Yoga

Monday Bikram Yoga Class is a Killer

Hot Off The Mat Class Experiences , , ,

Do you find Monday classes to be more difficult? I often do. My practice is usually limited to weekdays with my weekends filled with other activities (i.e. kids’ activities, errands, hiking, golf).  In my mind, I look forward to returning to Bikram on Mondays, but my body sometimes betrays me.  At the start of class I feel unusually stiff, creaky, and tight.  I take it slow, breathing deeply in the initial breathing exercise, letting the yoga do its magic to relax the body and work out the kinks from the weekend.

This Monday was no different.  I had played golf over the weekend so I was perhaps a little more sore than usual, especially in my lower back.  The breathing exercise helped, but I still felt tight heading into all four parts of half moon.  Second set was noticeably better. It took the full warmup to loosen things up, but the yoga worked its magic and my body was righting itself.

One of the my favorite things about Bikram yoga is that the sequence is the same every time.  It doesn’t matter the day of the week, the teacher, the geographic location – the class is that same.  I find this very reassuring, especially on days where I am stiffer than normal heading to class.  I trust the yoga and the experience, knowing that that while my body feels one way now, it will feel better by the end of class.  I can’t wait until Tuesday.

Does your practice change depending on the day of the week?

My First Bikram Yoga Class

Hot Off The Mat Class Experiences, First Class , , ,

I will never forget my first class. Having never done a yoga class, let alone a Bikram Yoga class, I decided to look the part so I had on yoga pants, a workout tank and a t-shirt.  I felt very resourceful as well, having brought my own water bottle with me.  I arrived 20 minutes early to fill out paperwork and meet the teacher, Chris.   He was exactly what a yoga teacher looked like in my eye – svelte, calm, in control.  I felt strong, confident, ready.  But then he began to talk.  “Your goal for the class is to just stay in the room,”  he said.  “Oh, and you’ll need some more water,” he mentioned noticing my half drunk small bottle of water.  Now I was nervous.  If that was really my only goal, then this was going to be harder than I thought….

I set up in the back row in what I was told would be a cool spot.  The teacher was a popular one so the class was crowded.  I looked around the room and saw men and women of all ages, shapes, sizes and body types.  Nice.  The room was hot, very hot.  I was already in a sweat.  I took off my t-shirt.

The class began and I followed along as best as I could.  My shoulders ached from the breathing exercise, the sweat was running into my eyes, my legs were shaking, but still, I kept at it.  Chris explained everything so clearly and the monologue was so calming, that I just focused on his voice and did my best.  By the time we got to the floor series, I was thanking the yoga gods (and Chris!) that I had brought in more than my small bottle of water!

I attempted every posture – attempted being the operative word.  By the end of class, I was spent.  I had given all that I had and was a puddle of mush on my mat.  But I had done it.  I felt exhausted, but exhilarated.  I felt crazy, but calm.  I went home and cried from the sheer exhaustion and effort of it, but then began to feel empowered.  I had done it, and I was going back for more.

Fellow yogis, how was your first class?

Welcome to Hot Off The Mat – A Bikram Yoga Blog

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Hello and welcome to Hot Off The Mat, my new blog about Bikram Yoga.  I have practiced regularly since February 2010 and it has changed everything.  I have more energy, a leaner and meaner physique and greater mental clarity.  If for some reason, I have not been to class in a while, my children often remind me to go — even they can see the difference in my attitude.

I began practicing almost by accident.  I had recently left my job and was looking to get back into shape, but was unwilling to walk too far to get to a workout place.  There was a Bikram Yoga place 3 blocks away (I live in NYC) so I thought I would give it a try.  I walked in just to take a look and was overwhelmed by the smell of sweat and dripping bodies.  As a germaphobe, I thought there was no way this was for me, but somehow I ended up back there the next day for a trial week.  My first class was a challenge to say the least, but my teacher took such good care of me and the other students were so encouraging, that despite my sore and aching body, I decided to come back.  And as they say, the rest is history.

Fellow yogis, how did you start practicing?