Here are a few pictures of Joseph's amazing demonstration. If you get a chance to see him in person, I recommend going, he is simply amazing!
Showing posts with label Joseph Encinia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joseph Encinia. Show all posts
Monday, May 16, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Joseph Encinia at Bikram Yoga Dallas May 15, 2011
Joseph Encinia, 3 time, current reigning US Men's Yoga Champion is coming back to Dallas in May!
This guy is amazing! If you haven't seen him, you have to come to his Master Class, see his demonstration and listen to his story. He is such an inspiration. I use practice with him at Bikram Yoga Dallas, then he went to teacher training and I "took" class from him. In every instance his energy was radiating in the room. You couldn't help but work harder, go deeper, do more.
I remember one year when he was getting ready for the Texas regional competition he stood in the back of the room and took class blindfolded. And balanced! For about a second I thought, man, I want to be like Joseph! I want to win and be a yoga champion!
Of course, later I had to admit to myself I don't have the dedication or determination it takes to do what he does. But, he still inspires me to do what I CAN and that is keep coming back and trying and doing my best. It isn't about winning. It is about seeing a person that was not in perfect health, not even good health, that after hard work was able to transform his body into what it is today. And everyone can do that. Everyone can work hard and improve their health.
Anyway, I am very excited, I can't wait to see Joseph. I haven't seen him since I was at teacher training last year. I need his energy radiating in the room to help inspire me. If you want to see Joseph and his amazing winning competition routine or maybe you just want to come take class and be inspired, join me May 15th at Bikram Yoga Dallas. Cost is just $40 for adults and $10 for kids. Class is appropriate for all levels of yoga practice. Click here to get more information.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
When all else fails, just roll with it.
Joseph and me before yoga class
Amazing, It's already week 7 of my Bikram Yoga Training! I can't believe it, time has really flown by. I started week 6 feeling sore and my sciatica was really getting to me but after rolling my butt on the floor and on the foam roller, I managed to somewhat fix my sciatic issues. Bikram was here the first part of the week, we had lectures on fascia best of all, Joseph Encinia was here! Plus, Bikram gave us a nice surprise and gave us Monday off!
Have you ever tried to fix a problem without knowing really where the problem is? It's the hunt and peck method I think, just trying different fixes until something works. That was me with my sciatic nerve issues. Our anatomy teacher had convinced me, not because he told me specifically but because I deduced from his lectures, my sciatic nerve was pressed against a gluteus muscle and THAT was what was causing the nerve to express pain. Fine I thought, I'll foam roll my butt. Which I did, with not much success. Then on day, I think it was Monday after class, I started rolling my butt on the floor. It looks a little funny but us very effective. I could totally feel the knots in my muscles. It sounds weird but I had knots in my butt! So, I rolled around for a bit in the hot room and felt a noticeable difference in my glutes. Not much difference in my sciatic nerve. So I foam rolled more and rolled a little farther down, kind of where my "cheek" meets the back of the thigh. OH MY GOSH! Man, did THAT hurt! AH HA! Now we are talking...So I rolled around on that area for a bit and wow, I could feel the spot where I "think" I twisted something in November, when all my issues started. Long story short, I am foam rolling
every day and this is the first week I have been able to actually lock out my knees in Hands to Feet and Standing Head to Knee without pain in my glutes and leg. YEA! Love the foam roller.Now after I fixed one part of my sciatic nerve issue, I found another. Only after sitting in lecture for hmm...4 plus hours did I find an annoying, shooting pain in the side hip area. Now because I like to self diagnose, I quickly decided I had alleviated one knotted muscle but hadn't fixed the other so now instead of pain in one area, it was now showing up on the other side. So frustrating! I squirmed around in my chair as long as I could but ultimately decided I had to get up, even if it was Bikram lecturing, I just couldn't take it anymore. I finally got up and walked around outside for a minute.
Enough about my sciatica. Who cares about that anyway? LOL Besides, Joseph Encinia was in town, that is WAY more important than my health issues. It was so exciting, I saw a guy that looked like Joseph walking down towards the tent with Dom, as I got closer I realized it WAS Joseph! It is so awesome to see people at training that are from Dallas, it brings a little bit of home to the yoga bubble. Even though Joseph hasn't been in Dallas for a few years now, we all still think of him as part of the Dallas studio.
Joseph taught one of our yoga classes, he was awesome of course. His energy and passion for Bikram Yoga and life in general radiates from him in every possible way. You can't help but be inspired to be more, try harder, give more. Joseph was the first person in Dallas to suggest I should come to teacher training, even before he was a teacher himself. I didn't believe then that I could possible do this training. To have him here watching me go through training is one of the greatest feelings.
