I was told by a friend of mine who does Bikram Yoga that, in the advanced stages, after hitting a plateau, the poses only get more difficult. This is interesting to hear as an ashtanga-vinyasa yoga fan, since the Bikram poses are a set 26 poses that never vary. I was intrigued first because of the similarity to the same phenomenon that I have experienced in running and weight-lifting - you work very hard, hit a plateau, and work through it. But the sense that the next set of effort is ever harder?
Today I understood, in my yoga class, how as you strengthen and refine a set of muscles, it effects all the others as well, and the flexibility you have worked for varies as the strength does. I have naturally very tight hips due to twisted pelvic bones and a running habit, but as I have recently changed instructors after 9 months of the same classes, I am feeling them ever more! My hips are popping, my hamstrings are tighter, and I have not increased my mileage recently. It is always fascinating how deeply intricate the muscle systems are.
No comments:
Post a Comment