Water during class

Water during class2008-06-04T06:26:22+00:00
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  • Steph
    Participant
    Post count: 14

    Hi Gabrielle

    I have read recently about Bikram Yoga classes where students are encouraged to practice without water (obviously making sure to arrive at class fully hydrated and to drink plenty afterwards). But no “party time”!!!!!

    Their reasoning was that, it helps keep you focused and to not be distracted by reaching for your water as a habit or excuse to move etc, and also that it was actually harder on your body to work through the poses when it was trying to digest the water.

    But then on the other hand, I heard one of our instructors say that you need the water in your stomach to help flush through toxins and plaque etc, especially during the compression poses.

    I have managed to get through a few morning classes without water and felt ok (def helps that its much cooler in the a.m.). Was a real test in terms of mental strength rather than physical, as I found it really hard to just staying standing at “party time” and at the end of the standing series etc, when most people tend to get a drink.

    Would appreciate any thoughts you have on this subject, and what your “water habits” are 🙂
    Thanks
    Steph

    Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)
    Forum Owner
    Post count: 3048

    Hello Steph

    I never like to take a hard line on whether someone should drink or not. It really does depend on the circumstances that you find yourself in on any one day.

    It is your responsibility to hydrate yourself before and after class. We all know that. But what if you haven’t sufficiently hydrated yourself prior to class? Are you going to stand there and deny your absolute and inalienable need for water just because someone else lays down the law? Especially in the hot room you need to take total responsibility for your need for water. In addition to that you need to take responsibility for the way you allow yourself to get distracted by the myriad of activities that students undertake to distract themselves from their practice.

    Your teachers were right about the distraction that water poses when you HABITUALLY reach for the water or use it as an excuse to move, or break your state. It is SO MUCH EASIER to finish your pose and look around or bend down and pick up your bottle. Distractions take you away from your own self-connection and that is what you are trying to accomplish in your yoga.

    I have never heard the story about needing water in your stomach to flush it. I do know however if you are metabolizing too much fluid in your belly that it can get in the way of your poses; either because you are diverting energy there or there is that sloshing effect 😉 which can cause different sensations like nausea.

    Your first priority is your health and that absolutely supersedes any instructions to avoid water. Please always take that as a challenge in the manner in which it is (or at least should be) intended. That is, every time you think you need a sip of water (and I mean sip and never gulp unless are at the end of your class) stand there and make the assessment: “do I really need this?”. The best way I have found is to ensure that you make eye contact for at least 5 seconds in the standing poses BEFORE reaching for you bottle. If you are encountering sensations that are compelling you to break contact, work out whether it is really thirst or whether you have the opportunity for self-growth or some kind of breakthrough. You will be glad you did.

    Make the connection and only then make the decision to grab your water. Speaking with Robert we both can remember occasions where we have forgotten to take water along to class. We both have always hydrated well so the challenge was only a mental one.

    As for my “water habits”: I make note of whether I have habitual places that I choose to drink. I always make eye contact and wait the few seconds and then I mindfully take water with minimal energy expended. If I am standing I keep one foot anchored as I reach for my bottle so I have the physical tethering to my Savasana state. And when I finish sipping I come straight back to Savasana: I consciously minimize the distractions.

    Steph, like most elements that make the difference in your practice, the conditions around when and how you take your water is another mental challenge. Thanks for the question. The reactions to standing there when everyone else is drinking is an interesting thing to observe within oneself.

    Namaste
    Gabrielle 🙂

    Steph
    Participant
    Post count: 14

    Hi Gabrielle

    Thank you so much for your wonderful in-depth reply. I have so much to think about now! Can’t wait to get back into class and observe my “water” reactions. I know I have places where I drink water as a matter of habit so look forward to the challenge of changing those.

    Thanks again for your insight and advice. 🙂

    Namaste
    Stephanie

    raysantopietro
    Participant
    Post count: 6

    I have transitioned over to not using water during class, and have noticed many benefits to doing so. As a rule, I keep a bottle of frozen water near my mat in case I am having one of those days that I cannot make it without a small drink, however this has only happened once, and there was a good chance I was not fully strong in the class anyway.

