Bikram and Medicine.

Yoga is not only an excellent preventive measure, it's also great medicine. I recently finished reading Bikram's Beginning Yoga Class book in hopes to absorb something new to apply to my practice. I figured a great time to read it was during the challenge, immerse myself even more into the practice, which usually helps with added motivation.

An important nugget of information that I got from reading was how yoga is medicine. More importantly, how we are in control of our own health. Bikram claims that, "Hatha Yoga is capable of helping avoid, correct, cure, heal or at least alleviate the symptoms of almost any illness or injury." He has a portion in the back of the booked deemed Medical Advisory, listing a slew of ailments and which poses are most therapeutic for that specific diagnosis.

I started this challenge with an injured piriformis. A muscle in the gluteal region of the lower limb. I'll save the clinical etymology and break it down, it basically connects the booty to the hammy. It's affiliated with sciatic nerve sometimes too. It's functions are imperative to walking, bending at the waist and "locking out the knee!"  I acquired this injury after attending a yoga class that wasn't in the heat. A guy I was dating at the time didn't like Hot Yoga (my first clue), but with a hopeful attitude I compromised and went to a cold class. That was back in July and it had still been bothering me up until the challenge.

The hip bone really is connected to the leg bone.

Bikram says, "those with pulled muscles and tendons should continue to do their yoga, but be careful not to re-injure yourself. Perform the stretch only up to the point of the first little pain, then hold it there. The surest and fastest way to heal pulled muscles and tendons is to increase the circulation of blood to the affected parts so that they can repair themselves.'

I have been doing so. Throughout the challenge in Hands to Feet Pose, Standing Head to Knee pose, Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose and Head to Knee Pose with Stretching I only went to my unique maximum. It was humbling. I hate not being able to complete the posture to my full expression, but I did not want to re-injure so I pulled back. It's easy to go further than you should when you're in the heat because you don't feel the injury, but the second you leave or wake up the next morning the pain is there. So I kept this in mind through the 90 minutes.

Now after, 17 classes, I feel good. Last night I was able to lock the knee in Head to Knee Pose with stretching and flex the foot, with elbows down and forehead to my knee. Can his words actually be true? I'm used to heating before/icing after a workout, sometimes during soccer season I would even get Stim to ease with muscle pain. I haven't done a thing but yoga and I'm feeling better.

Although Bikram is known to bark orders and not have the warmest intentions, he stands by his practice. He himself came from a background full of disability but with this yoga he healed himself through and through. I have vowed to Sally to never drink the "Bikram Kool-Aid," which after attending a conference in NYC last month I don't think I possibly could, but I think a new Bikram Believer has been born. The proof is in the puddin'.

Class #18 tonight!!!