Bikram Yoga- My first session.
"I'll see you tomorrow. Namaste".
Thats how the oddest 90 minutes of my life came to an end. Odd because I am unable to decide whether Ioved the class, or kindda wanted to throw up 60 mins in. What I believe worked in my favor was all the information that I read up on. There are a bunch of great blogs spread over the net detailing the things one must do and what one must not do during their first bikram class.
Most I find, when incorporated work well.
First off, get there early and sit for a while to take in the temperature. So I got to class half hour early and sat for 10 mins in the room to take in the atmosphere. Let me tell you, ten mins with the door open-everything seems nice and pink. And them boom! 20 mins in, and you've got one foot slipping on the other as you try to cross your legs in the air, and then try and sit down on an invisible chair with only one foot supporting you. My instructor- IDA said that I should imagine that my other leg is a marble column. Right, shaky little buster won't stop shivering in a room that is pre-heated.
So even though when you're sitting in the beginning and the temperature seems okay, it does get to a stage where the sweat is rolling off. I never understood the term 'pool of your own sweat' until today. It isn't however stifling or 'oh my gawd! I'm dying!'. Its all in the mind, and honestly, I didn't notice the temperature that much. That is until Ida opened the door to the studio during the last shavasana and the cool air-conditioned outside atmosphere touched my sweaty smiling face. Ida says that if I can keep the smile on after 3 classes, its good news!
Next- the water. The gym manual prescribed 2 litres to be drunk the night before an early morning class. So I tried, and managed to gulp a litre in the night, and some in the morning while writing this entry. first half hour ticks by, nothing major. I realize I don't take deep breaths at all....blah blah and then comes the first water break. I take a decent sized gulp and conveniently start coughing and have to spit all of it out. People around me thankfully do the polite thing and look the other way. I take a small sip then....and whenever I need some, I continue sipping. Ida says we should understand the difference between when we have to have water, and when we 'think' we have to have water. At this time I am drinking, so I guiltily examine my conscience and realize, I don't have to have water. I just think I do. I think, well the water break is here, so lets drink water. Silly me!
Next- Sweat! I was asked to wear tight clothes that wont come in the way. OK.I get on the mat, we begin the first breathing exercise, elbows up face back, elbows touching breath out of the mouth. okay! Buddy in front of me is shirtless, and I see the water dripping down.....trickle, trickle. Ew! This while my arms are silently crying of domsville, and sweating bundles. I look down, and my shorts have turned a shade darker. Is that sweat? Yuppie! So yes, you do sweat like there is no tomorrow. I kept reaching for the napkin to wipe the sweat dripping onto my eyelids.
The blogs I read said that I should maintain silence and understand the mood of the place and be solemn. I followed that rule to the T. Buddy ahead of my was groaning in the floor work and I felt like telling him 'you aren't the only one pushing, so stop with the girly screams'. I don't know why people suddenly strart groaning loudly. Little ah's and all, I understand, cause it is tough." But ahhhhhhh God!" just reminded me while I'm on the floor and holding my ankles behind my back, how much the pose was hurting. I don't need a reminder. So I agree with this rule.
The 26 postures are good, I even tried some of them before I left, just to see what I could and what I couldn't do. I surprised myself and tried the vajrasana lie down- and I managed to bend back till my elbows were touching the floor. So Ida chanting push push helps. I told her she was good, and that I had fun. I told her I had read and heard about bikram and how I have this friend online who raves about the benefits of bikram. She seemed impressed that I knew what I was getting into. She asked me to come back tomorrow.
While in there though, my doms did not act up, nor were my arms paining as much as they are at the moment while I'm outside. So maybe the heat does help.
Onto review- there are a lot of people out there who are afraid to try this form of yoga because of the temp and the fact that its 90mins. But it was a good class. It helps. It pushes you to re-examine your strength and flexibility. Look at it this way- you wear a HRM to track how hard you are working. Yoga tells you how well your body functions, just like an hrm tells you how your heart does. Yoga tells you how much more your body can do.
It gets tough towards the end. I felt like I was going to throw up in the last 20 mins. The constant lying down in shavasana between poses irritated me a bit, but I think its the whole 'relax ur body in a sec' guideline. Probably, ten classes down the line..........
I'm surprised by my body. That never happens- my body never surprises me. I always know how high I can jump or how low I can squat. But today..... things were different. So if for nothing else, try bikram to see what your body can teach you.
