People in the Pacific Northwest do not fool around when the weather is nice. They make maximal use of sunshine.

Consequently, please be aware of the upcoming street closures due to events (parades, marathons, etc, etc).

This means that on Sundays it may take a bit longer to get to Yoga on Yamhill and park. 

(Monday-Friday Mysore class at Yoga Pearl is rarely impacted.)

On Sundays, there is still on-street parking free until 1pm, though you may have to walk a couple blocks to the studio. 

Upcoming Street Closures on Sundays:
June 15
July 6, 13, 27
August 10, 17

1. ASHTANGA YOGA, RUNNING AND WORKING OUT?
Thinking about doing a marathon? Thinking about taking up Crossfit? Or just lifting weights to get stronger? 

Can you do Yoga at the same time? 

Read about it in Yoga, Running & Working Out ...

2. JUNE ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP SALE!
The semi-annual membership sale will be held between June 1 and 10. Unlimited class attendance is yours for $1,299. This offer is valid for cash, check, or pieces of eight.

3. JUNE INTRO TO YOGA INTENSIVE!
Help your friends, loved ones, and reliable nemeses start Yoga in the June Intro to Yoga Intensive! 

It will run Mon-Wed-Fri, June 2-13, and costs $149. 

The Intensive is the first 2 weeks of membership at Portland Ashtanga Yoga — after it ends, your friends continue the 3 classes/week membership in the daily classes. 

(The price is $135/month Autopay, and they can opt-out before the Intro Intensive ends.)

Register now!

4. UPCOMING WORKSHOPS
My friends and students at Wieden+Kennedy mentioned that, during savasana, another Yoga teacher would rub their feet with scented oil. 

Also, Amanda reminded me in class last week that I "don't do hippie fluff." 

If you would like to continue not doing hippie fluff, as well as deepen your experience of Ashtanga, join me at these upcoming workshops. 

The only "rubbing" will be against your comfort zone. The only "scent" will be that of salty sweat. (Tears also accepted.)

This Saturday! 
Advanced Seminar: "Yoga Burn"
Location: Yoga Pearl
Saturday, May 17, 1:30-4pm, $40
Come see where the Ashtanga series can go, and saturate yourself in the heat, surrender, and self-study that is the inevitable byproduct. We will explore some of the more advanced postures and sequences from the Ashtanga series. I will Nerf them for most levels (please no beginners. If you are reading this, you are probably not a beginner). 

Register here.

Adjustment Intensive
Location: Yoga Pearl
Saturday, June 7; 2–5pm; $99
Hands-on adjustments have been part of the Ashtanga tradition for many years. In this intensive, you will learn why you might want to help someone by physical touch. More importantly, you'll learn why you shouldn't! 

We'll use Ashtanga Yoga's first series as a template to practice physically assisting each other. Posture requests are honored, so this intensive is a great way to workshop your trouble poses. It's also great for aspiring yoga teachers to get hands-on practice.

Register here!

Can you do yoga and work out?

Is it possible to do Yoga daily and train up for a marathon?

I understand the appeal of marathon-running. It's a big, specific goal. There're generally well-established training plans. Usually there's also great social and group support during the training and the event.

Also, when the sun pops in the Pacific Northwest, people need to get outside. 

(Side-note: I see a huge uptick in gardening-related back injuries the first sunny weekend in April.)

I have written about my experiences working out and training before, specifically doing Crossfit (In 2009! Five years ago! Time flies), and you can (SHAMELESS PLUG) read about it in my book. 

At that time, I was enjoying some of the later Ashtanga series in the morning while experiencing a different flavor of union —  created by substrate depletion and the accumulation of metabolic by-product — two/three (sometimes four) times a week doing Crossfit. 

I came to physical practices late in life, and I receive such sustenance from them that I encourage everyone to pursue the physical pursuit they want, whether powerlifting, O-lifting, body-building, cycling, endurance running (why does no one ever sprint or do middle distance?), Zumba, Jazzercise, step aerobics, Pilates, etc, etc.

(Everything but skateboarding. Skateboarding I love you, but you broke my foot all to pieces.)

Generally, the physicality of the various Ashtanga postures — the duration of your practice, the intensity, the volume, or number of postures — should flex to account for your training.

At the same time, you probably should scale back your expectations of "perfect" execution of difficult postures.

I would encourage you not to look at your Yoga practice as suitable flexibility preparation for your working out. 

I would encourage you not to look at your Yoga practice as a way to address imbalances or rehab an injury. 

I would also not treat it as active recovery. 

If you want those things, seek out a sports medicine internist or physical therapist.

You should still strive to practice 5-6x/week.

First principles remain the same: "The asana is correct when concentration arises." (Pattabhi Jois via Ashtanga Yoga New York.com.)