the calf. Since they only work the calf though you must do regular plyometric exercised in them to work the other muscles. They do come with a excellent plyometric regime and a nice video. For those of you who dont know what a strength shoe is: It is a shoe with an elevated sole, but the sole is only on the ball of the foot. The calf is allowed to hang free forcing it to be stretched ( thus loaded) on every step. Be aware that the calf plays a limited role in jumping and acceleration, approximately 30%, so while strength shoes will help they are no magic pill and are just a tool for a good plyometric regime. 

6) Q: What is a good book on plyometrics and where can I get it. A: The best book on plyometrics is Jumping Into Plyometrics by Donald A. Chu. It has a great many exercises and good tips about how to put together a program. Also each exercise is cross referenced by what sport it helps. All in all a good book.

7) Q: Are plyometrics dangerous? A: Since so many exercises could be considered plyometrics, of course some of them are dangerous. Jump squats are a great example. This is where you perform a regular squat (with weight) and actually jump at the top of the motion coming off the ground 1-2 inches. You perform this exercise with about 1/3rd of your max. weight. This is one of the best exercises to increase your jumping ability. Unfortunately it is also a dangerous one. If you dont have great form, and you cant do at least 50 reps of regular squats at the weight dont even think about them. Also stay away if you have a bad back or knees. On the other hand the two foot ankle hop is very safe, and will offer good benefits. A good general test to see if you are ready for plyometrics is to stand and jump up as high as you can. Measure this height (chalk on your fingertips and a clean wall is a good way to measure). Then jump off a 18 inch box and jump as high as you can. If you cant reach as high as you could on the ground you would be better off hitting the weights and coming back later.

8) Random thoughts While plyometric will increase your vertical jump, form has quite a bit to do also. Try to crouch to a point where your knees reach a 90 degree angle. A good arm swing will easily add inches. By throwing your arms up as you jump you are decreasing the weight that you have to push off the ground and the inertia of your arms going up will help pull the rest of your body up. Also the faster you are moving before the jump, the higher you can jump. You can transfer this horizontal speed to vertical speed with the proper form. This is why high jumpers get a running start to jump much higher than they could standing still.

Shin Splints

My shins have been hurting a bit lately because I've been jumping a lot when I do my plyometrics. I had shin splints years and years ago when I was into all that body combat in Fitness First and I decided to join a marathon so that was my first time to really feel the pain in my shin.

My shins have been hurting a bit but it's not so bad. Anyway, I decided to look at the wiki pedia term for shin splints and I found that it is:
"The term shin splints refers to pain along or just behind the shinbone (tibia) — the large bone in the front of the lower leg. The medical term ismedial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS). Shin splints occur during physical activity and result from too much force on the shinbone and connective tissues attaching muscles to it. Shin splints are common in runners and in those who participate in activities with sudden stops and starts, such as basketball, soccer or tennis; along with sports that apply extreme pressure to the legs, such as gymnastics. Ten to fifteen percent of running injuries are shin splints.Treatment of shin splints includes rest, ice, and non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Ice helps to reduce inflammation as well as the steroids which is what causes some pain. Rest is the best way to treat shin splints as this gives the shins the full time necessary to heal. This can be a couple weeks in mild cases up to about 3 months for severe cases. Acute therapy options for treatment include physical therapy modalities such as ultrasound, whirlpool baths, and electrical stimulation."


I think that I only have a very mild case but I thought I'd just share what I learned =)

The importance of good teachers/mentors

In my journey through yoga, I have come across many teachers and truth be told not all of them were the right fit for me. People have different practice styles and their teaching usually comes from their practice. For me to have an effective teacher, I need to feel how grounded she/he is to her/his practice. 

The cause of my back injury came about from one of my very first teachers and as much as I'd like to blame him for it, I know deep down this problem would have surfaced even after he has stopped teaching me. This problem is about me and until I am able to tune in to my body and learn to open my upper and middle back more to take out the strain on the lower part of my body, I will keep on getting injured. Respecting our bodies with its current limitations and overcoming our fear are the hardest feats to master for me.

