Yoga Champs

Yoga Champions From Global Yoga Lineage

Since 2003, I have worked with some amazing yogis who were willing to stop whining and compaining and do what I call,"The Homework". It complements our great yoga series that we practice...it totally changes the body shape,and all of your postures will improve exponentially fast!!!! It is an attempt at living in the present moment!! You will be sore in the beginning and it will pass if you keep it up.

If you are a baby or full of any kind of fear or are lazy or whining or untrusting.....this Homework is not for you.

You need more time to work on yourself with the 26 all levels class for awhile....and there is NOTHING wrong with that!

These are some of the people who were willing to: "What the mind can conceive,..the mind and the body can acheive.....THAT is yoga!"

I first listed the champions and then I have listed people who are still doing the homework ,but,have not made it yet.

I am soooo proud of all of them.

Remember...some of the photos are not always their maximum posture.. I was at the mercy of other people taking the photos most of the time.

Quick P.S.....When they do this extra training Homework,they absolutely HAVE to take the All Levels Bikram 90 minute Class that same day. You will be sooo sore if you do not. It is the base and starting point of all we do!...and that is GREAT!

Esak Garcia-1st Place World Champion Men,2005

Esak continues to practice and train even though he is not allowed to compete any more. I am VERY proud of all the time and practice he continues to put in EVERY day. THAT is a yogi! His body shape and his postures fine tune and finesse every year....he only gets better.

The hardest thing for Esak to work on now is humility!

I Love him

Esak Winning 2005,1st Place

I was in the hospital in San Francisco and wasn't there to see for myself.That was so hard on me.

Esak improving in Demonstration Feb 2007

The body is getting stronger and more flexible.

Esak Demo Feb 2007

Esak Garcia,April 2008

Look at that spine! NO flat spots! This is the improvement of consistant practice from 2003 to 2008!

The jagged edges are gone...one smooth curve.

Johnny Mauk,2006 1ST Place Mens Champion

I have to find more pictures of Johnny. He does not have the most flexible postures...he had all the grace and beauty of movement. He is the nicest person.Beautiful head to knee pose! Johnny had perfect technique to the best of his ability AND flexibility on the day of the Championships. The night before we were up on that stage practicing over and over again until 2am!! He was willing to do what had to be done to win. I am very proud of him and I love him.

Ball Rattanapong-2008 1st Place Men's Champion

Ball came to San Franciscoin Jan 2007 with The other Champions from Thailand and their coach Rich Nicols.Esak met us iat my school in San Fran and they all trained sooo much! Ball's coaching was a two year joint effort between me ,Rich,and Esak,,,and Ball! He did not make it in 2007 (got time called on him). He did it the next year Feb 2008!

I knew Ball was going to win this year.He did everything he needed to do. I love him so much,,Soooo proud of him..He is a good Champion and a good example of our yoga.

Ball

Ball

Pritti(I have to find the right spelling of last Name)

India

2008-1st Place Youth Womens Champion

Dear Mary,

Thanks a lot for your love and care for Indian Yoga team in LA. You are the sole responsible person for our success in championship and we really can’t forget your contribution. My whole Indian team is missing you very much and they appreciated your help during their whole journey when they were coming back to India .

I personally thank you and all involved people because your instructions helped me atleast to come on stage. Hope to see you soon. Take care. Love you.

Deepak Bhardwaj

International Coordinator

Indian Yoga Federation.

Like Deepak....I really just coached the finesse of the 3 minute routine.Pritti has sooo many beautiful postures.

So graceful! She has already done the great work on her body. Truly inspirational...anddddd...adorable.

I love her and am very happy I know her.

Bel Carpenter

Bel is another one of the the examples of a yogi that I know. He and his wife Emily are beautiful practitioners of yoga.They are beautiful!! Bel has competed in every Championship since Bikram and Rajashree started the competitions in 2003. He is a true Champion,finishing 2nd a couple of times.He looks AWESOME and is an Awesome person.I love Bel .I am VERY proud of all that he has accomplished.

Bel Carpenter

2008 Bishnu Ghosh International Championships

Full Spinal Twist

Bel Carpenter

Bel Carpenter

What a BEAUTIFUL Rabbit!

Look at that stretch of the total spine! Wow that is pretty...

Emily Carpenter-2nd Place Women's Champion,2007

Co-owner of Bikram Yoga Basalt,Co. with her husband and fellow yogi Bel Carpenter.( Now they have 3 schools in Colorado and 2 Babies!!)

Emily is a miracle!! She changed her diet,did all of the homework I gave her to do...even not straying at Christmas...and wow!...did she ever look amazing!

Emily had just given birth within the year to her beautiful baby girl. A new mommy and a reborn yogi all in a year'stime.

What a testamonial to the yoga we practice and a tribute to Emily.

Bel and Emily came to San Francisco to train with me for a week or so before Christmas .WE got rid of her "thunda" mogal skiing thighs by Feb and she rocked on stage. I really thought she was going to win that year.But second place was Fantastic too. I have a poster of this posture in my yoga room. I gleam everyday when I teach thinking of what Emily did last year.Proud...love her!

