2 weeks ago I challenged my yoga student to a 10 day yoga challenge!

She came to my house every day for 15-60 minutes to learn a simplified Sun Salutation, of which we did 2 rounds each day, adding a couple of postures as we progressed through the challenge; following the sun salutations I gave her 2 floor based postures each day, mostly postures to help her with a personal health issue. I am super impressed that she got through 10 days without a fail and she did amazing! I am really proud of my student’s discipline and determination. I think this was a great experience to guide a private student through this journey of discovering her strengths and working with weaknesses.

And here is what she has to say about her experience:

“When the challenge was offered to me, I was not sure if I could do it time wise, physically and mentally wise. Everyday to go out of my house at a time where i would tend to sit on the sofa and do nothing. Then I thought why not as it will challenge my routine, my memtal physical state. I was ready for a change in the routine.
Before starting the challenge, i had a bad lower back and scyathica issue. It was mild but regular.
The first few sessions were difficult to settle in. Get the movements, stretch the body that wasnt used to be moved and stretched. So it was difficult to hold or simply do movement and breathe correctly.
At first the body and legs felt very stiff, especially my left side (leg and foot that felt numb) where the scyticha is and also the arms and shoulder. The fact that we were only doing the movement gently and not going deep, helped a lot. The first 3 sessions were a gentle way to warm up and get use to it.
From the 4th session, mainly the 5 th, was a beautiful feeling of lightness, the body was used to the movement so it was much easier to strech and breathe correctly. Beautiful feeling of control and enjoying the movement, then enjoying the session. I was leaving the sessions running and for once my steps were very light. I could feel my body was soft and very light. My legs were strong but soft and not tensed.
This feeling was stayig the next few days. Light legs, light and fresh body, my mind was relaxed and my mood too. I could definitely feel the impact of the previous sessions on both physical and mental level.
After 6th session i could feel some tiredness on my knees. The scythica definitely got better around session 5. I think the ache in both my knees,mainly on the right one, is coming from previous wrong posture or pressure when bending the knees when kneeling on the floor to standing up. So when doing the sun salutation, after bring one of the leg forward and then stand up by applying a bit of pressure to raise, i wasnt careful the first sessions on how i was doing it. So i thinkni didnt aligb correctly my knee to my big toe and put too much pressure. I feel now i need to rest the knees. Because of this ache i did find didficult to hold certain position, especially when we have to put weight or pressure on the knees: the last movement for sun salutation when we need to relax back and neck or the soldier posture.
I found the 8th session difficult. My body felt heavy during the day and got some ache where we did some stretches: legs side.
Same for day 9. During the day was fine. Its just when doing the movement i could feel some part of the body, mainly the legs have been working. So i could feel there was a consequence of the work we have done previously.
Day 10. Ache on the leg sides because of previous day stretch. Knees still tender.
Regarding the postures, I liked the one for the scythica on day 9 as it was a gentle stretch by sitting on a pillow and I was confortable to hold the position. Not like the one where i have to twist the torse and holding my leg. Also I did enjoy the sun salutation as there are different back bent: backward and forward. Its quite complete. But to finish with some legs and back stretches on the floor was definitely making a good balance, especially for my lower back.
I can say after day 10, I have more sensation on my left foot and my schyticha feels less tight. Same for the lower back. I feel my body is more relaxed, less tense (muscles wise). After every session I felt i gained energy and felt really relaxed. Was going to bed later then i would normally go.
Its amazing how in 10 days practising Yoga can make a difference to the body, back issues, scyathica and to the mind.
I also learned about myself, that I can do it!! It was possible for me to move myself from the sofa every night and do some Yoga!
Thank you for believing in me, encouraging me, pushing me when needed and the fun sessions. Cause I did have fun! xox “