tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257811012678007955.post5618391034229179725..comments2023-12-16T20:19:41.067-08:00Comments on Christina Sell: Bikram Yoga Essay- Part 2Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257811012678007955.post-33215840686056977452012-03-11T19:28:59.664-07:002012-03-11T19:28:59.664-07:00Funny, during my stay in Costa Rica this last week...Funny, during my stay in Costa Rica this last week I had a dream that you had come to my Bikram class... I was nervous but mostly so excited to have you there, but somehow in the dream we could never get class started! hahaha! I love that this dream was probably happening right after you wrote this! I love being able to teach at the studio I do, I use the dialogue when it serves but I'm free to explain the alignment in my own words and this is exactly what I talk about when instructing to "lock the knee". I must say that in training though I asked about this very thing because I have the ability to hyper extend and Bikram told me there was "no such thing" and to push my knee back as far as it would go. I always had sacrum pain and frequently felt my hamstring attachments until I started studying the UPAs and the loops. I also know there are many wonderful Bikram teachers that understand this, it sounds like Pure Bikram yoga is the place to be! Much love to you beautiful Christina, I look forward to the next time I get to see you!Mónica Muñizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02102756478851933222noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257811012678007955.post-39102406888722025582012-03-10T10:09:32.287-08:002012-03-10T10:09:32.287-08:00Christina, so excited to hear you are enjoying Bik...Christina, so excited to hear you are enjoying Bikram. I started with it in Prescott back in the 90's, the room wasn't extremely hot though. We now have a hot yoga studio in town and I tried it today. The room was 90 degrees. The class I took was more of a vinyasa,but lots of the Bikram poses. I really enjoyed it, but I was very glad to have had all my excellent instruction in the past since the class was very large and there was no way the teacher could have given a beginner the advice needed to make each asana safe. I love the locked knee instruction. Thank you.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06158801337535145710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257811012678007955.post-91734609802008735352012-03-05T09:28:25.652-08:002012-03-05T09:28:25.652-08:00Love the idea of using short hand terms for the us...Love the idea of using short hand terms for the usual lengthy instructions as long as everyone knows those lengthy instructions! It is such a challenge as a teacher to make sure everyone in the class has heard the correct thing! It's an impossible task - I know we keep trying.<br /><br />I wish the Bikram class wasn't so hot! I kept having dizzy low blood sugar moments, even with good hydration before and after class, and complete exhaustion after class.<br /><br />My sister swears by these classes for just the resounds you stated - the peacefulness of not having to talk, the complete focus without having to wonder what pose is coming next, etc.<br /><br />I am enjoying hearing about your explorations!<br /><br />Thanks!ericaevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17379323592278362662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257811012678007955.post-68830609837214076112012-03-04T20:17:15.322-08:002012-03-04T20:17:15.322-08:00Oh, not disputing the value of the Bikram lampost ...Oh, not disputing the value of the Bikram lampost leg, Christina, that is when done in the way you've described. <br /><br />And Gretel, I once spoke to a Bikram teacher about the cobra instruction and from the breakdown she gave me I understood the movement of armbones forward a way of lengthening the side body and toning the serratus anterior. Two weak spots in a lot of folk when typically collapsing the side body and mis-/over-utilising the rotator cuff. My interpetation, anyway.Angelahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06217360222394206582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257811012678007955.post-59555030962082411432012-03-04T19:43:06.870-08:002012-03-04T19:43:06.870-08:00I took some Bikram classes last month on your sugg...I took some Bikram classes last month on your suggestion to be a beginner at other methods. I like it a lot. I was surprised that the Bikram practice improved my hatha practice. It really helped my focus, long holds were easier, and my practice went further inward. One thing that I would be interested in hearing your perspective on is the "shoulders forward" Bikram instruction in cobra. I asked my Bikram teacher about it and she said yes shoulders (as in top of the arm bone) forward. I found this alignment really worked the lower back much more, which eventually made sense to me since that part of the series is called back strengthening. It's all about aim, right?gretelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06718073900020185305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257811012678007955.post-88350425930899123502012-03-04T15:48:09.694-08:002012-03-04T15:48:09.694-08:00I agree. They explain it a lot at this studio but ...I agree. They explain it a lot at this studio but I know it's not always the case. And I think because the words are so associated with hypertextension another choice might have been better but given all that, tis is what they actually mean.Christina Sellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08401826381021947279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257811012678007955.post-57920913760705955672012-03-04T09:41:05.356-08:002012-03-04T09:41:05.356-08:00I still think a lot of beginners hear "lock t...I still think a lot of beginners hear "lock the knee" and end up hyper-extending. I did. My friends did. And not a one teacher stopped us. The short hand would be better refined, in my humble opinion. With love and respect from, Chronic Knee LockerAngelahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06217360222394206582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257811012678007955.post-88027684552339518072012-03-04T09:08:47.432-08:002012-03-04T09:08:47.432-08:00"Theirs is a culture of improving but also b..."Theirs is a culture of improving but also built into that culture is the recognition that improvement happens slowly, with persistence, intensity, dedication, clarity of form and with respect for one’s limits and abilities." Love itHenry Pursnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07232504035314402788noreply@blogger.com