Bikram yoga virgin

No former yoga experience is necessary. The instructor has a dialogue that walks you through each posture. As a beginner, you'll be in the back row and will have the students in front of you as an example.

The biggest thing to deal with will be the heat and humidity. It's not for everyone. I wrote up these tips awhile back--wish I'd had them for MY first class!


Preparing for Your First Bikram Yoga Class


What you’ll need:

-Yoga mat (studios often rent them)
-Large beach towel (studios often rent them)
-Extra towel for after class
-Two bottles of water (studios often sell them). 1 bottle for during class and 1 to keep in changing room for after class
-Plastic bag for your wet yoga clothes
-Loose, comfortable, easy to change into clothing for after class

What to wear:

Women:
-Sleeveless work-out tank or sports bra*
-Spandex or compression shorts*
-Securely pull back long hair and use headband for shorter parts
*Material needs to be thin enough to allow easy movement in all directions, have moisture-
wicking qualities, and allow the skin to breathe. (Similar to swimsuit material.) Don’t wear
something rigidly tight.

Men:
-Running shorts or swim trunks*
-Loose tank top if desired
*My husband pointed out that running shorts that contain inner “underwear” are probably better
than swim trunks that only contain mesh inners. This way you don’t risk showing off your jewels
to the rest of the class. (Even if you like doing that, and yogis are very accepting of the body, they
still don’t want to see that!)

Tips:

>If time permits, start drinking half your weight in ounces of water the day before you go to class. You may want to stop drinking water at least an hour before class so that you don't have pressure on your bladder during practice.

>Avoid large, heavy meals the day of class, and be sure to leave about two hours in-between your last meal and practice.

>Come to class with a clean body and face, and especially be sure to remove any moisturizers. They not only pose a danger by making your body extremely slippery and difficult to grip, but also inhibit sweating and cooling of the skin. You’ll feel like you’re wrapped in warm plastic wrap! It also avoids makeup or skin products running into your eyes.

>Brush your teeth and rinse your mouth well before class. It helps with the thirst and you won't risk urpy-ness with the combination of heat and strong flavor.

>Arrive at least 15 minutes early for new student check-in. This way you’re not rushed and more likely to get a good spot in the room. Ask the instructor for the best location for a first-timer. Be sure to check the ceiling as you’re choosing a spot--it's not a good idea to place yourself right under a heat vent for your first class.

>It’s hot yoga--you’re going to sweat. Deal with it. Obsessively wiping off your body only wastes energy.

>Get rid of expectations and competitiveness. You may see regular students who are older, heavier, and more infirm than you breezing through class. They’re used to the practice--you aren’t. Don’t compete with anybody, including yourself. Your body and mind are up for different possibilities every day. As long as you do your best to go into the posture correctly then you are reaping the benefits, regardless of how inflexible you may be.

>DO NOT hold your breath and push yourself at any time. This isn't like any sort of sport or workout routine you're used to. Once again, it's not a competition. All you'll do is make yourself dizzy and/or sick.

>If you start to feel dizzy stand perfectly still and straight with your shoulders pulled down and back, your hands hanging loosely at your sides, and raise your eyes just a bit. Look at the point where the wall meets the ceiling. Keep your eyes open! Don't tilt your head back or you'll probably fall over on your butt. Breathe slowly through your nose. It is perfectly fine to stand/sit out a posture if you need to. Sometimes even regular students have to sit out.

>If you need to catch your breath make sure you're standing up straight with your shoulders pulled down and back with your hands hanging loosely at your sides. Keep your eyes open! Slouching, standing with your hands on your hips, or leaning over with your hands on your knees impedes your diaphragm. This makes it harder to breathe and jacks with your blood pressure, not to mention increases any dizziness. If you're feeling bad enough that you can't remain standing either sit Japanese style or lay flat on your back. Remember--it is perfectly fine to stand/sit out a posture. However, be aware that lying down can increase the spinning-room effect, as does closing your eyes.

>Don't guzzle water during class, especially during the standing series, at the beginning of the practice. It really won't make you feel any better--all you need it for is to wet your mouth and tongue. If you drink a lot during class there's a good chance it'll come back up, especially if you gulp water right before Balancing Stick.

>If you have time after class take a quick rinse in the showers, even if you’ll shower as soon as you get home. This helps cool you down and prevent acne break outs.

>Drink plenty of water for the rest of the day, and be sure to also include a sports drink or something to replace the electrolytes you lost during practice. Sometimes all the water you can drink won’t prevent a headache, but a sports drink will. I prefer something natural, such as coconut water (not milk). Many studios sell electrolyte packets.

>Believe it or not, it really does help the soreness to go back to class as soon as you can!

excellent post Jamies

I love bikram. Unfortunately where I live now there isnt a studio anywhere close.

It is truly addicting. During the first class, you may wonder what the heck you were thinking but after class, you will be wanting to go again.

Namaste

Good luck with your first class! Let us know what you think.

It really is/can be for newbies....I'd injured my foot running and wanted some low/zero impact exercise to keep my fitness up. I had no real idea what yoga was, had never done any variety or anything similar such as pilates. I would also describe myself as inflexible!

I signed up to a 3 class taster session and have been going every day since...tomorrow will be my 65th consecutive day of Bikram and I feel great. You really will get out of the classes what you put into them - like every exercise in life! Some classes you will have more people sitting down for a breather than others, and it's not always the new folks.

The benefits to general cardio fitness and flexibility are undeniable - once my foot had healed and without having done much running training in the meantime I took part in a 10k race, completing it in 46:17 at the age of 43. That was 2mins faster than my personal best and 4mins faster than when I ran the same race 3 years ago.

Bikram is fun.

Check your studio's web site for their own tips.

It probably depends on the individual, Kess31.

I didn't lose very much weight when I practiced regularly BUT I had awesome muscle tone and it was the easiest period of my life to maintain weight. I didn't fluctuate all over the place as I typically do.

My husband recently completed a 30 day challenge (hot yoga every day for 30 days) and he did not lose any weight. We took weekly photos and his body shape did change some.