30 Day Bikram Yoga Challenge
Thursday, June 2, 2011 
So after I completed the 7-day Bikram Yoga challenge, I was motivated to keep going for 30 days. Here's my journal from the experience...
Day 9: Best class so far! I felt very focused. Even with sweat dripping off my body and my clothes wrangling in the way, I continued to practice stillness. I'm excited that I've been able to get into Camel over the last few days. Toe Stand is a toughie, though. I fell out of it both times while trying to move to the ground. I'm having good days and bad days with breathing – I need to focus on regulating my breath, allowing it to connect to my movement to help me when I'm struggling with a posture.
Day 10: A pretty good class today, but I'm drained of energy... It's hard to believe that I'll be doing 20 more days of this. It's so time-consuming. I actually just found out the studio is closer to 1.5 miles away from my place, so between walking both directions, an hour and a half class, showering, I feel like this challenge is taking up half my day! But still, it's been a gift in my life, and I appreciate having the opportunity for a daily reset. As of right now, my strongest (and most consistent) pose in the practice is Balancing Stick (which is odd because I'm terrible at the other balancing poses). Today I felt an improvement with Half Moon, but Toe Stand continues to be my nemesis.
Day 11: Here's some truth. I started class really annoyed by the girl in front of me. She was wearing freshly-applied bright pink lipstick. I kept wondering, WHY WOULD YOU WEAR MAKE-UP TO BIKRAM WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO SWEAT ALL OVER THE PLACE?! But then I realized that's one of my problems. Eyes on my own eyes in the mirror. Don't worry about the people around me. It's about me, my practice, my growth. Eliminate the tendency to judge. And by the end of class I was like, Meh. She's working on her own issues. Whatever makes her feel good. Who really cares if she wears lipstick or not.
Day 13: I'm learning how we transfer energy to one another. The group mentality of a Bikram Yoga class is powerful – the strength of another's posture and calm face can help rejuvenate your practice, but their fatigue and frustration can just as quickly break your concentration. The connection within the room is becoming more obvious to me with each class.
Day 14: With all the rain the last few days, the studio has been CRAZY HUMID. Today was a drippy class! I can feel myself getting more flexible.... Now I can touch my toes and lift my heels off the floor. It's getting easier to to put my forehead to my knee. Today I felt stronger on the Standing Head to Knee posture (although I'm still working on extending the one leg... and I can't straighten it). Toe Stand is better – I can get to the ground, but can't balance on the toes yet. I've been drinking coconut water during class this week, and I feel like it's given me more energy during the practice.
Day 15: Today was Bikram Yoga Bootcamp, no joke. I took a class with the toughest instructor at the studio (yes, it's common knowledge). I was completely wiped out the whole time, but it felt awesome to push myself in a new way with the Practice. People keep asking me if I'm getting bored with this challenge... You know, the same 26 poses + breathing exercises day in, day out. But truthfully class feels different everyday. The poses are familiar, but my body is never the same. When I begin each day, I'm never sure how my balance, strength, and focus will be. I just commit to doing the best I can. After class, I laid in savasana (dead body pose) for like fifteen minutes without moving. I just kept thinking, oh man. I'm only halfway through this.
Day 17: My favorite instructor today... and I'm getting better at Toe Stand! I was able to get to the ground today in a controlled manner. My Standing Head to Knee pose is also stronger than it was a week ago – it's an incredibly challenging pose, but I'm finding that I'm starting to like how hard it is. I feel like I've earned it. The most difficult part is not just lifting/extending one of my legs, but balancing on the other leg for an entire minute. Major bonus from today: I can see leg muscles! In other news, generally speaking I'm feeling really tired... I started wondering if I was drinking enough water during the day, so I've downed a ton of H2O with electrolytes today.
Day 18: The instructor told the class it was my Day 18 today. Everyone clapped. It was really nice. And guess what? I can see ab muscles! Camel is still my favorite posture, and my breathing is improving (especially during Prayanama and the final Kapalbhati breathing exercises).
Day 19: A lot is on my mind today. I was thankful I could escape to the studio and clear my head for 90 minutes. After class, I felt much better about everything. Savasana helped reveal to me that I can let go of my problems. And although I can't control my little world, I can control the way I respond to the world. I make daily choices that reflect (and grow) my character. And by diciplining myself for 90 minutes every day in this challenge, I'm getting schooled on self-control.
