So, the heat. It's the most remarkable (meaning "most remarked on") part of the practice just because it's that aspect that sets it apart from other kinds of yoga and other types of exercise classes. I mean, let's face it, the only place you're going to work out in temperatures of over 100 degrees is if you're outside and somewhere warm (although I remember my capoeira master cranking up the heater in the warehouse and yelling things like "Brazil!!" on a regular basis). In those outdoor scenarios, you inevitably have other environmental factors that influence what you're doing - varying levels of humidity, hot sun, different terrain. Hot yoga is like being in a sauna, but somehow you and everyone around you are expected to be doing things...like, working out and stuff. It's this whole other thing. I've always had issues with spas and saunas because I get really bored just sitting there doing nothing. Trust me, standing on one leg like a stork and trying to lift your heart towards the front of the room while bowing yourself forward (I don't look like this) is a heck of a lot harder when it's really hot! All the studios that I've checked out are very good at explaining what to expect if you're new to hot yoga, including encouraging you to sit down if you feel dizzy, stay in the room instead of freaking out and bolting, etc...they emphasize this stuff because you will feel like bolting, and passing out, at times during the class. But staying till the end is worth it, which brings me to my next point...
I had a hard time at the beginning of class yesterday. My balance felt off, and I was low energy and a little stressed. There were at least fifty times during that class when I thought to myself, "I don't want to do this anymore. I want to go home." This is where I'm super glad that I do this in a class setting. Because I'm competitive and Type A, I was able to say firmly to myself each time I felt that way, "I know you want to quit, but you're not going to. Everyone else here is working hard at whatever level they're at, so don't be a wuss. And don't be too hard on yourself." Deep breath. Try again. It's a fabulous kind of class for us perfectionists because it's pretty much the same sequence of poses each time. You know what's coming next and you know how much time you have to work on each thing, so you can put your best effort in. I spoke with the instructor after class about my goody-two-shoes-experience, and she said, "Yeah, pretty much everyone who does hot yoga is like that." I think she's got a point...I definitely feel surrounded by my obsessive/compulsive peers as I'm dashing sweat from my forehead in frustration.
Is hot yoga for you? If you relate to the last paragraph, that's a good sign...if you want to kill people like me, then don't bother reading any more. If you're trying to lost weight, hot yoga is ridiculous...you burn between 800-900 calories in a 90-minute class. I'm not trying to drop pounds myself, so I have to eat beforehand and have a hefty snack afterwards because I'm about to gnaw my way through the polished wood in the studio by the end of class. The cardiovascular benefits of hot yoga are significant - I love this because poor heart health runs in my family, and it's great to have another way to train that doesn't involve high impact on my joints (like running or high-intensity circuit training). I was skeptical about one of the supposed benefits of the training, increased flexibility, because I wasn't convinced that the increased range of motion you get during a class when your muscles are super warm would carry over into the "normal" world. Well, I've only taken a few classes, but my muscles (once they stop being a little stiff) feel more elastic and more strong, if that makes sense.
So yup, I'm a believer...I'm thinking of sneaking in a 12pm class today, though, even though I went yesterday. It's different enough from everything I've already done (and from anything I ever saw myself enjoying) that I'm finding it influencing the way I think about exercise in general. I've been enjoying the structure of the class so much that I'm re-examining the way I plan my clients' workouts...building in more mindful routine instead of running them around to different exercises with no pattern to keep it "fun." I've bullied clients (and my husband) into doing some version of the Daily Ten program I posted about last week, and I've been doing my exercises every day. Something about the yoga just brings up this fierce fighting spirit in me and makes me want to do right by myself. It's hard to explain...maybe you should just try it for yourself!
But bring a new or bleached towel to class, because I've discovered that it's not ME that's stinking so bad by the time we get to the Bow Pose. :)
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