Dear Britomart yogis,
The 30-day challenge is coming along nicely and it is great to see so many of you rocking out your daily practice! You will feel positively transformed by the end... some of you are probably already witnessing improvements. Remember to take each class/day as it comes and practise patience and compassion. This is an amazing challenge you have committed to. Look after yourselves! :-)
I know also that there are also some students who have not committed to the exact 30-day challenge, but have decided to set themselves a different challenge for the month. Maybe this is just deciding to come to class twice a week instead of once, three times instead of twice, little by little, small steps! Every change you make to your practice routine can have significant results, and we commend you for them!
While practising every day is an absolute gift and privilege it may not be possible for many of you to continue this pace come March. Then many of you will be faced with the question of how often is often enough? for the other 11 months of the year, and the answer will not be the same for everyone.
When you first begin your Bikram yoga practice we recommend that you come as often as you possibly can. It takes anything from 3-10 classes to fully adjust to the heat and breathing through the nose. Beginners often make the mistake of coming to class for their first time and then letting an entire week or more pass before they return for a second class. This means that their second class is often no better than the first as the body has to acclimatise to the conditions all over again. When you begin to practise Bikram yoga and only come to class once a week you will of course progress over time but it will take much much longer to feel different and see results.
Teachers will regularly advise students to come to class three times a week as an absolute minimum. In my opinion this estimate of three times a week is really more appropriate to the student with an already established practice who is looking more for maintenance rather than steady progression. Students who really wish to see their practice evolve need to work on finding space in their week for that all-important fourth class.
Consistency is key. There is little point in deciding to do a challenge and then taking 6 weeks off to recover. It is far more beneficial to commit to three classes a week for three months, and then evaluate where you want to go from there. Are you happy with your practice? Are you managing your hydration? How do you feel? Do you want to work in particular on one or two of your postures? Do you want even more energy? Can you find time for that fourth class? Even a fifth class? Maybe a sixth? ;-)
'We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence therefore, is not an act, but a habit' (Aristotle)
Let's repeatedly do more yoga! :-)
See you on your mats!
The 30-day challenge is coming along nicely and it is great to see so many of you rocking out your daily practice! You will feel positively transformed by the end... some of you are probably already witnessing improvements. Remember to take each class/day as it comes and practise patience and compassion. This is an amazing challenge you have committed to. Look after yourselves! :-)
I know also that there are also some students who have not committed to the exact 30-day challenge, but have decided to set themselves a different challenge for the month. Maybe this is just deciding to come to class twice a week instead of once, three times instead of twice, little by little, small steps! Every change you make to your practice routine can have significant results, and we commend you for them!
While practising every day is an absolute gift and privilege it may not be possible for many of you to continue this pace come March. Then many of you will be faced with the question of how often is often enough? for the other 11 months of the year, and the answer will not be the same for everyone.
When you first begin your Bikram yoga practice we recommend that you come as often as you possibly can. It takes anything from 3-10 classes to fully adjust to the heat and breathing through the nose. Beginners often make the mistake of coming to class for their first time and then letting an entire week or more pass before they return for a second class. This means that their second class is often no better than the first as the body has to acclimatise to the conditions all over again. When you begin to practise Bikram yoga and only come to class once a week you will of course progress over time but it will take much much longer to feel different and see results.
Teachers will regularly advise students to come to class three times a week as an absolute minimum. In my opinion this estimate of three times a week is really more appropriate to the student with an already established practice who is looking more for maintenance rather than steady progression. Students who really wish to see their practice evolve need to work on finding space in their week for that all-important fourth class.
Consistency is key. There is little point in deciding to do a challenge and then taking 6 weeks off to recover. It is far more beneficial to commit to three classes a week for three months, and then evaluate where you want to go from there. Are you happy with your practice? Are you managing your hydration? How do you feel? Do you want to work in particular on one or two of your postures? Do you want even more energy? Can you find time for that fourth class? Even a fifth class? Maybe a sixth? ;-)
'We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence therefore, is not an act, but a habit' (Aristotle)
Let's repeatedly do more yoga! :-)
See you on your mats!
