Hot Yoga. Love it!

I love Hot Yoga


It’s actually called Bikram Yoga and I’m hooked on it in a totally self-indulgent, masochistic kind of way. Bikram Yoga (www.bikramyogalexingtonky.com) is yoga done in a 105 degree room. Really, it is 105 degrees in the room. It’s cool, I mean hot, and you meditate quietly on your towel and mat for 10 minutes before class begins so you have a nice sheen of perspiration right from the start.

I’ve been twice so pretty much that should qualify me as an expert now. Yoga is one of those things that has seemed so simple in concept to me that I’ve convinced myself for some time now that I do “yoga”. I realize that having done Yoga on my Wii Fit and with a video doesn’t really count. But, I’ve meant to do yoga at any rate! Growing up I did gymnastics, I could do the splits, I could do handsprings and back bends and walkovers. I mean, how hard could yoga be if used to be able to do that stuff?

Did I mention how humbling Bikram Yoga is? And I’m pretty sure it wasn’t even the 105 degrees that made it so challenging. It might be the fact that I can’t do handsprings and the splits any more. I can still touch my toes but the more I run these days the farther my toes seem to get. It could also be that I’m getting old but I prefer to think it’s the running that makes me stiffer. I even had to stop and kneel on my mat for a little while during that first class and concentrate on not throwing up. I wasn’t alone though which was some comfort. When the instructor said the most important goal for the first class is to stay in the room for the full 90 minutes, I thought she was kidding. I stayed in though! Class 2 on Monday – huge improvement in my stamina but incredibly intense nonetheless.

If you want to try Bikram Yoga for the first time keep these tips in mind. Don’t get in the front of the class—yeah I really didn’t mean to do that but apparently people point their heads to the front not the back of the room when they lay down to meditate. Who knew? Also, don’t get by the actual heaters…common sense would tell you that it’s hotter by the heater. Apparently, some people’s common sense melts at the door. In addition, I’ve learned you don’t have to be in Lexington to try Bikram Yoga. There are Bikram Yoga Studios in all kinds of places – Mt. Pleasant, SC , Germany and even in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn. How about that!?!

Now, go get bendy and sweaty…it’s good for you.