Sweat'n the Hours Away
Scott and Brian joined me for their first Bikram Yoga class. It was good and hot today and the room was very full ensuring high humidity. Brian and Scott both were champs making it though without passing out and in general looking very good for a first attempt. I was in the worst shape, recovering from too much drink and not enough sleep. Importantly, I felt really good on the stretches and while my left knee weakness was apparent in Triangle Pose it was stable throughout. I think being back to Bikram will be very good for it. Since Scott and Brian now have a week of free classes I'm going to push for a couple more attempts this week.
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Brian: 'I don't know about the heat'
Scott: 'I had tunnel vision during the breathing at the end'
Edited to add reminder of which ones were hard (BL-5,6,11,12):
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A couple of comments on the difficulty/benefit and various poses. A lot of the poses are more difficult if you do them correctly.
A general note is that your core should be engaged throughout most of the postures--especially 2,3,5,6,7,21,23.
Postures 1,2,5,6,7 should have your quads contracted to keep the standing leg locked out.
Arms when extended should be engaged, hands squeezed.
Glutes should be engaged throughout.
16 is all back, not hands.
17 should really hurt. The single leg extensions should not use the hip or alternate (floor bound) leg. The dual leg requires the engaging of your hands so that you create a triangular platform between your hands and head. You should then use your back to raise both legs up--until vertical!
6 and 19 really require inner leg strength as you should keep the legs close together and parallel (this also is really good at increasing scapular, back and hip flexibility).
21 is deceptive. Proper technique requires that you push your hips down through the tips of your fingers. I find that I can only really get this one with help--which you don't get in normal (full) classes.
24 is compression (curved back) on the single leg and a stretch (straight backed) on the both leg portion of the pose.
5 comments:
Very nice first class. This kind of stuff is just the right pace to burn off some fat, and it felt very great to stretch everything. Some of those static holds were brutal.
Looking forward to catching a few more classes.
I had a good buzz afterwards too, although it was probably just dehydration setting in. I can't stop drinking water right now.
Hah, yeah me either. Water tastes really great. Overall yoga was alot of fun, and I enjoyed stretching some things that don't get stretched too often. Definitely looking forward to a return trip.
I tend to get a nice buzz after class. Something about the change in blood flow after you've been sweating for 90min or the spine stretching perhaps. I often feel best about 30min after class and sometimes it'll last for a few hours (so probably not just dehydration).
Hydrating before and after is definitely important. Also, I usually feel better if I actually do lie still for a few minutes after class and let my heart rate drop.
Allright guys, sign me up!
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