Hot Yoga

"Pain, dizziness, nauseousness...these are perfectly normal," were the instructor's words.

I had the distinct feeling they were not just her words but the philosophy of her training in Bikram yoga. She had been indoctrinated and now I was being so. In a 105 degree, 40% humidity room. I'd wanted to try it ever since I learned about this strand of yoga (yes, as in viral). Limited to the actual franchise, if you want the real thing you have to live somewhere other than Central Iowa.

A visit to Minneapolis finally got me to class. A friend and colleague suggested we do something fun if I was to make it to the city before a meeting we'd arranged the next day at noon. My idea of fun- so you could say I asked for it. He suggested I bring a yoga mat and he'd supply the towels. I had the mat; the idea of towels scared me.

As it should. Turns out everyone in class is allowed one in the room - to cover your yoga mat. You soon find out why. The second is because everyone rinses off to cool down after; by necessity not choice.
You sign the waiver with instructions to please not leave the room during the 90 minutes of class. No, its better for your body to remain in the hot room and acclimate. In short, suck it up. Of course, even now I'm still thinking...I'm training for an Ironman. I'm a registered yoga teacher of 200 hour training. I practice regularly.
My friend Mark smiled slyly when I mentioned this. I get it now.

After 10 minutes of class I was dripping, beads of water on my exposed skin, the rest clinging to me in the form of my yoga top and too long tights. Down dog meant water running into my nose.
The diligent instructor used my name and regularly directed a cue at me. "Debra, nice job." "You can straighten that knee, Debra." "Debra, you've done yoga before?" You can't run and you can't hide.
Forty five minutes into class I'm relieved to think she's going to wrap up early- great! I've had a good class, plenty of information about the whole Bikram thing. Not so much, she's just relocating us to more floor work. Not any easier. By now the 26 poses, repeated twice through for 90 minutes was clearly not going to end before 8:30 pm. Floor work did not get any easier. By now I'd lost buckets of water, and though I continued to drink, also continued to rest more than I posed. As I lay on the mat resting between poses per her instruction I chuckled to myself that I'd asked for this. Normal people were sipping a cocktail at some street side patio and people watching.
My stomach was in knots as if I were in the midst of a cleanse. Whatever I'd eaten that had been less than clean my body was saying, don't do that again. Somewhere between 7:45 and 8:05pm I looked down and noticed the nail polish was melting off my nails. A sign! As both hilarious and frightening as that was I knew I wasn't going anywhere! At 8:05 I remember thinking, OK, I'm sorry! I asked for this! At 8:15 I made my mind up I was not going to leave early, nope, I was sticking it out, even though I was resting at least as much as I was performing poses.

After class, somehow we made it out the door and melted into the benches and chairs in the lobby area. There we sat/slumped recovering. One woman had just completed day 30 of a 30 day challenge- it was June 30. Mark relayed that sometimes he'll do 3 classes in 24 hours- a 7pm, 6am and then another at 7pm. All I could think of to say was "why?"

But I already knew. It was incredibly challenging, a test of endurance and focus, and energy management. It was incredibly cleansing- in fact for about two days, but I felt somehow transformed even with one class. Though out of the realm of true yoga spirit and crossing the line to vendetta- I wanted to return- I want to survive the entire class better than I had this time. I've already decided I'll be back before fall is over.

I didn't practice yoga again at home for a week. Not that I've fallen out of romance with it as much as it just didn't compare. That and training time is expanding and not allowing as much extra curricular activity!