Bikram and the funnny things in life...

So I'm sitting here thinking about what to blog for the day, I've come to realize working full-time all summer provides me a lot of desk time to be on my computer; so I figure why not utilize it to post on my blog more often.  I've been sitting here for about a half hour trying to think of what to say....

But this incessant soreness in my back keeps bothering. Its a good kind of soreness, the kind you get when you WORKOUT to a point where it is a good soreness. But it made me think of how far I've come from being at my peak fitness and shape less than six months to go to where I am now. Now don't get me wrong I am not complaining about being out of shape and being lethargic I still go running and workout 4-5 times a week. It just so happens running Cross Country and Track for the last 4 years of high school my definition of peak fitness is not getting on a treadmill 5 times a day for 30 minutes. Its more like two a day workouts, hour to two hour long runs, weightlifting, cross training in the pool, and of course ab exercises. Thinking about it NOW I realize how much I miss the daily routine, the teammates, and the overall flow of how my day went. I really had my work cut out for me, cross country was like the battery that kept my metronome going at a steady rate. Anytime I was in season I got lots of sleep, studied hard, was caught up on homework, and was happy. Nowadays working out has sort of become a chore. So the solution to it all....

Is still in progress. I can't seem to feel productive enough only running 4-5 days a week without any goals ahead of me.

So I' have been trying some new things, namely Bikram Yoga. A little bit about Bikram Yoga (after the jump), essentially Bikram Yoga is done in 105 degree heat rooms where the lead instructor puts you through 26 different poses over an hour and half sessions.  I'm going to have to say doing Bikram Yoga yesterday was hands down one of the HARDEST workouts I have ever done. 

The way the poses demand your body to be put in positions it is HIGHLY unwilling to be placed in, as well as the incessant heat, and non-stop continued movement through all of the poses made me want to quit after the first half hour. And to everyone out there that laughs at the notion of Yoga, try Bikram before you dismiss it off. I thought that same exact thing before actually trying it out. It KICKs your butt, makes you wanna curl up into a ball a give up, but by the end you feel so good. Its like a euphoria of the body where every part of your body is relaxed and in a perfect state of equilibrium.

My recommendation TRY it before you DISMISS it. It's gonna hurt, it's gonna kick your butt,  but it will make you realize how much your body can take. 

I think I've found my solution to my lackadaisical approach to keeping in shape and feeling good about it. A weekly combination of running, cycling, swimming, and yoga to help relax my body. 

So I'm posting some images in honor of Le Tour De France 2010

(It's sad to see Armstrong go but alas its his time)

I do feel so beaten up and sore today probably from not being used to ever bending my back in ways i thought was impossible. 

Til Another Day

Johnny Wu