Bikram Yoga Classes in Jersey

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Posture #5 – Standing Head to Knee Pose

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Well as promised here are the tips to assist with Standing Head to Knee Pose.

For me, this posture is the first one of the major balancing postures – I feel it is part of a “group” together with the Standing Bow Pulling Pose and Balancing Stick.  These three postures will work you out physically but really allow and in fact demand from you an increase in concentration, focus and determination of the mind.  I really enjoy them actually as I like the challenge!

For beginners, this is likely to be the first posture where you really get to realise how important it is to lock the knee.  I have been told several ways to think about the locking of the knee – one was to “suck” the muscle to the thigh bone and pull up the knee cap. After a number of classes you begin to experience “muscle memory” and it will get to feel more like a normal action than it is when you first try it!  It will become second nature – eventually, I promise!

In order to write this post I have gone back to my original posture clinic notes and I came across this tip and for some, this may help.  Instead of concentrating on tensing and tightening the leg muscles, you may like to relax and bow the leg back instead.  I had completely forgotten about this until I read it this week!

I am a strong believer if you relax into the postures first instead of resisting them (and even trying too hard) you will greatly improve not only your yoga but it does wonders for your whole well-being too.  This is a part of big subject and something that I have been looking into over many years but it is interesting when I found this note as basically it is saying the same thing!  So if a locked knee is not yet your speciality you may like to change the focus and relax and bow the leg instead!

Kicking the leg out

When you start this posture you shift your weight slightly to the left leg and lift up the right foot.  You will need to interlace the fingers right to the webbing and ensure your thumbs are crossed underneath the foot so you get a good grip and able to keep it throughout the posture!  If you pull your stomach in as you do this, you will be stronger and it will also help your spine as it prevents backache.  The correct position to hold the foot is three inches below the toes.  

Now for the focus of the eyes, which if you have read any of my other posts, will absolutely make you stronger in any posture.  You don’t have to have your eyes bulging out of their sockets, just a gaze at your left knee in the mirror will work wonders!

Now before you go any further in the posture you must ensure your left knee is locked.  I find it helpful if you imagine your leg going down into the ground just like the infamous “Bikram speak” “concrete lamp post”- unbroken – no knee!!  If your knee is not locked do not kick out, just stay there in that position until you gain strength as you do not want to put pressure on a bent knee.

Now it’s time to inhale and slowly kick your right foot towards the mirror until the leg is parallel to the floor – no higher – no lower – at the same time maintaining the lock on the left knee!  WHAT?? you say – yes ‘fraid so – but one day muscle memory will kick in and you will!

Taking another deep breath, continually kick the foot away from you towards the mirror.  Another tip I just got reminded of was instead of focussing on straightening the raised leg, change the focus to pulling the toes back towards you and pushing the heel towards the mirror.  Sometimes just looking at something differently can produce a better result so you can try it!  Don’t forget that pesky left knee to stay locked.  While you are in this stage, open the chest – whenever you do this you will have more energy to hold the posture.

If you fall out even after a few seconds, “bank” that success, and go back in.  Use the whole minute even if you drop out of it several times.  Do not judge yourself but just regain your gaze, and as they say in the UK – keep calm and carry on!  Eventually all the seconds in the posture will add up to the minute or half minute depending which set you are on.

The Next Stage – Elbows Down

The aim is to eventually get both legs locked and looking like an upside down “L” shape and only then it is time to pull your stomach in (if it isn’t already) and bring the elbows down by the side of the calf muscles and eventually they will go down below the calf.  The arms get nicely toned at this point!

The Finale – Head to the Knee!

Head to the knee is the ultimate aim but you only go for this if you have both legs locked.   In order to do this you need to change your gaze to your standing big toe, tuck the chin right in so you compress and then your head has a chance of landing on the knee.  If your head is below the knee you will not get the compression that the posture is aiming for.

If you are not ready to attempt the final advanced adjustment – no worries.  It may take a while.  When you feel comfortable enough with your balance you may wish to give it a go.  Step by step is the Bikram way for all these postures.

Then you get to repeat the whole process on the other leg!  The first set is held for a minute on each side and the second one is an easier 30 seconds only.  Try not to think about the time while you are in the posture just keep your attention on the adjustments and the seconds will be over before you know it!  I have found it is always easier to be “pro-active” in the posture rather than just hang in there waiting for it to be over!  You will improve much faster this way too.

Summary of the Main Points

  • Focus your eyes on your left knee in the mirror to get your balance and strength
  • Make sure you have the proper grip of the foot by interlacing fingers right to the webbing and crossing the thumbs under the foot – this will keep the grip in place
  • Only kick out with the other leg if your standing knee is locked
  • Pull in the stomach muscles throughout the posture as it makes you stronger and works the internal organs
  • Inhale when you raise the leg and concentrate on kicking the heel towards the mirror and toes back towards your face
  • Keep the standing knee locked throughout the posture
  • Open the chest until you bring your elbows down
  • Only if both legs are locked bring the elbows down towards and then below the calf muscles
  • Only attempt the head to the knee if both legs are locked out
  • Change your gaze to your big toe on the ground
  • Tuck in the chest and slowly bring the head to the knee!  Voila!

