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| hi everybody. im just curious to know if any of you guys out there still struggles to go to class at times?
i struggle psychologically to go to class most of the times, because i am afraid of feeling nauseous and light headed. grrr. it still scares me now.
and another question: when you have been practising bikram for a while, do you feel that your flexibility somehow gets "stucked" and its as if like you cant progress any further?
even though i do bikram now, i still get muscles stiffness from sitting too long, stress every now and then on the trapezius and upper back. do you guys get that as well? they say that the more you do it, the more supple and soft you become. sometimes i feel im the opposite. for example doing the rabbit pose, 1.5 mths into practise i didnt have to walk walk my knees to my forehead. now 2 lessons in a row, the rabbit wasnt an effective pose for me, cos i had to walk my knees. gave me the thought that my spine isnt as supple. and i kept questioning why, given that im doing it regularly.
bikram makes me confused. hahaha. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 338
 
| Hi, I have been contenplation this phenomona for some time. I realize that for me, I am fearful prior to class and I am resistant. I have been doing this for 7 years. I am older, probably I have more weight than you.
I realize that I am fearful of the discomfort of the heat and the poses. I also crave the practice. I think the fear is in relationshiip to the ectasy when all goes well.
Fear is a major factor in my life, and I think every class allows me to chip away at the fear. In a sense, every class in a victory over the fear. That is an extra benefit that I get over those who go blissfully to class every day. I have noticed this fear waxes and wanes over time. If I go to a class where I think the instructor has less heat, I am, of course less fearful. I remember that I am always in charge.
As for rabbit, I never can get my head to my knees, but the effort is worth it.
Flexibility comes and goes but I think I am more flexible than if I did not do yoga.
Recently, I hurt my back. My symptoms were that I could not best down in the forward manner or lift my legs when I was on my stomach. I realize most people in their 60's can't do this anyway, so I realize the flexibility I have created for my body through yoga. By the way, I am improving quickly. |
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Member
Posts: 13
Location: Texas | I just finished up 120 classes in 120 days last night... Yes, there are definitely some days where I have to drag myself to class... but I have quite a few physical issues that I'm working on and the yoga seems to be helping them... so I keep going. Because of my issues, the yoga is something that I *must* do - it's not an option.
I have had a few classes where I ended up spending most of class on the floor in savasana. Even though I may have a "bad" class, it is what it is for that day... and there's always another class the next day. I just "leave it" in the yoga room and try to do better the next day.
I have also had a few injuries these past 5 months that have impacted my yoga practice... I went to class and just did what I was able to do and still managed to get some benefits/see improvements. |
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| thanks for the brave post, huishan. I definitely have a hard time being motivated to get to class, too. I struggle for the same reasons you do--lightheaded, dizzy, the general feeling of discomfort that is present throughout the class--and a couple other reasons, too. Some days, if I practice in the morning, I feel exhausted for the rest of the day. That isn't good if I've got work to do! I've got anxiety issues, too, so being in a hot classroom surrounded by people and a tough instructor is not my idea of a good time. Those factors combined make it hard to get my ass through the door!
To combat this, I think of the benefits, how supple and loose I feel the next day. Regarding the anxiety, Bikram seems to help tremendously. As the class progresses, I see my ADD "monkey mind" beat into submission, and I can truly focus on the here and now. I am able to take a little bit of that with me into work and daily life.
So, yeah, you're not alone! I'm so glad the teachers acknowledge over and over that we are suffering, because in many ways, we are. Learning to sit with the discomfort is so hard. At the same time, doing so the most glorious feeling I experience. |
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| Welcome huishan. Why not try another type of yoga? |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 338
| Cone-on bruce, he says why, Bikram's better. The pain is in relation to the gain. Also overcoming the fear is a high. peggy |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 399
Location: Oregon | I've taken the summer off from my Bikram practice. I have been jogging and then biking. I was jogging 3-4 times a week. Then I borrowed a really nice road bike and have been enjoying that. The reason I'm telling this tale is that the ease of this nice new bike now makes getting up for jogging really hard to do.
Strenuous exercise, even if we know the benefits, constantly requires motivation. Sure, there are times when I don't want to do Bikrams. As my practice has matured, I'm able to listen to my body much better. In that case maybe I don't go. But, I also know that if I don't keep up 3-4 times a week, practice really becomes a bear. So, some of my motivation (when I'm practicing regularly) is that I want to maintain this great body I've gotten into shape.
