On the Bench

Folks, it's bad knee time again. Well, not bad, but not progressing. You know what that means: no yoga. Right when I likely need it the most. So...no yoga, no yoga blogs. Unless, of course, the kids do something really profound (I am still teaching them about every other week). I have to give my knees a rest in order to be able to complete my last yoga teacher training module in late June.

The only good thing that's come out of all this knee bulls*** is I've been hardcore on the upper body/ab workouts. The result? I'm getting at least three sets of five-to-seven pull ups. This coming from the girl who couldn't do a single unassisted pull up a couple months ago. I'm hoping by the end of summer, I can get three sets of ten. You'd think I just won the Pulitzer or something. Sure, it's trivial, but when your life is blowing up and you have some little victory, some progress, you're just elated. So, I'm hoping with all this upper body/core work, when I finally do get back to yoga, I can rock forearm balances and handstands. Away from the wall. One can dream, right?

Funny: the very things I've hated upon first attempt are the very things I most look forward to trying again and again. Because I've forced myself into the challenge. And it turns out I like it. (It feels like I've written this before. If I have, forgive me. It's just so surprising, all this "forcing" myself into uncomfortable situations. So not me. Well, used to not be me.)

No yoga sucks, it really does. I miss class, I miss Rachel from Cuba (even if I hardly know her...I love to hear her talk, and she's the other person in class—unfortunately for her—with bum knees, so we keep tabs on each other), and I miss, more than anything, my precious time with Dolly.

I'm not sure why I've been benched at this particular time in my life, but I suspect it might have something to do with the need for a slower pace and introspection. I've done a lot of soul searching the last six months—no doubt yoga has had an influence there. I've learned to be more in the present, and as such, I'm having to evaluate where I am each day on that day. Not a month in advance. See, you can't plan your practice a month a time when your knees are screwed up. Just when I thought it was safe to start adding classes to my calendar for June, the knees flare up, and, well, that's why when it comes to my calendar, I write in pencil.

So, I've got no choice but to just chill. Sit back and evaluate. Take stock. Be glad for what I have right here, right now. Worry about tomorrow when tomorrow comes. Know that it will work when it is supposed to.

Progress?

Ouch...I've tried Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm Balance) a bit too much...I have a scab on my left elbow. Gross, I know! But practicing in front of my bed was a good idea. It does allow you to feel the full wobble of this asana with some safety as you can't go fully over. But I am hellbent on nailing this asana, damn it! Will likely take me a while, but I'll get there. It's definitely a "power" pose, which makes it all the more interesting to me. I keep telling my trainer that I need more muscle, but I know that's not all it. There's a lot of belly involved as well, and although I'm working the abs regularly, it takes finesse and control to get arms, belly, and mind to work all together.

Other than trying Pincha Mayurasana and teaching my kids class yesterday, I've done no yoga since Thursday, and it really sucks. I've decided that I'm going to have to take next week off from yoga and cardio, otherwise, I'm never going to make any progress in the knee department. Since I've cut back, the knees have been feeling better, so I'm hoping a solid week of ice, ibuprofen, and being idle will clear up the inflammation enough for me to get on with my life. God, please, I PRAY it helps. I hate being so inactive! I can feel the pounds creeping on. Of course, martinis all weekend long doesn't help, but it was so gorgeous, who can blame a girl for wanting to kick back outside with her favorite libation...

Forearm Fun

Yikes! Tried my first Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm Balance) this morning...fun and frightening all at the same time. Couldn't get my legs up without Dolly's assistance, and not completely flipping over is an art in itself. But this is an interesting and very challenging pose that I'd like to work at more. Given that I've got to give my knees a break, I'll be spending more time on the floor or upside down when possible.

Making Lemonade
Funny, I played with the Forearm Balance this morning, and instead of my usual Shoulderstand before Savasana, Dolly encouraged us to try Tripod Headstand if we'd like. I figured, hey, it's time to do something different, and so I gave it a try. I'm making progress engaging core and managed to get my legs all the way up, even though I was wobbly and Dolly helped stabilize me. Then I come home and check my email, and Greg L. has made a number of suggestions for practicing and not engaging my knees as much—working on muscular endurance by holding Plank, Side Plank, deep stretches on the floor, and he said, "You could do six weeks standing on your head"—and he's right! He gave me lots of ideas of how to make these lemons into lemonade...thank you Greg!

Perhaps this little knee thing isn't really a derailment, but as Dolly recently noted, a turn in a different direction. I suppose, in a way, I've become complacent in my practice, so I'm going to spend the next five weeks or so building upper body and core strength, on my mat and in the gym. I'm going to try to remember to work Tripod Headstand and Forearm Balances at home, in front of my bed, so if I start to fall, I can't really go all the way over. I think that will give me some reassurance without having a full wall behind me...it's too easy to get used to balancing against a wall. With nothing to rest my feet on when I'm upside down in front of my bed, I figure I can partially mimic the feeling without killing myself!