Sugar demons

I will put my hand up now & confess I am a sugar addict, like probably 98% of the world. I did actually manage to give up chocolate and cakes for six whole weeks last year. I gave up alcohol for two months this year. Deep down I know my insides, my teeth and my thighs are silently suffering because I have no will power. How can I have will power when things like this exist.....

Pure yum in a pretty parcel!

Isn't that the world's cutest cup cake? So pretty I felt bad eating such a work of art. It was worth it! The divine strawberry sponge with thick, thick, thick vanilla cream and sugar rose melted in my mouth. All topped of with glittery stuff.

I am taking a rest day from yoga so I best work at 110% tomorrow morning to burn this baby off. I do try to keep to the 80% good nutrition, 20% naughty rule. I strongly believe you need little treats now and again and what better than this lush little monster!

30 Day Challenge photo!

This is a little overdue but here it is. This was taken on March 2nd right before our last class of the 30 Day Challenge. Behind us is the chalk board we each ticked off on over the 30 days to map our progress. This is just a hand full of Challengers who happened to be there & roped into my idea of a photo. Thought best do it before we got all sweaty and red faced. Not sure if everyone wants to be named in this for the world to see so I'll only say I'm the one in the red in the middle!

Bikram Yoga Joondalup February 30 Day Challenge 2011

 

Watch out!

The in-laws, or the out-laws as I call them as we're not married, have just returned from New Zealand and came bearing gifts. I received probably the most useful present anyone could give me right now, a watch. I have a couple of nice watches but this one, from the point of view of a future Bikram instructor, ticks all the boxes. It's a rather cool Swatch with a big, clear face, numbers and a second's hand. I say numbers as I have a one watch that doesn't have any, looks funky but a little hard to tell the time. My usual daily watch is a digital with a seconds feature also. I am undecided yet which type of watch would be best suited to timing a class. I think it will come down to personal preference but at least I have both types now to try out. I like the accuracy of a digital but I also like the idea of the analogue and being able to see the whole clock face. I'm more a visual person so may find it easier to read, it also might be easier to see if I'm running over!

5 classes, 5 instructors

I wasn't sure if I had anything worth sharing this week. Then again it's not often I'm lost for words! With some careful note taking I realised I did have something to say this week. Hopefully everyone out there isn't too bored with my constant analysis of my Bikram practice? Suppose if you are you stopped reading a long time ago!!!! If anyone is reading at all.....hahaha!


After last weeks strong classes I was feeling very positive. I do believe in the theory if you think about something hard enough you'll make it happen. Saturday probably was my strongest class this year. I felt awesome. I took Sunday off to have a rest and was back in Monday for the 5:45am.


We had Jo taking Monday's class which was cool as I don't get to take her classes very often. The morning classes, as I've mentioned before, are thinning out. I'm fine with this but I do miss the energy you get from a packed class. The humidity can't get as high either. My just above the knee ache seemed to have vanished and I managed to bang out two fare sets of Awkward. An improvement on the past few weeks. It was announced in class again that I was going to Fall Training. It didn't sound so weird this time & I felt good about the news spreading. Some of the morning crew hadn't heard yet but I received positive feedback and encouragement. So many students say how they'd love to go too but certain commitments hold them back. I say just do it, the rest will work itself out. I haven't got all the practicalities sorted fully yet but I'll wing it one way or another.  

Tuesday 5:45am was a real treat. We had senior instructor Lisa who's been with the studio for a while but I was yet to take her class. I had a great class. I was really tuned in and I was given some excellent corrections. Mainly in Standing Separate Leg head to knee. In most classes I can lock my knee out, more on the right side, but I still bend my knee in the set up to reach my forehead. It's just habit now. However I start to bend my knee of the front leg as soon as I round down, the dialogue doesn't say anything about bending the knee till you're down there. Lisa picked up on this and corrected me. I was a bit wobbly going down with a straight leg as I must sink my weight onto it for balance. It made me realise I could go down keeping my leg straight and I only needed to bend my me very slightly then lock it out again. 

Thursday 5:45am. Karen had returned from the advanced seminar with Bikram himself in Malta. I had the major wobbles. In Monday's class I was hyper extending my standing leg and not distributing my weight evenly. Same thing was happening again. It's so important to have a strong foundation but I really need to learn to utilize my big toe and not rock onto the side of my foot. The leg ache was back and I fell out of Awkward a lot. It's funny how it only niggles me in this pose, a pose I don't particularly like, I have a feeling I am attached to this ache now so I must let it go.