    I have found that it is far easier to continually breathe through my nose and remain calm without water. As a matter of fact, provided you keep your mouth closed through-out class, you have far less “dry-mouth” without drinking water than if you do. I find that drinking sips of water not only breaks concentration but also is counter-productive because it makes you more thirsty. It is far more difficult to pass up the sips of water later in the exercise if you took the “aqua-asana” because your body is creating a mental state that is feeling panicked and dehydrated. I really believe this is a mental addiction, much like the craving of a cigarette if you are a smoker. You don’t really need it, but instead you have trained yourself to treat it as a small celebration or break. Bikram is about achieving a combined physical and mental state that defeats the “fight or flight” response….it trains you to not panic in a situation that seems as though you should. Think about the “throat fully choaked” when you cannot breathe correctly and begin to panic due to the lack of breath. In reality, you are training yourself to go past that panic and realize the actual physical limitations of your body….not the mental ones. The two are actually far different, and the place that you believe your body cannot go past is actually not even close to the place it actually can go once you defeat pain and panic. Water is the same….you are not going to die without it.

    As a side note….when you allow yourself to drink that cool water after your final savasana, it tastes like champagne! 🙂

    Steph
    Participant
    Post count: 14

    Hi Raysantopietro

    Great to read your thoughts about water and in particular about the mental addiction and our fight or flight response.

    I’ve been thinking about it during class and now I try to stand between postures, focus on my own eyes and just breath. Amazing how something that sounds so simple can be so incredibly difficult to do at times! But what a feeling when you achieve it. 🙂 I’ve found it helped me become aware of any other fidgety habits I had too(wiping sweat, playing with my hair etc)and so I’ve been able to drop those also when I stay focused.

    Love the champagne analogy too, and as I usually practice at a 6:30am class I now tell myself I get to have a “champagne breakfast” after each class. FAB!

    Thanks again for your time to post a reply.
    Namaste
    Stephanie

    Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)
    Forum Owner
    Post count: 3048

    Hi Ray, Hi Steph

    Ray I really like your observations about the fear, flight, fright responses.

    I do wonder about the need for FROZEN water. To be honest, I am one of those people who don’t often drink cold water. In fact, my concerns are about the *shock* effect of the very cold water on the body. It goes contrary to the idea of the hot room in my opinion. If it is thirst that you have, then it is only the water that you need and the cold temperature of it shouldn’t matter. Have you ever tried warm water? I sometimes take in warm-hot water into the room. This feels great to me and seems to integrate beautifully into the body.

    I am not saying you shouldn’t do what you are doing. I would however love to hear lots of other opinions about it and how it works for different folks.

    Here’s to having more *champagne* breakfasts! :cheese:

    Namaste
    Gabrielle 🙂

    raysantopietro
    Participant
    Post count: 6

    Gabrielle,

    Yes you are probably right about the frozen water. In all honesty, the reason that we started freezing the water in the first place was because if we brought it in frozen, it was basically “cool” by class end. Almost never did it have much ice if any at all left. The shock of the colder water is noticable, and will sometimes give a “brain freeze” if taken too quickly at class end, which obviously illustrates an un-natural situation that is possibly unhealthy…even if that un-healthy state is simply shocking your body out of the calm relaxed state of the final savasana.

    Today for the first time I actually tried to not take any water at all, even after class. I wanted to purposely allow my body to adjust to the state of dehydration for a longer period of time. I waited until I got home from class before drinking anything at all, and immediately began to cramp after about 12 ounces. I am sure there is a place between the mental desire to drink because of a perceived dehydration and the actual physical dehydration that is different for everyone….mine being somewhere between taking in nothing for almost an hour following the class and shocking my body with a relatively large amount after that point. Not really sure the lesson to be learned here, but it is interesting to test the physical needs vs. the mental. Another note to probably bring into this conversation is that we are in Las Vegas, where people are walking around partially dehydrated almost all of the time. It is difficult in this environment to prepare your body well going into class.

