I have recently begun Bikram Yoga (less than 20 times) and while I still have many challenges the most frustrating thing for me is my complete inability to balance on one leg.  Your reply to “locked knees” made sense and I can’t wait to see if that helps.
Every pose that requires balance on one leg or on toes is very frustrating.  I concentrate my focus on one spot in the mirror or floor.  I try to clear my mind of self-talk related to my lack of balance.  Nothing seems to help.
Do you have any advice on what I can do during class or practice at home to improve my balance.
Thanks

Also, is this fact or myth that drinking coffee affects your balance? I read it in one of those yoga forums, and I love coffee but I also love Bikram Yoga.

Hello Binny

I am not going to overload you with information (just yet). I would like to see how the instruction regarding locking the knee helps you. I would like to offer you a couple of bits of useful bit of advice though.

You mention looking at one spot in the mirror or the floor. There is so much going on mentally in the class that in the beginning most students can’t look themselves in the eye. So naturally they look elsewhere. Looking at the floor in a standing balancing pose is possibly the worst place to look. It tends to greatly upset balance. If you can’t manage to look in your own eyes (and that may not be for some time yet ) then I suggest that that LOWEST place you look is at your standing locked knee in the mirror - and no lower. This will definitely help you focus your attention on what your knee is supposed to be doing and allow you to recommit whenever it unlocks.

In Balancing Stick you will look down but never look at your toes or just in front of your feet. Do try to extend your visual focus forward at least 4 ft and even more toward the mirror. There are some good instructions at this forum link About this balancing stick posture about limiting the degree to which you move into the pose, which may be what you need while you learn better balance.

The other little thing (which translates to a big thing) is to try to calm your breath, slow it down. You are already trying to calm your thoughts so that is a very positive step and great noticing.

Looking forward to hearing your results so we can delve a little deeper if that is needed.

Namaste
Gabrielle

Hi brooklynyogini

Only you can be the judge as to whether your coffee consumption greatly affects your practice. And it will no doubt be dependent on number of coffees, strength etc. I only drink decaf if I drink coffee, but stopped before I started yoga so my experience here is limited. My husband Robert tells me that he cannot drink a coffee before a morning class. And he cannot drink a coffee within an hour of class without effect. He only drinks 2 cups a day. In these circumstances he says his ability to breathe deeply is compromised and only very occasionally is his balance affected. It is only when he has a heavier coffee consumption through the day that there are definite balance difficulties. I have asked Robert to comment about what happens on days when he has had more than 4 cups.

Anyone else out there have balance problems after a couple of strong coffees?

Namaste
Gabrielle

Hi!

Funny story. The other week, a friend of mine offered me the antioxidant-rich superfood: dark chocolate covered goji (or wolf) berries. There were delicious so I bought a handful. Warning: they are rather addictive.

The other day I ate less than 10 of them as a little snack and indulgence. While being very good for you (!) they obviously have a fair amount of caffeine in the dark chocolate. My sensitivity to caffeine although fantastic as a young adult has increased now so that when I did some outdoor yoga shots that afternoon (more about that another time) my heart rate (usually about 50) was definitely faster than normal and I felt rather uncomfortable. Balance was definitely more difficult. And all because of a few grams of dark chocolate!

I definitely agree that the change was obvious enough to affect my practice. I won’t be doing that again in a hurry (no pun intended ).

Namaste
Gabrielle