Philadelphia Union

Yoga debrief:

Pranayama breathing: Took it easy, tried not to exhaust my deltoids.

Arda Chandrasana: Excellent. I killed it on second set. My half-moon bend was making people jealous.

Utkatasana: I still do not understand the torso positioning on this one. Extend your spine but suck your belly in from the 90 degree squat position? I have yet to nail this one. And, my hips.knees/ankles are officially F'd.

Garurasana: I can't lock my fingers together, nor can I wrap my foot around my calf. But I'm tryin', baby.

Dandayamana Janushirasana: I lose feeling in my hands and feet when I perform this. Also, I slip all over the room.

Tuladandasana: I phoned this one in.

Dandayamana Bibhaktapada Poschimotthanasana: I looked sexy and the movement may have unlocked my right scapula.

Dandayamana Bibhaktapada Janushirasana: Yes that is what it's called. And I had a nice chin tuck with some safe spinal flexion on this one, B+.

Trikanasana: This is my best pose so long as I am not dizzy or disorientated from elevated blood pressure and sweat. Some days I slip all over the mat and get angry, raising the blood pressure even further. But yesterday, My triangle was the prettiest in the room. It actually aroused me to see s guy with so much lean muscle [Me] crush this pose and make it look artful as well. A-.

Tadasana: Easy enough to never mess this one up.

Savasana: At rest, I thought of a woman.

Pavanamuktasana: First of the floor poses, or, the Spine Strengthening series. I figured somethign out while phoning this one in. I'll use it next time.

Bhujangasana: The cobra, which I do 100% correctly, sees me with limited ROM coming off the ground. When using only muscular activity and no press up from the ground, I barely move. But that is how it should be.

Salabhasana: I was tired and had sweat in my eye. I did not fly high in this pose. I just buzzed around the room, as with Poorna Salabhasana.

Dhanurasana: I kept my legs tight to each other and did not aggravate my knee, amazing.

Supta Varjasana: I bailed on this one due to my knee.

Arda Kurmasana: I tried something different here today. it may have worked, I woke up without a screaming back. Just my knee today!

Ustrasana: I had a nice camel. And it all makes sense now! Shifting the hips forward prior to leaning the head back.

Sasangasana: My most favorite of the positions I modify. I modify this one for the health of my neck, and the version I employ feels solid.

Janushirasana with Poschimottanasana: D+. I was tired and wanted to go home.

Ardha Mattsyendrasana: The 'spinal twist'. Half windmill, half Bretzel. What an excellent movement series to finish with. I will go off on this movement later.

Kapalbhati Breathing. The finishing fire. Getting better every time.

So what did I learn from Yoga yesterday?

My effort level is largely dependant on the instructor.

More people [women] attend this class in the summer months.

The room stays warmer in the summer.

Sometimes that room is unbearable in the summer.

I need to stop smoking cigars, as they are raising my blood pressure.

Every time I go into that room and place my mat in the back row, some bitch, yes, both times a young girl, places her mat directly in front of mine, so as to prevent me seeing my own reflection. Three times this has happened in the last month and all three times I let it go, and moved. The next person who places there mat in front of mine will get smacked. Verbally. Or maybe I'll just slap the bastard, who knows!

Staring me in the face. A calendar, a beast of steel, a phone call never returned. Six months away. Six weeks from today. Six hours. Training time lost to both injury and strategic rest. Pull ups a plenty and then a controlled break in the cycle. Greasing the groove to increase the proof.

35 pounds to lose.

20 dead hang pull ups.

Rifle Expert qualifications.

Quitting smokeless tobacco.

All goals I have met and conquered. Next week will measure me. In both size and depth. Yoga tonight, after a beautiful run of 6 days between sessions. What's gone on the past few days? You can certainly see it in my face. Next week they need to see it in my press.

In advance

Sit-rep, be advised.