for the newbies

i recently convinced a friend of mine to join me at "HOT Yoga--- Bikram Yoga," and in the course of this first joint class, i realized that i should have given her a little more advice on what to expect.
i guess i forgot how much there is to learn in your first class.

1. Hydrate more than you think you need to. (As i typed this sentence, i ran to get some water because, folks, i really mean this. HYDRATE)

2. Wear minimal clothing. Girls- i even find a tank top too hot. Sports bra and biking shorts are the best. Extra fabric gets in the way. Guys- just shorts. and if you aren't too insecure in your manhood, you can wear spandex shorts too.

3. (learned this Monday) bring a FLAT yoga mat. there are some thicker (think 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch thick) yoga mats out there, but that's not good for hot yoga. just go for the thin kind that you can buy at your neighborhood Target.

4. For your first few classes, get there pretty early (like 25 min early) so that you can get a spot in the back row. If you don't set up shop in the back row, they will make you move back there.

5. After you "set up shop"-- i.e. set your mat down, spread out your towel, put your water bottle at the top right corner of your mat -- you should then rest in one of the poses: Savasana. This is the post where you are on your back, feet to the back of the room. heels together. palms facing up. RELAX. I use this time before class actually begins to take a mini power nap and get accustomed to the heat and smell. (side note- this pose is also called the corpse pose which WOULD freak me out if hadn't of been indulging in my new guilty pleasure - BONES the tv show-- which is all about bones/corpses. right. anyway)

6. Make sure you bring a Vitamin Water or Gatorade or something to replenish your electrolytes after class. My dad suggested pickles if you are not one for artificially flavored beverages.

7. Really though. I cannot even warn you for how much you sweat. What really gets me is when i am bending over and start to bring my head back up and a STREAM of sweat drips from my forehead. yummy.

8. Remember that there is no talking or whispering one you step inside the classroom. think of it as if you talk some crazy yoga lady will shoot evil yoga death rays from her eyes for disturbing her balance and meditation. Sometimes you can laugh, but only sometimes. And if you think you are going to be sick, you don't get to say anything- just rest on your mat. it will go away.

I think that's it for now. I had a terrible class monday- i felt like my skin was melting off. totally over heated. For a minute i thought i had stopped sweating, but that wasn't true. just one of my heat delusions. I am pretty sure this happened because i drank coffee that morning. No more of that for THIS girl.

Yoga tonight.... woo hoo!

Ultra love.