Benefits of Bikram

I've only taken 4 Bikram yoga classes, but those 4 classes have really changed the way my body works. Most notably the reduction of body aches, like I mentioned in my previous post. But I've noticed other little things too...

1. I can sit with my knees and feet together with very little effort now. Some may think, "big deal!" But it is a new experience for me. I have some tree trunk thighs (sometimes I have to buy jeans a size up because my things can't fit into the legs!), so it's actually WORK to try to get them to come together because my thighs will physically not allow my knees to touch. Well, it's not that bad! But now I can sit all "lady-like" with ease. LOL I think this is possible because in Bikram, about 80% of the standing poses are done with your heels and toes of each foot touching the whole time. I had trouble with this the first class. Sitting with knees and feet together also engage your core muscles, so it's a mini-workout if you sit like this - even more of a workout if you sit on one of those balance balls (I have one somewhere that I used to use at my desk... gotta find it!) 

2. In my fusion yoga class that I take on my off days, I can bend and fold farther than I used to. One of the basic moves is triangle pose (I think?) - where you open your legs and bend over - then touch one hand to the floor and reach up with the other and look up. Before, I was able to touch my palm to the ground, but now I am able to bend over even more and bring my elbow and forearm to the ground!

3. (SORRY ***TMI***) Three words: In the bedroom. Do I need to explain? I would like to keep this PG here!

4. Ability to relax and breathe deep and slow. Those crazy breathing exercises we do actually help with relaxation. I do some deep breathing before I go to sleep and I'm usually out in a few minutes.

But now, I have not gone in almost a week (I am waiting for payday to start my new month)! I kind of crave it! But it's a good thing I have not gone because I'm tapering for my 5k on Friday. I'm going to run today and go to my level one (easier) yoga class tomorrow night... then the next time I do anything will be Race Day!! Woohoo!! Come on sub-30 minute 5k!!!!

Up and At 'em

So I'm getting back into somewhat of a groove of getting my fitness on! I've got 2 different types of yoga (fusion yoga and Bikram) in addition to my running, so I am feeling great about that!!!

photo from http://bikramyogasavannah.com/

I started my Bikram yoga classes (26 yoga poses and 2 breathing exercises in a 105 degree room), on a whim... it was mentioned in one of my fusion yoga classes and the idea of it just got me interested. The Bikram studio here in Savannah offers a $25 ten-day unlimited introductory period and I went 4 times in my intro span. The first 3 classes were awesome and I felt great --- thinking  "hey, this isn't so bad! I could do this multiple times a week if I had the time!"), but the 4th class last night was very challenging. I don't know whether it was my first PM class (the first 3 - I went in the morning) and had a kind of heavy lunch... or what. Because I was getting dizzy, almost to the point of blacking out, and felt just plain WIPED OUT! I really wanted to leave at one point, but they are really against leaving the room in the middle of the hour and a half class, so I fought through and tried to focus and do the poses to the best of my ability. I am glad I did.

The heat isn't so bad, but the sweat is the gross part. What I like about hot yoga is that because you are sweating, it feels like your body is working really hard. Also, I've had noticeably decreased body aches since I started.

Anyway, other than that, I've been running as well. Instead of listing my progress like I have done in the past, I will just post this screencap from my garminconnect.com profile which pretty much sums up the last number of runs since I last updated. My DailyMile.com profile has the FULL fitness training log.

The starred run is my 5K PR for this year so far - 30:12. I hope to break 30 minutes on March 9th. I signed up for the Savannah Shamrock 5K Run. I've run it a couple times before - it's a flat easy course, so I should be able to do it! I also just signed up for another 5K at the end of March. Woohoo!