My friend Kara and I decided to give it a shot. Now Kara is insanely gorgeous and hardcore work-out-aholic. For example, I'm writing you this post from my bed and she is running some Miami Marathon...as we speak. So Kara ended up going to Bikram first and she said it was kind of "boring." Now Kara and I do an intense cycling workout together, so I know the "up-beatness" she is used to and the awesome music our Cycling studio plays, so I thought okay okay I'm going to assume boring to Kara means very do-able for me. (Please excuse all the words I am making up today.)
So I plan on going at 4pm Saturday the 28th. I talk to my girlfriend Hilary she tells me to make sure to drink a ton of water, go to the bathroom before (thank you for this one!) and try not to sit under a heater (wait, what? Under a heater?!). Now I'm getting a bit nervous...
I sign in and the super nice lady at the front desk tells me since I am new she recommends placing myself in the third or fourth row, so I can see others for examples since the instructor talks you through it. Interesting. No problem.
Now I walk around the corner. Picture me: Yoga pants, long tank, and zip up sweatshirt.
Everyone else:
via
Yes you saw that right...speedo type things. Wow. I couldn't help but notice there were several couples in the class together. Could you imagine K doing this? Oh gosh no. He would have walked before we even set up our mats.
I walk into the "Practice Room" and BAM it is hotter than a sauna in there! I knew it was going to be hot, but I guess I didn't think of a Sauna environment. So I get situated in the third row. This class was packed so we were pretty close. And then you just lay down until they are ready to start. Lights are off. The guy next to me said for my first time, the goal should be to just breathe and stay in the room. WHAT? That is the goal? What did I just get myself into?
So I lay down.....and what do I see above me?! HEATER.
Now the only other time I have seen anything like this I am jumping up and down for joy because I am at a football game freezing my butt off and they have these wonderful creations on the concourse.....NOT in a Yoga room. I'm in trouble.
We begin and I start sweating immediately. But so is everyone else. I do have to give the ventilation system some kudos because it didn't smell in there. (Thank God.) First half of the class is standing, Second half of the class is on the floor. During that transition the instructor guy, who non-stop talks by the way, turns on the ceiling fans. Glorious. Not that it was cool, because he was just moving around super warm air, but just the thought of a fan perked me up. So we had the fans on through one pose.
Then the little instructor guy walks over and shuts them off. As I watch him, I think this guy has the evil power to do such a thing! No Fans For You.
I'm so ready for this class to be over. There is no music to keep my mind off how hot I am. I can't tell you how many songs I sang to myself in my head. I'm going to call that "My Inner Chi"
And the last straw that almost had me up and running...was we were doing some airplane pose towards the end, so the most sweat you could possible imagine surrounds me, and airplane pose? No room between people. So Mr. Instructor says "Do not worry about touching your neighbor" Um hell no. Do not touch me! And sadly enough I think the guy next to me could read my facial expression because he just laughed. ha!
That was mostly negative, sorry. I don't think Bikram Yoga is going to be my thing. The studio was super cute and chic...people were nice, but it probably won't be on my go-to exercise list.
However....that darn Groupon does have 9 more classes on it...
13 comments:
Hah, I love this post. I've been wanting to try hot yoga, but I hate feeling confined and sweaty with strangers. I might have to pass. ;)
Happy Sunday!
So funny. I wouldn't have even stayed...so major kudos to you!
"Oh, hell no. Don't touch me." YES! I love this. I've been asked to do Hot Yoga with friends before. I'm glad I said no. Doesn't sound like it's for me. I sweat like a cow on a normal day, I don't need to add heaters to that mix ;) :) You had me laughing out loud.
lol sounds very intense! I've always wanted to try it but I am slightly intimidated :S Good on you for trying it!! :)
This makes me a little scared because I signed up for a hot yoga class with 10 sessions! Hopefully there will be more space between people at the studio I go to...
I've known several people who like Bikram yoga...Just the thought of it makes me miserable! Good for you for trying!
I had the same experience when I started Bikram - everyone had FAR less clothing than I did! I do really love it, but I prefer hot yoga that is around 80-90 degrees instead.
Reading this post literally made me laugh out loud! I definitely think you should keep going -- the first class is always tough AND the size of class ALWAYS varies throughout the week -- I think it's safe to say the later classes, particularly the ones on weekends will always be packed!
Give it another go, wear the skimpiest workout attire you have, and don't forget your towel & water:)
PS: there is hot yoga -- it's not bikram, just a type of yoga infused w/heat. You might want to try that if you're super over bikram by the 10th class!
Ha, OMG. I never thought about any of this! I have wanted to try hot yoga and maybe eventually I will but you just re-confirmed all my reasons for why I haven't, yet!
Oh I just dont know if I could do hot yoga. I always seem to get so hot just in regular yoga and hate it. I laughed out loud when you mentioned your groupon.....I have so been there before! Erica
O my word! Props to u for even staying! I would have been gone in the first 10 mins.
I tried so hard to get into Bikram yoga because it seemed like the "it" thing. My first time I didn't meet the goal of finishing. I had to leave because I thought I was going to pass out. Unfortunately our studio did not have the ventilation because it smelled :( I did try a second time and managed to stay though the whole class, but decided as hard as I tried, Bikram yoga just isn't for me either. I love this post!
xo-Leah
Oh, that sucks that your experience wasn't great. My first one wasn't wonderful either, but I had a groupon so kept going. I have since fallen absolutely IN LOVE with it. I like going to the early morning classes because they have so many less people. Give it another shot at a different time (weekends are the WORST), and maybe it'll grow on you too!
Post a Comment