Emily Carpenter,2007 2nd Place Women's Champion

Emily Carpenter,2007 2nd Place Women's Champion

Sarea Hiskedes-Valera

2007 3rd Place Women's International Champion

2007/08 French Women's Champion(Nov 2007),1st Place

This picture was taken at the 2007 European Championships in Amsterdam. Sarea was the French Champion.She did soooo well that day....If she had competed against all the men and women from all the countries that were there that day....she would have l won. She still would have beaten everyone.At the time...she was living in America,teaching yoga.Rajashree Choudury requested that she represent her native country,France instead of competing in America. It was controversial among some people...but I agree with Rajashree....even if I didn't....it is Rajashree's decision,it is her Championships...There will always be controversy in these types of things...the system is never perfect . In the end...the best person usually wins anyway.In a yoga family...we should want to root for everybody to do their best no matter where they were born.

Sarea Hiskedes-Valera

2007 3rd Place Women's International Champion

Sarea Hiskedes-Valera

2007 3rd Place Women's International Champion

Esak Garcia - 1st Place World Champion Men, 2005

Johnny Mauk, 2006 1st Place Men’s Champion

Ball Rattanapong - 2008 1st Place Men’s Champion

Pritti - 2008 1st Place Youth Women’s Champion

Bel Carpenter

Emily Carpenter - 2nd Place Women’s Champion, 2007

Sarea Hiskedes-Valera - 2007 3rd Place Women’s InterNat’l Champ

2007/2008 French Women’s Champ, 1st Place

Sarea worked her A#$! off for a few months to be able to execute this beautiful full wheel. She has no flat spots on the curve in her spine....it is really pretty!

It took tremendous focus,dedication ,and patience to accomplish this. Bikram says...."what have you accomplished IN YOUR LIFE when you demonstrate the posture? You tell a story about yourself Body Mind Soul..." This is a beautiful story !

Kasper van de Wijngaard

The Dutch Champions came to train with me for a few weeks before the 2008 Bishnu Ghosh International Championship.We had soooo much fun. They were very rigorous days but serious energy and training.

Kasper ended up 4th place for his first competion!!!

I am very proud of him. I am also proud of Therese Aartsen (owner of the yoga school in Amsterdam) and Lydia Wright ( owner of Bikram Yoga Den Haag)...They used to be my students and have moved on to open their schools in the Netherlands...They kept up the training that I started here in San Francisco and the "Dutchies" were and will continue to be soooo strong in the competition years to follow! It is very exciting!

Kasper has just completed Teacher training and will be even better next year in 2009....I am sure of it. He is very talented and I love him.

Kasper van de Wijngaard

Kasper van de Wijngaard - 2008 4th Place Men’s InterNat’l Champ

2007 1st Place Men’s, Netherlands

Kasper van de Wijngaard

Kasper van de Wijngaard

Stefanie Ngai-

What a pretty posture...especially because she does NOT have her knee turned out.A lot of the locked knees in standing bows are locked but not good technique. this knee is where it belongs.

Stefanie Ngai

Stefanie Ngai - 2008 5th Place Women’s InterNat’l Champion

2007 1st Place Women’s Champion, Hong Kong

Stefanie Ngai

Feb 22,2008

Dear Mary,

I personally thank you and all involved people because your instructions helped me at least to come on stage. Hope to see you soon. Take care. Love you.

Deepak Bhardwaj

International Coordinator

Indian Yoga Federation.

I did not do anything for Deepak except to coordinate the timing and transitions of the 3 minute routine. Deepak had his postures already.When he learns to finesse the" lock the knee"....He Wins!

He is so inspiring to watch. Elegant ,Strong,Flexible ,Balanced ,Graceful

The India Team came to San Francisco to visit after the 2007 Championship. I will post some of those photos in another book at another time.

Deepak Bhardwaj - 2008 5th Place Men’s InterNat’l champ

9 Time All India Champion

Ivy Woodruff,Global Yoga San Francisco

Perfect Spine....No flat spots...one beautiful curve!!!

This is pretty!

Is responsible for the "no pregnant girls" RULE.I will post those pictures later!!! They are awesome!!

Ivy Woodruff, Global Yoga San Francisco

2008 4th Place American Champion

2007 1st Place Northern California Champion

2004 1st Place Northern California Champion

2005 3rd Place (tie) Northern California Champion

2006 8 & 1/2 Months Pregnant...STILL competed in Northern California Championship

Practicing the same posture less than a year after giving birth to her beautiful baby girl.

Photo taken,Jan 2007....Gave birth the next day!

17 minute labor.Laid on the floor in a side Chinese splits,hugged her leg by her ear,closed her eyes and gave birth to Sadie. Competed in the Championships less than a year later as Northern California Champion. Ivy is a True yogi. Soooo shy!.She is not a teacher....she is an oncology nurse.She deals with the terminally sick and dying every day at her job.She really needs yoga!