I'm really liking this class. When she first started here, Miranda pretty much stuck with the dialogue, which she delivered well and with lots of energy. Now that she is getting more comfortable with the studio, she has started giving more demonstrations, tips, and personal corrections. It makes for a very lively and fun class, and I think I'm getting alot out of it.
The more I do Bikram, the more I appreciate how important the teachers are. With a scripted dialogue, and the same poses in every class, you would think that the teachers might become less important over time. And maybe eventually they will. But I've found the opposite to be true so far. And I think our studio has been blessed with a fine group of teachers, and a fine assortment of styles.
Today, my balancing series was very good. I only fell out of the pose once. And I managed to keep my lifted leg extended for the full time once on each side. I'm still a long ways away from dropping my elbows down, but I seem to be making some good progress on having a solid foundation.
Then, in Standing Bow, I managed to get through a set on the right side without falling out. And I was kicking and stretching the whole time, not simply hanging out. Miranda was actually cheering me on. And then, I did the same thing on the left side. Here, by the end I could see my entire foot over my head. After class, Miranda again said it was a really good standing bow, and that she still has problems holding the pose for the entire time. This is the second teacher who has complimented this pose for me, so maybe part of me is becoming a dancer.
My focus in balancing is definitely better. I also got a good, but probably obvious, tip from an anatomy book my brother gave to me for my birthday. It basically talks about stability in the foot coming from three arches: heel to ball of foot, ball of foot to just under base of the pinky toe, and then from the base of the pinky toe back to the heel. Try to press down on the three points of this triangle and you have the optimum stability for either foot. I think I already knew this in some sense, but the description in the book has made it easier for me to focus on how to distribute the weight in my foot, and I think this is helping my balance.
The floor series was basically good. Miranda helped out on Wind Removing, so I got much deeper than usual on that, and it felt great. Back strengthening was all good, even Locust. Fixed Firm was really bad -- my left knee is still stiff, and I cramped up in the right foot. Then I cramped up in the left foot in first set of Camel. But overall, it was pretty solid.
I haven't stayed around after class for one of Miranda's Final Savasana massages. That would probably be just too much of a good thing.
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