Hot Yoga

[VeganBikeChick]

In the spirit of keeping the boards alive I'm posting . Went to a hot yoga class tonight. I haven't been in a very long time, and never got past the beginner stage. I have never been a physically "fit" person. Tonight's class was so, so hard for me, but I'm so proud that I went. I usually back out at the last minute because I psych myself out by thinking that people will be looking at/judging me. I still didn't fit into the class demographic tonight, but right now IDGAF. I'm about to turn 40 and I'm really liking my carefree, not worrying what others think attitude (that I've never experienced before).

[yellow]

IDGAF is a great attitude. It definitely becomes easier as you get older. I am hoping that it is automatic by the time I am 55! For me the hardest parts have been watching my skin change and feeling myself slow down. I look forward to the day that IDGAF when I look in the mirror and see all that sagging, the wrinkling, and those dysfunctional pores!

Yoga is one of the most underrated cross training exercises. In addition to being relaxing and all that, it can do amazing things for balance and stability because you use all those little muscles that don't otherwise get much love. I am not a fan of hot yoga, but I try to do at least 30 minutes of regular yoga few times a week. I am convinced that it was the conditioning I needed to finally push an injured hamstring into the "healed" category (this was a few years back). I suspect pilates has similar benefit, but I love yoga for the stretching aspect since my flexibility is like that of a breaker bar

I typically do yoga at home, mostly for $$ reasons (and I can't go for a full 90 minute class--just hurts my back too much). When I have gone to classes, I never felt like anyone cared what anyone else was doing, which I think is due to the mindset of the typical person who does yoga (and the fact that I always go to lower-level classes). It probably varies by studio, too, but I don't have a lot of experience studio-hopping. I love the Yoga Studio app. It was recently purchased by Gaiam, but they did not change the app (which is good--it's perfect in its simplicity).

Keep at it! WDGAF!!!

[Crankin]

I am so happy to be going back to my old health club, where they have great yoga classes and, more of them. My balance and strength improved immensely when I was regularly going. And that, only helps my cycling and skiing. I mostly, also have been practicing at home. I did one summer a few years ago, of a yoga/meditation class at a yoga studio. I was leery, but sad when it was over. Then the studio moved, and it's just too far away for me to go there.
I have never felt judged in a yoga class, but sometimes I get annoyed by the "earthy-crunchy" vibe that is permeating the room. It doesn't always happen, but since you don't have to be like that to like yoga, I try to control my thoughts!
I am very flexible, but yoga is not always easy for me. My balance has never been good, and that is not a function of getting older; in fact it has improved a lot since I started cycling and and more advanced x country skiing. But doing an extended tree pose pushes me. I will never do hot yoga, though. I get really out of whack from any exercise in the heat, and I imagine that I would be feeling faint and having heart palpitations pretty quickly. I can build up to cycling in the heat, but I'd rather enjoy yoga than subject myself to doing it in the heat.

[ny biker]

What is the benefit of doing hot yoga vs comfortable-temperature yoga?

I also don't like working out in the heat, particularly indoors. I prefer cycling in summer than winter but typically plan routes with enough shade and air conditioned rest stops to keep myself from overheating. But I really wish they would turn the heat down and get rid of the hot overhead lights at my gym in the winter -- it would save them money and be more comfortable.

On the other topic, we recently had a big meeting at work and as an ice breaker they started by asking us questions like if you could go anywhere on vacation where would it be and what is your favorite spectator sport. People gave some answers and then we voted to see what was most popular. When they asked if you could be any age what would it be, a woman behind me said 40. Two women sitting next to her and I were the only people in the room who voted for that, and we all agreed on how nice it was to NGAF about what people think anymore. By the end of the exercise it was clear that I am a total outlier among my co-workers since I didn't agree with most of the answers they gave to all the questions, but fortunately IDGAF.

[emily_in_nc]

At the couple of yoga studios I've practiced at, I can tell you that no one is paying attention to you or judging you...I promise. If they are, then they're not paying attention to what they should be: their breath, coordinating breath with movement, and their own form. I have enough to concentrate on than to look at what anyone else is doing! Plus, in many cases your drishdi (probably spelled wrong, but means gaze) is supposed to be towards the floor or kept very dim (lids partially closed) so you literally can't see anyone but yourself!

I think the idea behind hot yoga is that it keeps your muscles and joints very warm for flexibility. The practice I go to here in Mexico is not Bikram, but it's in a studio without A/C or even a fan, in a hot climate, so it is essentially that. Most days I sweat like crazy. I have a towel on top of my mat so I won't slide around, and it is totally damp at the end of the practice, along with my clothes, hair, etc. During the more active parts of the 90 minute practice, I am dripping sweat and wiping it off my face (and sometimes arms and legs) with a bandanna frequently. I really don't enjoy this part of yoga and would much rather practice in a cooler room, but I love the instructor and location (easy walk for me), so I keep going.

As far as demographics, as a 54-year old American in a class full of 20-30 something Latinas and Europeans, conducted in Spanish, I am completely, totally off-the-charts "different", but I am definitely at the age if IDGAF! I'm doing it for me, not for anyone else.

Good for you for going, VBC. And ny biker, I think if I could pick any age to be at this moment, 40 would be great! I had no idea how "young" I was then. Like yellow mentioned, I look at my wrinkles, sagging skin, and see how much more injury-prone I seem to be now and realize how wonderful my 40s really were now that I'm in my 50s!

[Crankin]

At 40 I was just starting my downhill slide into pre-menopausal overweight and getting burned out on exercise. At 45 I was 20 pounds overweight and being told to "accept it." Well. I did not. I don't want to be what I was at 35, which was looking like a skeleton, but I think if I had to pick my favorite age, it would be 50. I still feel that I am in better shape now, at just about 62, than I was at 40. Maybe my face looked a little younger at 40 or 45, but not by much. I hate looking at pictures of myself from that decade. I lost the same ten pounds for both of kids' Bar Mitzvahs and the first one's HS grad. I had started cycling about 7 months before his graduation. By the time the second graduated from HS, I was pretty much in the shape I am in now, at 49, almost 50.
And, I have always subscribed to the IDGAF philosophy. It's just easier to do this as you age!