Who would have thought a sweat box could be so relaxing!

“What is Bikram Yoga? Bikram Yoga is a demanding series of 26 postures (asanas) and two breathing exercises (pranayamas),which is suitable for all ages and levels of ability.

Each posture stretches and strengthens specific muscles, ligaments and joints needed for the next posture. The Bikram method also stimulates the organs, glands and nerves, moving fresh oxygenated blood to 100 percent of the body, restoring all systems to a healthy working order.

Bikram scientifically designed this 90-minute program to deliver total health through the balancing and strengthening of every system in the body in order to prevent illness and injury, promote weight loss, and limit the effects of aging.

In addition, the series of postures combine skills of concentration, patience, determination and self-control that increase mental clarity and reduce stress. Bikram yoga is done in a heated room to warm your muscles, prevent injury, allow a deeper workout and cleanse the body by flushing toxins.”
www.bikramsutherlandshire.com.au

Admittedly I am the type of person who likes to jump into things. None of this easing into things business I like to go for it. A friend had suggested we give Bikram yoga a go, and of course having never done a yoga class in my life I thought it would be a great experience. I’m pretty flexible I thought. That was before attending my first class.

Bikram yoga is 26 poses performed in 37 degree heat (it felt more like 40). The entry to the room was enough to make me squeamish, a heavy metal sliding door that reminded me of a human sized oven. As I approached the instructor said, “whatever you do don’t leave the room, if you feel sick just sit down, you can’t exit”.
What was that I “can’t’ exit? I put the claustrophobic feelings aside and entered.

It was indeed a sauna, there were already about 20 people basking in the heat building up a sweat. I followed suit allowing my body to adjust to the heat. After about 10 minutes of pretending I was laying on a beach on a tropical island I was climatised.

We began the class with some breathing exercises, this I found to be the most uncomfortable part of class.
We had to cup our chins and raise our elbows as far up as you can before tipping your head back to an unnatural position and letting out a bellowing “arrrggghh” from the pit of your stomach. The room fills with a noise you’d hear in a B grade horror movie.

The poses were challenging and after the 90 minute ordeal you feel like every single muscle in your entire body has been worked.

Doing the poses in heat definitely spiked up the heart rate. During the rest period between poses every part of my body was pulsating, I was very aware of all the blood rushing around my body.

I was lucky enough to have the instructor adjust my hand positioning on one pose and he decided to help turn me into a human pretzel. As he pushed my knee further and further into the pose I was quietly cursing and hoping my leg wouldn’t snap and I would not tear any muscles. There is no way on earth my body could get into that position if I wasn’t so hot. Thank god!

The ick factor was definitely having around 30plus people sweating all around you. I can personally say I have never sweat so much in my life. At one point during the extended warrior pose I became very aware of the saturated girl in front of me. Her extended leg was hovering dangerously close over my towel and with every drip of sweat that fell from her foot the germ-o-phobe in me fought desperately to hold my pose and not move my towel immediately.
Yuck!

Towards the end of class I was very aware of the smell of cooking bodies. As quite appropriate at the end of class the instructor said we were now fully roasted.

After class I have to say I felt great, a personal success that I did not faint in the heat. I slept like a baby and went back for more a few days later. Be warned, after class you may experience a headache and your skin can break out. These are the toxins coming out of your body.

All in all a great experience, very calming yet challenging at the same time. During class my mind was totally focused on what I was doing, there was no room to think or stress about anything else. I definitely recommend it. But maybe a few normal yoga classes first would be a good idea.

For more information visit www.bikramsutherlandshire.com.au