Bikram also had Joseph come up and demonstrate his winning competition routine, in jeans no less! Here are some of his postures.
Standing Head to Knee, no hands
Standing Bow Pulling Pose
Peacock Pose
Scorpion Pose
He left today for India, he going to teaching for Bikram at a studio in Mumbai. I was tearing up as I gave him one last hug today before class.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Yoga Yoga Spa - that was my tri this weekend
Yesterday was a day to remember, Bikram Yoga for 4 ½ hours and the Dallas King Spa and Sauna for 4 hours. It was like the ultimate expression of “killing yourself in the room” to feel good outside of the room.
Courtney Mace and Joseph Encinia, the 2009 US Yoga Champions, were at the Bikram Yoga Dallas studio teaching Advanced Bikram Yoga and conducting coaching for the people that are participating in the 2009 Texas Yoga Asana Championships. Yoga was amazing. The regular class was great, I felt like I was focused and “in the room” the entire class. It was hard and I was exhausted at the end but still felt good inside.
After refueling we started the Advanced Series which a fast pace series of the classic 84 asana postures. Courtney and Joseph led the class together and gave great instruction. It was a fun, fast paced class. I can’t do all 84 postures but it is so great to see other people do them. I am so in aw of what the body can do. And everyone is different, that is what is so great. People that have never taken Advanced class were doing amazing, crazy things with their bodies and people that had taken Advanced class before like me were sometimes doing completely different postures in amazing ways. The Advanced class to me is the type of class that really challenges the mind and body. Although there certainly are limits to what the body can do, it is usually the mind that keeps someone from not being able to perform a posture.
There is a pose called Pregnancy Pose. You cross your legs, which is Lotus, then you push your arms through the creases of your legs, then roll your back and tuck your head and clasp your hands over the back of your head. You basically end up looking like a pretzel or something. It is crazy! Usually I can’t clasp my hands, I guess I mentally don’t think I can tuck my head or roll my back enough. But yesterday I did it. My hands weren’t in a tight clasp but I did get my fingers together. Somehow with Champions in the room the mind and body want to do better…and amazing things happen.
In Wheel, which is a back bend to the extreme, I was able to get into wheel from the floor and then lift myself up to standing; which is the first time I have been able to do that since I was a teenager. I even went from standing to a backbend to wheel – with a spotter, but still, I did it! Such a cool feeling.
So after killing ourselves in Advanced class and getting great coaching tips and corrections on postures, I went to the Dallas King Spa and Sauna. It is a Korean Spa, and according to someone I know that has been to real Korean Spas in Korea, this one is pretty authentic.
Now, I don’t know anything about Korean Spas and I only have been to a few American Spas. They have been talking about it at the studio so I knew there were hot and cold “baths” and different rooms you go to sit. But beyond that I was clueless and I am not one to just “try” new things. So, when I was asked to go I said “oh, I didn’t bring anything to wear.” This to me was my easy way out. But then I was told they give you “uniforms” to wear. Hmmm, I thought about it and decided sure, I’ll try it. Why not? I mean, I just killed myself taking Bikram Yoga all day, why not relax in a spa.
So we go. And it was amazing! It is a huge place with large lions at greeting guests at the entrance. And yes, in fact they do have uniforms, pink ones! I think to myself, this could be ok! And then we go into the ladies area. Everyone is naked! Oh, I think…this could be bad. There are signs every where telling you to shower before you get in the “bath” which is really a small pool. I walk into the area to shower and it is all open showers. Flash backs of boot camp are swirling in my head and then I start remembering the open showers I just saw when I went to see Alcatraz. I’m about to retreat when I see everyone else I came with just shrugging their shoulders, undress and start taking a shower. Hmmm I think….I can do this. I mean, I change in the yoga studio and everyone sees me, this is only slightly more escalated. And then all I can think about is thank goodness I shaved!
The baths were hot and cold, you are suppose to alternate between hot and cold ones. This requires of course getting out of one pool and into another, yet again exposing myself to the world. You quickly get over issues with that though because everyone is doing it and no one really is looking anyway. So I just tried to enjoy the water and relaxation.
After the baths we got dressed in our uniforms and walked around to the different rooms. If the hot Bikram Yoga room wasn’t enough, there were plenty of hot rooms there to relax in! There was a great room with Charcoal on the walls that smelled wonderful. I think that was my favorite room. It is technically called the "Hawng -Toe -Ssut - Jjim" Room but that is hard to say so I like calling it the Charcoal room. It was wonderful, there were baggies hanging that had great smelling stuff in them and one wall was covered with charcoal and huge amethyst rocks.
