Getting harder.

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Bikram practice is definitely getting more challenging!  My third trimester officially started yesterday which means I'm in the twelve-week countdown period until my due date!  This coincides with a greatly enlarged belly, decreased lung capacity, and all the requisite lack in stamina that goes along with those conditions.

I have found myself sort of huffing and puffing my way through the floor series which has always been the easier part of class for me.  Just moving up and down from pose to savasana is awkward and tiring by the end of class so I've made some adjustments.  There are times that I stay sitting up from rabbit through the end of class since situps are out at this point as well.

Yesterday was my marathon take then teach two classes back to back as I do most Mondays.  I did not work my hardest in the standing series because I knew I needed the energy left to teach.  Normally, when I practice, I emerge energized and ready to blast the students with my energy - but during pregnancy especially the back half of pregnancy it doesn't really work that way.  There's not a bunch of extra energy floating around to tap into.

Not maxing out meant honoring my heartburn and not going too deep into forward bends (hands on the floor in front of me for padahastasana and sep legs stretching) and for the first time, and this is sad to me, but I put my elbow on my knee for the first set of triangle.  I did do the second set.  Still, even with all of these modifications, I was sweating and working hard in class.  In our studio, we substitute full wheel (backbend) for bow pose as an I'm-feeling-awesome-and-strong modification.  We also can do the standard hip raise instead.

I tried to push up into wheel and it didn't feel very good in my mid-back.  So... I'm going to try to be flexible (ha ha) and allow myself the chance to do/not do what feels right at that point for the rest of my pregnancy.  There was a time where I felt like the pregnancy modifications were taking away from my class but now as I approach the end I couldn't practice without them.

With the entrance to my third trimester I'm looking forward gratefully to the days when my babe is on the outside of my body and I can return to practicing real Bikram!!!!  Even if it's in a hot closet in my house early in the mornings when I've had no sleep, I'm craving those forward bends and compression poses like no one's business.

In the mix... Third Trimester is here!

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I'm plugging away at this pregnancy, it seems... on Valentine's Day my third trimester will start.  Yoga is my savior now and I greatly appreciate and need all the pregnancy modifications to the Bikram series.  I've had some days where I've needed a nap more than a yoga class - days where the heat seems like the wrong place for me to be, and I trust those instincts.  However, my body really needs and wants the practice, having missed classes due to snow and exhaustion for the better part of a week.

Today I get to practice!  Woohoo!  And I don't even have to teach to go along with it.  It's truly a gift when I get to be "just a student" in the studio.

The aspects of practice that I feel are benefiting me the most are as follows:

The Heat:

Being in a nice warm humid room for ninety minutes is wonderful in these cold New England winter days.  The heat stimulates detoxification of the skin.  I'm not leaning on the heat to gain flexibility these days, I am instead working strength in the poses and breathing.  But the heat feels so good.  As a pregnant person, hot tubs are contraindicated.  But since my bikram practice is consistent, my body has the ability to regulate core temperature while doing the series.  So it's like being in the sauna or hot tub, which I'm not supposed to do.

Pranayama Breathing:

As the baby takes up more and more room, my lungs are taking a hit.  I'm out of breath from little things like walking into work from my car and even from putting on shoes and socks.  In bed, sleeping can be uncomfortable because of reduced lung capacity and increased weight.  So for the seven minutes at the beginning of class where I take deep, deep breaths and use the body shapes to create more lung capacity, I'm in heaven.  Well let's be honest... sometimes it's hard but by the second set I'm feeling the increase.

Standing Series Workout:

The standing series is such a wonderful cardiovascular, strength and flexibility workout all rolled into one.  My heart pounds more now than ever in the past.  By the time I hit the floor I'm always so grateful for the chance to have participated.

Floor Series Stretch:

The floor series during pregnancy is not nearly as challenging as it is non-pregnant.  However I do enjoy practicing in a more mindful and meditative way.  It's quite appropriate for pregnancy.

Some specific notes about the series: because of the constant change of my body shape now, the second part of awkward is really hard for me to hold my balance!  I'm always tipping one way or another.  I finally held the pregnant (ashtanga) version of head to knee for more than five seconds on a side last week.  It's quite a hard pose.  I always enjoy my downward dogs even as I miss all the head to knee poses.  Can't wait to do cobra and rabbit again.

I taught a back to back last week (teaching the 4 and 6 pm classes) and I will not be doing that again while pregnant!  Teaching is quite challenging as the lung capacity decreases.  I've mellowed quite a bit and am not in rapid fire mode.  It's just gotta be that way.  I'm currently trying to lighten my already light teaching load to allow for full focus on practice these last few months.

That's all for now... much love!

Good Class = Bad Class = Just Class

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I'm currently 23.5 weeks pregnant and I can feel our little guy kicking up a storm inside me as I type!  I've definitely popped out a bit and have a nice round bump which is quite fun.  I've been practicing 3-4 times a week still and I am quite certain it's helping with back and pelvis discomfort, and also helping me sleep well on days that I practice.  Other days... preggo insomnia is crazy.  You go to sleep, get up to pee, then have to go BACK to sleep... therein lies the problem.

