The Perfect 10 Ham Sandwich

So this whole yoga thing has been amazing. I went to my first Bikram session on Saturday and was pleased to find that I chose the best time ever to come; this whole week is free to new members. And on that note, we got started.

The one rule to Bikram is that you can’t leave the room. I managed to break that rule my first session. I basically started to pass out (I’ve passed out enough times before to know that losing sight and hearing are not great signs), so the instructor grabbed me a coconut water. Coconut water is high in potassium and natural electrolytes and it hydrates the body super quickly. I felt better in seconds.

But then I had something in my stomach. Something that came up. Yes, I vomited in the yoga studio. Super sexy. Into a towel. And then, when they let me leave the room, into the toilet.

But I went back into the room and I survived, albeit barely. Turns out I was far more dehydrated than I could have ever guessed.

Since then, I’ve gone every night (except Tuesday. There was a free concert to take advantage of) and the benefits are incredible. I’m sleeping faster, harder and dreaming about everything from cruises to robot T-Rexes. Yoga is my current drug and the high lasts for days.

At least that’s what I tell myself as I stretch myself into impossible positions with names like “Awkward” and “Japanese Ham Sandwich.”

The only problem is that my free week runs out this Sunday. And then I have another week of different yoga (more feelings and music, less heat). And then… DVD yoga? I have no clue, but I can’t afford an actual plan. Choices, choices.

Then again, I deserve it right? I mean, if I’m this excited about it? Off to my 8 o'clock class now!

Japanese Ham Sandwich

The Perfect 10 Workout: Hot Yoga

I was looking through some of the ASME award finalists yesterday and came across an article from O Magazine last year.

The piece was a two-part series about this woman who subjected herself to the 60 day Bikram challenge. She was at a bad place in her life and decided to force herself to spend 90 minutes a day in a 105-degree, 40 percent humidity room, stretching and sweating. She measured the before and after and the results were pretty impressive, especially given that she didn’t do one traditional workout—no dung bells, no treadmills, nothing. Just stretching and sweat.

I did a little research and Bikram yoga, commonly referred to as “Hot Yoga,” is a little different than other methodologies. The founding guru, Bikram Choudhury, studied yoga from a young age and developed this methodology. He then founded the Bikram Yoga College of India, which isn’t necessarily in India; any Bikram-accredited yoga studio is part of it.

I’m intrigued by Bikram more than other methods of yoga because of the results. Most yoga strategies help with concentration, focus, balance and general wellbeing, but Bikram advocates a bit more.

Bikram yoga incorporates 26 traditional Hatha Yoga postures and two breathing exercises. But the studios are usually very simplistic (no chanting or incense) and have mirrors so that all yogis can see themselves and constantly perfect their style. The classes are 90 minutes long, but yogis are required to stay in the room. I’m not kidding here; I just looked at one of the waivers and that point is clearly stated among the other details that basically say, “If you die, it’s your fault.” Intense.

But the benefits are supposed to be tenfold (Perfect for my ten obsession). Because you’re sweating so much, you’re literally sweating out your body’s toxins. And the poses supposedly stretch, tone and/or utilize every muscle and almost every organ. For detailed information about the specific benefits of each pose, check out this site. Looking at those pictures, I’m sure an additional benefit is increased limber-ness. And then, of course, there’s the mental exercise of challenging oneself to stay in the room. That right there is a workout in itself.

My minor asthma goes funky in heat and humidity, but that’s actually part of the reason I’m intrigued by the idea of Bikram yoga. What if I could challenge myself, push myself enough to the limit that I could control my own asthma? That’d be pretty awesome. And I’m sure the high from the intense workouts is much better than the jittery, uncontrollable high from an inhaler. Ick.

There are great first-timer discounts. But I want to try out all my options. So I plan on doing a variety of yoga styles before settling (hopefully) on one. I’ll use my free week at YogaWorks, experimenting, and then I’ll take advantage of the Bikram Yoga Manhattan studio that’s right at Penn Station, a 10-minute walk away.

By the time I’m back in Boston, I can decide whether to commit to Back Bay Yoga or Bikram Yoga Boston. Choices, choices, choices… Hopefully Daddy is willing to help with the membership charges, as well.