YWA Jan 2024 - Flow

[ConflictedCheetah]

Anyone else excited for this? Ready to get going in the new year?

I got all excited when it was announced but just can't get the site to load. Had anyone else managed to get into it?

Pushed myself to practice this evening,just in the living room on carpet. Curiously because I didn’t have the grip of the mat to help,I was more present,certainly for the warriors. Adriene’s cueing for the forward fold and figure 4 got me much more ‘into’ the poses ,if you get what I mean. Better for doing it,of course

@narniabusiness what do you mean, upward facing dog? Surely your legs stay on the floor for that?
I just do yoga on the carpeted floor. I think mats are better for lying poses and those on hands and knees but it is easier to grip without mat in standing poses like warrior.

Day 3 done, I liked it too and it left me wanting more! I found Adriene's cues quite helpful today and definitely made me move with more intention.

Day 3 done here too. I really liked the warriors and the figure 4 bind at the end.

Just done todays; I really liked it, especially as I’d been for a run so my legs appreciated the stretching out.

I like her talking because she does distract me from what I’m doing and otherwise I’d start thinking about what I’ve got to do afterwards. She does have an uncanny knack of, as a pp said, reminding me to unclench something I hadn’t realised I was holding tension in. She also knows when I’ve rolled my eyes! 😂

Last year was the first time I managed to complete the whole 30 days as I was being sponsored for cancer research. Let’s hope this year is the same as I did enjoy it and my tight runners hips did too 😃

I might be getting confused then, but Adriene moves from plank into either cobra (with her lower body on the mat) or up dog where it seems that just her toes and hands are in the mat.

@narniabusiness ah I hadn’t noticed that as I am always concentrating on what I’m doing. Googling it seems up dog is just feet on ground but not sure I can do that yet.

No, you're right, knees and thighs should be off the floor in upward-facing dog. I tend to do a high cobra instead.

I can't really do a chaturanga either, though I get nearer with knees down (like a knees down plank.)

My knees can't cope with an upward dog, something about the angle and the weight just doesn't work. I also tend to do a cobra instead as well not least as it's not something I think I can just learn or get better at.

Cannot do chaturanga or upward dog at all but that's fine.

Thanks for all the info. I think I’ll content myself with cobra.

Day 3 done.
I've been doing yoga years and never even tried an up dog. Maybe I'll try tomorrow! I don't like cobra but that's due to my weak arms and stiff shoulders.

Without being a yoga knob (I’ve done a teacher training) full chaturanga into up dog can cause injury to most people if done incorrectly. The vast majority of people aren’t strong enough in either core or shoulders - withought a lot of work. Take it from someone who will carry a life long shoulder injury from trying!!

I would suggest knees down into cobra for most people or if you’re really determined, at least look at some videos for alignment separately. Yoga international are good.

Loving this thread for the encouragement xx

Heads up for day 4!!!

She does a sequence starting with down dog and lifting your left leg, through warrior 2 and lunges etc but DOES NOT repeat for the right side! So you may want to pause and go back to the start of that sequence and do it on the right yourself before coming down to sit.

I was just coming to say the same thing as @ConflictedCheetah. I got myself very confused and was starting to wonder if I'd somehow got so into that I'd not noticed doing it on the other side.

That aside, I liked Day 4 although maybe a bit less than Day 3. It felt good to move a bit more though with a slightly quicker pace.

I’m obviously not quite awake as I didn’t notice and sequence missing! I quite enjoyed it this morning though.

Yes I found that a bit annoying at the time that she didn't repeat the same on both sides, but really enjoyed the flow today, even worked up a bit of a sweat!

Yes that threw me too, she is normally very consistent with repeating on the alternate side. Also the shoulder bit had my body making all sorts of horrendous clunking noises, I had to slow right down.

Mentally, I am enjoying doing the sessions first thing, but physically I find them quite tough, I'm not quite awake enough yet. I might plan to postpone the dreaded day 6 until later in the day so the movement comes a bit easier.

I felt quite restless throughout Day 4 but enjoyed the pace and found it went by quickly. Didn't notice the non-repeat either.
I'm hoping the 4 days will make parkrun easier tomorrow!

I'm late joining - just done Day 1. Everything went out the window, as my dad died very suddenly on New Year's Day after a short illness. He was only 67, so it has all come as a complete shock to us. I doubt I'll manage daily practices, as it's going to be a chaotic couple of weeks, but I definitely need to get back on the mat right now. It gets back out of my head and back in my body with everything else going on around me.

@SunUpSunDown I'm so sorry about your Dad

Thank you so much @mynameiscalypso

I'm so sorry for your loss, @SunUpSunDown

I hope you can be kind to yourself and find moments of peace in what must be a horribly painful time.

@SunUpSunDown im so sorry, it’s the anniversary of my dads death this week and it hit me harder than I expected after 9 years. Yoga helped me through a particularly bad time ( DD being life threateningly ill) and I know that if you can find some time just for you it may help. Be gentle on yourself and all your family x

day 4 was bliss

Day 4: I felt weird with one side missing! That’s not like her.

I’m glad nobody can see me huffing and groaning my way through it. I struggled to keep up with some of it but I did enjoy it.

So sorry for your loss @SunUpSunDown wishing you a moment of peace at this very difficult time.