After years of judging this style of yoga an opportunity to presented itself for me to take 1 month of hot yoga for only $20. This was a new studio that offered both Power Vinyasa as well as Hatha classes. The hatha classes seemed pretty close if not exactly like what I have read about bikrams sequences and style. The power vinyasa had some of the hatha influence but with sun sals, some arm balances and a more diverse flow. The room was at least 108 every class and sometimes felt like more or less due to humidity. I stayed on the cooler (supposedly) side but honestly it was all so hot and uncomfortable.
The first week of classes I just went through the motions. Show up, bring water, bring extra hand/face towel for wiping the sweat from my eyes and of course my mat which is the prAna Synergy Towel Mat. Sweat my balls (or whatever the female version of that phrase is) off!
Taken hot yoga was like taking my first yoga classes... I thought the same 2 things every class...
"How did I get myself into this?" and "I can't believe I am doing this!"
After a week of this hot yoga agony I realized some truths...
1. Hot yoga really taught me to let go in the moment... I was hoping that it would help me forgive and let go of some traumas that I am still working on but NO such luck... not yet at least
2.
Many believe Hot Yoga is the bee's knees for these reasons:
1. the fat just melts off their body
2. where they live it is cold and it feel's so good to be warm
3. they don't feel like they are getting a workout unless they are sweating
4. it's closer to what it would be like doing yoga in India
5. cleansing properties
6. i feel more flexible
7. everything is better when its moist... haha! I made that one up! ;)
Arguments against Hot Yoga:
1. practicing in such a harsh environment can dump too many toxins into ones system at once and can cause organ failure
2. can destabilize joints due to heat warming up the softer tissues (muscles) before the inflexible tissues (ligaments)
3. when you are sweaty all over you tend to slide making it difficult to hold alignment
4. heat can cause dizziness and goes against cultivating focus
5. even metal will bend if it is hot enough
6. the heat inhibits ones ability to expand ones postural vocabulary because they are too difficult to practice in extreme heat
7. the term 'locking out knees' without explanation sounds like 'hyper-extend your knees' which causes the base of the patella to rub and reduce the healthy cartilage in ones knee\
8. only 26 poses
9. same sequence every class boring!
10. why so serious?
11. what's with the "pull pull pull"
12. I could probably go on and on.... BUT I believe if you are going to poke fun at something you should say you have at least given it a try first... otherwise you are being ignorant!
So I set out for some new Hot Yoga Comedy material and signed up at this Hot Yoga Studio close to my house that just happened to be offering a $20/month special. 30 days should give me a great sense of what the world of Hot Yoga really is all about... Are there any benefits that can out weigh the disadvantages?
I began my attendance on February 16th and with only 8 days left here is where I am at with my
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