I've brought the guidelines forth on the Yoga Challenge tab, and you'll notice they are very general.Sometimes I get bored easily, so I want to keep the idea of yoga fresh everyday. I want there to be change. I want different sequences and different purposes attached to each daily practice.
I want to stretch out my IT bands one day, and then sweat a little the next with a bunch of chaturangas.
I want to do a relaxation sequence right before bed, and then wake up the next morning to stretch my lower back out.
I want to stay calm while I'm learning to practice again and not worry about what is coming next.
But on that note, it doesn't mean I won't help guide you if you've chosen to do the challenge.
As I've said before, I'm going back to the basics. I'm a beginner all over again. A little over a year ago, I was avidly practicing yoga. While I was in grad school, I went to yoga class every week and somehow found time to do a daily practice as well. Now, I still wasn't tying myself in knots (close though!) or balancing on one arm, but I was practicing.
I guess that means I have a little bit of a background to help you out.
Or I at least know where to research to get you help.
My yoga library consists of a 3 DVD set of step-by step yoga from Yoga Journal, and Sage Rountree's The Athlete's Guide to Yoga. I have the corresponding book, as well as Kimberly Fowler's The NO OM Zone.My hope is to not only tell you about what I did for the day, but suggest either a sequence, or specific stretch and why it's important.
I'm also hoping to link you up with different resources from Yoga Journal, and maybe even some actual teaching videos.
With all of this, I want to start you off by directing you to Yoga Journal's 21-day challenge home page. (And the entire Yoga Journal website as well!) At the beginning of the year, the magazine came out with this challenge for a "new year-transform your life" resolution. I attempted it at the time and failed miserably. However, there are seven great videos to instruct you, especially if you're new to yoga.
The videos are meant to be repeated for the three weeks and each day is different. I'm hoping to incorporate some, if not all, of them during the challenge.
They are: Day 1: 45 minute fun flow / Day 2: 15 minute morning sequence / Day 3: 20 minute core focus / Day 4: 30 minute aligning and refining practice / Day 5: 30 minute peak pose sequence / Day 6: 30 minute tension release (hip openers) / Day 7: 20 minute evening sequence
I challenge you to try a sequence to get started. Yoga is always better at the beginning when you have guidance.
So that's what I'm here for.
Just remember, I'm back at the beginning with you. There won't be any knot-tying here.