There was a salt room, gold pyramid room, cold room, yellow soil crystal room, Fire room, base rock room and others. We literally could have spent all day there going from room to room! And of course in most of the rooms you sweat but it is a good sweat and a relaxing sweat. Some of the rooms people were even just sleeping. Each room has different healing therapeutic qualities that are explained on the plaque outside of the room. And they work, my skin feels so soft and clean, the spots of eczema on my legs seems to have softened and aren't as red and itchy.
They also have a movie theater, big screen for sports, massage, food and Karaoke! It is the craziest place I’ve ever seen and it was wonderful. Such a great experience. It was a wonderful ending to a fabulous yoga weekend. I was so relaxed and peaceful I slept so soundly, I didn’t wake or stir one time through the entire thunderstorm. Going to work was hard today, I wanted to sit in heated rooms that smelled or aromatherapy scents and laze around all day. Maybe next weekend!
Courtney Mace and Joseph Encinia, the 2009 US Yoga Champions, were at the Bikram Yoga Dallas studio teaching Advanced Bikram Yoga and conducting coaching for the people that are participating in the 2009 Texas Yoga Asana Championships. Yoga was amazing. The regular class was great, I felt like I was focused and “in the room” the entire class. It was hard and I was exhausted at the end but still felt good inside.
After refueling we started the Advanced Series which a fast pace series of the classic 84 asana postures. Courtney and Joseph led the class together and gave great instruction. It was a fun, fast paced class. I can’t do all 84 postures but it is so great to see other people do them. I am so in aw of what the body can do. And everyone is different, that is what is so great. People that have never taken Advanced class were doing amazing, crazy things with their bodies and people that had taken Advanced class before like me were sometimes doing completely different postures in amazing ways. The Advanced class to me is the type of class that really challenges the mind and body. Although there certainly are limits to what the body can do, it is usually the mind that keeps someone from not being able to perform a posture.
There is a pose called Pregnancy Pose. You cross your legs, which is Lotus, then you push your arms through the creases of your legs, then roll your back and tuck your head and clasp your hands over the back of your head. You basically end up looking like a pretzel or something. It is crazy! Usually I can’t clasp my hands, I guess I mentally don’t think I can tuck my head or roll my back enough. But yesterday I did it. My hands weren’t in a tight clasp but I did get my fingers together. Somehow with Champions in the room the mind and body want to do better…and amazing things happen.
In Wheel, which is a back bend to the extreme, I was able to get into wheel from the floor and then lift myself up to standing; which is the first time I have been able to do that since I was a teenager. I even went from standing to a backbend to wheel – with a spotter, but still, I did it! Such a cool feeling.
So after killing ourselves in Advanced class and getting great coaching tips and corrections on postures, I went to the Dallas King Spa and Sauna. It is a Korean Spa, and according to someone I know that has been to real Korean Spas in Korea, this one is pretty authentic.
Now, I don’t know anything about Korean Spas and I only have been to a few American Spas. They have been talking about it at the studio so I knew there were hot and cold “baths” and different rooms you go to sit. But beyond that I was clueless and I am not one to just “try” new things. So, when I was asked to go I said “oh, I didn’t bring anything to wear.” This to me was my easy way out. But then I was told they give you “uniforms” to wear. Hmmm, I thought about it and decided sure, I’ll try it. Why not? I mean, I just killed myself taking Bikram Yoga all day, why not relax in a spa.
So we go. And it was amazing! It is a huge place with large lions at greeting guests at the entrance. And yes, in fact they do have uniforms, pink ones! I think to myself, this could be ok! And then we go into the ladies area. Everyone is naked! Oh, I think…this could be bad. There are signs every where telling you to shower before you get in the “bath” which is really a small pool. I walk into the area to shower and it is all open showers. Flash backs of boot camp are swirling in my head and then I start remembering the open showers I just saw when I went to see Alcatraz. I’m about to retreat when I see everyone else I came with just shrugging their shoulders, undress and start taking a shower. Hmmm I think….I can do this. I mean, I change in the yoga studio and everyone sees me, this is only slightly more escalated. And then all I can think about is thank goodness I shaved!
The baths were hot and cold, you are suppose to alternate between hot and cold ones. This requires of course getting out of one pool and into another, yet again exposing myself to the world. You quickly get over issues with that though because everyone is doing it and no one really is looking anyway. So I just tried to enjoy the water and relaxation.
After the baths we got dressed in our uniforms and walked around to the different rooms. If the hot Bikram Yoga room wasn’t enough, there were plenty of hot rooms there to relax in! There was a great room with Charcoal on the walls that smelled wonderful. I think that was my favorite room. It is technically called the "Hawng -Toe -Ssut - Jjim" Room but that is hard to say so I like calling it the Charcoal room. It was wonderful, there were baggies hanging that had great smelling stuff in them and one wall was covered with charcoal and huge amethyst rocks.
