Bikram Yoga, it's HOT HOT HOT

*** Check out my guest post over at Allie's blog, Healthy Balance - Healthy Life, about all sorts of great things to do this fall, along with where you can find them in Vermont!***

September is yoga month and a yoga studio near my office is offering a special of $20 for 20 days. It is a fantastic deal, and it is for Bikram Yoga, which is a style of yoga I have never tried. Bikram Yoga Upper Valley is a studio that I have looked at several times online, then passed on because it feels so expensive for something I might not like. I knew that it was hot yoga, and that it followed a special flow that is followed every practice.
Tuesday was my first class, the room felt hot and it was packed. There was enough room for a few more people, but not very many. I was blown away by the shapes and sizes, the ages, and the male/female ratio. It was awesome. The instructor didn't do the class, he stood at the front telling us what to do. At first this seemed very strange to me, since I had no idea what I was doing, but I soon realized he was able to keep us going, and that I could look at any number of different people around me for the moves and direction.
We weren't more than 2 poses in before my body was glistening in sweat. It was only another 2 poses and I went from glistening to dripping. I stayed that way for the remainder of practice. There were some poses I was surprised I could do so well, there were others I was surprised that I struggled with. I felt completely alive and depleted at the end. It was a strange contradiction.
Thursday, last night, was my second class. Yes, I went back for more! I want to get in as many as my schedule allows in my 20 days. There were moves that were easier, moves that weren't a struggle last time that were today. The instructor was different, I liked her flow better. I was just as wet, just as alive and depleted.
All in all, I think I will stick with Bikram as an occasional practice, it is just too expensive right now. I also don't know as I will be able to stay focused with all the same poses over and over. Something to think about for sure. I am so glad I went, and will continue to go for the next 20 days and see where it takes me.