I give you all major props for doing hot yoga. I like regular yoga but I'm afraid to do bikram. I hate sweating so much, I think bikram would kill me!

Hi there!
Well, yesterday I actually got into Toe Stand (after Tree Pose) and STAYED THERE (albeit on my left side only :lol:) AND........I got UP from it correctly (again only on my left side)!!!!
http://www.bikramyoga.com/Yoga/images/IMG_0571c.jpg
(So NOT me in the picture :) )

And I am able to get into Fixed Firm pose now without too much trouble.
http://www.bikramyoga.com/Yoga/images/FixedFirm.jpg

The pose that I HOPE for a breakthrough someday is Locust Pose.
http://www.bikramyoga.com/Yoga/Lesli...sen17a.jpg.jpg
I find that my bust is too big (not that there's anything WRONG with that! according to DH, but I digress...) to get my shoulders on the floor. Or even my elbows. Even if I hunch way forward, I'm lucky to get my full palm on the floor! So I wind up looking like uncomforable roadkill instead of the graceful locust...

Today, though, my big toe stand breakthrough was not to be! I find my balance and strength first thing in the morning (7:30 am on a Saturday, meaning I have to leave the house at 6:20am which means I have to be up at 6:10am AT THE LATEST) isn't so great. I seem to do better in the late morning, early afternoon. Which means that I need more super-early classes because this is where I need the work. But I DO hate getting up...I was so tired this morning, and there is a Starbucks across the street, so my mind was wandering a bit. When we got to Pada-Hastasana (Hands to Feet pose after Half Crescent pose),
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TbVkgw5bf9...0/handfeet.jpg
(again, SO not me in the photo!!! Hahaha!)
and the instructor says LOCK THE KNEES, LOCK THE KNEES, LOCK THE KNEES
ALL I could think was "SKINNY VANILLA LATTE, SKINNY VANILLA LATTE, SKINNY VANILLA LATTE..."
:lol:
Day 14 tomorrow, and another early one! I'll do Monday, day 15, at 4:30 pm to give myself a full 24hrs+ rest!
Kira

ps for all you non-yoga types out there, "LOCK THE KNEE" doesn't mean hyperextend the knee! It means "CONTRACT YOUR QUADRICEP SO THAT YOUR KNEECAP RISES". I know, I was shocked when they said "lock the knee" because I've spent I don't know HOW many years making SURE that my knees aren't locked aka hyperextended!!!!

Sounds like you are having a great challenge! I would love a Locust Pose breakthrough myself. We have a couple of teachers at my studio who can do the full expression of the pose, where they bring their feet up and over to sit on their shoulders. It's freaking amazing.

I KNOW! We have one here who just FLIES into the air...of course, it helps that she's 22 years old, has been super-bendy since birth, and weighs about 110 lbs...sigh...my youth, my youth...

Kira

Oh PS - I think you are doing great to just be thinking SKINNY VANILLA LATTE...there have been days when I've been bent into all sorts of weird yoga poses thinking CHICKEN WINGS...CHICKEN WINGS...CHICKEN WINGS

Hi there! OK, so all I had going through my mind yesterday was
CHICKEN WINGS
CHICKEN WINGS
CHICKEN WINGS
:lol:

On to day 19! I have found that I am taking my classes later, and later and LATER in the day as my schedule permits. Perhaps I am flagging a bit???

Yesterday we had five (5) new students, all of them professors at our local University Faculty of Business, and all of them between 45 and 55 years old. And all of them before class, laughing, saying "it's just YOGA, for goodness sakes. How hard can it be?"
Well, I'm here to report that there was some serious A**kicking going on in the class. They were really, really good sports and did very well, way better that I did during my first class, that's for sure. But they were HILARIOUS because around 10 minutes into it, they were muttering under their breaths things like
"you want me to do THAT?"
"you've got to be KIDDING"
"as IF"
and finally, from one lovely fellow --
"OK, I'm DONE" and he lay down for the next 45 minutes.

I hope they come back, because they were alot of fun and they really did AWESOMELY GREAT...we're collectively keeping our fingers crossed at the studio!

Kira

So question, I'm not doing hot yoga, but I do a good bit of yoga at home. I have really tight hamstrings so I can't do any of those poses where you fold and put your hands flat on the ground or wrap behind your legs. Or even the balances where you put one hand down... I just can't get there. I'm modifying with putting my hands on blocks, is that the best thing to do for those?

I'm SO no expert, but when did THAT ever stop me :lol: so here goes!

I too have super-tight hamstrings and I have trouble with these poses too. That and my belly gets in the way! My instructors don't let us use blocks. Instead, they have us get into the best position that we can, and to stretch, stretch, stretch and hold. The heat helps loosen up the muscles, and the stretching day after day will work out the hamstrings.

Their theory is that if you use blocks, you aren't working into the pose. If you do what you can, you will eventually get to where you want to be.

Here is a link that might be of interest: it discusses how to loosen up your hamstrings:

http://www.hotyogadoctor.com/index.p...with-hot-yoga/

I think it can be applied to your situation, and the "hot" part of the "hot yoga" while interesting for you, isn't going to be the key...

I hope this helps! And I hope that others who go other forms of yoga write in, too. They will have more experienced advice, for sure!

Kira