Just a regular stiff practice

A regular stiff practice (hamstrings are tight, the right shoulder doesn't move well, etc etc) seems like a punishment after a series of nice and smooth practices. The best practice soon becomes the standard and anything below is no longer good.

We (that is the Teacher and I) tried the supta kurmasana the sitting up way today. The legs got up there quite nicely, feet well crossed behind the neck. Except that my hands didn't reach each other any more. With a little help I got them to join and landed down on the floor. After that it was just like a normal supta kurmasana. Maybe it hold a little better when getting out. Anyway, it was a nice try.

I am usually doing this little Iyengar (or something) thing on the pile of mats before urdhva dhanurasana to open my chest and to make my shoulder blades move better. I have become really addict of it, and my chest doesn't seem to open at all without this extra step! I pile blankets under my upper back, so that I have a really strong curve on the upper back and chest, and I tie my arms with a belt. Then I try to straighten my arms and set my hands on the floor. That is very intense for my whole upper body! Sometimes I am out of breath from just staying there for a while.