Monday, February 25, 2013

Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot in Bikram Yoga

I wasn't planning to ever go to hot yoga.  Like, never ever.  But then, I was at Erika's Super Bowl party and Christy wanted company while she used her gifted Groupon to Bikram yoga.  She convinced Erika and I to go.  I'm not sure how she did it.  All I know is that her husband made me a drink, and Erika was still recovering from getting her braces on.  Finally, I decided I would go to the class for one reason and one reason alone:


Yup.  I knew it would make a good blog post.

I turned to Facebook for advice about prepping, and I kept being told to wear 'very little'.  I was thinking of wearing shorts and a tank, but the only shorts I had were running shorts and well, those are too loose. I threatened pondered the idea of bike shorts and a bathing suit.


Ultimately, I was able to run out and get some capris.

The morning of our class, the three of us showed up eager to start.


Maybe "eager to leave" might be more accurate.

We walked into the "sweatbox" (that is honest-to-goodness what they call it.)   It smelled like someone was baking a sweaty sock souffle.

Kinda gross.

We put down our yoga mats, put our towels over our mats so we didn't play slip and slide during class, took out our various bottles of ice water and Gatorade, and worked on getting used to the room.  The lady in front of us was getting ready too.  She stretched her feet to her hips.  She was wearing very loose, very short shorts.


I may have snorted because I'm an immature child.

We started the class with a breathing exercise and I noticed beads of sweat on the tops of my feet.


Pretty sure I've never seen that before.

Then we began moving through the postures and the sweat storm got into full swing.

Sweat was dripping.



It was pouring.



It was flying.


It.  Was.  Insane.

We did a number of yoga postures, but had to do them all twice.  Then we did savasana.  My favourite!  And then, we had to get back up and do more yoga!


Huh??

That's NOT how yoga goes.  I fall asleep do savasana, and then I go home.

For the rest of the class, we would do our double pose, go into savasana for 20 seconds, then do a sit-up before moving into a new pose.

My enthusiasm waned a little.


I was a little nervous when the instructor told us we were going to do the "wind removal" pose. Fortunately, there were no discernable mishaps in the class.

Bikram lasted 90 minutes, which was a good 30 minutes too long for me.  But, I decided to go back the next day to get my $10 worth (10 consecutive days of classes.)

Personally, I would caution you against going 2 days in a row (and throwing in a run).  You might find yourself doing a lot of this:



And this:


And this:






QUESTIONS:

HAVE YOU EVER DONE HOT YOGA? DO YOU LOVE IT OR HATE IT?

IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE HOT YOGA, HAVE I CONVINCED YOU TO TRY IT, OR TO RUN AWAY SCREAMING LIKE A LITTLE GIRL?

(IF YOU WANT TO READ MORE RECAPS OF THE CLASS, CLICK ON ERIKA'S AND CHRISTY'S NAMES TO GO TO THEIR POSTS)


UPCOMING POSTS:  CYCLING, RUNNING, MORE GUEST POSTING


I'm back at Yeah Write this weekend, hanging out on their new moonshine grid. Join me for some great reads!


moonshine

85 comments:

  1. I haven't tried Bikram and now I am a bit afraid to!

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    1. Well, at least now you know what to expect :D

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  2. I've always been scared to try Bikram, because of the crazy reports I hear. But I have a friend who goes often, and she looks amazing.
    "Wind removal pose" bahwhaha

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    1. Yeah, I don't know if the yoga will make me look amazing, but it is really something to have that much sweat coming out of your body all at once. Thankfully, no 'wind' though.

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  3. OMG yes, totally been in your position before, including the way you felt on day 2 of bikram! The last class I went to I spent much of the time sitting on my heels, then lying down so I wouldn't pass out ;)I really like how light and cleansed you feel once you leave the hot room and are blessed with the cooler lobby air, then the outside world.

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    1. I'm not sure I felt light and cleansed...more like desperate for a shower! So, I was not excited that I had to go to a car store immediately after the first class O_o.

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  4. BEST POST PICTURES EVER. The last three are me whenever I work out... every time.

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    1. Thanks Presley :) Working out is tough, isn't it?

