Sunday, October 19, 2008

Air for water.

Ok, so this is the new Sunday routine, two Bikrams classes back to back with a 30 minute break. Getting ready for this is already easier than the first time last week and we continue to pare down what we bring to just the bare essentials. Food for between classes proved uneccesary this time but the juice that I forgot wasnt. I survived. But gearing up for 3 hours of continuous training definitely gets the juices and the head going. Much like getting ready for a 3 hour bike ride or run.
You know it's going to be hard, you just don't know how hard. Or how strong you'll feel. Having a partner like my love to go through this with makes this so much easier because she is just hardcore like that. If I said, 'lets do a third class at 4:30 pm today" she would go for it.Training side by side for three hours is one intense experience for a couple as well and it just keeps getting better and better. Both of our practices are evolving almost daily and it's spilling over into our kettlebell training as well. As does the kb work go the other way as well.
Having the rythym and routine of our lives back is doing wonders for our training and our health.Its really a miracle that we can now share kettlebells and yoga in addition to the rest of our family life.
I love it when my training is going well and I feel stronger each and every workout. Capable of doing more both mentally and physically.It's been months since I felt like this and it's nice.It's also nice that Tracy was the one to show me practice of Yoga afte studying almost daily for three years; it's made such an incredible difference in my body and my mind.
The first class just blew by,like last week and it was the same for Tracy. We were rested, well fed, and mentally ready.All my leg series movements, now that I am thinking of them as leg training went so well.my left knee and hip are getting stronger in these numeous one legged postures every week and it's way cool.
I tried to drink less water and not get into 'panic' mode drinking as I've found too much water actually makes things worse and it makes the postures way harder. I was trying to drink only after each series and this seemed to work well. Until the second class of course. I just don't have enough time to really rehydrate between classes so about 1/3 of the way in I wanted water and I knew it was going to be tough,lol.Of course I sweat like a freaking pig. A total fire hose of sweat. For the entire 90 minutes.
I also am working on not wiping the sweat away and not adjusting things so much. staying stiller and just breathing.Just sit with it.And Breathe.
I'm really trying to use the air instead of the water to cool me, and to keep my mind calm. If I stay calm I can handle the heat, the fatigue and the pain, but as soon as my mind spins a bit I get REAL thirsty, real fast and if I drink too much too fast it doesnt help.Just keep focused on breathing correctly throughout every second of every pose regardless of what else I am trying to focus on.Because if I don't do that everything gets way harder way fast.No fun.
The second class was very strong as well despite both of our concerns that our strong first class would have been "it" for the day. Not to worry we blasted through it and my leg moves were even stronger than the first class as I was fully warmed up.
Actually made some progress on the split leg forward head to knee posture on my left knee and I've seemed to find the balance and rotation point for both legs to get enough lower body tension to take all the pressure off the knee. About freakin time .
Now the rest of the day is cake.

and that reminds me, I got lots to eat.

datsit.

5 comments:

Rannoch Donald said...

Rif,

Really enjoying reading about your journey. We seem to have a slightly similar wholistic approach.

Bikram sounds very challenging indeed. I start a new Ashtanga class on Thursday. I know once again I'll be struggling. But it is a good struggle.

Smiling, breathing.

Back working with timed sets. going to do the new Snatch test this weekend. Will keep you posted.

Namaste...

Rannoch

Mark Reifkind said...

thanks rannoch, I am glad you are enjoying my ramblings :))
Yoga has become a very very interesting part of my physical training now, and the fact that I can do it with Tracy makes it even more special.
To me bikrams is a lot like kb training; it looks very simple on the outside but on the inside there are 50 million things to be focused on and that one can work on to get better.Constantly.
Good luck with the new snatch test, I'm sure you will rock it.
namaste indeed :))

Jordan Vezina said...

I had a hard enough time with single Bikram classes. You are a beast.

BLXela said...

I started doing Bikram about a month ago. I can't get enough. Last night I read a blurb in Outdoor magazine about Kettleballs. I thought that they would be a perfect complement to Yoga. I did a Google search and came across your website and then blog. Wow! I thought of purchasing 10lbs - 26lbs Kettleballs. Also, based on what I've seen I can buy one each is that right? Namaste.

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