Today was my first day to try Bikram Yoga! Yay! semi sarcastic yay. I recently lost 10 pounds and needed to start working out to tone up. Thank goodness I found LivingSocial coupon for 20 sessions because those classes are crazy expensive!
Sunday I had texted my old running partner Mary-Kate for tips cause shes all into this hot yoga stuff. Her tips: Get and stay very hydrated, don't go on a full stomach and don't wear cotton because it will weigh you down. Got it!
Arrive at 9:10am. Class doesn't start until 9:30 so I finish up some emails and then go in because I'm sure they have to explain "the process" to me. Cat chillin' on the counter is cute...comes over for some head scratches and then licks my fingers... dang he has some HUGE FANGS!
Perky girl behind the counter: Hi! Are you new?! Have you taken a Bee-Krim (thats how it sounded to me!) class before? Well, this is what they do.....mwah, mwah mwah mwah mwah. (think Charlie Browns Teacher). Ready?!
Me: Sure!
Drop off flip flops, bag & phone at my cubbie and proceed into the oven early. Hey, I figured if I went in early, I'd get acclimated to the heat.....yehhhhh.
People start filing in, setting up their mats, towels and water close at hand. Some stretching, some sitting up in an OM position, possibly meditating and others lying on their backs like they're taking a nap. Good idea!
I lie down because thats what the girl next to me is doing and shes fit and seems to have done this before.
Our instructor comes in...very fit younger girl with a belly piercing (washboard abs mind you) and says, "I see we have a new person in our class!"
-Groan- I selected a spot at the back of the class so I could blend in! Now everyone will be stealing a peek at me now and again throughout class to see how the newbie is doing. Grrr
She explains some of the different breathing (sounds like a bad porno...not that I know what that sounds like! Just a guess....) and the different phases of class and when we can take a water break.
So we begin with our standing poses and I'm doing okay! But then the heat sets in and I swear I'm right under a freaking vent. Gah!
Picture 1 is the list of poses we did in class:
Picture 2 is how I felt until the floor work. A couple of times I was sure SOMETHING was going to come out although not sure which end. Eeeek! During the 5th standing pose the heat was REALLY getting to me and the instructor must have seen the "I'm gonna hurl" look on my face because she came over and whispered, "you can take a knee if you need to". I took a knee, then 2 knees, then my butt on the floor, back up standing, bent over with hands on the knees and then talked myself down from totally blowing chunks...because you know, vomiting in a super hot room has got to be worse than vomiting in any other situation. But by the time we get to the floor work, I'm feeling much better.
ME
When class was over, a really nice girl named Jennifer came over and offered congratulations! :D Chatted about running and yoga and stuff. Then the instructor stopped by said I did really well! Her first time she had to leave the room to go throw up and then went back in to finish the class. Also, the first class is ALWAYS the hardest because you really don't know what to expect.
I have a competitive streak...especially with myself so leaving the room wasn't an option and I wasn't about to puke in front of total strangers! :D I'm a toughie!
Looking forward to finishing my remaining 19 sessions!