The Benefits of Standing Head to Knee Pose

  • Develops amazing concentration, focus, patience and determination
  • Works the nervous system and the mind
  • Compresses the internal organs to enable them to function properly
  • Slims and tones the legs like nobody’s business!
  • Uplifts the buttocks
  • Great for the abdominals when the stomach is sucked in
  • Works all the muscles in the legs, arms, and back
  • Strengthens the spine

Next one in the Posture Series is the Standing Bow Pulling Pose.  I will post some other posts in the next couple of days too.

Enjoy!

Bevx

How to stay strong and calm in a Bikram Yoga class

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If you’ve ever done a Bikram class you should have experienced the incredible peace you get after the class that usually lasts quite a while.  The body can even tingle all over for hours and you can sleep like a log!  However what about when you are in the class itself?  Is it possible to feel that peace when you are challenging yourself in so many ways? When you first start it may not feel like it as the mind often wanders, you’re busy checking out the other students’ postures, often comparing yourself and all sorts of other distractions (such as the heat) can manage to get your attention.

However there are a couple of simple pointers that can be put into action straight away that I personally have found to really have a beneficial effect not only on my postures but also my whole class experience.

Drink lots of water before you come to class

Now I know this one is obvious and you should have heard it many times but make sure you drink lots of water before you come to class.  You do sweat a lot in a Bikram class so obviously you need to be hydrated before class and also after class to replenish what you have lost.

However, I was always a bit concerned that if I drank too much water I would need to go to the loo mid-class so I would not drink as much as I should!   It was a belief that I used to limit myself with and I can so see that now.  I finally got over myself and started to drink a lot more than I used to and that addition alone made such a difference to my strength.  The difference in how I felt, how much stronger and calm I was in the postures, was like night and day.  I know it is such a simple thing but when you’ve been stuck with a limiting belief for many years and finally kick it – it is a great feeling.

Breathe through your nose (not your mouth)

A lot of energy can be wasted by huffing and puffing through the mouth during and in between postures.  Again I was guilty of that for a long time and more recently another teacher just happened to mention to breathe through the nose instead of the mouth particularly when standing in between postures.  The room I was practicing in at the time was incredibly hot and humid even for me, and it really helped me stay calm and bring back my attention and focus rather than letting the mind go all over the place and allowing the internal chatter to have a negative effect. Again it was an instant realisation that something so simple could have such a beneficial effect.

Those are the things I love – small adjustments but with big results.  I hope they help!

Bevx

 

 

 

Should I attend my first Bikram Yoga class alone or with a friend?

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Bikram Yoga is often one of those things that you’ll give a go as long as your friend comes along too!  Not always of course but more often than not I see and hear of that!  So is it a good thing?

As a first timer to anything like this,  often a student will feel more comfortable if they bring a friend along with them – just to walk into a new environment and a new type of activity can be a bit daunting so in that case it can be great.   It can also be something you can both /all share at the time, talk about afterwards, compare notes, and even have a laugh about!  It can even be a social occasion in many ways (before and after class of course!)  However there can be some “drawbacks” too!

The practice of Yoga and the benefit it brings is such a personal journey and can be affected by another’s experience and / or opinion in the early classes.   Each student can be very different in their approach, their physical ability, their attitude, their level of concentration, or even their willingness to try new things.  One of Bikram Yoga’s many benefits is to increase focus and determination as the class is challenging and hardworking and is practiced in a heated room.  It therefore demands the attention of the student on themselves in order to progress with the postures, feel more comfortable and be more open to receive the many benefits that are on offer.  This is harder to achieve if the attention is on your friend!  Every body is different, every mind is different, no too people will have the same experience in one class!

So what is the answer?  Well it is whatever you choose of course but an idea maybe to come with a companion and then make an effort not to stand directly next to each other in class.  This will allow for the comfort of knowing you are not the only new person in the class,  at the same time allowing you to personally experience the yoga for YOU.   Once you have a few classes under your belt you will probably relish that 1.5 hours of “alone time”!

So what if you want to come to class and your friend doesn’t? Personally, I think that would be the perfect scenario!   You will truly be concentrating more on you, gaining that personal body/mind connection, have nothing to compare it with and therefore start a very rewarding personal journey that is difficult to put into words!

Beverley

 

What’s the difference between yoga and sport / fitness?

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All movement of the body is great – after all you need to move to maintain flexibility and strength in the body for starters.  It also helps the mind to get clearer – one of the keys to your body feeling  a lot more ease.

