Thursday, November 17, 2011

Yoga Update



Hot Yoga is not for me but I love yoga. Hot Yoga is specifically Bikram Yoga which is a version of yoga that has been synthesized from  Hatha yoga by Bikram Choudhury. It is traditionally done in a room that is 105 degrees with 40% humidity. I tried it three times and I determined the following...(for myself only some people may take to it quickly)

  • The poses are very advanced for a beginner.
  • The poses are done at a very high transition rate that does not lend itself well to beginners.
  • The temperature of the room does help you get more flexible but it can also aggravate other health issues. So you have to be careful and very in tune with your body.
  • The way it was taught the instructor did not interact too much with the students so at times I felt like I was unsure of what I was doing without any guidance to fix it. And that I was in danger of getting into poses incorrectly and possibly injuring myself.
 I need a slower, cooler, more hands on instruction to start out. I signed up at another yoga studio for a Yoga 101 class that is a very slow, hands-on class led by a delightful instructor who encourages contemplative movement and intentional flow. I LOVE it!! It is a 6-week series so I'm enjoying the gradual increase. It is much more relaxing for me.


1 comments:

Becca said...

Me EITHER! I'm way too clausterphobic and I don't do anything where I can't crack the windows or just be outside entirely. I joined an old lady ("Gentle") yoga class years ago and LOVE it. I joined with the intention of moving up to a more advanced class. It has a lot of meditation and slow movement, and I so love my teacher. If I want to sweat, I'll run :)