    As far as utilizing deprivation of certain “celebrations” in order to stay mentally in the moment and concentrate on what is happening to your body….like wiping sweat, drinking, fidgeting, etc….I find that trying to go as mentally deep as possible helps a lot. Concentrate on the situation and learn from your habits. Understand that this situation is SUPPOSED to be uncomfortable, and you are learning about yourself by pushing mentally through the discomfort. By allowing yourself to take physical actions to alleviate the situation (wipe the sweat, groan, cry, etc.) you are not challenging yourself to force your brain to own the physical state. This is a life lesson that Bikram is teaching through physical torture and discomfort. You don’t need to spend all your time persuing the removal of discomfort and the chasing of pleasure. There is pleasure and serenity to be gained by the mastery of physical pain and discomfort. You become a more intelligent person through understanding of your own physical state, and learning that the brain is the most difficult part of your body to “shape and sculpt” is the first step to mastery of your own body, and eventually destiny.

    Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)
    Forum Owner
    Post count: 3048

    Hi Ray

    I like what you say about the balance between enduring some amount of discomfort and not allowing yourself to be distracted by it, allowing you to own the physical and mental circumstances. Observation is key.

    I still have quite a bit of difficulty understanding the benefit of forcing yourself to endure relative levels of dehydration, particularly as you live in a region where you intimate it is difficult to stay adequately hydrated.

    I am definitely willing to understand your viewpoint so go ahead and enlighten me. 🙂 In my mind, if you are dehydrated, you drink and you supplement where necessary with electrolytes. There doesn’t seem to be an upside to pushing the boundaries here. I am interested to know how you know you are dehydrated and to what level. What are you checking in to, to understand your condition moment to moment?

    If it is mastery over the mind that you are seeking, I am interested to know how this particular method is beneficial. What I understand of the subject, is that if you are really thirsty then you are already dehydrated. I do not condone playing around with your hydration levels as an experiment of mental control. Well, that’s just me :cheese:

    Namaste
    Gabrielle 🙂

    Mammaren
    Participant
    Post count: 21

    I have always carried water into class. I always will. However, the amount I need and take varies greatly class to class. I take my water in cold, but it’s rarely cold by the end. I’ve learned some hard lessons from chugging too much too fast. Typically I take two small sips during “party time” and nothing more until the midpoint Savasana. I see many many students reaching for water after Balancing Stick, but it only makes me nauseas to have water then. Sometimes I take water during “aquasana” before Fixed Firm, sometimes I do not. I have recently made a point not to drink until after final Savasana (once I am out of the room) instead of chugging water after Khapalbati. This is a good habit for me as I was prone to really drink a lot then.

    I don’t see anything damaging about taking water during class within reason. Certainly we need to examine our habits and always be aware of why we are reaching for the bottle. But I maintain that our health, and hydration, and sometimes our sanity are very important. The truth is that sometimes the water does get us through a really rough patch in class and that’s OK. Yoga is a journey, not an exercise in torturing ourselves. One of my teachers says, “It’s ONLY yoga, try to have fun..” I think moderation in our attitudes is also important. Being kind to your body can pay off BIG!

    Robert Scanlon (Webmaster)
    Forum Owner
    Post count: 266

    Wow!

    Some excellent discussions going on here … so no reason for me to withhold my opinion huh? 🙂

    1. First and foremost for me is attending to the question of physiological safety – ie sufficient hydration/electrolyte balance etc. Outside of going for specific tests, I believe this is a personal assessment and should not be overlooked. There is a possibility that a “newbie” might mis-construe a more-practiced student or teacher’s desire to “let go” of water habits as an aspirational goal. Which in my mind it should never be … even after fundamental physiological needs are attended to (see 2.)

