Hot Yoga. Bikram. Yoga in a sweat box. As one who is a) not flexible or graceful and b) not fond of extreme hot temperatures (read: hate Summer) I was surprised as you may be to read that I went and partook in a hot yoga class. Even more surprising: I liked it.
I had said to friend K (an advocate of Bikram) that we "should definitely try a class together sometime," the way you say it to an old school friend but both know you never really have the intention of catching up. However, K held me to it and there we were standing with about 40 others in a 30+ degree room ready to receive the benefits of a 90 min hot yoga session.
You can opt for a 60 min express class and for $25 for a 7 day unlimited pass it is a pretty sweet way to test the waters before making a commitment.
As a first timer I was made feel 100% at home, and although there wasn't one-on-one attention given to newbies due to the sheer number of yogis in the room, I never once felt unsupported or at a loss of what I should be doing. The moves are simple enough and our instructor, Regina, was right - the majority of issues are in the mind. The mind gives up before the body. I flit between attempting each move, realising my flexibility is crud and watching in awe the people in front of me whose limbs seem to be like a bendy doll you had as a kid.
The 90 mins goes by surprisingly fast (so do the waves of nausea and dizziness) and by the end of the class you've sweated more than you'll ever sweat in your life. Go into this with no expectations - you may dislike it, you may not.
A few tips that my first class taught me:
1. Set the simplest goal: stay in the room. That, as your instructor will guide you, is your only goal. Getting your body used to the heat is the biggest challenge.
2. Take a beach towel. Trust me. You'll need it to cover the entire surface of your yoga mat and you'll sweat enough to need it.
3.Go at your own pace and do your best to not compare yourself to those around you.
4.Give it a go - the worst that happens is you sit there and wait for the next move.
Walking into Bonfire felt unlike any other exercise venue I've been to. It didn't feel like a gym, nor did it feel like a place where if you weren't wearing the latest Lorna Jane range you were an outcast. It was definitely worth the experience and I'd recommend it to anyone with a little curiosity about hot yoga. Oh, and the smoothie at the end - delicious! read more