March 10 (Monday) 6:30AM class

After a restless night of sleep due to upper back soreness (traps and shoulder blades), a stuffy nose and coughing, I woke up feeling good and ready for yoga. After the Motrin didn’t work, I tried the ice, heat, ice thing and the pain was gone.

At yoga, I felt really good. No soreness (yeah!), a little tightness in my right trap (got worked out between Standing Bow and Triangle Pose). My hamstrings were tight, as usual, but slowly loosening - aka not screaming. I went farther in half-moon pose than I ever have in a morning class. It looks like my flexibility is already increasing. Still felt knee pain in Fixed Firm – I think from skipping three weeks in February. My goal for the end of the month is to see the following changes in these poses:

1 – Standing Deep Breathing – To raise elbows higher and relax neck more. Gain strength and flexibility in neck and shoulders.
2 - Half Moon with Hands to Feet Pose – Increased flexibility in shoulders (get both arms evenly behind ears) and sides, back bend (get arms back) and legs straight (just once!) in hands to feet (will require big time gain in hamstring flexibility)
5 - Standing Head To Knee Pose – To have even strength and flexibility on both sides. Left leg is weaker than right. Get right foot straight (heal behind toes).
6 - Standing Bow Pulling Pose – Increased flexibility in shoulders, legs and hips. Kick leg higher, kick leg higher.
9 – Triangle Pose – Not to feel like I’m going to die. To be even on both sides.
10 – Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee – To be more even and get forehead to touch knee.
11 – Tree Pose – To have even flexibility and strength in legs.
12 – Toe Stand Pose – To have even strength in both legs.
15 – Sit up – To keep legs on floor, gain more ab strength.
18 – Full Locust Pose – To get my arms higher, open up chest and shoulders
19 - Bow Pose – Get legs higher and head looking up more.
20 – Fixed Firm Pose – To not feel like my knee tendons are going to rip in half. Is there such a thing as a compound knee tendon fracture? This is what I visualize happening. Goal: To relax more into the pose.
22 – Camel Pose – To not use my aid anymore.
23 – Rabbit Pose – Get head closer to knees. So…far…away…
24 – Head To Knee Pose w/Stretching Pose – To get both legs flat on the floor (head to knee pose) and touch head to knee. Increase flexibility in hamstrings.

That’s all. I’m not hoping for too much, right? I will comment on any changes in these poses after 25 days. This is equivalent of me doing 8 weeks of yoga in less than 1 month. This should be interesting. Maybe I’ll keep going!