Thats how the oddest 90 minutes of my life came to an end. Odd because I am unable to decide whether Ioved the class, or kindda wanted to throw up 60 mins in. What I believe worked in my favor was all the information that I read up on. There are a bunch of great blogs spread over the net detailing the things one must do and what one must not do during their first bikram class.
Most I find, when incorporated work well.
First off, get there early and sit for a while to take in the temperature. So I got to class half hour early and sat for 10 mins in the room to take in the atmosphere. Let me tell you, ten mins with the door open-everything seems nice and pink. And them boom! 20 mins in, and you've got one foot slipping on the other as you try to cross your legs in the air, and then try and sit down on an invisible chair with only one foot supporting you. My instructor- IDA said that I should imagine that my other leg is a marble column. Right, shaky little buster won't stop shivering in a room that is pre-heated.
So even though when you're sitting in the beginning and the temperature seems okay, it does get to a stage where the sweat is rolling off. I never understood the term 'pool of your own sweat' until today. It isn't however stifling or 'oh my gawd! I'm dying!'. Its all in the mind, and honestly, I didn't notice the temperature that much. That is until Ida opened the door to the studio during the last shavasana and the cool air-conditioned outside atmosphere touched my sweaty smiling face. Ida says that if I can keep the smile on after 3 classes, its good news!
Next- the water. The gym manual prescribed 2 litres to be drunk the night before an early morning class. So I tried, and managed to gulp a litre in the night, and some in the morning while writing this entry. first half hour ticks by, nothing major. I realize I don't take deep breaths at all....blah blah and then comes the first water break. I take a decent sized gulp and conveniently start coughing and have to spit all of it out. People around me thankfully do the polite thing and look the other way. I take a small sip then....and whenever I need some, I continue sipping. Ida says we should understand the difference between when we have to have water, and when we 'think' we have to have water. At this time I am drinking, so I guiltily examine my conscience and realize, I don't have to have water. I just think I do. I think, well the water break is here, so lets drink water. Silly me!
Next- Sweat! I was asked to wear tight clothes that wont come in the way. OK.I get on the mat, we begin the first breathing exercise, elbows up face back, elbows touching breath out of the mouth. okay! Buddy in front of me is shirtless, and I see the water dripping down.....trickle, trickle. Ew! This while my arms are silently crying of domsville, and sweating bundles. I look down, and my shorts have turned a shade darker. Is that sweat? Yuppie! So yes, you do sweat like there is no tomorrow. I kept reaching for the napkin to wipe the sweat dripping onto my eyelids.
The blogs I read said that I should maintain silence and understand the mood of the place and be solemn. I followed that rule to the T. Buddy ahead of my was groaning in the floor work and I felt like telling him 'you aren't the only one pushing, so stop with the girly screams'. I don't know why people suddenly strart groaning loudly. Little ah's and all, I understand, cause it is tough." But ahhhhhhh God!" just reminded me while I'm on the floor and holding my ankles behind my back, how much the pose was hurting. I don't need a reminder. So I agree with this rule.
The 26 postures are good, I even tried some of them before I left, just to see what I could and what I couldn't do. I surprised myself and tried the vajrasana lie down- and I managed to bend back till my elbows were touching the floor. So Ida chanting push push helps. I told her she was good, and that I had fun. I told her I had read and heard about bikram and how I have this friend online who raves about the benefits of bikram. She seemed impressed that I knew what I was getting into. She asked me to come back tomorrow.
While in there though, my doms did not act up, nor were my arms paining as much as they are at the moment while I'm outside. So maybe the heat does help.
Onto review- there are a lot of people out there who are afraid to try this form of yoga because of the temp and the fact that its 90mins. But it was a good class. It helps. It pushes you to re-examine your strength and flexibility. Look at it this way- you wear a HRM to track how hard you are working. Yoga tells you how well your body functions, just like an hrm tells you how your heart does. Yoga tells you how much more your body can do.
It gets tough towards the end. I felt like I was going to throw up in the last 20 mins. The constant lying down in shavasana between poses irritated me a bit, but I think its the whole 'relax ur body in a sec' guideline. Probably, ten classes down the line..........
I'm surprised by my body. That never happens- my body never surprises me. I always know how high I can jump or how low I can squat. But today..... things were different. So if for nothing else, try bikram to see what your body can teach you.
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