My name is Caitlin Trakalo and I’d like to share my story of how Bikram yoga became a permanent part of my life in September, 2009. It came as a result of an accident that happened on May 25, 2008. It’s important to say I am able to share my words with strength, courage, and determination because of my Mom and Dad. They never gave up on me and my healing, even when I had. It is because of their encouragement that I am proving the odds wrong, and is what led me to start Bikram yoga.

My accident was life changing and occurred while I was overseas on vacation. I was in an extremely bad ATV crash and I’m lucky to be alive today. Essentially, I shattered both of my ankles and was wheelchair bound for almost three months. I lost all muscle memory in my legs and I learned how to walk and use my legs again during my rehabilitation.

June 1, 2009 I was told by my surgeon that any further progress in my healing was unlikely. At this point my range of motion let me barely bend my knees and pain was constant. When I wasn’t wearing supportive footwear I got around by walking on my tippy toes because my ankles could not accommodate my feet to walk flat on the ground.

One day my Dad suggested I check out a hot yoga studio. We had heard of these ‘miracle stories’ of people overcoming serious physical odds because of hot yoga. I didn’t have anything to lose and after some research I bit the bullet and took my first bikram yoga class ever at Stafford Street Hot Yoga. I completed my first class and left with a raging headache and a very sore body, but I came back the next day for more.

I noticed a positive difference in my ankles after 4 consecutive classes. I practiced consistently for a year and it was the only form of physical activity I incorporated in my day-to-day routine. During this time I met with my doctor to discuss talks of cutting my right Achilles tendon in three places in an attempt to improve my range of motion. And the diagnosis? They determined my range of motion was still improving and the surgery was not recommended! All my hard work in the hot room was paying off!!

The conversations I have had with staff at the studio have taught me to just have faith in myself, and the yoga as well. It led me to stop setting unrealistic timelines and expectations, and was a release of the unhealthy amount of stress and pressure I was putting on myself to fix my feet. I was shown that it would never be easy, and that it will hurt like hell before it gets better. The determination I gain from doing it the hard way is immeasurable and I have learned that emotional healing is just as important as physical. It just takes those tough loving people in our lives to give us a shake and open our eyes to it!

I do not think I would be where I am without the yoga I found at Stafford Street Hot Yoga. Today I still walk with a slight limp, but I prefer to call it a swagger, and I do not walk on my tippy toes anymore. I can also bend my knees enough to go into a low squat. The sharp pains have lessened into more of an annoying ache and my body’s improvements have allowed me to push my limits and enjoy other physical activities I thought I would never be able to do again. I know I have a little further to go with my recovery and I truly believe that with dedication this yoga will take me to even higher healing. Thank you for taking the time to read my story.

Balancing Stick Bikram Pose or Tuladandasana

This is a post by one of our fab Bikram teachers Vicky...

Photo by Cory AronecThis posture is one of the most exhilarating, yet challenging postures in the Bikram Series. Just like Standing Head-to-Knee Pose and Standing Bow Pulling Pose, bringing the chest parallel to the floor helps to stimulate and bring strength to the heart, which is exactly why it is also known as “heart attack on a stick posture”! Stimulating and increasing blood flow through the arteries, strengthening the heart and preventing any future cardiac problems. Just like Bikram says, “It’s a heart attack in the hot room, so you never, ever have one outside on the street!”

Bikram’s Tip:

“Come down absolutely straight, and use your strength immediately”.

Craig’s Tip:

“Use your eyes to continue the stretch of the spine, the spine stays straight but the eyes look forward”.

Craig Villani says that your set up will determine how well you will perform your posture. Lean back slightly in the set up to stretch up toward the ceiling. Lifting your chest and as you step into the posture lock and contract everything even before you start, this will improve stability in the posture.

~Stretch your arms forward, lifting your shoulders up above your ears.

~Lock your elbows, lock your knees

~Bring your chest down, chin forward, pumping fresh nutrient rich blood all throughout the body.

Tuladandasana stretches the spine, relieving stress from the total spine, top to bottom. It also builds strength in the upper thighs, glutes, shoulders, abdomen, deltoids and ankles, and at the same time stretches the hip joints and the shoulders.

Rajashree Choudhury says that 300 calories are burned in this 10 second posture. That’s how much internal work your body is doing!

Tips to help improve your Balancing Stick

Breathe slow and even! Because this posture is only 10 seconds long, people often try to hold their breath here.

Stomach, stomach, stomach! Stabilizing your core is key in this posture and will help you balance. Remember dead weight is heavy weight, so keep everything contracted and you’ll feel light as a feather.

