Day 41: Switching Sides and Always Try the Right Way

Today was 9:30am with Frank.  Last week, Roberta (cute little instructor from brazil) told Reggi that her and I stay in one spot too much and should move around the room.   So today we stayed in the front row (we are gluttons for punishment up there with all the new rules) but went to the left side of the room.  We talked about it after class and agreed it was a good thing.  I had an entirely different perspective and enjoyed practicing next to some of the people (who like Reggi and I stay on their side) that I don't normally get to be near.  Different energy.  It was cool.  Today I realized also that I am making good progress on flexibility.  The final stretching posture, seated on the floor with your legs in front of you, pulling on your toes and trying to get your forehead to your toes (or bite your toes as Frank loves to say, saves money on pedicures he says) is something I have been working on for months.  My heels come off the floor naturally so I thought I was "getting it" and I was pulling like a madwoman and making no progress.  Here is what I was missing:  I was curling my toes to help myself with the grip, I was not locking my knees and I was not squeezing my legs together hard, from heels to upper thighs.  Once I figured that out (last fall) I've been in a holding pattern with that posture, focusing on squeezing the legs, locking the knees, flexing the feet and more recently working on the chest up part and really trying to get into the lower back.  Well, my perseverance finally paid off.  I got into my lower back today.  I was able to start bringing my elbows down, all the while not losing any integrity on all those other things I listed and my stomach was on my upper thighs.  Woooo hoooo!  I'm so glad I kept trying the right way, even though to the outside eye it may have looked like I wasn't trying all that hard because my body wouldn't go towards those toes really.  

Oh, and I still feel great!  We'll see what happens tomorrow, because I know I got into that back today and could possibly be sore.