Now that I'm taking Bikram Yoga seriously, I'm faced with new teachers once again. At first, I wanted to get the easy teachers, the ones who don't kill me with the heat by opening windows and doors a lot and the ones who don't call my name out so that I can go through class at a steady pace. BUT now I get to appreciate the ones who know when to push me because they know that I can do more. 

I practice at BYA and the teacher that I'm drawn most to now is Ginger. I look forward to her classes but dread it at the same time. We have crossed paths before when I first tried bikram that's why she knows that I have had a strong yoga practice so she has a tendency to push me some more. Just yesterday, I was feeling a bit disoriented and when we had to do our first backbend I have to admit that I was a bit scared because I didn't want to aggravate my back. I just didn't realize how scared I was until Ginger shouted in class "Anna Ledesma, really? really?" I was quickly jolted back to reality and instantly had to face my fear. It wasn't easy but I did what I could to tighten my core by sucking my tummy & squeezing my butt while backbending and breathing at the same time. After doing the pose, I tried to feel how my back was doing and it wasn't any worse from before. I think that my middle back may actually be opening up even more that's why I'm also feeling some discomfort in my back.   

I'm grateful to have her teach me because she always keeps me on my toes during class. Sometimes when I haven't had much rest and I see that she's the teacher, I would get nervous and curse my luck but I always end up having the best practices with her. I think that teachers really shouldn't be there to go easy on us but rather they are there to push and motivate us to keep on trying to do more. If we always get away with putting in mediocre efforts, chances are we'll never push ourselves to do better. 

Conquering my back

I have rested for 4 days by not working out and putting hot compress on my back. The pain has gone done considerably but it's not quite 100% well yet. I will go and see a doctor later but I decided to workout because I don't want my muscles to go all soft on me.

I'm used to working out with pain and this has never stopped me before so I'm not going to let it hamper me now. I did my plyometrics session with my trainer for cardio then I moved on to doing weights with core workouts afterwards. I did pretty well except for the deadlift, my back hurts when I bend over too much so I took a step back from that one. I understand the need to respect my body and when something doesn't feel right, I won't push it until it gets better.

I was able to take some photos of the equipments we use:

My Nemesis

My back is my nemesis. I am lordotic so I have a deep curvature in my lower spine. This means that I bend easily but when I do yoga and undergo serious backbends, I have a tendency to bend from my lower back instead of my middle back so I end up injuring myself.

My back injuries started when I did ashtanga yoga and my previous yoga teacher just found me so bendy that he made me grab my ankles while in a backbend and I tweaked my back. It has been a constant battle for me to overcome this because one wrong move and I injure it again. I have been in and out of rehab because of this and my last one was before I got pregnant with my second child.

Surprisingly, I didn't have any back pains during my pregnancy. Afterwards, I slowly worked my way to strengthening my core by doing weights, plyometrics and yoga. I thought that I have made my back strong enough until the other day.

I slept with my baby and he was having a pretty fidgety night so I had to cradle him in a certain position while lying down. When I woke up and got up the next morning, the right side of my back was in pain. I just thought that it was probably like having a stiff neck but it was happening to my back. I still went to Bikram but modified some postures. When I went to Bikram again the day after that, my back was worse so I had to modify the postures even more. I was in a lot of pain the following day.

I have been nursing my back with hot compresses and massages but my spine and hips are hurting. I have been trying to get an appointment with a doctor nearby but they are either out of town or their clinic here is still at the end of the week.

I can't believe that I'm here in this position again. Injuries don't affect only your body but your mind as well. Inspite of my injury, I still want to practice but I'm trying to find a balance because I know that I'm getting older and that I need to respect my body as well. I don't know what happened to me but I vow to get over this and beat this weakness! I know I can do it but I'm still figuring out how...

Meet the Enemy

I workout a lot but no matter how much I work out, my work gets eliminated by FOOD! Everyday is a battle with my worst enemy and it really is so hard to stay away from them.