Hot Yoga Part II

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!! Ok so I got an email or two asking for more details about the Hot Yoga class. I am sorry I was rushing a bit to get the post in and didn't give a play by play so here goes.

I arrived at the yoga studio about 20 minutes early figuring some other newbies like myself would be there especially since it was a holiday! Oh and to set the positive mood the parking was free and the message said "Free Party for the Holiday" lol I had to read it a few times to be sure lol Good karma!

I checked in and since I bought the 1 month pass on line the check in lady took me around and showed me the studio and the changing room. It was small and cute and colorful! I took my friend Tosha's advice and got a spot near the door anticpaticing the worst in terms of heat but I forgot I LOVE the heat! I wore a wicken top and a black cotton carpi's and a bandanna and that worked well. I had a few saltine crackers and sips of water.

Anyway the room was warm to me but not HOT HOT like I thought it was going to be. They put the heat up and also had space heaters to heat the place up. I left the room a few times before class began and the heat did kind of SLAP you in the face when you came back inside the room from the coolness of the hallway. But then it kinda felt just warm.

Most people brought at least 2 bottles of water, a yoga mat, a hand towel, and a beach towel they laid on top of the yoga mat. I did bring a bath towel and a hand towel. Pink & Green Martha Stewart set to be exact lol in my pink and green beach bag lol I noticed a few people had yoga blocks and straps. I don't usually use them but then it hit me I usually do Body Flow which is a mix of yoga, Pilate's,and tai chi! I didn't follow suit but I quickly grabbed primo spot near the door. I went out and came back again and this girl was parallel to me *humph* Why she had to line up exactly beside me I dunno! I moved my mat up a little bit so at least we weren't hitting each other during the moves!

When the teacher came in he told us to embrace the heat. I was like okaaaayyy what does that mean. He must have heard me or saw the confused look on my face and the face of a few others and he explained that when the heat begins to get too intense don't fight it welcome it in. He said keep working on the poses and if it became too difficult to do them then take a few breaths before you release them. He told us to get the block and strap so I did and he explained the heat is there to help you do the yoga poses more effectively since the heat makes the body more flexible.

There are 26 Poses in Bikram Yoga and they were somewhat familiar. Down-ward facing dog, tree pose, dancer, etc. It was more challenging to do it in the heat because you focus on your breathing so it was a challenge to focus and like the teacher said welcome the heat. I did stop a few times and re focus.
I did sweat a lot more than normal but I really enjoyed the challenge. I have not done yoga in almost a year since my workouts have been focused on cardio and strength training/lifting weights but yoga is excellent for flexibility and core work so its back in the rotation! But it really wasn't that hot to me which was a good thing in my opinion lol

Quick Tips:
 ☑ Try to come into class well hydrated
 ☑ Try not to eat anything heavy
 ☑ Stay hydrated during the class & try to bring a container with ice or that is half way frozen my water was cool and ended up but a little warmer than room temperature (yuck!)
 ☑ Bring a beach towel for your mat. The mat gets really sticky from the sweat and heat so its a good way to keep cool and not get stuck to the mat during the cool down
 ☑ Wear a sweatband or bandanna

I felt really energized after class and some may feel the complete opposite so keep that in mind but it was a great class and I be sure to report back on my next class! Here is a link to get more information. If you try it out please let me know~~> What To Expect