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  5. Hey, don't blame your Bikram Yoga on us! That just sounds like a recipe for dehydration. What's so wrong with regular yoga that someone had to throw in a sauna aspect to it? Also, 90 minutes!?! That sounds like too long to spend urinating out of your pores (sorry to be gross, I couldn't think of a better metaphor).

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    1. That's a pretty accurate metaphor I would say. Why can't I blame my Bikram yoga on you?? Why, I ask?? Ok, I suppose it was ultimately my decision. Honestly, I'm not sure who decided 'Hey, you know what would make all this exercise better? Doing it in a carpeted sauna!'

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  6. haha hilarious pictures. ok i LOVE bikram yoga and wish i had time to go everyday. i was not always like that. it definitely took me a few classes to get the swing of things, and now that i know what to expect, it gets better each class. try again!

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    1. Thanks :) Hmm, I feel like I'm leaning more toward trying Yin yoga...but, I wouldn't rule out Bikram forever!

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  7. I love Bikram, sweat included! Great post!

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    1. Thanks Kierston! I could see how the sweat factor could be kind of addictive in a weird way :P

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  8. Absolutely spot on!! There is no way I would have gone without you girls...and I so hated it for a while there. And then I found myself going 3 times the following week! It's a strange thing that somehow sucked me in even though it's miserable and I have never sweated so much ever! Hope we can do a class together again someday soon!

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    1. So are you hooked now?? I can't believe you kept going back! I'd do another class with you.

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  9. haha! hysterical!! can't believe you went back! and really? shorty shorts and bikram, just wrong.

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    1. I know, I couldn't believe I went back either. Yeah the shorty shorts are no bueno. But the next day there was a guy in essentially a speedo and a couple of girls in bikinis. So, kinda crazy.

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  10. You totally crack me up. I have a feeling that this was post was incredibly accurate! Proud of you ladies for branching out and trying something new. I have though about giving bikram a try, but haven't seen a groupon in Spokane yet. There is no way I am paying $15 up front for that kind of torture. I would like a discount first. :-)

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    1. You should definitely keep your eye out for a discount! And I haven't decided how I feel about it yet, but I'm glad I went with friends!

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  11. That sure is a lot of sweat flying around everywhere! What happens when the person in front of you flings their sweat on you? Do you hurl? Run home like a little girl and tell your mommy? Or are you like "Bitch! Keep yo sweat to yoself!"?

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    1. There's no telling your mommy in yoga! You throw your towel up to block the sweat, ninja-like. That's how it's done, son.

      (Ok, so actually there's so much sweat that you really can't tell what's yours and what belongs to the shirtless guy in sweatpants.)

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  12. I'm totally terrified of hot yoga. I'm bad enough at regular yoga that I don't need the added difficulty of having to concentrate on not slipping. And I hate being too hot, so there's that too. Haha! Kudos for you for trying it out! And did you go back for a third?

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    1. I was too! You put a towel on your mat to prevent slipping (just fyi). It is weird getting past the heat. Nope, I have not been back yet. (I have to pay more money so that makes it less motivating to go!)

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  13. Hahaha, no. Just no. I don't like being hot and I don't like yoga. Also, I'd be soooo pissed if I was told to get back up after savasana.

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    1. Soooo, no? ;) The whole savasana not being savasana really annoyed me! I'm not sure I can get over that.

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  14. Replies
    1. Third time's a charm :) Or not. Because also: bad things come in 3s.

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  15. You lasted way longer than I did, girl. Kudos.

    I posted my hot yoga experience almost two years ago. Almost two years have gone by and still the torture is fresh in my mind.

    http://wherehaveallthehobosgone.blogspot.com/2011/05/hot-yoga.html

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    1. I will go check out your post. I feel a kinship to other hot yoga attempters like myself :D

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  16. Love regular yoga but have NO desire to try hot yoga. Zero, nada, nil, NONE. And your post did nothing to change my mind. Why torture ourselves?

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    1. Really? My post didn't convince you to try it?? ;)

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  17. the question is when someone sweats alot does that make him/her a sweater? compliments of you know who.

