I've been working out a lot recently and I haven't been blogging. (This kind of feel like a confession, eh?) I'm not sure where my blogging-mojo went, but it's completely gone at the moment. Here's a little of what's happened: I did a big project for the school my girls go to, some of our family visited so we were busy with company, and as I mentioned in the opening, I've been working out more than usual. I'll be talking mostly about working out, today.
What inspired me to post today was that I feel the need to share that I tried Bikram Yoga on Tuesday! A few years back, when I first heard about Bikram, I thought NO WAY, NEVER. The Bikram format is a 90-minute yoga class in a 105 degree room. I don't really like yoga* and I don't like heat. So what made me change my mind and try it? A new friend who does it made Bikram sound appealing. (Friends can be very important and powerful influences in our lives!)
A little history, I love to work out. I'm a Zumba girl, a hip-hop girl, and a tap dancer. I do Pilates to keep myself strong and flexible; I like Pilates but I don't love it. I also do a weight (toning and strength) class about once a week. I wouldn't do weights or Pilates if they weren't necessary, but they are necessary so I can be strong enough to do the things I love and not get hurt. I got hurt a few years back and I made a decision to make sure I was strong enough to prevent any further injury! Since I do weights and Pilates every week, they are now part of my routine. I do feel good and I am stronger. When I miss a workout, I don't feel as good. That gives me incentive to keep doing them even though I don't love weights and Pilates.
Okay, back to the Bikram Experience on Tuesday. My goal for my first class was to survive. I'm in pretty good shape (I typically do 5-8 workouts a week), but I was still worried. The heat had me most concerned. I don't even like to Zumba in a hot room, and I love Zumba. Given how I feel about yoga, I was worried that with the heat, I'd need to leave the room. I had to really mentally prepare myself for the heat. I was drenched with sweat within the first 5 minutes of class--perhaps even sooner, but I stuck it out.
So what does one do to prepare to go into a 105 degrees for 1.5 hours? I asked my friend who took me to the class; she recommended drinking coconut water and lots of water before the class. I drank a lot of water the two days before and some coconut water. (I was pleasantly surprised to learn that coconut water is tasty--I don't like coconut! It tastes nothing like coconut.) I like salt, so I also gave myself permission to eat some salty things the day before figuring I was going to go sweat all the salt out in that class! I ate my normal breakfast before class. The class was at noon so I also had a light snack around 10 am. I wore the closest thing I have to yoga attire (a yoga skirt and a work out top).
I am so glad I went with my friend. She introduced us to the the teacher and she knew the ropes. I would have been too intimidated to go on my own. During class, I learned that when you sweat so much you are very slippery. There were some moves that I couldn't do because I kept slipping out of my own grip. I also learned that for me, the challenge wasn't the flexibility part--I'm very flexible--but the challenge was the balance and strength part. I also learned that they tell you to LOCK your knee in Bikram. This goes against all the training I've had for my entire life and was very hard for me. I felt a little light headed on a couple of the poses, but not too bad. I did (or tried to do) everything. At the end of class, I felt very cleansed (from all the sweating), but I felt good. I was especially pleased I had lived to tell about it!
I will go back. Bikram doesn't work in super well to my schedule. I already have a lot of classes I love, but I'll make it work once or twice a week at least for this month. (The studio has a great trial membership.) They have a family "warm, not hot," class and I'll try that it with my girls next Saturday. I imagine we'll love warm, not hot, yoga next winter!
*I want to like yoga. I just haven't enjoyed it that much.
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