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i heart hot yoga
By heather | November 6, 2008
There hasn’t been very much yoga talk on the blog lately ever…a quick perusal of entries in the yoga category reveals an anemic 7 entries. What a poseur I am. So let me tell you about hot yoga.
A year ago, a hot yoga studio opened right down the street from me. Although the idea of doing yoga in a 105 degree room in Southern summers didn’t excite me, the fact that a real live yoga studio of any kind was coming to town was enough to fill me with inspired motivation – be a better person! practice yoga regularly!
A week later, I found out I was pregnant.
Hot Yoga.
I kind of forgot about it after that.
This week, inspired by the steel rods in my neck and shoulders, I finally went, and you know what? It was GREAT.
1. I LOVE having a teacher make adjustments to my poses. I LOVE having a teacher, period. In a studio, with other people! Because no matter how much I learn from Yoga Today, or how much I like to teach, sometimes I need to not be in charge. A statement that bears repeating, with a good slap if necessary.
2. The schedule is comforting to me. Every day they have classes at the exact same times, and better still they have classes before the kiddies get up and after they are in bed so I can attend guilt free.
3. Since I’m ignoring Daylight Savings Time, I can actually make the early class. My alarm goes off at 5:15 but the clock says 6:15 and my foggy brain thinks, “Okay…after 6…do-able…” And just like that we get up. Trickery!
4. When I taught my class on Tuesday, I was astonished to find that I felt loose and strong after having done yoga the day before…who knew that following my own advice would be so helpful? Am unrecognized genius…
5. I seriously look and feel like I’ve had a facial after every class. Which rocks because I can’t remember the last time I actually had one and as my rosy-glowing-pregnancy-horomones desert me, I’m certain that my normally piss-poor complexion is lurking, waiting to erupt. (I’d like to point out that wrinkles and acne are difficult to fight simultaneously. And both together is an example of the extreme unfairness in the world.)
6. I like the anonymity. I haven’t told anyone at hot yoga that I teach – it seems an unnecessary detail. At the gym I workout for 20 minutes but I’m there for 45 talking with people I may or may not feel like seeing (usually not). Right now, all the community I need is a quiet smile or hi as I come and go.
7. I have learned that my ankles are the first part of my body to start sweating, which is just weird. When I’m lying on the floor in savasana I must have my body positioned in the exact center of the mat because I CANNOT HANDLE one damp hand touching the floor. Also, the mat edge must be lined up exactly with the floor tiles or I will end up stopping and moving it. Obviously I still have some control issues. But…
8. I think…yes, maybe…let me check…I think I am less stressed out. As in no longer coveting Zoloft, snapping at everyone, and cursing like I’m getting paid for it. It’s entirely possible that this unexpected development is a result of time, because it took me a month of maternity leave to get used to staying home and I’ve now been back at work for almost a month, but I’ll take it either way. So will my poor, long-suffering husband.
9. Class ends with a peppermint scented ice cold towel that the teacher floats over my face and then rests on my forehead, and seriously this? Is what keeps me coming back.
So in summary, I really should take my own advice and I heart hot yoga. The end.
Topics: yoga | 6 Comments »
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November 6th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
The level of envy I have going on here is stunning.
Honeybell’s last blog post..Media Infidelity
November 6th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Wow, I’m totally relaxed just reading that. In fact, I think I reached Nirvana. Wait, no, two kids…no nirvana. I do want to take one of those classes though. Maybe Wii Fit has a yoga version. (It’s what I want for Christmas.)
Vicki’s last blog post..The will of the people
November 6th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
There’s another name for this yoga isnt there? I SO want to try it. Would you suggest normal yoga first?
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November 11th, 2008 at 8:54 am
[...] the centering thing with my yoga mat, and not the good, balanced-type of centered [...]
June 13th, 2009 at 11:35 pm
This sounds interesting, a 105 degree room in in the summer doesn’t excite me much, when they get some air con let me know and i will join this yoga class. lol
August 27th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
I’m too nervous to try a hot yoga class, but it does sound quite amazing. I love working out in the heat, if its a controlled environment. I live in the desert so 105 degrees is nothing! I guess for now I will just stick to my wii fit yoga ._.
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