    2. The “Purist View” – Pratyahara

    Pratyahara is one of the Patanjali’s 8 Limbs Of Yoga in the path to ascendance (see this lovely article by Judith Lasater http://www.yogajournal.com/wisdom/459?page=2) and essentially asks the student to be the observer and practice withdrawal from the senses.

    Hence it is not whether I am needing water or NOT needing water that is the question.

    The real question is; “What am I *attached* to?

    If I am attached to taking water at certain times; or at specific poses; or deliberately challenging myself to NOT take water; or I always need my water in a certain bottle – then none of this attends to Pratyahara.

    Like I say, personally I am *still attached* to the idea of safety and physiological needs first – mainly because Bikram Yoga and Hot Yoga should be considered an exercise practice in extreme conditions, with its subsequent special needs (ref Lawrence Armstrong “Performing In Extreme Environments” http://www.amazon.com/Performing-Extreme-Environments-Lawrence-Armstrong/dp/0880118377.

    There, that’s my 2c …

    :cheese:

    Robert

    raysantopietro
    Participant
    Post count: 6

    Hi Gabrielle and Robert (and everyone else involved in the topic,)

    Wow, I actually never really expected anyone to listen to my opinion long enough to debate it, but we seem to be involved in a really good one here, so I will attempt to clarify my position.

    A couple of things that should probably be mentioned before I even continue is that I have always been a very extremist person, which may or may not compromise my validity of opinion in people’s minds. I always find it very difficult to “just be” as zen philosophy would dictate. I have never been able to seperate from the moment very effectively to that level, which would actually allow you to even go beyond the concentration on relaxation itself. The true master who can “just be” is not concentrating on “just being” if you see what I mean…he has gone beyond the point of recognizing that he is recognizing. Anyway, I feel as though you need to ascend one mountain at a time, so I figure to try to at least concentrate on “just being” first, then try to go beyond after you have mastered that state.

    As far as yoga, philosophy, physical vs. mental and everything else, first let me state this. I truely believe that yoga represents the true union between mind and body, especially in its extreme forms like Bikram. There is a point when even if the person who created the system did have certain aspects in mind when they did so, someone utilizing the knowledge therein can learn things that even the teacher wasn’t thinking about. I believe this with Bikram….even if he was not origionally thinking about certain physical vs. mental states…he created something that plays into lessons that can be learned. However maybe he did realize all this stuff anyway….the interviews I have seen with him lean towards that being the case.

    Bikram talks about the fact that he does not respect peoples excuses for not being able to do this….even real medical conditions that seem really scary when you are as steadfast as he is in his opinion. He basically states that all of your excuses are mental…and the mind is the biggest ailment in your practice. He talks about people criticizing his yoga series as “not the way yoga is…” and his answers are all pointing to the statement that Bikram Yoga is “not what YOU WANT yoga to be.” He talks about extreme heat in India, pushing through pain, learning from not allowing yourself excuses. I am not saying that this is for everyone, because yoga is a personal journey not a competitive one, however I believe it is a valid lesson to be learned. All that said, here is my point with respect to water and Bikram Yoga.

    In the standing series, you go into a deep backbend posture where the dialog continually tells you to “push and try to fall down backward.” This dialog and mantra is repeated over and over because Bikram was trying to push you past your mental limits in order to truely test your physical ones. Bikram Yoga is truely a physical practice, but one that draws from mental weakness being the hinderance. He is basically telling you that the point of “falling down backward” is actually not where your brain has been trained to believe it is….it is actually another physical place. You must test your boundries physically without the mental complication in order to actually find out where that place is…that is the only time when you truely begin to physically practice. The same is true for pain, wiping sweat, drinking water, etc.

    Bikram puts you into compression postures that close off your air passageway partially and asks you to hold the posture. This is to prove to you that the point your brain believes you need to gasp for air in order to not pass out is very different than the point your body actually needs to. It is mastery over the fight or flight reflex…to go beyond where you THINK you can go.