I've been practicing 5+ years. Huishan, how long have you been practicing? Just 1.5 months? If so, in my experience, a vigorous workout like this takes a while to adjust to, as you work out the ups and downs of motivation and achy body. I know I've gone through several different periods. I'm in one right now, and it's a totally different reason than before, (not the dread of the heat or the demands). |
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| i see. i guess at the end of the day, we go into class with differnt body everyday. listening to our body is important. and never fight our bodies to go to bikram class if you are not feeling well. though bikram has a truckload of benefits, i still firmly believe that our body has to be in a reasonably-abled condition to do the strenuous exercise. if not, there is no point doing it at all since we are not going to reap the benefits. yesterday i was feeling nauseous and dizzy (guess its due to the lunch and bad digestion), couldnt do most of the standing postures. i tried to do the sitting postures, but just no point anymore. my whole body wasnt warmed-up at all. my last twisting exercise hurts my left back muscles badly. first time feeling like this though.
i agree with torqued that a bad class stays in the studio. never bring it home.  |
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| GoGirl - I think the OP said that Bikram makes him confused.
And I don't remember any where in the Yoga Sutra that says yoga or asana should cause confusion, fear, pain or a "high."
Patanjali says that asana should have the qualities of sthira and sukham.
Steadiness and comfort.
Bruce's question is appropriate - the niyama of svadhyaya - self-study or self-examination requires introspection. And the OP seems to be questioning.
Victw
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 399
Location: Oregon | No, and many here take issue with Bikram's dialogue where he refers to pain or a posture "hurt like hell." The self study I get from Bikram is to know the difference between being uncomfortable and pain. Most of these postures are uncomfortable until you can both physically and mentally rest.
The line of thought in my local Bikram studio is that fear/pain/discomfort may come up in your practice. I think that it can be magnified in such an intense setting. But I also think, when you deal with it, that the rewards are greater.
And no, the Sutras don't take you (the practitioner) to task. But, for centuries people have sought gurus for their advice, and sometimes the guru tell the student to do something, just for the exercise, because something else will be learned of come up in the process. I think Bikrams works for many, while the manner is understandanly a turn off for many as well. |
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| i guess everyone took that sentence too seriously "bikram made me confused"
i dont literally mean i am confused. for example, after class, i feel this way that way. but i dont know if its myself, or bikram class. and sometimes, unexpected things happen or surprises us when we practise bikram. and you dont know if it is just the body, or it is bikram yoga that is causing such things to happen. you get what i mean?
and i think bikram yoga is a very special form of yoga where it breaks the ice where people think that yoga is just sitting down in a lotus position and mediating. i guess for many of us, bikram yoga is a very strong form of focusing activity for us. bikram he himself said that if you dont have pain, you dont gain anything. hence for me, i strongly believe that bikram yoga causes "pain" to a certain extend, be it physically or mentally or emotionally. so that we gain many things in return. and i think as long as i practise bikram, i will continue to struggle. in a good way. |
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Regular
Posts: 69
| i Huishan - I go 5 times a week and struggle to go almost every time! 'The hardest pose is getting in your car and driving to class' someone once said. I keep going because it feels good working the body like that.
As far as your thoughts about your rabbit: 'Too much mind'. Don't worry about it. Just keep going, turn off your mind and breath the biggest breaths of your life and all that will iron itself out.
Peace! |
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Member
Posts: 18
| I'm on a break right now, last time I went to class was Aug. 30th. Started practice on Aug. 31 of 2008, so had been practicing for a year, about 4x a week on average. I'm on a break because of frustrations... class is usually a struggle, and I could deal with it if I could see more improvements than I have. I haven't lost weight, know my diet is the cause, but had hoped my appetite would have gone down, it hasn't (I've actually gained weight, am on the verge of needing to buy larger size pants). I never got a great deal more energy. As far as benefits, I have to say they've been very very subtle... some increases in strength, flexibility, less anxiety. I'm drawn to it, though, because I like knowing what I'm going to get in a class. Have been trying to practice at home, but I'm utterly lazy when it comes to that. I know I will have to return to the hot room soon. Will have to make some adjustments, though. Need to do a better job of hydrating, also focusing, not letting myself get distracted, thinking about work issues, etc. I just feel like with the heat, and the push, push mentality that there is, I may be overworking. |
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| Yes, I definitely struggle to go to class. Actually, I haven't been to a class in a few months now, and I haven't managed to keep up a regular practice (more than two consecutive weeks) for a few years. I have some health issues that while I've finally gotten them to an acceptable level and they don't control my life, I still can't go to yoga for about a week each month. Once I take that week off my momentum is broken and I just can't seem to get back. So then I decide I'll take a break from class, which assuages the guilt for awhile, until I start dreaming about attending class. I'm also lazy, and very good at talking myself out of class, providing myself with very convincing "reasons".  I doubt it has anything to do with the fact that it's Bikram--I seem to apply it to any physical activity.
