So we saw Anna off to San Fran the other day but before we let her go I presented her with this official BYD “Certificate of Appreciation”. Click the picture to see it in all it’s glory.

The official 2007 BYD Pumpkin has arrived. Don’t look too closely at the photo or you might see the paper clip that I had to employ in order to prop up the sagging D space. I take pride in my carving skills only because I do it with a steak knife in about 30 minutes from conception to completion — no fancy pumpkin carving tool kit for me. I’ve seen kits that include portable jig saw blades but I’m too old school for that approach. C’mon yogis and yoginis, show me up and bring in your pumpkin postures!

Yes, it’s true that Pam and I are selling our house but we are not moving away from Atlanta. We’ve just been in the same place for a long time and feel the need for a change. The studio is doing better than ever and I wouldn’t dream of leaving it.

One of the questions I hear occasionally is, “Does Bikram Yoga help strengthen the muscles?” I’ve always answered yes based on my own personal experience but now, according to the University of California Wellness Letter, there is a clinical study that backs me up.

Stretching regularly may make your muscles stronger, suggests a study in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine. Performing regular hamstring stretches (that’s the muscle at the back of the thigh), not only improved flexibility and increased range of motion in 30 young people, it also strengthened their leg muscles. And stronger leg muscles, in turn, can help prevent knee injuries, the researchers say. Stretching also relieves muscle tension and stiffness and often helps recovery from injuries—though it does not prevent injuries, previous studies say.

I’d argue against that last point, at least from a yoga perspective. While the simple act of stretching alone may not prevent injuries, the resulting increased strength may — as they pointed out — and, more importantly, the increased awareness of your body’s capabilities and limitations that comes from a regular practice of conscious stretching, may offer the best injury prevention.

Someone alerted me to the MSNBC article, Moved to tears: Workouts and waterworks. It’s not specifically about Bikram Yoga but I’ve had my own emotional moments in class and I’ve witnessed first hand the emotional release that can occur during practice for many people. It’s why our mission statement begins, “To provide a safe and supportive environment…”. The articles talks about some of the reasons why such strong feelings can sometimes arise during movement work.

“We use our bodies to physically tense up against pain or negative experiences,” says Karol Ward, a therapist in private practice in New York City. “Then someone is in a movement class… and that emotion can come to the surface,” she says.

…

In the field of “body psychotherapy,” Ward and other therapists maintain that the body holds on to feelings, even if it seems the mind has dealt with them. “So if a person has the opportunity to relax that area, whatever has been held there can come to the surface,” Ward says. “The body wants to complete the emotional experience.”

Moved to tears: Workouts and waterworks

Halloween is coming and it offers a couple ways to earn a free class. The first is by carving a pumpkin with a yoga posture from the Bikram series. Everyone who brings a carved pumpkin to the studio will receive a free class coupon. You can see last year’s Halloween pumpkins in our photo gallery.

Also, anyone who wears a costume to class on October 31 may attend for free. Last year we required students to wear the costume during the entire class but I think that’s why we got so few takers. This year we’re loosening it up a bit. Anyone who wears a costume and let’s us take a picture of them will qualify. You must either arrive already in costume or leave after class in full costume to qualify. It won’t be enough to just put on a costume for the photo. As a bonus, if you wear your costume through the entire class we’ll give you a second free class coupon.

I’ll send out a pumpkin and costume reminder by email as we get closer to the end of the month (to subscribe send an email to BYD-subscribe@lists.mayfirst.org).

I’m sorry to report that Anna will be leaving us at the end of the month (Oct. 25 will be her last day). She’s moving to San Francisco and, while I’m disappointed to be losing her, I fully support her decision and wish her all the best. I have promised her she can drop in as a guest teacher whenever she’s in town. If you want to be sure to take her class before she leaves you can view the Teacher Schedule.

By a convenient coincidence we will also be welcoming a new teacher at the same time. Jenny Niederriter will joining us in November. I haven’t got her bio yet so I can’t tell you much about her but I’m excited that she’s joining us and I’m sure she’s going to a great addition to our studio. She comes highly recommended by friends of mine who have worked with her.

I joined Facebook. Facebook members can see my profile and be added to my network of friends by using this link and if you’re not a member but want to consider joining then use this link and then search for “Eric Jennings”.