Imagine like your body is being used in a game of tug-of-war. Your arms and legs should be stretching each other apart in opposite directions!

Benefits of the Balancing Stick Bikram Pose:

This particular Bikram yoga pose improves balance, increases endurance, increases lung capacity, stimulates the heart and arteries (strengthens the heart), helps to clear blockages from arteries helping to prevent future cardiac issues, helps varicose veins, burns fat, relieves tension spine, improves concentration. Physiologically, this posture stimulates the pancreas, liver, spleen, kidneys, and nervous system.

Xo Vicky

Standing Bow Pulling Pose - Dandayamana-Dhanurasana

Standing Bow Pulling pose is the sixth posture in the Bikram Yoga series. It is directly after Standing Head to Knee Pose, so before you set up, breathe deeply to recover and prepare for the demands of this posture.

The set up is vital in all the Bikram postures but in Bow the set up is often the most challenging aspect. Many students have difficulty reaching their foot and bringing the knees together to start. This is most often due to tight hip flexors and/or quadriceps. These muscles are commonly tight on athletes and non-athletes alike; so don’t be discouraged if you have difficulty. Remember that you should “never build a house on a weak foundation”. Be patient and set the posture up properly.

The most common error I see in Bow is students allowing their ego to get the best of them. Leave your ego at the door and do the posture with your best form and alignment; depth will come with time.  Bikram says, “Take the time to get yourself firmly grounded and set on your standing leg before you bring your body forward and down. When you begin to move, take your time and stay in control. The most important advice I can give you here is don’t be in a hurry to dive into this position.”

When you enter the posture, stretch forward and kick back equally and simultaneously 50/50. “In one solid piece from the hips to the fingertips, roll forward like a wheel until your abdomen is parallel to the floor.”  Lock your standing knee and “let the power of the kick do the work”. Watch for your bent knee in the mirror. If you see it peek out to the side of your body, bring it back into alignment, straight back and up. Do not let your knee “wing” out to the side. If you can see your knee it should be above your head in the mirror. Most humans will be happy to see their foot above their head but make sure it is in the centre of your head when you see it. Stretch your fingers forward toward the mirror and try to “touch your eyebrow, not your chin, not your nose”. Encouraging words from Craig Villani.

If you fall out of Bow (and sometimes you will), try to get back into the posture, but be sure to set it up again from the beginning. Don’t rush! Personally, I use the first set for endurance, adjustments and alignment, so I don’t try for my “edge” in the first set. In the second set, I push myself to that “edge” and work on greater depth.

Benefits of the Bikram Standing Bow Pose:

•    Standing Bow moves the blood from one side of the body to the other, then back again.
•    It develops balance, increases the size and elasticity of the rib cage and firms the abdominal wall and upper thighs.
•    It improves the flexibility and strength of the lower spine.
•    Standing Bow builds patience, determination and concentration.

Enjoy Bow Pulling Pose! ~Todd

Half Moon Pose Tip

This Bikram posture will change your life!  Your shoulders are likely to burn when you work hard, this will help to eliminate frozen shoulder, heal asthma, but you need to put the work in! Keep your thighs and hips (butt) contracted -  squeeze it! Keep always trying to put your arms behind your ears, and extend first up to the ceiling. Chin up, focus one point in the mirror, and always feel EXTENSION as you bring your body down and push your hips to the side...be patient, keep working, feel the changes. What an amazing posture!

Backbending in Half Moon

Make sure to INHALE (which lifts your chest/heart towards the ceiling) and then look back, stretch back, go back, (always pushing your hips forward towards the mirror) way back and try to touch the wall behind you!  As you are progressing in this posture, you will continuously be INHALING short breaths as you gain more back bending flexibility...The inhale is what helps you to lift the chest/heart...This awareness prevents too much compression and improves the opening of the spine and lungs!

Our teacher extraordinaire Todd Miller took himself out of the SSHY studio and brought hot yoga to Gimli beach a couple weekends back.

The turnout was fantastic! We figure between 100 – 150 fabulous yogis joined Todd’s Bikram at the beach event. There were even some Bikram “experts” in attendance, who wowed and inspired with their impressive form. Something to work towards for sure!

And for those of you who enjoyed the refreshing swim after your practice… well we’re working on getting SSHY pool, haha! It never hurts to dream :)

A HUGE thank you to Todd for organizing and spiriting this event! Have we told you lately that we love you?

We’ve uploaded the rest of the pics to Facebook. Check them out here - they're gorgeous.