try bikram yoga

i have practiced yoga once in a while over the years. in my house growing up there were books about just about everything in the world and the one about yoga had lots of pictures. when i was little i remember doing the poses with my hippie uncle. he and i did a class together the last time we saw each other over ten years ago.
haven’t been to any kind of yoga class in about 5 years and another 5 years since the last time before that.

a friend of mine at work told me about bikram yoga. i started reading everything i could find about it on the internet. the class takes place in a studio heated to 105 degrees and 40% hunidity, although i do not think the room i was in was quite that hot. i was worried about the heat and the reports of dizziness, passing out, throwing up. so i followed the advice on the yoga school’s website and started drinking a gallon of mineralized water everyday (i filtered tap water in a brita pitcher and added liquid minerals from the natural food store). i brought the same water to class.

the challenge for the first time is only to stay in the room for the full 90 minutes. the first few minutes i thought i would end up sitting out the whole class since it is fine to sit on your mat the whole time if you need to. but i didn’t sit out even once! and i got through the whole class. toward the last third of the class i felt this blast of heat inside me. breathe breathe breathe water water water. then finally finally the teacher put a cold lavender cloth on my forehead and it was time to lie there until we were good to stand up.

i did it!

Fantastic deal in Harvard Sq. for Bikram Yoga – 10 consecutive day visits for $20. Excited to try it out sometime http://bit.ly/eCETa

I’ve now been to Bikram Yoga 3 times. While not as excruciatingly difficult as I had imagined, it is challenging. I like the various moves and the emphasis on postures. With more effort it would really benefit my flexibility and back strength. Over all I give it a plus, and I intend to continue doing it. Not every week. I am going to alternate going every other week, and resuming my regular yoga on the alternate weeks. S can join me in this and we both get the benefit. Now that I have been three times I feel I can mark this goal as “done”.

Went to the second of three Bikram Yoga classses today, despite this awful toothache. I was more familiar with the poses, and was able to move more smoothly through them. The class seemed to go by faster, too. Still on the fence about wether or not to do this regularly. I can see benefits to the various poses, though.

Did the first of three Bikram Yoga classes today. It was hot, and I sweated. But the moves were great and I can see how they would benefit me to do on a regular basis. The heat is not intolerable, but I did have to stop a couple of times and let my head clear. I am going again next Sunday, and during this week I am going to go through the 26 moves and practice.

There are several studios in the area offering Bikram Yoga. I have selected the one nearest me, and I am planning to go on Sunday, March 22nd. I don’t think 1 visit is a fair assesment, no matter how it goes, so I am going to plan on going every Sunday for 3 weeks. Then this goal will be complete.

I downloaded the various poses in the routine, and I am going to practice them. I decided to do this after my regular “warm-up” yoga turned out to be so hard. I need to get back into this regularly. Bikram, if I like it, can play a role, but I want to be broad in my approach.

I did it and I love it! Going back for my second class today.

...whatever happens! :) I’m really excited about this. Finally!

so i finally did this on saturday, july 5th. it was absolutely worth doing. i did have to stop maybe 2/3 of the way through the class and take a break—i started feeling nauseated, but once i sat for a few minutes and drank some water, i could get back to it. my advice on doing this would be drink lots of water whether you think you need it or not, don’t push yourself too hard, and take breaks when you need them. great workout!

...when I’m better at it, will try to go for bikram yoga.