Challenge: Complete

I did it!  I finished my challenge!  21 classes in 31 days!  I am amazing.

I was absolutely determined to go to class today.  My cold isn't 100% gone, but I was going to practice and let that sweet heat blast the germs out of me.  It did work--I feel so, so much better now, but I struggled in class today.  I felt like my body was strong enough to do the postures, but couldn't get enough air to sustain it.  I found myself gasping for air a few times and had to sit down for a bit after Triangle so that I could once again breathe through my nose.  Embarrassing, but necessary.

The spine strengthening series was especially tough because my lungs felt compressed lying on my stomach like that.  However, the spine strengthening series felt very liberating.  I had to fight a little nausea in Camel (this was my struggle pose today), but afterwards my lungs were wide open and I found I could breathe once more.  I just had to push through because now I feel fantastic, not only because I can breathe again, but also because I accomplished my goals.

Now how about some photographic evidence of how awesome I am?  Vicki and I stayed for a little while after class to take some "after" pictures.  I couldn't be more pleased!

Half Moon:

Check out that difference!  Granted, the former picture was on a Saturday and I was much tighter, but dang, my shoulders are stacked!

Back Bending:

I really wish we'd taken a "before" picture of this one because I thought I had been going farther back than this--at least it feels this way.  Still pretty cool...

Standing Forehead to Knee:

Look, look, look!! I'm doing it! OMG!!11!!one!!!1  :)

Standing Bow:

 I think it looks a little bit like I'm falling away from the camera in the second picture, but man, my leg is waaay the heck up there--rotating my hip a little helped immensely.  Next step will be to start sliding my arm down my shin and work on arching my torso back to get my leg a little straighter.



Standing Separate Leg Stretching:

Hello Hamstrings!  Every class I'm getting my legs closer than the one before!  I love the geometry of this posture.  It makes for such a pretty picture.

Floor Bow:

Okay, this is just awesome.  Yeah!

Seated Forward Fold:

Just in case you didn't believe me about those hamstrings...I feel like there's still room for improvement--I see a good deal of curving in my spine.  But what would be the point if there wasn't alway somewhere deeper to go?

Even though I've now completed the challenge, in no way does this mark a finish line for me.  I'm thrilled with the progress I've made and I'm eager to see where else I can take my practice in the future.  I will continue to practice at least a couple times a week, only building on this month's accomplishments.  I can't wait.

Measurements and Final Reflections tomorrow.

-Allie