Day 20: Today I learned that I AM CAPABLE. During Tree Pose, I was afraid to bring both my hands in prayer. But I saw my unwaivering, locked knee in the mirror, and raised my eyes to my own eyes. Why not go for it? So I did. And I did it! BOTH my hands in prayer for the first time without falling over! I held it for a full 30 seconds. From there, I'm improving on my descent into Toe Stand, although I can't fully balance on the one foot yet while on the ground. Some day, some day.
Day 21: Three weeks done?! Hard to believe. But at the same time, it feels like this challenge has been going forever. My joints are a little sore today and I'm still feeling tired, but drinking more water and getting more shut eye seems to be helping a bit. Today was a good class, I tried to challenge myself on the mat poses (like Full Locust & the Cobra series). My elbows/hands don't hurt anymore during the locust moves, and my Bow is much more lifted than just a week ago.
Day 24: Left hip has been hurting.... Getting a little discouraged about it... not sure if it's normal or if I've injured something. Talked with my instructor today and they helped fix my alignment in Triangle. Today's class, my mind was weighed down by what I couldn't do. Finally, about sixty minutes into the practice, I realized that there was so much I was still doing without feeling pain. There had been many successes in the studio that day, but I was so hung up on my hip problem that the class slipped by without me really enjoying it. How often do I do that in life?
Day 27: And... slowly but surely... my hip is back to normal! Yay! Good class today, felt strong, even though I have a bit of a cold. My Toe Stand is gradually improving. I'm still unable to reach my ankle behind my calf in Eagle. Overall, my balance has improved tremendously – a lesson for me is that some things just take time. For example, in Awkward Pose I used to fall all over the place when I was on my tip toes bending down into a "chair" – but now I can perform the full posture in a controlled manner. Also, I've started wearing shorts outside in the real world. AND I NEVER WEAR SHORTS. I'm not sure if it's because I'm feeling better about my body or if it's actually looking better.
Day 28: Today's lesson from the Half Moon backward bend: where your eyes go, the body will follow.
Day 29: I made a yoga friend and she was with me at class today. It's so nice to have someone supporting and cheering you through this 30 day journey! She's almost two weeks into her challenge. It's been a hot, humid week, so the studio was a real torture chamber. But overall, feeling good... I'm working on being present in the moment. It's difficult for me to do that in real life, but in the studio it comes naturally, and it makes me feel alive. My back is a little sore from the spine strengthening series (but in a good way). I think my posture has really improved and that I'm walking taller during the day... Hard to believe I'm almost done with this challenge. One more day!
Day 30: As I walked to the studio, I wore my yoga bag strapped across my chest like I was a carrying bow and arrows, ready to tackle my final day of the challenge. Since the studio was only half-full today, I was able to get an unblocked view of myself in the mirror. I waivered on many postures – like Standing Bow and Standing Head to Knee – but overall, I just felt proud of myself. Even though it was crazy hot and there were moments I thought I was going to die, I made it. I can't think of anything else that I've done for an hour and a half, 30 days in a row (even writing!). I've loved having a daily check-in with myself, and truly each class has felt different. In the final Savasana, the instructor told the class that it was my last day of the 30 Day Challenge and everyone cheered. It was one of those times in my life when I felt really, truly happy.
Challenge Statistics:
Classes Completed: 30
Total Hours in the Sweat Box: 45
Miles Walked to/from the Studio: 48
Calories Burned from Bikram: about 21,000
Calories Burned from Walking: about 4,000
Total Calories Burned: 25,000
How Many Times I Cried in Class: 4
Books Read While Waiting at the Studio: 3
Weight Changes: +3 pounds (let's hope it's muscle!)
Major Muscle Improvements: Abdominals, Legs
Big thanks to Bikram Yoga NYC for welcoming me to the studio. I loved my experience over the last 30 days and will be continuing this beautiful practice on a regular basis.
Take on a 30 Day Bikram Yoga Challenge in New York City.
Namaste!
Reader Comments (11)
I'm proud of you! I'd love to do a challenge like this - maybe not Bikram yoga (I think my stats would include me crying every day since I hate the heat) but perhaps a different type of yoga. I love that you're doing these mini-challenges. You're inspiring me to think of ways to make my life better. :)
seriously girl that is amazing. way to go!!!!
So impressed by your dedication! Congratulations on your success completing your journey!
Oooh, I love that you did this! I've thought many times about doing it. I just haven't been able to talk myself into it yet! Congrats on completion!!!
this is amazing - YOU ARE AMAZING - really good insight (love the stats at end other than the crying). will you do bikram again?