Session at Bikram Philadelphia

After swearing I'd get in to the studio (http://www.bikramphiladelphia.com) for a session all last week, I finally made it in today. Except for the half session in my office, it's been two weeks since my last session. Forgive me, Bikram, for I have sinned.... The session was good-- I actually get a little stronger when I take a break. Except this break was too long, so I'm actually a lot weaker. My one insight recently has been that you really have to relax between postures. My instructor, Joel, always says that Hatha Yoga is different partially because we relax completely between postures. But I really had not done it before. It just made me think about how Earl Campbell used to stay completely still until the entire pileup was finished when he got tackled. At first people would think he was hurt, but after he did it a zillion times everyone realized he was just having a rest. Part of the reason for relaxing completely between postures is to allow the effects of the postures to happen, as well. A lot of postures restrict part of the body on purpose-- then when you relax afterwards, that part is unrestricted. Kind of like wringing out a rag. And I was pretty wrung out after this morning's session.