    I completely disagree with the specific point in class when everyone takes a “party break” and drinks happily. The drinking of water for me is to replenish necessary fluids when necessary. You should be able to empty the glass then refill it, but nobody can tell you where that place is except your own body….not even the teacher. I believe the “water break” is the place the teachers decided it was ok to allow everyone to come out of the mediattion so as not to have individual distractions happening to the group as each individual person says to themselves “I need a drink here…or here…or here.” The calss would constantly have at least one person drinking at all times! Bikram is illustrating that the point of “mental dehydration” may not be the same place as the physical. I have learned through my own practice that by keeping my mouth shut through the entire class, my mouth doesnt get dry. I never would have believed this without doing it because I believed that immediate thirst was where you needed to drink. My fight or flight reflex told me I must cater to my every whim and keep the discomfort of a little thirst away. The teachers at my studio complain that the owner keeps telling them to leave the fans on too long….he is balancing the true practice heat levels with what he believes will drive away customers because this is just “too hard.” My point is that you should welcome the “too hard” and oddly enough you would find your true physical limitations if you actually “fall down backward.” I am absolutely not saying this is for everyone, and yoga is not supposed to be a horrible experience. However I learned a long time ago that for me there was a huge difference between what I thought would kill me and what actually would. What I was actually doing was avoiding any discomfort in order to make my life better. I used to smoke heavily. I tried quitting many times using every method available to “ween off.” The only method that worke dfor me was one day mentally saying “my body does not need this….

    raysantopietro
    Participant
    Post count: 6

    continued!!!!!

    amy physical limitations were not the same as the excuses I was offering myself….”I am physically addicted…..this sucks but there is nothing I can do….blabla.” I never smoked another day in my life….I didn’t slip….and I didnt need it physically. Yes I craved it mentally, but I pushed through and found that the process is far easier than I thought. I dont know what is to be learned here….I am just describing what applies to my life.

    Anyway, I am not telling people they shouldn’t drink in class, nor am I bothered by when they do. I think you need to find your own place, and what you are trying to accomplish. I hope everyone understands what I was saying….sometimes I confuse myself!!

    Ray

    raysantopietro
    Participant
    Post count: 6

    Gabrielle,

    I just finished reading your downloadable about lung capacity expansion and the “fight or flight” response. That is pretty much the same premise I was speaking about with regards to the water. Not that I am a proponent for physical deprivation or abuse for some silly reason like “just to see if you can do it…” but instead finding the actual physical limit instead of the point where fear or hesitation kicks in. Just because it is hot in the room and people are not accustomed to working out in such conditions, their immediate way to deal with it is to say “I cannot breathe in there…or I am going to pass out because of the heat.” In reality this is the brain telling you that your physical breaking point is nowhere near where it really is. Same difference with the water….I wasn’t saying anyone should hurt themselves, but was instead talking about the promotion (by the teachers themselves) of the notion that there is a point in the class where it is encouraged to break concentration….and have a “party time.” This is the exact same principal as a cigarette break….you don’t really need it at that point but you do it because it is a little celebration in the middle of pain. This type of thinking trains you to look at the yoga series negatively, and reinforce that it is unpleasant. You are so looking forward to the break and the party that you define the yoga as negative in comparison to it. Instead, wouldn’t it be interesting if you were forced to drink water constantly for 90 minutes, but at one little point in the series you were encouraged to have a “party time” and not drink! I think your body can go through far more than the Bikram beginner series before you are actually “dehydrated” to the point of danger. People just need to let go and trust the process with regards to the concept. Its funny, I always bring water with me….I just dont drink it. I keep it there in case I need it, so that I wouldnt have to leave the room. Funny thing is I have never NEEDED it since I have been trying to do this.

    Namaste
    Ray

    Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)
    Forum Owner
    Post count: 3048

    Hello Ray

    Thank you for your epistle(s). Very illuminating.

    I appreciate the time and the thought that went into it all. For the most part I agree with you. Especially in terms of how to observe your own needs and desires for distractions for water etc. Really playing with your mental edge, and seeing what it takes to break through.

