The set up
Motivated by an article I read before going to bed last night, I made yet another attempt to start a regular yoga practice, with the idea being, "Just do it" - like, quit making excuses and just do it.
I used the voucher for Bikram yoga I got back last March. This particular studio holds classes all day, so I opted for one about midmorning, assuming it would be not as crowded as others. I heard mixed reviews about the studio, particularly complaining about the smell. Being a Bikram vet of sorts, I have come to expect a certain amount of ... environment from a hot yoga studio. It sort of comes with the territory. But who really wants to get naked and spend 90 minutes in a fetid humid sweat box that smells? So I was a little apprehensive, but I had my motivational motto, and repeated it to myself:
"Get in the car, drive to the studio, unfurl your mat, and lie down."
The motto helped, for it got me there, in time for the 10am class. Pathetic to say, it's not as easy as it sounds. The Monkey Mind, mental monsters, whatever you want to call them, have a hell of a way of tripping me up when I'm not watching.
The studio
The studio was a bit hard to find, as I was used to studios with large & flashy, or at least noticeable, signage. This was in the back of a business park, and really not that obvious. But once there, parking was ample (unlike my last attempt at doing a Bikram class, where the parking was full and so frustrating I ended up leaving, when I could have used the yoga class the most!). I walk in, and am greeted warmly by the receptionist - good so far. The lobby was huge, and I appreciated the thought put into the dressing room locations, with the men's and women's quite separated from one another. Since the doors to the somewhat small women's dressing rooms are merely curtains, its nice to know that I don't have to worry about staying far away from the door, especially maneuvering between classes, with zombie-like, sweaty yogis stumbling in and out of the area. Two showers, plenty of cubby holes for my stuff, but the usual lacking in benches for changing. Many people were wearing flip flops, made me wonder exactly how nasty the floors get. Are they just paranoid, or is there something to be concerned about?
The yoga room itself - plenty big. Two of the walls were mirrored, a nice touch. One wall was solid, and the remaining wall was all windows, but facing a rock wall, so you get a sense of being outdoors and natural lighting without sacrificing privacy. Again, very nice touch for whomever laid the studio out. The floors were apparently new, apparently in response to the many complaints about the smell. It is some kind of new carpeting, that looks like carpet but is made for many people sweating on it throughout the day. I know because there were signs posted all over the studio bragging about this new sweat-resistant carpet.
And as for the smell? Not an issue. This being the third class of the day, in a row, I was not at all disgusted by the room. The heat was moderate, just enough, and the smell was absent. Good update for those other reviewers.
The teacher was adequate enough, not personal at all, called no one by name, and barely deviated from the standard Bikram script. But otherwise, she seemed friendly enough, just sort of gym aerobics instructor like. She is tolerable, though I would want some variety and I would not be happy having only her as my teacher.
My actual class
Of all the years I have taken Bikram, and of all the classes I have taken, and of all the starts and stops I have made, I was still surprised that this could be the worst class I have ever had. I knew I came in really stiff, flabby from the holidays, and no exercise hardly at all since leaving my on-the-feet-all-day job two months ago. But my god! I was so incredibly stiff from the get go. I made it a point for this class to not try so hard, just to make it through the class. But still, i was stiff, inflexible, and weak. Oh so weak. I can hardly believe i was so out of shape. I made it through all the postures until the warrior. I sat that one out. Got up and did the swan dive one, then sat out the next, the triangle pose. As I was sitting (SITTING, mind you, not standing), I was getting more and more dizzy and faint. My hearing started to muffle up, my arms were tingling all the way down to my finger tips. I had to keep telling myself that it was going to be fine, because I thought I was not. What could I do? I probably could not even stand up to get out of the room. I was impressed that I did not faint.
Eventually the dizziness subsided, as I sat out the remaining standing postures. After that, the practice was fine. With most of it on the floor anyway. And I felt stronger after that. Odd.
It is so interesting to me to see how much my body changes, especially in weakness. I stand back and laugh at myself. No hiding in Bikram. So I plan to go tomorrow, just do it. Just get myself up, out of the house, into the car and go. Tomorrow should be interesting also.
* post was written on January 26
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