Yoga after graduation

The day after graduation Bob sent me a text message asking "Have u done yoga today?". I hadn't yet when I received his message, but I was planning to go to a public class in our neighborhood at 6 pm. I went to the class, and it was Iyengar style, which is slow paced and focused on proper alignment. We spent enough time in each pose so that the teacher was able to correct our positions individually if needed. The class was small--only 11 students--and that allowed each student some individual attention.

It was refreshing to take class at a new-to-me studio, and to meet a new-to-me teacher. She gave me her phone number after the class and encouraged me to call her if I had any questions. I liked that. We did seated twists in a chair during the class, and the next day I did feel a lot of soreness in my sides near my ribs. I liked how deeply she got us into the twist. She did this by first instructing us through the twist twice on each side. Then she had us get up and watch her do it, noticing how her shoulders were back with her chest forward. Then we did the twist twice more on each side and by focusing on the chest/bottom tips of the shoulder blades moving forward, we twisted more deeply.

So far this week I've been keeping up with a daily practice at home of abdominal and arm exercises, with a sun salutation or two. I have a weakness in my left shoulder and that is why I want to strengthen my arms. I would like to add in some thigh (quads) exercises to strengthen the support around my knees.

As far as feeling "burnt out" from the YTT course, it is true that I do feel that way, however I still find myself wanting to practice and learn more about yoga. For now I am just taking a break from the teachers that I studied with for the program, and from commuting to another neighborhood for yoga if I don't have to. The Iyengar studio I went to this week is a 2 1/2 block walk from my home. It was very nice to walk there and back.