Tell us about your very first Bikram Yoga class …
When was it and why did you go? My first class was 7 months ago in Ithaca, NY. My good friend convinced me to give it a try as she had been practicing for several years and found it to be a great way to de-stress and stay in shape. She warned me that I was probably going to feel “awful” during my first class, but that I had to come back and try it again before I made up my mind. And I did…feel awful…until afterwards. I went back twice in the next 3 days and was hooked!
How soon did you come back for your second class?
(see above)
What are some of the benefits you receive from Bikram Yoga?
The biggest benefits I gain from practicing Bikram Yoga are an increase in my flexibility, improved posture, and reduced stress levels. Decreasing my stress levels and correcting my posture helps reduce my tension headaches! Practicing Bikram Yoga also forced me to become much more aware of my diet and I have since changed to eating much lighter (and healthier!) fare.
What keeps you coming back for more?
Outside of the studio, I am constantly pulled in 10 directions at once. My mind is racing in overdrive for most of the day. In the studio, I can focus intensely on my breathing and my postures and let everything else go. For me, Bikram Yoga is a means to take 90 minutes out of my day to not think about anything else except the very thing that I am doing at that moment in time.
What do you find most challenging about practicing Bikram Yoga?
The biggest challenge that I came across, particularly when I first started, was figuring out how much I should eat before class. Initially, even a small lunch before an evening class would leave me feeling ill for most of class. Then, it came to a point where I realized that I wasn’t eating enough before class and I would be light headed by the third pose. Even now, my food intake really affects how I feel during class.
What’s your favorite posture?
Standing Bow Pulling. I saw my friend do this pose seemingly perfectly during that first class she took me too. There was just something graceful about the posture and it stuck with me. It has always been my favorite.
Your most dreaded posture?
Triangle. My arms are just SO tired by then!
Any New Year's resolutions for 2012?
Get to the studio!
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