Join Our Ashtanga Community

A slightly different post today but one with which those who practice regularly will sympathize.

I've been practicing Mysore-style ashtanga at the YogaWorks on the Upper West Side of NYC for nearly 3 years now (2 years practicing 4x/wk or more). And, as evidenced by this blog, it has changed my life. I am more fit and focused, my head is clearer, and I have no doubt that the recent, sudden advances in my playwriting career are an indirect result of daily practice and all of it's benefits.

Recently, YogaWorks threatened to cancel our Tuesday and Thursday classes, which -- as any ashtangi knows -- doesn't really make sense. Sure, when you start out, ashtanga 2 or 3 days a week is plenty. But as you get deeper into the practice, the greatest benefits come from practicing at least 4x/wk. Naturally, there was an outcry from the current students and now after several plans and proposals the survival of our ashtanga community boils down to this:

Get more students.

Not a lot more. Not even people who come every day. Just a few more people who want to try ashtanga out and who would start by coming to class 2 or 3 days a week.

And so I'm asking all of you to come join my ashtanga class! As someone who has traveled all over the U.S. and studied with teachers in Miami, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, and Louisville, I can absolutely assure you that my teacher at YogaWorks, Evan Perry, is one of the best. Despite adjustments that are targeted and deep, he enters and exits them in a way that feels natural and comforting. He has a very detailed understanding of anatomy, has helped me work through many weaknesses and (when I first started) injuries, and will always answer any questions you have. And to top it off he's a really nice guy.

Plus, for those who think more practically, relative to other ashtanga programs throughout NYC, membership at YogaWorks is fairly inexpensive (about 60% what you would pay to practice Mysore-style elsewhere).

All right. There's my spiel. Please feel free to ask me questions about the class or my teacher, whether you practice ashtanga or have never even heard of it. I'm certain that if you come practice with us for a couple of weeks you'll experience immediate benefits. Whether it ends up being a practice suited to you in the long term, obviously I can't say. But you'll never know until you try, right?

Day After Day

I've noticed that I have a pattern in how well my practice goes each week.

Day 1: Whether I took one day off or two, there are still cobwebs and tightness. Almost makes me want to practice daily, but that would be too exhausting. Plus, there's something pleasurable about taking the time to start over again.

Day 2 (which is what today was, because I didn't practice Sunday): I feel back to where I left off last week, but it takes effort.

Day 3: This is always a crap practice day for me. I don't know why. My focus is usually off, and I'm suddenly sore in weird places -- different places each week. If it happens this way tomorrow, I'll let you know where. I imagine it's because new places open up each week, which I guess is good, but it's still kind of annoying.

Day 4: On this day, I usually fly. It's pretty much always my best practice day.

Day 5: I'm tired. That's all that matters. Tired. If I'm smart and take it slow, it's a good day. If I'm impatient and just try to get it done, it's a bad day. Whichever it is doesn't change the fact that I'm tired.

Day 6: I've only done six days once (last week). I was so psyched that I made it a whole week that it sort of over-rode any other feelings.

As for today, specifically, I was able to do all 5 Navasanas without flopping around (I usually lose form a bit for 4 and definitely for 5)! However, I couldn't lift up between 4 and 5. I mean, I did, but it was a totally wimpy, short breath, and just a quick up-down-oh-my-god-get-me-through-this-because-I'm-DONE! kind of lift up. Maybe tomorrow I'll do all 5 AND lift up good and proper.