Little victories [smile]

[CoteDAzur]

I did a full wheel today, for the first time in at least 30 years!

This could be a sign of mid-life crisis that I'm so proud, but I don't care

[longdiling]

Ooh well done! I can just about manage one (on a good day when I'm very well warmed up) and it feels like I'm 12 again!!

[CoteDAzur]

I usually come up to rest the top of my head on the floor, but today I just pushed up It probably didn't look pretty and it wasn't for more than 10 seconds, but hey, I was off the floor!

[longdiling]

Same here, I wanted to yell out to everyone to get them to look at me. But that would have spoiled the chilled out atmosphere of the class I go to. And made me look a bit of a prat. My ultimate aim is to be able to do a headstand...I'm some way off that though!

[CoteDAzur]

I did (softly) shout "I'm up" without meaning to And yes, it probably did make me look a bit like a prat,but half of the class were good friends, as is the teacher, so who cares

[CoteDAzur]

Have you tried doing headstand against a wall? I tried getting up to headstand in the middle of the room for months with no success. I was too scared that I would topple over to get up properly. Then one day I did it against a wall and it's my favourite pose now.

[longdiling]

I haven't actually, maybe I should give it a try. So you can now get up properly without support? Wow, I'm in awe!

I think a restrained 'I'm up' is perfectly acceptable and non-pratish. I had to restrain myself from screaming 'I'M DOING IT, I'M DOING IT!!!!'

[CoteDAzur]

Well, no, I still get up by the wall and touch one foot to the wall when I first get up. But then I don't touch the wall at all. It's just knowing that the wall is there and that if I lose my balance, I won't go crashing into someone else.

[CoteDAzur]

Thank you for listening btw. I told several friends in RL about my full wheel and got odd looks

[ShootTheMoon]

Ooh fab :) I have recently had a baby and am too heavy for wheel and headstand, but I'm looking forward to getting back to them.

My next challenge is flying pigeon - but I am not sure I'll ever get there.

Are you going to work on a new challenge or be all yoga-zen and accept what comes to your body next?

[longdiling]

I totally get it Cote!

Off to google flying pigeon...I can do a pigeon, it's one of my favourite poses, I run and it's a fantastic stretch for my achey legs.

[longdiling]

Woah! Flying pigeon looks tricky.

[ShootTheMoon]

Flying pigeon is in my Yoga for Happy Hips DVD by Eoin Flynn (my favourite ever yoga DVD).

In his version, you start in mountain pose, then balance on one leg and lift the other so the ankle is above/at the knee (the pigeon bit). Then tip from the hips until your hands are flat on the floor.

Then brace the legs against the elbows and gradually tip so the legs are off the floor, and extend one leg as in normal pigeon. I have never got close!

[CoteDAzur]

Just Googled flying pigeon I am nowhere near even attempting that pose. My next challenge might be crow. I came close to it the other day (it felt like).

[yogiannie]

well done cote for your wheel / chakrasana / urdhva dhanurasana - I totally love that pose - so energizing - enlivens the chakras and the spine simply melts - savasana feels so good afterwards

[yogiannie]

no flying pigoens here - lazy pigeons tho and plenty of eagles/garudasana ;)

[CoteDAzur]

Which pose is lazy pigeon? I just found flying baby pigeon and that looks much more doable than flying pigeon. Maybe that can be a pose to work towards

[ShootTheMoon]

Ooh flying baby pigeon does look more achievable - that looks fun! I really love pigeon, I find it really peaceful.

I had a teacher who really liked earth salutations - they were fab too :)

[yogiannie]

lazy pigeon is lying down on mat instead of flying i guess!!! y es (lazy) pigeon is restful

how do earth salutations go? that sounds nice

[ShootTheMoon]

Earth salutations are a sequence which has grounding poses - is similar to what we used to do but I also remember a lovely warrior type pose with hands in a diamond shape on the floor. Or maybe that was moon salutations... Hmm...

[ShootTheMoon]

Ooh yes - .

I miss my old teacher, he had some lovely sessions.

[CoteDAzur]

I loved pigeon, too. Until I got a hip impingement and got to told by the doctor that I'm looking at a hip replacement in my 50s if I'm not careful about stretching that leg backwards

[CoteDAzur]

Earth Salutation is a bit slow and frankly reminded me of the one class of Tai Chi I did where I lost the will to live

Moon Salutation looks interesting, though. My poor knees and hip might not agree, but I'd like to try it.

[ShootTheMoon]

Ooh ouch cote! Sounds like advice to be heeded. I have hyper mobility syndrome so I have to be careful not to stretch as far as I am physically capable. But it does make some of the poses easier.

I have been working on camel pose this week but I am so stiff through the lower back that I'm nowhere near. I had a baby six weeks ago though so my body isn't back to normal yet.

[ShootTheMoon]

Yes, the classes where I did these poses were incredibly chilled - we only did about six poses/flowing sequences per 90 minute class. I usually prefer something more intense, but I always left the classes feeling incredibly relaxed.

[CoteDAzur]

Congratulations for your new baby! I can't believe you are back doing Camel. My tummy muscles were nowhere near back in place even months after each birth.