Friday 5:45am with Maya. Tiny class again but this was to our advantage as we all got lots of corrections and help. Or as Maya told me after class, when I thanked her for the help, she was pushing us. I still was wobbly but managed to push myself in standing head to knee. The result Standing Bow was all over the shop. We were given some good advice not to rush for depth in the first set, try to hold the balance. My bow has been coming along nicely so I was eager to get back into it. Rushing resulted in falling, a lot. Don't compromise form for depth! There was a slightly embarrassing moment. Maya came to straighten me up right before Cobra, I must have been laying wonky. It wasn't till fixed firm I noticed my feet were in a rather shocking scaly state. Channeling Hobbit style!! I'm sure instructors see some nasty feet over the years but brave sole for getting close to mine that day.

This week was a good week. It was great to have five classes with five different instructors. It keeps it interesting and you don't fall into that trap of going through the motions and zoning out when you have the same instructor every time. 


I have the whole weekend off as I have a wedding and a spray tan. I don't usually do the tan thing but for a special occasion I thought why not. Hopefully by Monday it may have settled down so I don't leave a brown pool all over my towel, clothes or studio carpet. Will spare the other students that tangy fake tan smell too!

Bon Voyage BYTT Spring 2011 Trainees

One week today the Spring BYTT group will be fully installed in the Radisson LAX airport hotel, Los Angeles, USA. Some trainees have already set off on their journey, others are only just packing and booking flights. The vibe on the social networking sites is electric. For months now people have been bonding, making friends, sharing worries, tips and advice. It's so awesome how these people are total strangers but have been brought together through the shared love of Bikram Yoga. Can't wait for my turn in Fall.  

Good luck to everyone going to Spring Training, stay strong, stay hydrated and enjoy every minute! (despite thinking you're in hell 24/7 it'll be worth it!) A special shout out to Hannah, Binny and Sam, Team Western Australia. (There are two more North Perth representatives but sorry I don't know your names.) You'll be great, go show the world how strong Bikram WA is, do our state proud. Can't wait to hear all about it when you return as fully certified Bikram Yoga Instructors.

Supporting a cause

One of my yoga friends and blog reader Courtney, who I met through the 30 Day Challenge, has set herself a new challenge. Courtney is currently in training for the HBF Run for a Reason 14km race on May 22nd. The cause she is supporting is Diabetes WA after her partner was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes last year. I fully understand the strain and stress that comes with this condition as my own brother was diagnosed twenty six years ago. It is easily managed with careful monitoring and a strong, caring support system. Hopefully one day there will be a cure but organisations such as Diabetes WA need our support to carry out their valuable research and help people living with Diabetes to manage their condition.

If anyone is interested in sponsoring Courtney check out her fund raising page here. 

Namaste.

A great week!

This week has been awesome. I have no idea what has shifted, maybe it's being a year older?! I do know one thing, all the hints and tips from the seminar have really helped. I definitely had hit a plateau after the 30 day challenge, I wasn't going anywhere, major road block mentally and physically. The seminar revived me and has shifted my focus to other areas of my practice. Instead of being hung up on what I'm struggling with I am trying hard to concentrate on what I learnt last week.

What has amazed me this week is Cobra pose. I did used to hang out lower than I could go because my elbow joints hurt when I went higher and it was hard to keep my breath right. Putting the 'look where you want to go' theory into action I'm literally flying up to where I should be without the discomfort. By looking up to the ceiling and actually moving my head and neck up my spine is bending correctly and I no longer need my arms as much. Maybe that's why they were hurting because I was using them to push up instead of using my spine strength.

I practiced five times this week. Mainly 5:45am. The classes have been tiny, like 6 or 8 people. The mornings are cooling off and it doesn't get light till after 6am now, this might be putting people off getting up. When it's cold I think coming to practice is perfect, it warms you up! As the classes have been small the humidity hasn't been up where it should. I'm using this to try really hard and stretch that bit further because I'm not fighting my mind and thinking about the heat. 

Thursday morning I did go a little bit too hard. I even thought I might have twanged a hamstring as I had a dull pain all the way down the back of my left leg all day. It would have been easy to skip Friday morning and rest up but I still went with the idea of stretching it out. It worked! I had a great class with a new visiting instructor Maya. I enjoyed her class, she had a cool European accent and it was a mix of firm and encouraging in a nice way. 

Saturday morning 9:30am with Meagan rocked. I've not had a class like that in a long while. I felt strong, balanced, focused and I pushed hard. All the twangs and aches had gone. It was great. My head even skimmed the floor in the second set of Standing Separate Leg stretching. There was a small, circle of sweat right where it should be on my towel. My arms however were no where near my shins. I really enjoyed myself today, this is why I do this, it makes me feel good.