Hot Dang! Hot Yoga!

My co-worker convinced me to try a hot yoga class with her this morning. That means that we took a 75 minute yoga class in a 95 degree room. And on top of that, it was power yoga, which means it was more aerobic and strengthening, and less reflection and meditation. It wasn't too bad! I kept up pretty well, considering I've only taken a few yoga classes in my life, and that was over a year ago. Lucky for me, the class was mostly poses I knew.

It's probably unladylike of me to say it, but I honestly don't remember ever sweating that much in my life. Summer band rehearsals, long ballet rehearsals, football games in a wool uniform...they were all nothing compared to this. I seriously didn't know that I could sweat that much. I was literally dripping. The website for the yoga studio suggested that students bring a towel to class. I thought that was a little silly, since I wasn't a serious yogi. I'm sure glad I did! It got to the point where I couldn't do the poses correctly because my hands were sweaty and kept sliding around on the floor or my body or what I was supposed to be holding on to.

About halfway through the class, the heat and the exertion and the lack of eating breakfast all come together and bit me. I really thought I was going to pass out there for a minute. So I went back to the recovery pose that the instructor showed us for a few minutes, and felt better. It was a tough class, and focused a lot on upper body strength, which I do not have. After the class, however, my body felt great. Tired, but loose and warm and like my skin was breathing finally. I think I like hot yoga, I'd be willing to try it again. Next time I'll bring another shirt to change into.