The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › General Hot Yoga Discussion › Benefits of Hot Yoga › Finished first 30 days!! What now? : )
The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › General Hot Yoga Discussion › Benefits of Hot Yoga › Finished first 30 days!! What now? : )
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Hi!
I just finished my first 30 day challenge! I actually did it at home with 2 radiant heaters and a humidifier listening to Bikram’s cd. I got the room to 95-96F and was really able to sweat!
I had foot surgery last August, and was in a wheelchair for 2 months, then a walker, and knew the only thing that would help my balance and strength was Bikram (I had practiced before in NY and here in NC). Reason for the makeshift studio is bc due to the surgery I was laid off, so no $ to go to the studio, especially not every day.I was able to do the 30 days in 31, had one day that too many things were going on so missed but still feel very proud of myself.
It was hard to go upstairs and make myself do it everyday, there were days I could barely move in the beginning with a lot of low back pain. I fell off all the time during the 1 leg standing postures, especially when standing on the operated leg. Toward the end still can’t do a Toe Stand, but can hold myself on each leg and raise the “up” leg with a strap, and sometimes able to extend it. Bow got much better, able to kick back on both feet, with Right still better. Doing actually pretty well with Balancing Stick, a little wobbly but can usually pull it off with both legs! Tree is ok – fall off a few time, and actually (going back to the beginning, eagle is almost all done without falling, although my leg does not go all the way around, mostly bc I am “chunky” and twisting my arms tough bc I’m also busty. Hopefully with a consistent practice all this will normalize. (I am also doing weight watchers, but have not really seen weight loss in the last 30 days, but can see body changes. Trying not to obsess about the scale.
Floor poses are much better, not going super high in Cobra/Full Locus and Bow, but much better than in the beginning.
My foot hurts in Fixed Firm and Camel, so some days I can do them some I can’t – bending my operated foot backward is hard, was actually told by the MD that I would never be able to bend my foot back… Ha Ha I’m doing it!!! : )
So now that it’s over, I am taking a few days off and hope to start again,but maybe thinking about it as 10 day challenges,but working toward either another 30 or 60. My question is – should I take days off in between or no? I feel more flexible, but not super strong as I read a few people did –
Another question – is it common to have days where you do really well and feel confident only to have a horrible day the next day? My day 27 was exhausting, my foot was hurting and although I stayed in the room for the 90 minutes I stopped at cobra. I felt terrible, but just had no energy and was in a lot of pain.
Sorry so long but wanted to share my success and ask a few questions regarding where to go from here!!!
Namaste!
ClaudiaI have worked out pretty much daily for a long time. The last 10 or so years it has been daily.
Every day is different. Every workout is different even if it is more or less the same. Some days are good, some okay, some are fantastic and some not many are bad. I’ve also had a workout or two where I wondered if I had ever worked out at all. For me that is the way it is. I always just assumed this is normal.
But I don’t go to a studio anymore and haven’t for a long time. I like the Bikram sequence but I also like adding poses and some strength and agility work and varying times and sets as I care to. It never gets boring.
My answer to where do you go from here is just keep doing the work.
Hi,
Thank you for your reply.
So if I understand correctly you do it 7 days a week every week? I am taking a few days off (number 2 so far) will probably start again tomorrow, but am aiming for 5 minimum a week.
I also want to incorporate some weights so have to figure out how to do that and keep my yoga practice (time wise)
I suppose you are right, it’s like life, good and bad days, great ones and … ones. I just look forward when I can feel comfortable with the standing poses! I will be very happy then!
C
My intent is yoga daily. When I used to run a lot my intent was daily. But because things happen I can’t always do that. So it works out to about 24-28 x a month. Just looking at my diary January was 26x and February is on track for missing only one day so far. Rather than a chore it’s a normal part of the day.
When I don’t do yoga I have a couple of backups which take less time. I can do contrology in about 30minutes. Yoga takes from 1 hr to 1hr 45 minutes or so depending on what I do. I rarely hit 1 hr 45. Most sessions are around 1hr 30. I also have a couple of dynamic strength forms that take less time.
The standard Bikram yoga practice is low enough intensity to do every day. Although I realize Bikram said daily meant 6 days a week. But since life is what it is I shoot for daily. He also said to do it daily until you can do everything at ninety percent or better. Well I have never hit ninety percent of everything to my satisfaction so I just keep doing it daily.
I did find that following the Bikram prescription more or less exactly became a chore over the years. Now I mix it up a little bit and never get bored. I also don’t work out so hard that I have hang over fatigue the next day. Something that I was very used to in younger days.
There is in Bikram dynamic isotonic and isometric strength work already built in and opportunities for more. Everyone always talks about stretching and never about strength. I have never understood that.
I think it’s because women are naturally flexible and since more of them do yoga that is emphasized. No judgement intended.I do think for me anyway some kind of supplementary strength work is good. But I’m not so sure that yoga alone wouldn’t be adequate in that regard for health.
There are hundreds/thousands of work out schemes and ideas out there. Everyone just has to find the one that works for them.
Basically I do something every single day. The old time physical culturalists did that as well, I believe. This has evolved for me over many years and a lot of experience in different things. Strong is better than weak, flexible is better than inflexible and so on.
And of course we are all fighting the clock. Better to be as fit as possible.
Hi Claudia and Leonard
Balance is the key right? It doesn’t have to be all or none. There are other things one can do.
Claudia, the body needs recovery. Doing something to keep yourself vital and healthy is what you can aim for every day of your life. That something does not have to be yoga (and not 90 minutes of yoga) every single day.
Hey, you could take a day off in fact you SHOULD aim for one day off per week so that your body can recover and restore itself. Rest is a necessary part of any training program.
That doesn’t mean you don’t do anything (although you could simply rest 😉 ). What you could do is walk, swim, something else. Maybe 20-30 minutes of yin yoga stretches. Something with a different tempo and outcome. Something that is not as taxing.
Maybe what you’ll want to do is a selection of hot yoga poses but not for the intense 90 minutes that you’re used to. Perhaps 20 minutes of 40 or 60.
Play with it. Tune in and enjoy and be grateful for your practice. My rule of thumb with ‘challenges’ is to absolutely do 6 out of 7 days. If you really feel like doing 7 days it’s because you want to and feel like it (not out of guilt) and your body feels strong and wants it, there’s no sign of pain and it seems like the natural thing to do. It means that the day you don’t feel like it, you take a day off with a clear conscience. No attachment means a healthy mind and approach. And that makes your practice sustainable and easy to make it a part of your life forever!
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂 -
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