Yoga Progress: Standing Bow

Standing Bow pose has been one of my favourite pose from the first day I started practicing yoga. I just feel deeply mesmerized by the position of the body, the curve of the back, the elongated one leg up and the balance the whole body gets by simply stretching one end of the hand and the other leg. It just look so elegant. No wonder, it is also called a Dancer's Pose.

When I first started, I didn't know how to place my legs and abs properly.

On Day two, after throughly studying the pose, I managed to properly lift up my leg and align my torso.

Coming to Week Two and after pretty much digging details of the pose, I was able to get into some proper form of it. And I must admit, I kind of love the progress.

On the following week, I was aiming to get the back leg straighter and torso more aligned with the floor by arching the spine more. I didn't get much progress aside maintaining the posture I achieved from the week before.

Unfortunately, I was too ambitious the following week when doing Intense Side Stretch pose. I injured my left back thigh causing intense pain whenever I tried to stand straight on it.  It's been a week and the muscle is showing sign of recovery but VERY slow. I couldn't wait and so I trained my other leg to be the standing leg. This is as much I could do with my left side. Back too stiff to arch. *sigh*

Praying that my injury will get better as soon as possible. However, I feel good about the overall progress. I have been very religious with my practice and started to do yoga on daily basis from the 4th week.

How do I stay put?

Let's just say, Instagram and the people in it makes me motivated. Ha!

Till next post!
*hugs*

Achievement unlocked

Here's more story about my Yoga journey...well, im only on day 5. It is still a journey kan considering I am still at it. Unlike last time. ^__^

So I've said in my Instagram that this is one of my favourite pose in the 26 poses of the Bikram Yoga when I first started.
 


On day 2, I managed to pull my leg up a bit.


On day 3, I did not do anything so as to get the muscle rest.

On day 4, I was only trying to strike a pose when I did this pose. And look how much I think I have progressed. I mean, I surprised myself that I was able to pull up that much of my leg. And I didn't really feel the strain that I had on day one and two. Perhaps, the rest I had on day 3 kind of helped ease the sore muscles.
 

So, have I unlocked any achievement? Well, not exactly. But I think I am on my way to unlock something beyond my imagination.  I am ecstatic to see how far can I go with this pose comes Day 30.

Fingers crossed!

A Yogi?

I tried Yoga back when I was still teaching in Keningau. It was part of wanting to try what form of exercise appealed me for my evening workout. However, I wasn't keen. In fact, I only went to the class less than 5 times. The stretching and what not bored me. Heck, it made me sleepy. Or perhaps, I wasn't doing it right. Hence, the lack of enthusiasm.

Surprise, surprise!

Am back on it. Well, after some blogger friends (Read: Wyne_Mouren and StellaClaire) show fascinating trending of Yoga photos and they are filling up my Instagram timeline everyday. I was skeptical at first. But look who's joining in the bandwagon? Ha!

Great thing is, even hubby gives encouragement albeit subtle by telling me that there are apps on iPad regarding yoga for beginners.

Here's my first pose of the Dandayamana-Dhanurasana or the Standing Bow Pose, the 6th pose of the 26 basic Bikram Yoga Pose.
 A long way to go before I get the correct pose and posture.  

After I did a half an hour of some of the poses, what I noticed is that I get some slight headache post-exercise. I gathered it was due to the blood circulation or whatever that has gone through while I did the yoga process. But then again, it could be due to the incorrect postures and breathing throughout my exercise.

Today, I shall improve on the breathing first and has been doing bit of revision on the 26 Bikram Yoga.

Update again soon.

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I read HERE that it is normal to feel dizzy when first starting yoga due to the body not being used of having too much oxygen in the system. A ha!