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| I am a 61 year old male, 5' 8", 135 in good shape (or so I thought) and I started Bikram about 60 days ago and have had 40 sessions. I have seen and felt great changes within and without. I look forward to and enjoy Bikram Yoga and what it is doing for me. My problem is that I have yet to be able to complete all 26 asanas without stopping and resting. I thought that I would be further along then this.
I have varied and moderated my hydration, I have gone at different times, I have concentrated on breathing more than the poses. I have tried not pushing myself, as suggested sometimes in the Forums and I have changed my diet on days that I take my class. I am beginig to wonder if there is something wrong with me?
Any words of wisdom? I really do not want to go to try a different type of Yoga. Thanks for your help! |
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Veteran
Posts: 149
 
| I know for me I have to have my body not only hydrated but also my electrolytes MUST be replaced. Have you spoken to a health food store about supplements? or are you taking a replacement? You lose A LOT of water but also so many other minerals in your sweat and breathe. I take a pill before and after class. w/o it ...I can 'do' class but feel the diff for sure and after take MUCH longer to recover. w/ the pill I walk out and move on ... just feels good and energized!! |
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| You've seen great changes both within and without. It sounds like you are doing really well. Maybe what you are doing right now is right for you right now. There's no prize for doing all the poses. Instead, you do the following: keep form as perfect as you can, and go as deeply as you can while maintaining form and staying within your breath. If you need to breathe through your mouth, sit out.
I never know which days I will do all the postures, and which days I will need to sit out. I am still learning not to beat myself up for sitting out, so I know exactly how you feel. But I think its counterproductive. And it's pretty clear to me that no matter how proficient I get, I will still be able to push myself to my own edge, and sometimes beyond it. Thus, I don't foresee any time when I will never need to rest during class.
Duffy |
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| checkers24 - 2009-06-07 3:16 AM
Any words of wisdom? I really do not want to go to try a different type of Yoga. Thanks for your help!
Why would you have to try a different type of yoga?? Because this one is hard? Hard is okay! Struggling is okay!! A lot of the benefits will come around through that struggle.
It sounds like you are off to an awesome start. I mean, I see people who have practiced for YEARS who still sit out poses in classes, so I doubt that there is anything wrong with you. I suspect that your only problem is - to quote you - "I thought I would be further along than this." That's the trouble with having expectations about something that you have never tried before! Yoga is deceptively hard. Don't worry about the things that you can't do yet - just enjoy the things that you are able to do now.
You say that you are seeing great results; well, THAT IS the main purpose of going to yoga class! The primary goal is to improve your physical and mental health. Completing all the poses is a good goal, too, but its importance is secondary.
I say to keep up the GREAT attendance and keep enjoying all those changes!! |
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| You are underweight for a 5'8" male. I suspect this means you don't have much muscle mass, so you will need to gain muscle, then I think you'll be able to do the whole series without resting. Have you ever done any weight lifting? In the meantime, if you are doing your best, that's great! Good for you. You are doing so much more than 99% of people your age.
ferret |
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| I want to thank everyone for their support, help and ideas. Tonight, for the first time, I got through the 26 Asanas. It was not easy but I just pushed myself and was able to do it! Thanks again. John |
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| I agree with keepitblocking. I went to Bikram yoga today for the first time in four years. That muscle memory wasn't what I thought it would be and I just kept thinking, "What the heck was I thinking?" But I felt so good all day after though the toxin release in my body is really working on me. I'm going to go tomorrow and do it again!
I spent almost as much time in mountain pose or on my mat as I did doing the poses but when I got myself together, I was able to do at least one set of each of the poses. I think that tomorrow, I may get a little further. Or, I may fall further behind but I will try. I think that if you are seeing benefits, then you are benefitting. My intructor kept saying, "If you bounced out of the pose, then you went all of the way 'for you'." I knew what she was saying. Everyone's Rabbit pose may look different but if I am benefitting and challenging myself, then I have done it as properly as the young lady next to me who had absolutely perfect form in each and every pose.
Do what you think is best for you. I just hope it means that you'll stick with it! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 399
Location: Oregon | Checkers, are you staying in the room the whole 90 minutes? |
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| I can relate. I'm having a hard time with the heat. Some days I go in there and I sweat the minute I walk in the door and this causes me to lose focus for some reason, eyes burning, ears full, face stings from the heat. I can't get through the whole thing without resting and wanting to run the hell out of there. Then, every once in awhile, I can make it through and my sweating is average. Could be the electrolytes? |
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I cannot get through an entire session