Anyway, with the baby bump comes all the joys of the physical expansion side of pregnancy.  I've stopped even trying to do a deep backbend in half moon.  It doesn't feel right.  Same with Camel - just inflating the pose with the breath is the way to go.  I quite enjoy the pregnancy modifications for spine strengthening series.   I miss the head to knee poses a bunch though.

I've started working with two other preggos in my studio which has been great fun.  Important points I share with them:

• In general, as the relaxin kicks in, focus on strength in poses rather than using the relaxin to go further in the poses.  
• 6 inch foot separation in the half moon backbend always, and be gentle as the shape of the spine changes
• do NOT crank "stomach thighs hips forward" (in any backbending pose)
• add 6 inch foot separation in any pose at any time if it feels better in the pelvis
• eagle may start to feel a little scrunchy in the pelvis, if it does, don't go as far with the leg wrap (this pose is contraindicated in some yoga traditions - esp. Iyengar)
• Head to Knee modification is difficult, so don't forget to focus on the standing leg first
• Down dog replaces separate leg head to knee, have someone check your form if you have questions
• Locust Pose - on hands and knees - do not collapse in the belly area as you lift the leg.  Keep the spine relatively parallel to the floor
• Tailor sit for both sets of rabbit.  Watch Rabbit.  Miss it. :)
• Don't scrunch anything in last two poses.  This is harder than it seems.
• Kapalabhati Breathing is contraindicated for pregnancy.  Just do six counts in and six counts out.
• This is not a total list of modifications by any means!! Check with a qualified teacher.

And, when you need to rest, do so.  When you feel overheated or nauseated, stop and if it doesn't pass quickly, step out of the room if you need to.  The other day I was done before camel.  I had wanted to stay home and nap so I considered it a win just to get through the standing series.  Also I taught the class afterward and needed my energy!  Non-pregnant, practicing fuels me for teaching.  While pregnant, it's always up in the air.  There have been two classes where I needed to leave the room when I knew the heat was normal.  It was just me.  Some days in the second trimester, I'm rock solid and can practice balls-to-the-wall.  But I assume nothing.

You learn at training... good class, bad class, it's all just class.  You go in without preconceptions and practice, and check your ego at the door, doing the best for you that day.

Second Trimester Bikram and a battle wound from standing bow

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Second trimester Bikram is GREAT!!!  In general, for the most part, I feel human again - in the first trimester I definitely felt pregnant and weird enough to keep me tentative.  Not just in the studio, but also just in regular life.  You never knew when a random wave of nausea of extreme tiredness would hit.

Second trimester is very different.  As I said, I feel like myself - as opposed to feeling pregnant.  Sometimes I have to remind myself there is a little being growing inside of me.  I remember though when I get dressed, as no pants fit anymore (thank you bella band.)

In the studio, even after a week off for Thanksgiving travels, I was able to do a whole class, all postures, no problem.  Sure it was hard but that's because it's Bikram!  In the first trimester I never knew when I'd be sitting some of the standing series or feel wobbly or dizzy.

The pregnancy series does leave me feeling a little bit sad because I miss doing standing head to knee the way everyone else does it.  And I REALLY MISS standing separate leg forehead to knee.  If you get to do that pose a lot, CELEBRATE it!!  The benefits to your endocrine system are incredible and the compression to the internal organs and digestive system is unparalleled.  I cannot wait to do that pose again.

So I have a serious Bikram battle wound from Monday's class.  I was practicing in the back (as I do when I'm doing pregnancy modifications) and was kicking so hard in standing bow that my foot slipped out of my grip and the top of my big toe left side smashed down onto my glass waterbottle which was sitting on the window sill behind me.  Luckily: I didn't break my toe or the glass, just spilled the water.  My toenail is still attached.  I was bleeding as I sliced the top of the toe skin near off.  Huge flap.  Blood and grossness.  Also I swore loudly as I went down.

I was transported back to training when there was unbearable pain and the breath, and that was it.  I didn't get up for balancing stick I was sort of looking at it and realizing I was bleeding.  A few paper towels helped mop it up and I finished class as best I could.  Wow.  I was really kicking.  Note to self: stay away from the window sills.  Never again.

Hope you are all finding joy in your yoga practices whatever and however they may be - celebrate the fact that with life we can do yoga and that is wonderful!

Iyengar fabulous

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I started an Iyengar class last night that I'll be attending for at least seven weeks.  Boy was it awesome!!!  The teacher taught at a local yoga festival I attended and I was sure to catch her class, as I've been curious about her for some time now.  

I was greatly inspired by her class at the yoga festival and found that she had a series starting yesterday.  The class was well attended - it's her level1/level2 iyengar class (as opposed to her foundations yoga class).  I have done some Iyengar in the past in NYC at the beautiful center there and loved it.  So much yoga, so little time!

