Is taking your spouse to Bikram yoga good for your marriage? I think so! I had been practicing for a little over 2 years when I first starting thinking about taking my husband to class. He was always complaining about his back hurting and his stress level and commenting on how I seemed much more relaxed and less achy since I started a regular Bikram yoga practice.

I had shown him some of the postures, especially when I first started, and he always laughed that he could never get his body to do any of them. I told him it didn’t matter, as long as he tried the right way, he would get 100% of the benefits. He chuckled at that, but I guess it got him thinking.

Because the next time we were on vacation and a Bikram studio was nearby, he suggested that he come with me to class to try it out. I almost fell off my chair, and of course our kids were hysterical at the idea. But he insisted, so off we went to class together. He didn’t know what to wear, but we settled on some workout shorts and a shirt that he would remove in the class. On the way to the studio, I warned him to take it a little easy so he wouldn’t wipe himself out and be too exhausted for all the activities we had planned for the rest of the trip. In hindsight, I guess I could have been a little more encouraging….

When we got to class, we set up next to each other in the back row, so he could see the postures in addition to hearing the dialogue. He could not do any of the postures well (of course!), but he tried every asana and gave his best effort to listen and stay focused despite the heat. I don’t think he even sat out any of the postures that first class. Maybe he was just trying to be macho, but even so, I was impressed with his attitude and resilience. And I think he was impressed with the fruits of my hard work in class over the past two years. It was a great opportunity to remind ourselves of what we had liked about each other in the first place, and to see it in action.

After class, he was pretty tired, but like I always do, he got a burst of energy about an hour after class. He even went back to class with me two days later! A successful convert, I thought, but, alas, I had spoken too soon. Once we were back at home, he was not able to find the time to go. I understand it is hard to fit in a daily 90 minute class given his stressful job, demanding wife and two young kids. But I am encouraged that he continues to go to class with me on vacations, which we both always enjoy. I am now working on getting him to go with me on the weekends…

Sharing something you love with someone you love is always a good thing. While he may not be a regular practitioner (yet!), I am priming the pump for our retirement years. Plus, now he can understand and laugh at some of my crazy Bikram yoga stories, and when I tell him somebody tried to walk into class after Eagle pose, he can be suitably horrified!

Readers, have you ever brought a spouse or close friend to class?