I had a nice strong focused practice, which was a very nice change after a couple of days of slogging my way through and of all things, yawning. I realized something as we were about to go into standing head to knee. First set, I usually just stand there for the whole minute, holding my foot in my hand, standing leg locked. I kick out second set. Why you ask?
It goes something like this:
Non-verbatim dialog:
Once your standing leg is locked solid and your foot does not wobble, slowly, gently kick your left leg up......
What's going on in my head:
Once your standing leg is locked solid and your foot does not wobble, and you're not going to be too totally exhausted to do second set and ohh! standing bow after that, slowly, gently kick your left leg up.....
So about 90 percent of the time, I figure I'll be too exhausted and don't do it first set. WHAT? Lazy Bikramyogachick, lazy!! I've been practicing for two and a half years. **slaps forehead**. I should be downright ashamed of myself!
So, on this here day 12 of my little impromptu 30 day challenge I have decided I will kick out both sets even if I fall over, can't catch my breath and wind up on my knees by standing bow!
Ok, now that I've confessed that on the world wide web, I'll go to my second little revelation today. This one was actually just a "Oh, I see!" lightbulb and felt good. Cobra posture between first and second set Lacey went over to the side of the room so we could see her while laying in savasana and looking right. She in very good detail showed the exact hand placement we should have, going so far as to say "If you dip your shoulders down to the mat they should line up exactly with the tips of your fingers and your hands should be close to your chest". Yes, I've heard this, I've seen others demonstrate but when we went to set up I really really looked to see if mine would line up exact....and had to move them forward a tiny bit. It was a whole different posture, in a good way! I really got even further into my lower back! Ahhhh....good good stuff!
By the way. I have the picture of myself in standing bow last Friday night while practicing at Drays studio with Dray himself teaching. **takes deep breath** Here it is. I'm in the front, in pink and purple.
I have been reading your last posts today.
ReplyDeleteNice picture!
Cool thing with windows! I have never been in a studio with windows.
Yawning is the brain who wants oxygen, I usually yawn when I have been sitting strange during the day and done something to my neck, and after it popped right and I feel the blood flowing up to the brain again, I stop yawning.
I too just kick out in the second set of head to knee, Im still wobbling a lot in my ankles and dont really have the strength yet, maybe I will take it up as an extra challenge during this challenge to at least kick out a little time in the first set.
Ha, I have the same thought process about the first set in standing head to knee. I don't kick out in either set so good on ya for going all out. One day I'll brave the two set kick out. One day. Your standing bow pulling pose is beautiful. That's my favorite posture!
ReplyDeleteI have a similar habit in Standing Head to Knee, and just two days ago decided to change it, too. I kick out on the first set, but I can only hold it for 2-5 seconds (5 if I am lucky), and then I go back to first stage, and hang out there until the first set is done. My teacher on Thursday said, "Jennifer, kick out again!" when I came out - and I though, "Oh, duh." So that is my new goal - to kick out again, and maybe sometimes even the third time - and maybe one of these times I will be able to hold it the whole time! Good luck with your new goal, and keep us posted. :)
ReplyDeleteStanding head to knee..ah yes. You know My issues with the as of late. I go through that too but really specifically kicking out the left leg. This afternoon I'm going to use your notes above and kick out both sides, both sets. We'll see :). Loving that Pic! So much fun to see how you look in a posture huh? I always wonder what my full locust looks like. Feels like I'm up there in the air, but if I saw a pic it would prabably be like an inch. Haha! Have a great Saturday!
ReplyDeleteCristina~ I too have to deal with wobbly ankles. When I was little I could never ice skate because of weak ankles. This will help us! Kick out girl, kick out!
ReplyDeleterUntoNamaste~ thank you! btw~ congrats on the marathon!
Jennifer~ sounds like we'll do this together...we are in the same place!
tracik~ It's funny I was beating myself up (lazy bikramyogachick, lazy!) but reading all of your comments I guess we all struggle with the same things. It's a beautiful struggle!
Thanks for all of the encouraging words everybody!
You already know my thoughts - I love the pictures!!
ReplyDeleteAnd YES - just kick!! If you fall out, so what? You get to try again. If you get tired, great! You are building stamina that way!! :)
J~ yes, I took your feedback to heart and was working on that body down body down body down tonite! Oh, and I kicked out both sets. Didn't hold it the hold time either set, but so what! Weeee!!
ReplyDeleteIf you are doing it right, kicking out actually takes less energy than holding the first position in Standing Head to Knee. That assumes, I think, that you can lock your kicking out leg once its up. The hunched over, grabbing your foot position is quite demanding.
ReplyDeleteI've heard different things about hand position in Cobra. Some teachers stress the initial hand position. Others stress the 90 degree bend at the elbow at the end, but the hand position might have to be slightly different to get the 90 degree elbow bend. I like our studio owner's instruction, which is to put your hands down so your elbows pop up like grasshopper legs.
Duffy~ I love the grasshopper legs ! I also agree about the first part being more challenging, once you do start kicking out correctly, and really get your form and the kicking leg locked, it does seem a bit less demanding than being hunched over the full minute.
ReplyDeleteYay, picutres! I've gone over Cobra one on one with a few of our teachers. The hand position definitely makes a big difference. I always try to kick out on Standing Head to Knee, even though I can't always lock the right leg when I kick it out. But I've been persistent in this posture since Day One, and I can definitely see the progress. One thing about trying to kick out is it gives me an opportunity to get feedback from teachers that I wouldn't get if I only tried to do it on one set, or not at all.
ReplyDeleteGreg~ good point. More opportunity for feedback...that's a good thing!
ReplyDelete