A Little Bit of Everything

My husband was still sick, so he wasn't going to soccer like he normally does on Saturday mornings. This meant I could go to the yoga class at my fitness club.

Prior to Bikram yoga, I had taken two yoga classes in my entire life. One was about 12 or so years ago and came at a time when I mentally needed the meditation and it was an instructor that was especially good with blending the mind/body aspects of yoga. The second was at the club I'm at now, a few months ago.

This morning it was the same instructor I'd had most recently Having become quite used to the very descriptive language that the Bikram yoga instructors use, I was a little frustrated that despite telling us we would be given "lots of options" if we couldn't do a pose, that the options weren't described (arm here, hips there, shoulder out, breathe and think of reaching toward the mirror, for example) so much as named (go to X pose).

It was actually a pretty good class, although it certainly makes me realize how well-trained the Bikram instructors are. Granted, they follow a specific routine every single time, so they'd better do it well, but they know that routine so well and it is so easy for a beginner to join in, for me it makes a huge difference.

The other interesting thing was that I've become so accustomed to the heat during yoga that I wasn't even feeling the temperature in the room at the fitness club. I was perfectly comfortable--it hadn't even crossed my mind that it was warm. It was a full class and a bit crowded, so apparently the room heated up more than others were used to as when the instructor asked, "Would you like the fan on?" I would guess that over half the class gasped, "YES!!"

Ironically, I didn't want it and I was right in front of it. Funny how that goes.

It was very strange to feel "cool" while doing yoga, and honestly, it seemed to make it more challenging as I could feel my muscles resisting more.

We did a bunch of poses that we don't do in Bikram, including a lot of stretches that focused on the hip flexors. Since I've been beginning to feel that much of my pain may lie in hip flexor issues (tightness and/or an imbalance in usage/strength as compared to other muscles), it actually felt quite good.

Afterward, I hopped into the pool to time my 500 yard swim, since I have to enter that when I register for my next triathlon (registration begins--and ends--on Tuesday). It came out at 12 minutes flat (okay, technically 11:59:77). Not as good as I'd hoped, but also not as bad as I'd feared, especially considering how sick I've been and how little chance I've had to actually swim much lately.

Then I went and sat in the hot tub. Seriously, still my favorite part of the workout.

Then in the afternoon I got to judge an optional gymnastics meet with my new judge's rating. It was a ton of fun, good experience, and I even got paid for it this time. Good thing, as I need it for my registration fees.