The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › General Hot Yoga Discussion › Hot Yoga *faq* › Your very first class ever
The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › General Hot Yoga Discussion › Hot Yoga *faq* › Your very first class ever
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Blue’s thread about newcomers made me want to know what others’ VERY FIRST hot yoga class experience was like.
I showed up in cotton gym pants and T-shirt, not realizing “hot” would be THAT hot! The studio had just opened, and as it happened I was the only student at that session, so there was no way, and nowhere, to hide my ineptitude, inflexibility, and discomfort. All those mirrors!!!
I had to lie down a lot early on, so missed most of the standing poses after Awkward pose. But the instructor was very kind and helpful, and plied me with coconut water and encouraging words. I seem to recall that she even gently lifted my head off the floor at one point and tipped in the coconut water!
When I left, I thought, “I will not do THAT again!” But, strangely, my car pointed itself to the local REI store where I found myself purchasing workout clothing that wicked moisture … I even told the clerk, I don’t know why I’m buying this stuff. I was back two days later to buy another set for non-laundry days … 😆
Ah memories!!!!! I am a very athletic person. weights, running 8 miles almost every day……… i have done a lot of yoga and was dying to try this.
I showed up w/ my perfect name brand yoga outfit and cap, my mat and ………… my military workout mindset >:-(
I was going to do everything perfectly and walk away a star ( yeah right )
I was OUT for the rest of the day!!! I did manage to fall and struggle though all the poses looking like a fool (holding everything clenched and 100% wrong) but….. held 100% dammit
any way very humbling and changed my WHOLE world :coolsmile:
(and yes I confess was a grunter!) :red:Having just done my first Advanced class recently, I got a nice reminder of what my first class was like.
You want me to do what…?
My first class;
I remember wearing my shirt into the room, and quickly deciding that shirtless would be fine. I did everything in class that first day, but spent a lot of time thinking, when is this over? How long is class? Can’t I just stay lying down, what is all this sit up stuff.What is more amazing to me is that even though I have a lot of classes under my belt, I still have those occasionally classes that feel so alien that I wonder how I ever make it through a class, and why…?
My first class
…..@#$% its hot in here, :red: ….. when is this going to be over?……(Steph, just breathe)………
…..@#$% its hot in here, ….. when is this going to be over?……(Steph, just breathe)
…..@#$% its hot in here, ….. when is this going to be over?……I will pay you my life savings just to have you turn the fan on PLEASE!!!
(Steph, just breathe)……….
(Steph, just breathe)……….
(Steph, just breathe)……….No, wait, that was last nights class..lol 😛
Ahh this just brings back memories! I remember …
– Turning up in EXACTLY what Rebecca said she was wearing!
– Grunting like Chewbacca and squeaking like a mouse
– Falling on my bum. Alot. :red:too fun to go back and see how far we’ve all come, not only our practice but our whole beings. Notice how a lot of us talked not only about the physical aspect of our our fist class but our mind sets. hmmm
Very cool I love how this has changed my life in so many ways I am calmer and laugh A LOT more. I have patience and peace and when something bothers me and I do fly off or clench inside ….. I calm so much faster and don’t hold onto it in my body like I used to. I am able to let it go.
My two fav lines in the Bikram cd are:
If any one anything can steal your peace and happiness away from you … YOU are the looser
yoga makes you, youI remember: I stayed the entire class, standing, up-right . . . but…thinking….”HOW DO THESE PEOPLE DO THIS?”
and by the 25th posture, I eyed the instructor …..”when is this going to be DONE” . . . .My first class went pretty well. It was beautiful day out. I went in the morning. There were only about 6 people in the studio. I’d done other types of yoga before and adjusted to the heat ok. I made it through the class and attempted all the poses even though I did not get very far in some of them (toe stand, fixed firm & camel).
My second class was a different story.
It was an evening class. There were over 20 people in a very small studio so needless to say it was crowded and hot hot hot. Hotter then hot. 10 minutes into class I felt like I was done. My body wanted to SHUT IT DOWN. I took 4-5 breaks and sat down on my mat and nearly passed out during Camel. The teacher was great and encouraging, telling me that it was ok to rest when I needed it and try again if I felt I was ready.
I got home that night about 95% sure I would never go back.
This, of course, is not true and I’ve weathered 2 additional weeks of evening classes and have managed to work through it. I’m so glad I did. I’m barely 1 month into my Bikram practice so I can remember my first couple of classes well. 🙂
All I can remember from my first class was that by the end of Pranayama breathing I was sure I couldn’t raise my arms again… then came half moon, then came awkward – I thought my arms were going to fall off sinceI could no longer feel them. But I was so determined that I just went with it – ‘whatever’ I thought – if they fall off what do I really need arms for anyways??
Oh yeah, and there was no way that I was ever going to lift my foot for that long in standing forehead to knee. Luckily no one in the class at the time actually did the ‘forehead to knee’ part, or I probably would have thought ‘this is $%&#ed;!’ and left. Funny – it is my favorite pose now (this month!).I just started yoga on Thursday. I have enjoyed it despite feeling very awkward. Oh well. I am hoping that a personal challenge to see how many days a week will really kick start my body into a weight loss mode. I love how clean I feel after all that sweat! Maybe one day I’ll be able to do some of the tougher poses, right now just making it through a class is an accomplishment.
My first class was with Bikram’s cousin in San Francisco who would literally stop class until everyone was perfect (2 1/2 hour classes at times!) … I thought that was how Bikram yoga was. Each class I would leave feeling half dead, yet really wanted to return. I loved how I felt afterward. In retrospect that was a good way to begin … many of the poses that I do well were because he taught each pose (rather than just reading the script which I experience more often these days).
these responses had me laughing my head off…………. I can relate to every single one. Just over a month in and still I feel most of all that was said. Usually by the end of the first breathing exercise I promise myself I am never coming back. Then, once I hit the floor, I calm some (it frequently feels cooler down there), and I continue to return. I am determined to find peace, strength and balance thru yoga, and damn it, it better work and faster :0)!!
My first class was with Bikram’s cousin in San Francisco who would literally stop class until everyone was perfect (2 1/2 hour classes at times!) …
Aaah yes … we called him “Sumit The Long” as he would often say (while already a long time in balancing stick), “OK last chance now …10 …9 …8 …7 …”
You are so right though – teaching the pose alignment rather than reciting a script (and more importantly, teaching the correct stretch).
I remember my first class alright … didn’t take long for the t-shirt to come off … then all I could think about was “how long is this class again”.
After that, the addiction (to feeling great) arrived … and well … here we are!
Namaste
Robert
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