But when I DID practice regularly there would be times where I seemed to hit a "progress plateau". The more I thought about it the longer it lasted and the worse it got. I finally realized that there are just days where my body will react differently, for whatever reason, and that there's nothing I can do about it. As soon as I let go of that everything unfroze. |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 5098
Location: Somewhere in the Mountains of Western NC | I struggle too to do my yoga sessions, BUT, once I do it, I feel totally soo fine!! I have to MAKE myself do it on these particular struggle days....and on the days I can't make myself, I just go with the flow, rest...KNOWING I'll get back when I'm ready. Cheers! |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
 
| Cyndi - nice to see you! I was just thinking about you yesterday and wondering how you are. So how are you? How are the critters? |
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| I tried Bikram Yoga a few times at the beginning of my search for the right kind of yoga for me. I enjoyed it at the time, mind that this at the time of my progression from aerobic sessions/kick-boxing to yoga...
Having met Iyengar yoga eventually, with two excellent teachers with in-depth knowledge not only in Yoga but also in human anatomy, I am afraid Bikram days are long in the past...
It was a good bridge for the transition though, I am grateful to Bikram yoga for that.
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 5098
Location: Somewhere in the Mountains of Western NC | Hi Lea,
I think most of us done exactly that too!
Hi Glenda,
I'm doing fine these days...just staying busy and going back to college. Some days are very overwhelming..which is the time that I cherish my yoga mat..more than ever!!! |
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| I sometimes struggle to make TIME to go to class! (Grad school augh.)
But 99 days out of 100, I am so happy to be going to class. (This is in the long run... which is something silly like 6 or 7 hundred classes in the last couple years.) And even on the days when I have trouble getting myself started, class usually turns out to feel good. Actually, the days when I have the hardest time getting myself to the studio are often the days when my practice unexpectedly ROCKS!
I think there's a lot of "selective memory" that goes on. It's really funny. I'll be absolutely dying in class, and as soon as it's over, I'm like "that was great!!!" If you always remember how you feel in the middle of second set of locust pose, yeah, you're gonna dread going to class. If you tune that part out and just remember how awesome you felt AFTER class (which is what my brain always does as soon as class ends), then you will always be excited to go and practice. |
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| One of my favorite things said by an instructor is "It's only yoga." Any time I start to overthink things or get anxious, I tell myself, "Come on, it's only yoga." Mostly, I am happy to go to yoga, and just have trouble finding time. But as someone else said, any routine of exercise requires motivation. It can also happen that your mind seizes on excuses not to go, making more of them than they are. "I'm too tired," "I'm afraid," "I feel sick," whatever. A good way to short circuit that is to decide to pack your yoga bag and mat and just go to the studio and see how you feel once you get there. Athletes use the same trick in other sports. "I'm just going to put my running shoes on, now," then "I'm just going to go for a walk," and "Well, I guess I might as well get warmed up," and at some point it clicks and you just do it.
Ferret |
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Regular
Posts: 90
| I think it's also important to understand that yoga is more than just asana practice. Sometimes it is important to heed the need to do something for your yoga other than practicing asanas. Some of my most positive yoga experiences have come away from the mat. |
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Veteran
Posts: 149
| my most profound yoga moment was lying in the hopsp. bed after I broke my hip. the breathe kept me calm and focused. I did not freak out and the docs. were AMAZED at my control and pain tolerence |
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| That's so awesome, Amyf. Yoga has taught me to stay calm in what would ordinarily be chaotic, anxiety-ridden situations. Just recently I was at a bar with some coworkers (typically no something I'd do), and by coming back o my breath when I got anxious I was able to truly enjoy myself. One of my coworkers even remarked how calm and collected I was, even as I wasn't drinking! Cheers to yoga. |
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| life at times is a struggle so why not yoga. I think as long as it's mental lethargy it's the perfect time to push yourself and go. I am finishing year 2 of Bikram going three times a week with one thirty day challenge. I am just starting to go back to old activities like weightlifting but I plan on continueing my bikram practise. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 399
Location: Oregon | Carl has a good point, Yoga is far more than a posture practice. And I also think that in Bikrams, with the intense environment and mirrors and attention to details, that the practitioner can focus too much on postures and get frustrated too easily when reaching a "progress plateau". My Yoga now if just accepting what is. It's pretty easy now, and that feels pretty damned good.
Chatoyancy, are you able to do any form of exercise in those weeks you don't do Yoga? I'm curious if it's the Bikram environment that is too unpleasant, or if all exercise is unavailable.
I ask because I've recently returned to Bikrams after a 3-4 month hiatus. It's been far easier than I thought. I never developed a consistent home practice that I was experimenting with, but I was active. I teach 3-5 classes a week and stayed active. I a big proponent of even 10-15 minutes of stretching a day making a huge difference. |
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bikram in the long run. do you sometimes struggle to go to class?