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  18. Oh gosh... I'm going this Saturday for the first time. I'm pretty sure I'll look like the last few of your pictures.

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    1. Yikes. You maybe should have read this *after* your class :)

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  19. Never Hot Yoga... I am an avid Yoga practitioner (after my running injury). I LOVE the way it has made me a better athlete, and am convinced if I still ran that I would be way better at it. Hot Yoga... I think I am going to try ... let me go turn on my sauna :)

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    1. Yup, you could pretty much duplicate the experience that way.

      p.s. Do you really have a sauna in your house? Because that would be super cool!

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    2. Sauna is actually outside.... DOWN BY THE LAKE! WHOOT! We are have designed an indoor sauna, and are going to be finishing it this summer :)It will be too small for Yoga though :(

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  20. ha ha. I love this. I was trying to read this post on my phone while at a meeting at work (shame on me) and I couldn't help but laugh out loud, which inspired disapproving looks from my co-workers. Thanks for getting me in trouble for being a loud mouth. I am also an immature child. :)

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    1. Tsk tsk! But they just missed out on entertainment during a boring work meeting :P

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  21. Oh dear.

    I confess that I've love it when I've gone, but your portrayal is spot on. Mmmmmmm sweaty.

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    1. There's something sort of good about it, but I don't think I will every love it.

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  22. Now I am certain I am never going to try it. Lovely sketches!

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  23. Sweating is good! I love hot yoga, but I haven't done it in way too long. :( I've never actually done Bikram, though. It doesn't sound quite a fun.

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    1. I had thought they were the same, but Bikram is very specific and always the exact same, as opposed to 'hot yoga'. I think I would prefer a little more variety in my yoga classes, hot or not.

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  24. I have no desire to try hot yoga (even more so after reading your post). I'm a 55 year old woman, I am already hot and sweaty most of the time.

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  25. I think I'd try Bikram at least once, although I already get dizzy and light-headed when it gets too hot in my regular yoga class, so maybe I'd find a spot in the back so I could collapse quietly if necessary. However I think the nearest class is in the next state west, so not going to happen anytime soon. Also your pictures for this post are hysterical.

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    1. It may not be worth the trip across state lines, but may be worth a try if it's convenient for you :)

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  26. Yeah no, not for me. I hate humidity, heat, and sweating so I'm going to avoid this at all costs.

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  27. Oooooh, the idea of all that sweat flying around gives me the heebie jeebies! Thank you for going so I don't have to. And it DID make a great post!

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  28. Good for you for trying this. I doubt I ever will. It makes me want to throw up just thinking about it. I am not afraid to sweat at all - but being in a stuffy room, no thanks!

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    1. Yeah the stuffy room makes it odd for sure. And if you did go, you would sweat like you've never sweated before!

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  29. I have recently developed this...thing...about other people's feet, so no, I will not be trying that anytime soon, especially if it means I have to walk across the floor in bare feet just to get to my spot. I do want to go back to martial arts, and wonder if they'll let me wear one of those five-finger shoes.

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    1. That would make it tough. Those shoes are a good idea!

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  30. Oh yum. Gotta love a sweaty sock souffle. And you're right - savasana is supposed tobe THE END. That's why we suffer through so much torture, I mean, exercise.

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    1. Yes. Savasana is THE END! Don't mess with my savasana!

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  31. Love Bikram! I go every Sunday! such a great DETOX

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    1. There was something to sweating sooooo much.

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  32. Thanks for the laugh. I live in a small town and we used to have to drive at least 30 minutes for a hot yoga class. Now they've started one on Monday nights at our little gym. I saw a friend walk out (after class) and she didn't look so good. I'm scared. Ninety minutes two days in a row? You are a beast.

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  33. Awesome post. And I know for sure now I never want to do hot yoga.
    Sweaty sock souffle? LOL!

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    1. It smelled grodie. (I really just wrote 'grodie'.)

