Lately my Bikrams yoga practice has much to be desired these days, but I'm fine with it. I must be fine with it because I'm not doing much, I mean enough, or something different to change it. The good news is....well, there's a lot of good news! First thing? I'm still going! Second? It forces me to, at the very least, stretch for 90 minutes in a very warm, sometimes hot (blazing hot) environment and get a good sweat. And it's that second reason that motivates me to go more often than not. Third? I've got a ton of cute yoga clothes!
I'm mostly motivated about stretching my forearms, hands and fingers....and traps! Good-ness my traps are tight, tight, tight! (damn jerks!) But my traps are another post! This post is about the tightness that builds up in my fingers, hands and arms from so much repetitive training. Mostly I'm motivated to keep my hands and grip healthy to continue and improve and compete in my new sport, GS (Girevoy Sport)
One of my favorite postures is Locust (Salabhasana). It's a posture done with your arms underneath your body, hands/palms facing down as if you were going to "bump" a volleyball. Once in the position, you lift one leg at a time, for 10 seconds (approx), then both legs at once, for another 10 seconds. How often does a person do this on their own? Never! Which is why I so appreciate my practice these days!
As disciplined about exercise as I appear to be, I'm really only disciplined to do the things I love, which really isn't discipline!!!! The rest of the stuff (....you know, the stuff I need to do) I find committing to a group or class situation, to force myself to actually do it, works best for me.
There is only so much time in a day, so many days a week and only so much energy to go around. I'd love to do a ton more. I'd love to Spin or get on a real bike, I'd love to go to Granite Rock, I'd love to take adult ballet, all kinds of stuff! I'd also love to be a "civilian" at least half of the day or a couple of days a week! (a "civilian" is a person that actually wears non exercise clothing and spends at least an equal amount of the day outside of the gym!) So I will keep showing up to stretch out my body, to sweat, and to wear my cute yoga clothes! How can any of it be a bad thing?
OMG, I haaaaate that pose. It stresses me out. I feel almost incapacitated by it. When I first started Bikram, I couldn't even get my arms underneath me and straight, from years of sitting in front of a computer. I will say that since then, my carpel tunnel is gone...gone, gone, gone!
ReplyDeleteI desperately need to make time to get my yoga practice back in my routine.
Maribel,
ReplyDeleteI tend to feel claustrophobic in the third part when you are supposed to "kiss the towel". I don't, I tuck my chin into my chest so I can breathe!
It is good for you though! And it will greatly help relieve the stress of carpal tunnel.