Circe

Don't even worry about heels to the floor. A lot of people will never be able to get their heels down, just due to ankle structure, it won't bend enough to allow it. Just focus on getting your shoulders and back in a straight line to your hips and your hamstrings will open over time. If you have a big mirror, that helps at first. In answer to your first question, its probably a good idea to take a yoga class at least at some point to pick up on finer details. But almost every yogi I know, myself included, started out doing DVDs in their livingroom at home.

I'd say if you're focusing on opening and rounding your lower back for forward bends, try rabbit pose and separate leg forehead to knee. Those are two great lower back openers, but you have to remember to contract your abs the whole time. Your lower back's ability to open and round is directly related to your abdominal strength. Check out this link about reciprocal inhibition. http://www.bandhayoga.com/keys_recip.html Basically, if your stomach muscles can't support your lower back opening up, then you're brain won't allow it to happen... if that makes any sense.

Awww I'm sorry you got a cough. Especially because I know balance poses are some of your goals and its freaking hard to balance when you're coughing!! Alright, week evaluation time. Yoga Goal - F Fitness goals - F Eating goals- B Life Goal - A My vacation was really difficult on me not just physically but emotionally and mentally. My boyfriend and I fought almost incessantly the whole time, and it put me into depression for the past week. I've just felt completely raw and unable to do anything for myself. Like, couldn't get myself off the couch to do anything and when I would it was to go out and hang out with friends at a bar, type thing. But, it doesn't matter, because this week, I'm starting out on the right foot. I've already strength trained once and I'm planning on yoga tonight. I'm also making a more conscious effort to up my veggies during paleo. I've been eating a lot of veggies but I don't think I realized how much fiber in my diet had previously come from oatmeals and grains. So thats something I'm going to be working towards. Otherwise, I hope everyone is having a great week!!!!

From one Texas girl to another, congrats and keep going!!! Pole dancing classes are hilariously fun, and I love the idea of doing that for the challenge. I'll second what everyone has said about yoga, people come in all shapes and sizes, don't let that intimidate or stop you. Keep up the great work and I'm definitely going to keep checking in to see how you're doing!!!

Freaking fantastic what you've completed so far!!! I love that you're using a skillet for your exercises. I'm going to start doing that myself...

Congrats on maintaining! Sometimes that all I can do if I had a busy week. Also, thank you for the soup recipe. I am not a huge fan of zucchini's but that soup looks delicious and I'm going to try it! I've been doing Steve's advanced body weight routine... it kills me, but its effective, and pretty dang quick, if time's an issue.

Ugh, finally back from my vacation. It was not so great on my body. It was incredibly difficult to keep to any type of regular eating schedule or to make good decisions, since most of the food choices were out of my hands. But I'm not going to dwell on it. I am going to just move forward. I guess I should say "weight training" it really more strength training. I've been doing a combination of weights and body weight exercises. Its been difficult to keep up with it on my vacation, but again, moving forward, not looking back. I've managed to stick pretty well to paleo, almost 100% for the last couple days since I got back. But then the 4th came around and I competed in a corn dog eating competition. I did tie for first in the girl devision... so that makes it better Anyhew, going to get back into the swing of things and will be updating more!

Holy crap. I need to see a video like that every day before I go work out. Cause... wow.

When I do lunges I find that doing them with an extended back leg helps my balance alot. If I bend the back as well as the front, I'm right there with ya on the drunken toddler thing, plus it hurts my back knee. I just take REALLY big steps and keep my back leg straight with my front knee bending. I have no idea if thats right but its the only way I can balance and not hurt my knee.

My whole life's worth of shoe tying for naught....

I was homeschooled too! I never went to a traditional school of any sort until I went to college. If you're wanting to get into academic study, I don't know what they have in the UK but here they have community colleges that are incredibly cheap (by comparison) and allow you to take a broad array of classes that might interest you! That way you can figure out your interests and then pursue a degree in that, if thats what your goal is. The perk of being homeschooled, you already know how to teach yourself!!