Anyway yesterday we did a lot of work on extending the upper thigh bones out of the pelvis.  Also a great and difficult downdog to chatturunga move repeated a few times.  My chatturunga hold is measly.  My form is good but my stamina is lacking.  I don't practice enough sun salutations!  The series culminated in full arm balance (handstand) which she helped me get up into and I balanced off the wall (awesome!)

It was a great wonderful amazing class.  She's a strong and challenging teacher with a firm voice that demands compliance.  What I miss from iyengar is a real emphasis on subtle opening in small parts of the body.  I was able to modify everything for pregnancy with relatively little change from the rest of the class.  I have a feeling I'm going to learn a lot from practicing with her pregnant as far as how to modify.  Sure I know the Bikram pregnancy modifications but that only covers the Bikram class.  I know the basic tenants but there were things I learned last night.

My sanskrit is a little rusty so I'll just call the pose separate leg drape over front leg, hips rotated - I learned that pregnant or menstruating you don't have the heels in one line so as to leave more room (less pressure) on the pelvic area.

I had a total blast.  I'll be teaching Bikram tonight.  I practiced some in the last week but am also making sure I get my swimming in.  

Take care yogis and yoginis!

Moving through the first trimester - introducing pregnancy modifications

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I started to incorporate the pregnancy modifications and it's been wonderful.  I had a sonogram and I am over 11 weeks along so it's been the perfect time to start adding them in.  I've felt a little weird in the belly down stuff for a while so it's nice to have a set of postures I know I can do without hitting contraindicated things.  This allows me to do class at 100% of my ability, rather than dropping off here and there working at 50% or less in a pose that I know will eventually be contraindicated.

One thing about the pregnancy series that I miss is the hormone flushing effects of standing separate leg forehead to knee and rabbit.  Instead, I do down dog.  Good for the upper body strength, but not so good for pressure to the pituitary gland.

I will have to post more on this subject, but I'm happy in the hot room, sharing the news in my studio, and feeling very healthy otherwise.  I even ate KALE last night.  I normally like kale and leafy greens but in my first trimester it's been difficult to keep up my veggie intake.  Without nausea to blame, I feel it's important to give it the old college try, so that's what I'm doing.  By the way, we added bacon to the kale.  That's how you make anything palatable apparently!

Teaching has been great recently - and I just got my bikram certificate finally after paying off the last $3500. My hubby gave me a nice gift certificate to get it framed.

The wonders of practicing Bikram while pregnant

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Aaaaah.... finally.  After a difficult week last week of practice - first trimester meets jet lag meets a cold meets triangle...  I was able to do 90% of class yesterday and was also able to teach a fun and energetic class afterwards.  I feel amazing today.  Not drunk with pregnancy hormones - but darn near normal!!!!

Class last night I had very few expectations.  I had emailed Diane Ducharme earlier to ask about how my practice seemed to be falling apart last week and she said to skip practicing for my first trimester!  I am not really taking that advice because of how good I feel when I practice - it affects me positively better than any other exercise.  Her message had a wonderful impact on my mind going into the studio - like it was all icing on the cake - whatever I could manage to do.  (Managing expectations.)

The first set of pranayama is so hard.  It takes a lot of discipline not to breathe extra - to last the entire six counts.  But by the second set my body is able to open up and breathe.  It's wonderful.

Warm up yesterday was pretty good - put it this way, I was not struggling to keep my hands in the grip in half moon.  That when you know you're in for it.  I can usually do an abnormally deep backbend - I mean I can get a foot or two away from the floor.  Yesterday as I went back slowly I felt a tug in the uterus area and backed off.  I will see... but it may be the end of my super deep back bending for a while.

I was able to do some kicking out in standing head to knee and standing bow was good on my right leg both sets... left leg I was struggling.  By balancing stick I was starting to get short of breath but I managed to do most of it and catch my breath at separate leg stretching.  Made it through all four sides of triangle (barely) and skipped a set of sep. leg forehead to knee (which is an abdominal compression pose and I don't want to be doing it "hard" anyway.)  I was not dead by tree and was able to do tree and toe - first time in a while.

The spine strengthening series I'm taking really easy now.  I started to go up "like normal" for cobra and felt the tug in my uterus again and slowed way down, using a bit more of my arm strength to get up into it and hold it.  Locust I'm using my forearms right under my hips to relieve pressure in my abdomen and am not lifting high, just focusing on tightening the leg.  Full locust I'm not lifting up high and floor bow I'm not doing much more than getting the grip.  I don't want to create any undue pressure down there.

Beyond that, I felt the tugging in camel so I backed off it a bit and rabbit I'm not really walking the knees to the forehead at all.  I was mostly just so pleased to be able to do class yesterday.  I feel amazing today.

I need to drink about twice as much water as usual after class, and also between practicing and teaching I had an Ultima electrolyte mix and an apple.  Was able to teach a strong and energetic class.  This morning it was the MOST. IMPORTANT. THING. that I got scrambled eggs.  :)