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  34. Haha you made me laugh.
    I hate the heat so bikram yoga scares me.
    And I'm picky about my yoga. I don't want a spiritual existence. I don't want Zumba. I went to our local gym and the yoga teacher was ill so this surfer hippy dude comes in. With Incence. Oh Lord no, I think. But if I looked past the incense and shakra talk (and could silence my giggles at him saying cha, like, and other surfer lingo) I actually loved how he did yoga. Then the yoga gal came back and everyone was excited and it was packed. This has to be good, I thought. So we did the sun salutation. 30 times, in what two minutes? Downward dog, plank, cobra, as fast as you can say it. The women were giggly, botox, real housewives types and...I never went back.

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    1. I really haven't found the right yoga for me yet. The kind with the botox wives in the class is definitely not my style either.

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  35. I've done Bikram all of once... I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. I thought at first it would be the heat that bothered me, but as it turned out... that wasn't what turned me off.

    I do a lot of non-hot yoga, and I'd grown used to going to a small studio with lots of individualized attention with classes that are very responsive to the individual needs of the students in the class... and Bikram isn't like that at all. It's structured and regimented. The studio I tried it at went to was pulling something like 40 or 50 students, which is like 5 or 6 times the size of the classes I was used to taking... and the teacher was like a gay drill sargent running around in his undies... and well, the drill sargent style doesn't really do anything for me. I like my yoga a little hippy dippy to keep me from thinking that it's exercise.

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    1. You're right; it feels very non-yoga in the structure and pacing compared to what I'm used to as well. A touch of hippy dippy can be good :D

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  36. Hahaha I LOVE your pictures! I've never done hot yoga purely because I used to go to this yoga studio and when you went near the hot room, it smelled SO bad. I'd love to try it now though, it seems very popular, I would definitely be the figure in the second set of pictures though, I hate being hot...

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    1. Thanks Krista! It is worth a try if you're interested. Some people absolutely love it. I would do it again though I don't know that I will ever love it :)

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  37. Sounds awful. And, savasana is totally the end! WTF? Not that I will EVER open a hot yoga studio, but I think it should be called, "Some Like It Hot."

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    1. You should open a studio *because* of that name--it's great!

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  38. I think I would try this. Of course, I have never actually tried plain not-hot yoga in a public class before. But you definitely have convinced me not to try it two days in a row.

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  39. This sounds exactly like the wasteful torture that I imagine Bikram Yoga to be. (I hate being warm. Hot tubs, saunas, showers, Miami, I hate them all).

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    1. Definitely something to pass up if you don't like heat!

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  40. Made my way over here for the first time from Run With Kate (And how could I not stay? Love the name. :) ).

    I did my first Bikram with a 30 day cheap trial. It was HARD at first. Hot, uncomfortable, slippery, overpowering, and group-y. But, I bought the 30 day trial. So I kept going. And I actually came to like it, in this weird, twisted (ha, ha) way.

    First of all, it gets easier. Second of all, you get stronger. Third of all...all that sweating isn't as draining after awhile (and it's totally different from running sweat, I swear). Fourth of all, I definitely didn't like all the rules (I have to hold my toes a certain way?!?! Geesh.) But it definitely helped me get mentally stronger. :)

    I haven't been in awhile, and now I live in the tropics, so...daily life is sort of like Bikram? Anyway - I'd suggest giving it a few more tries, then deciding whether or not its for you. :)

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    1. Hi Holly! Thanks for coming over! And thank you for the advice. I think the biggest thing for me was that it didn't feel like yoga because of how regimented it was. But it wasn't bad. I'd go back :)

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    2. There were a few days when I'd come home, ranting a bit over "all the rules". What happened to "go with how you feel" and "listen to your body". Noooo...hold your toes! Bend your knees! Rules! Rules! Rules! I think, in that sense, I didn't find it as relaxing as other forms of yoga. Useful, and stretching, and good in lots of ways - but not exactly relaxing!

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  41. Oh my gosh. This looks like a disgusting sweaty disaster that I will most definitely pass on. I get sweaty enough just THINKING about sweating. True story...sadly. :( Erik won't hold my hand unless I threaten him because I'm always so clammy and gross. Plus I really suck at yoga... you know, from that one time I tried it in the living room watching a youtube video.

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    1. Don't feel bad--it just means your hotness cannot be contained :D

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