|
Almost an Extreme Sport, In Time for Summer Fitness
So, once a week, I go to yoga class. And, inevitably the next day I ache and complain and tell anyone who will listen, "I didn't even know that muscle existed!!" Having been an athlete for a long time, I can tell you that this is one of the most intense workouts I've ever had.
The recommended minimum temperature is 105F and about 40% humidity. However, I can attest that I've been in rooms that were much hotter than 105F and a lot more humid than 40%. According to Bikram Yoga, the heat helps keep the body from overheating, protects the muscles, detoxifies the body, thins the blood to clear the circulatory system, increases heart rate for your cardio workout, reorganizes the fat in your muscle structure, and puts muscle tissue in optimal state.
Bikram Yoga is a series of 26 poses, each pose held for about a minute. You do each pose twice. They have beginner classes, but you can definitely modify each pose for your level of strength and flexibility. The first half is standing up, and the second half is on the floor. The instructors have always said the most important thing is to stay in the room the entire time with your eyes open!
At first, I spent a lot of time sitting on my mat watching myself breathe. I would recommend bringing a huge 35-ounce (or more) bottle of water. You should be well hydrated before class and drink a lot of water during the process. Make sure you eat well before, but not immediately before class. And, bring a complete change of clothes - fresh bra and underwear too! You will walk out of class looking like you just took a shower. And, if you like just wearing a sportsbra, do not wear a white one! That was my mistake last week and midway through the workout, I realized "oh, that's why it’s a white t-shirt used for contests..."
I go to a studio on the Upper West Side, in Manhattan, on 72nd Street between Amsterdam and Columbus. Everyone's really nice. The locker room is a little tight, but they give you free locks for the lockers, so that's nice. Beware, for the more prudish among you, everyone just gets naked and keeps it moving in the locker room. Of course you can change in a separate bathroom if this bothers you. And of course there are yoga studios all around the world, although not all practice like Bikram.
So, try it. I promise you that you'll get an amazing workout. Namaste.
Sources: http://www.bikramyoga.com
 |
Subscribe to this comment's feed
