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 :) )
