Back to the hot room!

I like to think I am a proactive kind of guy. This is a milestone year for me, I cant believe I passed forty nearly a decade ago, and although I feel in better shape now than I did back then something inside me is a little nervous about this one. I have been practicing Bikram Yoga now for two years and it is a testament to my general health. Alongside the radical transformation of my diet I have daily been stretching my ever so tight sciatic nerves in a slow but continuing effort to gain flexibility. It has had its benefits. My back has never been better and  the use of core strength has been nothing short of a revelation. Certainly, I have not had an exercise related injury in that time. It has also had a positive benefit to my other pursuits, surfing, paddling and even basketball and tennis have been turning back the clock with yogas help.

Sailing however, has been another story. Being 193cm means I never quite have enough headroom and so I seem to spend most of the time slightly bent over as to protect my forehead from the ravish’s of the beams supporting the deck above. I was really looking forward to spending quality time aboard my boat over Christmas and even had planned some yoga stretching as part of the quiet holiday routine.

 Life aboard has a lot of benefits and my muscles appreciated the manual labour of heaving up anchors, winching sails and pulling on the oars of the dinghy rather than starting the motor. Stretching however, wasn't one of them and each day I could feel my back gradually stiffening up. Sure, we tried to do some stretching on the beach like we planned and whilst it should have been ideal my mind was elsewhere,  leaving my poses shorter than they ought have been.

By the time we got home getting out of bed and even alighting the car required some effort to get past the stiffness in the back and my body was screaming out for a decent stretch.  Strangely though, I was having trouble getting my head into gear, maybe it was the hot summer days or the distraction of all the boat work I was inspired to pursue. I had eaten really well and the activities had lifted my spirits, all I needed now was for my back not to have me acting my age!

So this morning as I ached my way out of bed and began preparing my sunday morning coffee, I knew what I needed. It was funny then that I thought I might head down to the beach to greet the sun before realising there was a better place for me to be.

Despite the fact that I was stiff and struggled through the 90minute class it was so good to be back and as I headed home I felt refreshed and alive like only the hot room seems to be able to do and ready to renew my relationship with the mat!

It is often said in class that yoga will have the chiropractors chasing you and I often smile and think sure, sure,  but you dont realise how true it is untill you stop and see how quickly the body goes on holidays!