Vinyasa

It's been very, very wet there for the past few days and even though it's theoretically warmer, it doesn't feel that way. Damp cold seems to affect me more deeply than extreme dry cold.

I took out three videos at the library this week - Bryan Kest's Power Yoga I, II and III. Today, I tried Power Yoga I. Bryan Kest is very pretty and very California; surfer dude. I can see how the muscular chest and those cut-off jeans worn over cut-off long johns might flutter the female heart. Alas, I was left cold by his beauty. ;-)

But I thought his sequence was pretty good. It was well thought out and I really enjoyed the way it flowed. Bryan Kest calls long holds, 'hanging out in the pose'. There was quite a bit of 'hanging out', particularly in the first moments of the sun salutations. This didn't work for me; I find that I need movement in order to warm up. Once warmed up, I can handle the longer holds. It's like forcing me to move quickly first thing in the morning - not gonna happen.

The rest was good, though. I could see this practice expanding my capacities in important ways. None of the poses were unfamiliar, but they were sequenced in interesting ways to build strength and endurance. I'll reflect more as I continue to explore the tapes.