There was a salt room, gold pyramid room, cold room, yellow soil crystal room, Fire room, base rock room and others. We literally could have spent all day there going from room to room! And of course in most of the rooms you sweat but it is a good sweat and a relaxing sweat. Some of the rooms people were even just sleeping. Each room has different healing therapeutic qualities that are explained on the plaque outside of the room. And they work, my skin feels so soft and clean, the spots of eczema on my legs seems to have softened and aren't as red and itchy.
They also have a movie theater, big screen for sports, massage, food and Karaoke! It is the craziest place I’ve ever seen and it was wonderful. Such a great experience. It was a wonderful ending to a fabulous yoga weekend. I was so relaxed and peaceful I slept so soundly, I didn’t wake or stir one time through the entire thunderstorm. Going to work was hard today, I wanted to sit in heated rooms that smelled or aromatherapy scents and laze around all day. Maybe next weekend!
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Bikram Yoga Heals, Yoga Champions Inspire
Bikram Yoga was awesome today! I had a great class, there was lots of energy in the room and Joseph Encinia taught class! The 2009 US Champions were also in the studio today providing a discussion on their yoga journey and they both demonstrated some amazing postures. It was an inspiring day for sure.
Courtney Mace, the 2009 Women’s US and International Yoga Champion, talked about her many ailments and challenges that brought her to yoga and how Bikram Yoga really healed her and helped her overcome not only physical challenges but she also learned so much about herself and how to honor her body. I love hearing how people found Bikram Yoga and what it has done for them, everyone has a different story and path but they all find Bikram Yoga and benefit from the healing qualities.
Joseph Encinia, the 2009 US Men's Yoga Champion, has a story that is not too dissimilar to Courtney Mace. He too had many health challenges growing up, more so even than Courtney. Joseph had a heart attack at the age of 13, had rheumatoid arthritis and struggled medical other issues most of his life, until he found Bikram Yoga. Now he is healthy and his arthritis is in remission, and he looks amazing! I met Joseph 4 years ago when I first started taking Bikram Yoga and he looked great then but now, if it is even possible, he looks even more amazing and the things he can do with his body just blows the mind.
Here are some of the postures that Courtney and Joseph performed today.
Full Standing Head to Knee
Bow Leg
Standing Bow
Full Standing Bow
Full Standing Head to Knee
Bound Lotus
Handstand Lotus
Crane
Here is a slide show of the full posture demonstration.
Courtney Mace, the 2009 Women’s US and International Yoga Champion, talked about her many ailments and challenges that brought her to yoga and how Bikram Yoga really healed her and helped her overcome not only physical challenges but she also learned so much about herself and how to honor her body. I love hearing how people found Bikram Yoga and what it has done for them, everyone has a different story and path but they all find Bikram Yoga and benefit from the healing qualities.
Joseph Encinia, the 2009 US Men's Yoga Champion, has a story that is not too dissimilar to Courtney Mace. He too had many health challenges growing up, more so even than Courtney. Joseph had a heart attack at the age of 13, had rheumatoid arthritis and struggled medical other issues most of his life, until he found Bikram Yoga. Now he is healthy and his arthritis is in remission, and he looks amazing! I met Joseph 4 years ago when I first started taking Bikram Yoga and he looked great then but now, if it is even possible, he looks even more amazing and the things he can do with his body just blows the mind.
Here are some of the postures that Courtney and Joseph performed today.
Full Standing Head to Knee
 |
| From Sat.ChampionWorkshop |
Bow Leg
 |
| From Sat.ChampionWorkshop |
Standing Bow
 |
| From Sat.ChampionWorkshop |
Full Standing Bow
 |
| From Sat.ChampionWorkshop |
Full Standing Head to Knee
 |
| From Sat.ChampionWorkshop |
Bound Lotus
 |
| From Sat.ChampionWorkshop |
Handstand Lotus
 |
| From Sat.ChampionWorkshop |
Crane
 |
| From Sat.ChampionWorkshop |
 |
| From Sat.ChampionWorkshop |
Here is a slide show of the full posture demonstration.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
I got to take class from the 2009 US Men's Yoga Champion!
Joseph Encinia is back in his hometown, Dallas, Texas, teaching Bikram yoga at Bikram Yoga Dallas.
Bikram Yoga today was awesome! Awesome because Joseph Encinia taught class, he is the 2009 US Yoga Champion and use to teach at my studio. It was so exciting to be in class with him teaching, he is so inspiring.
