Feelin' the burn

Last night I had a great class. I decided at the beginning of class to really work my abdomen and endocrine system in class (some hormonal imbalances are plaguing me right now.) Boy did I work hard, you know the kind of class when you go for padahastasana and you're like dripping sweat. Every muscle contracted... etc. I found last night that my backbends I was doing to prepare for the photo shoot changed my postures slightly. I'm going to try to pick up a practice that more serious yogis do... the backbending up and down the wall before class. I've tried it a few times. It can be scary to drop back that's for sure. However, I felt change in my body and I know from a posture clinic wtih Esak Garcia that the best way to change your postures is to backbend - open up the spine. Anyway I'm feeling wonderful from that class last night. Like the body is afire.

It's strange how you have a rockin' awesome full of effort class and you wonder... have I been slacking off recently? No, not really. But when you blast one out like that you know there is always more to give. That's why Bikram rocks. There is always progress to be made!

Morning linkies anyone?

Some fit sugar stretches for tight hips - eagle reclining twist, ardha matsyandrasana, and double pidgeon. I like these - they're pretty advanced for tight hips though. I'd start myself with pelvic raises, regular pidgeon, and this one which doesn't have an official name that I know of - (anyone know if it has a name?)

pondering yogini asks, what female superhero are you?
To be honest, I am not exactly up on my comic books, though I have recently had a renaissance of sorts with some old cartoons I used to watch - specifically Thundercats, GI Joe, and Transformers. In honor of that... I'm going with two of the ladies from these shows.

Cheetara from Thundercats and Scarlet from GI Joe.

And, back to yoga for this beautiful post for teachers.
Learning to accept a student who shows consistent effort but little "improvement" in the art of postures. This is especially applicable in Bikram as everyone in the room wants to improve their postures. A counter to this in my own experience is a great guy who's a regular in my class who just took his tenth class last night. The change in his postures has been incredible. From beginning to end of his first ten class card - the difference is amazing. Last night in locust he busted out this beautiful lifted leg with toes pointed. It looked like a ballerina's point. He's doing so well.

I think the heat allows things to open up at an accelerated rate in the hot room, which is why people's bodies really do change a lot practicing Bikram regularly.