Hi!! I love your goals and your running commentary on it. Its very enthusiastic! Crow is one of my favorite poses, so take this for what its worth, which is the unasked for advise of an interwebz person (lol) and this is how I do it! Start out with feet hip width distance, on your toes. Bend your knees and bend down and press you hands together and your elbows into the insides of your knees and resist into them, to activate your core and your inner thighs. Next place your hands on the floor a little wider then shoulder width distance apart (important!!) because we usually go a little too narrow with our hands and it compromises balance. Rotate your elbow back towards your shins and BEND the elbow. Set your knees on the back of your triceps/elbow, keep the arms bent and look ahead. I mean really look ahead, so far that you can't even see your fingers anymore. Your head is heavy and if you look at the floor, you will go to the floor. After you get comfortable there, you lift your bottom up so that its pointing straight up and the weight of your body is pressing straight through your forearms and into the ground. Almost no arm strength needed, its just a transfer of weight from tip toe to tip to, until you can slowly and smoothly lift both feet off the ground!! Let me know if this helps!! Again, it works for me, but it could be different for you! Keep up the good work!!

Thanks Skirler! No hard fast rule, haha, but I get a lot of people asking me if I am and then being surprised when I tell them I'm not. I figure I will update for the past 10 days that I've missed out on. 18-24th - Goal 1: Took 2 yoga classes Goal 2: Weight trained 1 time Goal 3: Can't really recall off the top of my head, but I'd say I was batting about 50% I'll be more detailed in the future. Life Goal: I applied to 3 jobs, and only 2 got bounced back!!! 25th-Current Goal 1: Have taken 1 class Goal 2: Weight trained 1 time Goal 3: Stuck with paleo probably 75% of the time Life goal: Applied for 1 job, we'll see how it goes This next 5 days are difficult. I'm going to NYC with my boyfriend and we're staying with a vegan friend of his. So goal 3 might be difficult. I'll just have to make up my exercise and yoga when I get back if there's no time while we're up there.

Nice!! That is an INSANE workout. I wouldn't be able to finish it, ever, much less in an hour and a half. Congrats!

Hey all! I came into this a little late, so I'm about a week or so behind you guys on your challenge. On the bright side, I've already had started a personal challenge of my own a few weeks back, so I figure why not make it official! I love the gaming aspect of this!!! I have no idea what my race should be, so I'm opting for pixie, because it resonates with me. I like the idea of a Pixie Druid! So lets start it out with some background. I'm a full time yoga teacher as well as a full time chemistry graduate student. Due to the constraints of my school schedule, any of the time I would normally be practicing I am usually teaching. This has taken a huge hit on my personal growth and development. I am wanting to reclaim my practice and begin progressing further. Goal numero uno: Practice 3 times a week, for a total of 18 classes in 6 weeks. DEX 1 WIS 1 STA 2.5 A: 16-18 classes B: 13-15 classes C: 10-12 classes D: 7-9 classes F: anything less then 7 classes I have also found that while I LOVE my yoga practice, I am wanting to start sculpting my body and start putting on more muscle. Lean muscle is good, but I do want a little more shape to my body. I have a friend who's a PT and he and I have started lifting together. Due to this, I'll probably be starting a Ranger challenge next time around as well. Goal number 2: Weight train at 2 times a week, for a total of 12 times in 6 weeks STR 3.5 A: 11-12 times B: 9-10 times C: 7-8 times D: 5-6 times F: anything less then 5 times Along with practicing more and developing my body, I've recently transitioned into a paleo diet. I know, I know, I'm a yoga teacher, why am I not vegan?!? Honestly, I was raised in a hunting family, and I'm Texan. I have no ethical problem with meat as long as it was ethically harvested. I also think that if I'm going to be trying to gain muscle, sticking to a vegetarian diet could be counter productive. Goal number 3: Stick with Paleo at least 80% of the time. I guess this will have to be more of a subjective thing... but I'm willing to try, and I will keep this thread updated so that I can be honest with myself. CON 3 Now for my life goal. I love teaching yoga, but school loans are starting to pile up, and lets face it, if you're not Bikram Chowdry or Rodney Yee, you're not becoming a millionaire teaching yoga. I am trying to find a real job in my field, but its difficult and I kinda love my life, so its hard to find motivation to change it. I realize, I'll never pay off my student loans this way, so its kinda a necessity. Life Goal: Identify at least one job a week and apply for it. This is more complicated then it sounds. Everyone wants their Chemist to be incredibly skilled with a specific skill set. This means for every job I apply for, I have to go in a rework my entire resume to match whatever the computer filter wants so I don't get kicked back without a human ever seeing it. WIS 2 CHA 2 A: 6 times B: 5 times C: 4 times D: 3 times F: anything less then 3 times So thats about it, I guess! I'm super excited! Good luck to everyone already going! I know we can do it!