I normally set my mat on the left side of the room on the first or second row, I am a creature of habit and I like certain spots in the room better than others. But today I must have subconsciously known Joseph was teaching because I set my mat in the middle of the room right in front of the teacher stand. Being in front of the teacher is great; you get to use their energy to help you through class. Joseph’s energy is wonderful, he loves Bikram Yoga and it comes out in his teaching style, you can’t help but push yourself to try harder.
During the standing series I could tell I was trying really hard, my spine felt like a wet noodle, it was hard to stand up straight without shaking. This is always a good sign, it means I am working hard in class and doing my best. Of course, it wears me out too and I feel exhausted and want to run from the heated room. But I never do, I just breathe and try and remember the standing series doesn’t last forever.
In the standing series I sometimes think how wonderful it will be to be on the floor, that the floor series is so much easier than the standing series. But it’s not easier, just different. Today in the floor series I certainly wasn’t thinking it was easier! I was exhausted and wanted to just lay there but who can do that when the 2009 US Champion is teaching class?! Let’s be serious. This is not the time to be wimpy. And so….I completed the floor series, maybe not with the best grace but I did manage to make it through every posture. There was no smile on my face; but I hardly ever have an expression, I’m usually concentrating on making it through each posture.
As I laid in final Savasana, noticing my towel was so wet with sweat it couldn’t soak up anymore and sweat was still streaming off me, I felt good, happy- happy to be done with class and happy to have had Joseph teach class. I’ve missed him and it was good to see him. He’s teaching and coaching this weekend too, I can’t wait, it is going to be a Yoga | Yoga |Yoga weekend!
Bikram Yoga today was awesome! Awesome because Joseph Encinia taught class, he is the 2009 US Yoga Champion and use to teach at my studio. It was so exciting to be in class with him teaching, he is so inspiring.
I normally set my mat on the left side of the room on the first or second row, I am a creature of habit and I like certain spots in the room better than others. But today I must have subconsciously known Joseph was teaching because I set my mat in the middle of the room right in front of the teacher stand. Being in front of the teacher is great; you get to use their energy to help you through class. Joseph’s energy is wonderful, he loves Bikram Yoga and it comes out in his teaching style, you can’t help but push yourself to try harder.
During the standing series I could tell I was trying really hard, my spine felt like a wet noodle, it was hard to stand up straight without shaking. This is always a good sign, it means I am working hard in class and doing my best. Of course, it wears me out too and I feel exhausted and want to run from the heated room. But I never do, I just breathe and try and remember the standing series doesn’t last forever.
In the standing series I sometimes think how wonderful it will be to be on the floor, that the floor series is so much easier than the standing series. But it’s not easier, just different. Today in the floor series I certainly wasn’t thinking it was easier! I was exhausted and wanted to just lay there but who can do that when the 2009 US Champion is teaching class?! Let’s be serious. This is not the time to be wimpy. And so….I completed the floor series, maybe not with the best grace but I did manage to make it through every posture. There was no smile on my face; but I hardly ever have an expression, I’m usually concentrating on making it through each posture.
As I laid in final Savasana, noticing my towel was so wet with sweat it couldn’t soak up anymore and sweat was still streaming off me, I felt good, happy- happy to be done with class and happy to have had Joseph teach class. I’ve missed him and it was good to see him. He’s teaching and coaching this weekend too, I can’t wait, it is going to be a Yoga | Yoga |Yoga weekend!
Friday, October 16, 2009
2009 USA Yoga Champions in Dallas Oct. 24th & 25th
The US Yoga Champions Courtney Mace and Dallas’ own, Joseph Encinia will be in Dallas next weekend as part of their nationwide tour promoting yoga, fitness and the USA Yoga Regional Competitions. Ms. Mace and Mr. Encinia will be teaching beginning Bikram Yoga classes, demonstrating their winning yoga routines and teaching the Advanced Series for Bikram teachers and those interested in competing in the Texas Asana Yoga Championships in Houston, Texas.
If you ever wondered why Bikram Yoga is one of the fastest growing health and fitness trends, come to Bikram Yoga Dallas on Saturday, October 24th or Sunday, October 25th and experience class taught by the 2009 US Champions. You will get to practice yoga taught by some of the best yogi’s in the US. Their energy, love and enthusiasm for Bikram Yoga will inspire you as it has hundreds of others.
On Saturday Ms. Mace and Mr. Encinia will demonstrate their winning routines from the 2009 US Championships held in Los Angeles, CA. There will be a question answer period after where you can ask all the questions you want about Bikram Yoga.
For more information and ticket information, please go to www.yogadallas.com.
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