Trying Hot Yoga for the 1st time...

Remember: every Bikram Yoga class everywhere is the same.  Every time.  All around the world.  Really.  It’s a 90 minute class, with the same 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises. Same class.  Every time. But remember: “Hot Yoga” isn’t always the same as “Bikram Yoga.”

Lying down, completely relaxed, I can feel heat on my skin, a glow on my face, cool tunes playing in the background… no I’m not on holiday, I’m in a hot yoga class… and it’s heaven!!

So I’m going to start by being completely honest, I was a little put off the idea of hot yoga… it simply wasn’t for me. The extreme heat, sweat... goodbye downward dog, hello Bambi on ice!

However… all this changed when I made my new year´s resolutions -  I decided I will try Hot Yoga at least once in this year (2014) - and I managed to go to my first class on the 5th of January :)

I could feel the effects of the heat on my body while still being able to breathe, allowing me to move further into my asanas. It’s amazing the difference the warmth had on my practice, suddenly finding deeper stretches, twists and even more strength with ease.

The temperature resembles doing yoga under the warmth of the sun, and as I practice I am transformed to a yoga practice in India, in the conditions it was designed to be practiced in, motivating and so uplifting.

The heat, as well as allowing for a deeper exploration of my practice, definitely built up a sweat, enhancing the detoxification yoga offers. Within just two classes I noticed my body changing, losing a bit of weight and also felt my muscles were more defined.

With the darker mornings and colder winter days, just an hour or so in a warm space was completely revitalizing and refreshing. I often have very early starts and late nights, so it was a real boost to my day, providing a spring in my step after class and leaving me with a sense of having had a cosy little treat!

In each practice I found a deep sense of calm through moving in the heat and sweating out not just toxins from the body, but mentally too. After my classes I felt lighter and definitely brighter. Of course all yoga practices leave us feeling wonderful, however for me these feelings seemed enhanced by the heat and stayed with me for longer… it really did feel like a mini holiday!

Benefits of Hot Yoga include:

• Increased flexibility
• Increased strength
• Detoxification & purification
• Weight Loss
• Deepening of asana practice
• Clarity of mind
• Connection to the breath
• Calm state of being
• Toning of muscles
• Healing the mind & body
• Stimulation of metabolism
• Positive state of mind

For Class you’ll need:

• Yoga clothes (shorts and a croptop if you’re brave; leggings and a singlet if you’re not.  Try to avoid cotton – it gets soaked in sweat and weighs you down/chafes the skin.  Overly baggy apparel may result in unintentional “overexposure.”  Lycra and “breathable” fabrics are your friends)
  • A yoga mat
  • A bath towel (Not a beach towel (too big) or a hand towel (too small).  Just a regular sized bath towel)
  • A water bottle 
  • Hair elastics/bobby pins/headband (anything to keep your hair out of your face.  If you have long hair, try a few different positions for ponytails/buns beforehand – you want something that’ll still be comfortable when you’re lying on your back AND when you’re lying on your stomach with your head sideways/cheek on the floor.  I found two braids works well; others prefer a very low or very high bun)
  • A plastic bag (for stinky sweaty stuff.  There will be stinky sweaty stuff)
  • A change of clothes for after class (everything.  Including underwear.  Trust me on this)
• Optional extras include:
  
  • A second towel (for a shower after class)
  • Toiletries (most studios provide a shampoo/conditioner/body wash hybrid liquid.  You may prefer to bring your own stuff)
  • A cloth to clean your mat (most studios provide a cleaning spray, but a hot damp cloth works in a pinch)
  • A hairdryer/comb/brush/whatever (some studios doesn’t provide hairdryers.  Some do.  Check the website to make sure, or bring yours just in case)
  • Deodorant (for after your post-class shower.  Don’t use it before class.  It will do nothing)
• Pay attention to food and drink before class.  Here are the generally accepted guidelines:
  • Drink LOTS of water throughout the day
  • No food for three hours before class (bending and twisting with a pound of lasagna in your tummy kind of sucks ass)
  • No drinks for two hours before class (otherwise you’ll have to pee halfway through)
  • Try not to eat a big greasy meal that day (it won’t kill you, but it won’t make class super fun, either)
• Check out your chosen studio’s website.  They’ll usually have an FAQ or “Beginners” section. 
• Double-check the address.  Find it on google maps.  Make sure you know exactly where it is.

  If you would like to see and try out a dedicated hot yoga studio, with a spacious studio room, professional heating system, male and female changing and shower facilities, and a welcoming reception area, there is a space where you can reconnect and heal your body and mind not far from Luton - I highly recommend to try the Feel Hot Yoga St. Albans and Watford.
Feel Hot Yoga 

 (So far - from Sunday 5/1/2014, I´ve been there 4 times. Each class was different and all of them were FANTASTIC! To tell you the truth, I liked yesterday´s class  the most - Hot Hatha Meditation that lasted 100mins - I loved all the poses, we had a really nice meditation at the end and also, we had a little chat with others with a cup of yogi tea :) )