    I have always taken issue with the whole ‘party time’ thing. In fact, that term is never expressed at my studio. Sure, take a drink when YOU need it, not when I tell you. You expressed it really well: pointing out calling it that puts a different spin on it, making it something to look forward to, and perhaps putting a negative spin on the yoga for some. For me, if you are not doing an asana you are doing savasana, so the drinking of water is purely needs-based.

    As far as both heat levels and drinking are concerned: safety first, no question. I would not be condoning pushing into dangerous levels for any reason. At very high temperatures for example what one person can tolerate may be very risky for another. Keeping the temperature at a safe level for everyone is all it ever needs to be.

    Loving your contributions
    Thank you
    Namaste
    Gabrielle 🙂

    synchro.idiotic
    Participant
    Post count: 16

    The classes at the studio that I go to seem to have fairly structured, albeit optional, water breaks – primarily as a transition between posture sets [standing, balance, floor]. The instructor will typically say, “Have some water if you like, then find your alignment in mountain pose.”

    I’ve found that for me personally, there are poses where my body seems to scream out for water in preparation, and others where I know that it wouldn’t be a good idea. When I DO opt to rehydrate, I always do so slowly and deliberately, usually after focusing on my bottle for a few seconds, then moving to my knees as if in vajrasana. The time it takes for me to get into and out of that position prevents me from overindulging.

    LWH
    Participant
    Post count: 2

    I have an auto-immune disorder where I HAVE to hydrate regularly. It is a shame that teachers feel they must control the class so much that they do no allow water consumption; this is downright dangerous. I totally understand that some students reach for water as a “way out” but it is my job as an aware teacher to identify these kinds of students and work with them individually, demonstrating patience and understanding as they grow through their “issues.”

    Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)
    Forum Owner
    Post count: 3048

    Precisely! :cheese:

    Thanks LWH I agree with you entirely. Tailoring one’s class to suit everyone’s development is not only possible, but key.

    Namaste
    Gabrielle 🙂

    artwednesday
    Participant
    Post count: 42

    I drink a ton of water everyday in class…probably a little too much at times, but I have never felt dehydrated until yesterday. The day before I was at the skate park for three hours then did a double at my studio (the 4:30pm class and again at 6:30) so needless to say I sweated a lot, however I consumed roughly two gallons of water. The thing I did not take into consideration was my electrolytes being diminished. I felt very fatigued all day yesterday and went to class anyways. Right away I felt cramping and had to lay down, much more than ever before (even my first class) I am not really big on drinking sugary sports drinks to replace electrolytes and my instructor recommended Emergen-C as good source. Does anyone else have any suggestions?

    dtorpey
    Participant
    Post count: 5

    I read an article about mountain climbers who’s core tempetatures would flexuate 12 – 14 degrees during high altitude climbs. Other climbers would only flex 4-6 degrees. My guess is that there are different flexuations of body core tempetatures in hot yoga. I’ve seen some people who look like they hardly sweat while other people have sweat on the carpet all around their mat. They remove their mats and you know exactly where their mat was.
    To think one way should work for everyone is being very (what would Freud say?) anal-retentive.

    Dan

    kinks
    Participant
    Post count: 4

    ‘Party time’ for me felt kind of obligatory until recently (as you probably guessed, I’m pretty new to hot yoga) I was kinda relieved when I realized it wasn’t necessarily better for your body. Now I drink water more throughout the day and I feel better not dealing with the water unless I’m driven to (which isn’t often); it’s way less aggravating this way. but I have another bad habit–toweling off my sweat I especially hate it on my face.

