So I finally tried out that deal I bought from Living Social for the 10 hot yoga classes. I had been practicing regularly for about a year but had yet to try hot yoga and also I was doing Vinyasa flow. I didn’t quite know what I was in for when I walked into the airless room. Going into the studio I was excited to try this new yoga and ended up being more unprepared than I could have ever expected. I didn’t bring a towel which is a huge no no I was told immediately from the owner and the teacher because of the amount of sweat that happens over the course of the 90 minutes. I was also told it was a 90 minute class which I wasn’t concerned about since that’s what I was used to doing at my old studio. In retrospect, should have done the 60 or 75 minute one for my first time. I was a bit out of “yoga” shape since I hadn’t practiced in almost 2 months and knew the class would be a bit of an adjustment for the first couple classes. Another problem, although I came with water, I did not drink enough ahead of time and was WAY dehydrated going into the class. This added an “I’m about to pass out/feel very dizzy” component to my practice. I was also famished and rushing on my way there so mistakenly had a few bites of Chinese food just before. This, as you probably can guess was another terrible decision on my part. So during the class I was torn between feeling like I was about to pass out and about to throw up. It was also a different style than I was used to so I wasn’t completely comfortable with all the poses and some were even new to me. I was able to rent a towel which helped with the ridiculous sweating and did manage to enjoy it. It will take some getting used to but now I know what to expect next time and how to prepare.
Here are some tips I would suggest if you are planning on giving hot yoga a try.
Here are some tips I would suggest if you are planning on giving hot yoga a try.
1. Bring a towel
2. Wear as little clothing as possible. (Usually shorts and a tank for women and shorts & lose fitting or no shirt for men)
3. Drink lots of water about 2-3 hours ahead of time to make sure you are fully hydrated in preparation for the class.
4. Bring water! (I wouldn’t suggest a plastic bottle because of the heat in the room, you end up drinking warm water- aluminum or stainless steel bottle for sure)
5. Don’t eat 2-3 hours ahead of time (to avoid the nauseous feeling I experienced J )
-Meghan
So did you try hot yoga again? Indeed, going in unprepared can be pretty tough. The environment can quickly drain you of energy, and when that happens, not a lot of work can get done. When you prepare properly, though, that kind of yoga can be great in getting sweat and stress out - kind of like squeezing a sponge overloaded with water.
ReplyDelete-Cooper Heyes