I’m not a runner but I know lots of runners who say that their sport allows them to go into the “zone” and when they are they in the zone they feel like they can run a lot easier and further etc etc.   It is the same in yoga when you obtain that mind / body connection you can experience a lot more ability and ease in the body.

But what then is the main difference with yoga?   Once again it is a massive subject but in the context of this post if you check out the page on this website (bikramyoga.je if you are on Facebook) about Bikram he boldly states:

“ Yoga is the only exercise on this planet from which you gain energy instead of burning energy. ”

He also went on to explain in class that consistent sport can wear down (or even damage) parts of the body after a long period of time or if there is a repeated action on one side of the body such as in tennis etc.  Some sports can also create a lot of tightness in certain areas of the body.  If you are an athlete you will probably relate to some of this!

So what does Bikram mean by that and what is the difference with yoga? It is that yoga works from the inside of the body to the outside not the other way round.  Every yoga posture (in the Bikram Yoga series at least) will work the spine – the “backbone” of your body – the “backbone” of your life in fact!  It has a knock on effect on your glandular system and therefore the organs and so it goes on!  Without a healthy spine, many parts of the body would be compromised not only physically but internally too.  Together with the brain, the spine forms the body’s nervous system which is essential for maintaining mental and emotional health which in turn is a major contributor to bodily health.   Suffice to say the spine is the centre of your body and it affects every other part.   With regular practice of yoga you will begin to realise that everything is linked and yoga is therefore is a “wholistic” method of exercise and also a completely natural type of “medicine” so to speak!

So what does that mean – you shouldn’t do sport? – of course not  – I’m a great believer in doing what you love as that in itself is a major reason to do it!  However it may be a good idea to incorporate a regular yoga practice to counteract the wearing down of tissues and the muscle damage that can occur.

Yoga is actually a “generator” of your body and does not deplete it or wear it down – it actually rejuvenates and can even reverse and at least halt the aging process.  This subject is my favourite of course but it will need a few more posts to talk about that!  It’s all about that “life force” (and more importantly what you do with it) that I mentioned in my earlier post.

I hope this explains at least a bit so you if you don’t like sport or normal fitness classes OR if you love it and want to stretch out and repair the body you may wish to give yoga a go!

Bev x

So what’s so different about Bikram Yoga?

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The Bikram Method of yoga is one of the most popular types of yoga out there.  Wherever and whenever you go to a 90 minute Bikram class you will get the same workout.  26 postures – most of which are done twice – each one specifically designed to work the body in a certain way and in a certain order.  For some people it may sound a bit boring to have the same workout each time but quite honestly it is anything but that!  Having the same postures to do each time allows you to have your own “benchmark” in some ways as you will feel the difference from class to class in each posture and can measure your own progress if that interests you.  By the way some days you will find the postures easier than others – it doesn’t matter – it’s all good!  In another blog sometime in the future I will explain why that happens.

The instructor will give a “dialogue” for each posture and there are several reasons for it.  The instruction is specifically designed to protect and assist the student in getting the most benefit from each posture.  The instructions are somewhat detailed and I actually love that as it assists new students to improve quickly so that no effort is wasted.

Of course when you first start you may only hear about 10% of the dialogue – that is all very normal!  There’s a lot going on!  Each class after that you will pick up more each time and eventually get some “aha” moments!

I’ll write more about this soon …

Bevx

Help! It’s my first time!

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When you attend a Bikram class for the first time it can feel a bit daunting! You’ve heard through the grapevine that it is a real workout, apparently it’s hot, you worry about being the new kid on the block, what if everyone is going to look at you – OMG there are mirrors????!!!! and so it goes on….

Well let me assure you there is nothing to fear – everyone has to start somewhere and it might as well be now! This yoga class is for you – no one else matters – only you! It is a personal journey and a very rewarding one at that.

Your first class may feel a bit of a blur – there’s a lot going on – “I have to do what???, What on earth is that teacher rabitting on about? Oh at least I can drink some water now! Oh – halfway through and I get to lie down – Phew! Ooh  – it’s over and I feel really relaxed and I’m sure I’ll sleep well tonight!”

Take it easy on your first class – just get used to this new environment. The dialogue from the teacher will probably sound like a load of old gobbledly gook to you (some say a rap!) – that’s VERY normal – you will hear and understand a lot more once you’ve got your first class under your belt!  Don’t forget you can lie down at any time if you need to – it’s your choice!

MUST DO’S:

  • Arrive at least 15 mins before class to register and relax
  • Drink plenty of water through out the day
  • Don’t eat for at least 2-3 hours before
  • Bring a mat and a towel to put on top – and another if you wish to shower onsite
  • Bring water with you in a plastic container (no glass)
  • Wear clothes you can stretch in – you will sweat so light and fitting gear is more comfortable
  • Go easy on yourself and smile!

See you in class!

Bevx

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