    Artwednesday-
    At our studio, they sell an ‘all natural’ sports drink called Zico I absolutely love it. It has a very refreshing taste and replenishes electrolytes as-well. They have a flavored variety as well as pure coconut water. I would recommend it.

    kinks

    haiku
    Participant
    Post count: 4

    On the water issue, I think it’s more that the last thing you need when you’re hot and exerting yourself and trying to focus on your pose is a liter of water sloshing around in your stomach. That’s why it’s important to drink water well in advance. If you haven’t had water earlier in the day, chugging it during class is “too late.” Of course, if you really need it, just ignore the teacher and drink it! But if you really are dehydrated, it might be good to sit down a bit.

    I suspect most healthy people should be able to make it through 1.5 hours without additional water … I run 1 – 1.5 hours at a stretch and never carry water; if I drink more than 1/2 cup I don’t feel like running anymore. I think people tend to drink too little water during the day but too much during exercise.

    itsbrendawalsh
    Participant
    Post count: 13

    For me, going from literally zero exercise to a daily yoga practice is already taking me to the limit. Just staying in that hot room, focusing on the asanas and giving them my all is a big step for me. I will try to decrease my water intake during class, but I am not going to feel bad about using it as a mental crutch when I am struggling just to make it through the 90 minutes. That little reward can take me from being ready to call it quits to knowing I can make it through the next few asanas. Just like I’m not going to try to kick out my leg in standing head to knee until I feel comfortable locking my leg and balancing, I’m not going to add the challenge of ignoring my desire for water breaks until I stop wishing for death after five minutes in the hot room. One step at a time.

    Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)
    Forum Owner
    Post count: 3048

    Yes Brenda, you are right to think of it that way. Make YOUR progress in your way. As long as it doesn’t become your permanent crutch or distraction! You already know it’s part of your journey so that realization is perfect. We all have only a certain amount of things we can deal with at any one moment.

    Namaste
    Gabrielle 🙂

    ViPhLo
    Participant
    Post count: 8

    I guess I should jump in as another example of a water gulper.

    I go to the hottest part of the room,
    which at our studio is around 110 with high humidity.

    I consume 4.5 Liters of water during the class,
    and 1 liter of coconut water at the end of the class.

    I recover while I’m driving home with a bowl of raw vegetables,
    and then pasta with 1/2 Lb of organic ground beef.

    I’m 53 and I’ve always been very athletic,
    and I’ve been a fairly strict vegan for most of my life.
    But I became severely anemic around 9 months ago,
    with a whole litany of bizarre symptoms like
    – ringing in the ears
    – heart palpitations when I went to bed
    – tingling in the joints

    I tried to bring my iron and B12 up using pills,
    but it wasn’t working.
    I started eating this red meat diet,
    and I feel as strong as an ox.

    I never felt tired with the anemia,
    but I had no strength.

    The studio really stepped up the heat (which I love),
    and that’s when I started to have trouble.
    I went from being a pretty strong practitioner,
    (holding Standing Head to Knee for the full count – as an example),
    to spending a good portion of the class in a recovery position.

    Things have improved since eating red meat,
    so I’m sticking to this as an approach until further review.

    I’ve heard it said that it’s very hard to get you levels up when you get older, once they have dropped.

    As far as the water goes, I leave every drop of it on the mat.
    I cover my mat with two towels, and I can wring them both out at the end of class.

    But the whole thing works for me because it provides me with what I like to call “A Care Free Practice”. Meaning that when my body is that hot, I can push any pose, getting deep into the body, and not need to worry about any negative consequences. Also, if I go at it with this kind of intensity, I can get away with going every second day, and still have some residual benefit during my days off – something I need at this time due to my busy schedule.

    I would like to go more often . . . maybe if I can find someone to walk the dog/clean the house. LOL

    PawanThakur
    Participant
    Post count: 3

    It is astute to keep your body hydrated while working out, and yoga is no exemption.

    While some yoga specialists prescribe drinking water before a yoga class and not amid the class. Others prescribe you to drink as much water as you need.

    When I was in 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training In India their coaches let me know that the best approach is to take a center way and beverage a taste of two of water in the event that you feel dried out amid a class or between asanas.

    Keep in mind drinking water not just hydrates you, it likewise aides kill poisons from your body.

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