30 Day Challenge Difficulties

Congratulations! I did a 60 last year and did go through some ups and downs. I think allowing yourself to back off on the postures a bit for a few days as needed can be so helpful. And concentrate on the relaxing of the appropriate muscles!

I do agree that if you can do some massage/chiropractic it will be lovely. You can totally do this, just ease up and relax as needed. There is no requirement that you push to your limit every day ;~), Gabi

Hello everyone

Congratulations on your challenge. I know these challenges become an important commitment to all that attempt them.

While I do warmly encourage you to do what you want to do I would like to offer an opinion that may even seem a bit controversial.

Here is a list of some possible things you can do for recovery:
** Take an epsom salt bath
** Meditate
** Massage and many other things!!!!
** and the biggie (which for me is a no-brainer if you are experiencing the relevant signs): TAKE A DAY OFF

What you need to do is learn proper recovery skills. Recovery is a crucial part of any exercise program. It seems to me that MANY people are having difficulties in their physical regime by not taking a day off per week. These 30 day challenges are fairly new. Bikram first had 60 day challenges and they always incorporated 1 day off per week. Now however that seems to have been thrown aside.

From a commercial standpoint, they are not good for business for many reasons. The most important thing to be aware of is that for some a short term challenge is well, a challenge. 😉 Beyond this finite commitment you have to have what you REALLY need and that is the stamina, the fortitude and the commitment to have a regular and frequent practice — one that goes beyond 30 or 60 days. One where the reward is the yoga itself, not the t shirt, the public accolades, not the name on the wall, just the yoga and what it means to you. Many people simply don’t come back to a regular practice once their challenge is finished with. With a studio in a smallish resort town we always geared our promotions and policy toward building our business. You may think that is a no-brainer, but a friend of mine owns a studio in a city with 5 million inhabitants. They have more new people in a week than they know what to do with. Almost 200 newbies. Too many to even enter them into the computer. They don’t care if people come back or not. They don’t even measure (or even need to measure) if people continue after finishing a challenge. They are too busy just coping.

Yes, it is possible to do 30, 60 or many more yoga classes in a row without a day off. But doing ANY amount without paying due care and attention, without listening to your body when it is screaming out for some rest, well, that doesn’t make sense to me.

What your yoga practice is supposed to do is develop and finesse your intuitive skills, by paying attention, by being the observer. So if what you are observing is a tightening up of your body, and a whole lot less ease (aka you notice that you are struggling and are even in pain) then surely your yoga would be to observe that and take rest.

I have given an idea elsewhere in the forum that I have used which works for many and that is, if you insist on continuing to work beyond what appears to be a reasonable physical limit (where your body tightens up and resists your asana) then go to class as early as you can one morning, and then late as you can the next night. At least then you will be satisfying your daily commitment in your personal challenge, AND getting what FEELS like 2 whole days off. Then try to rest at least one of those days.

It may even be advisable to check into some other aspects of your health.
For example have you had a recent blood test? Is your blood showing all its markers within normal range. Have you checked your Vitamin B levels, your Iron levels, what about Potassium and Magnesium (for starters). Is your diet sufficient during this potentially physically and mentally stressful time? Is there enough protein in your diet, or raw vegetables or sprouts or whatever else does it for you! Are you getting enough rest? :cheese:

PS since I started writing this response Gabi has posted and says to relax! I think she is right. It does sound a little as though you could be trying so hard to do this that your effort/surrender equation is a little weighted on the effort side.

What I can also add is that somehow it is the HARDEST thing to do to NOT do your best (aka go to your limit WITHOUT struggle) in your class. This is what your practice is about and it is hard to pull back from there and still feel that immense satisfaction. There is a fine line between backing off and not pushing to your limit every day and listening to your body. Personally I find it hard not to work hard :cheese: if you know what I mean. Recovery for me is the key.

In summary, I am not trying to dissuade you from a challenge, I am underlining the need for recovery. I for example might approach it like this: start my 30 day challenge with the intention of doing at least 6 days per week. On the 7th day I would listen to my body and decide at that point whether it was a recovery day I needed or whether I felt physically like going. I know it is possible. I used to go 8 times a week when I started

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

When I first started my practice about 10 years ago it was suggested to do 90 days straight. Thats what I did, and just kept going. I think I may have done more than a year straight at one point. Only now after having my 1st and only baby at 41 do I not practice 7 days a week. I think the key is to not put too much pressure on yourself. View it as a daily reward. Unless your very underweight you don’t need to worry too much about the food thing, other than not eating too soon before class. Remember, allot of the time its psychological. Constantly remind yourself how strong you are as you practice. Loose any hysteria. It really makes a difference.

Wow, what a fascinating conversation! Gabrielle stressing not to push too hard and strongly suggesting to take a day off each week, and then right underneath that someone who has done a year straight! Simply amazing – two sides of the coin, so to speak.

Definitely food for thought…

I hadn’t had any trouble when I was at Day 25 on my last challenge and would have kept happily going, had my studio not closed and my car not died… and I don’t remember once thinking I needed a day off or my muscles getting tighter and tighter – but, of course, we are all so different, with many outside influences and changes in our lives – who knows what might have happened on Day 30, but I’m eager to try another challenge.

To me it just takes the everyday yoga up a notch, makes it more fun, more exciting – who knows what might happen?

I do appreciate what Gabrielle said from a business perspective, though, about people packing it in after the challenge ends. The same thing happens to some people when they train for our Sun Run in April -we have almost 60,000 people participate and then that’s it for a lot of them. They don’t run again maybe until the next year.

congratulations of your day 19! I tried the challenge the before but failed in
day 10! and thanks for Gabrielle advice perhaps I was forcing myself too hard.
May be I tried to relax my self a bit.

Thanks