Bikram Yoga - One Tough Workout

I finally took that Yoga class I've been talking about for months. I attended a Bikram Yoga class this week and I have to say it rates pretty high on the scale of toughest workouts I've done.

The first thing that strikes you as you enter the studio is the oppressive heat which is set a 38 degree C /100 F (something Chad in Arizona may be use to be not this boy). Ninety minutes in this heat alone was going to be a challenge.

The room is silent. It is almost as if we are preparing ourselves to go into battle, with ourselves.

The Body Balance classes I had been attending at Les Mills may have been a nice introduction to Yoga but from the moment the Bikram Yoga class got underway I knew I was in for a different experience. For a start there was no pop music and the instructor meant business, perched on his stool, barking out instructions faster than an instructor at a army basic training session.

We started with some really deep breathing before launching into the whole range of stretches and poses. I was able to competently do most of the poses though clearly I still have a lot of room for improvement judging by the flexibility some of the students displayed.

I had no watch so had no idea of the time but by about the one hour mark I was almost totally spent. Every part of me is saturated with sweat and I am breathing harder than I ever have after a hill or speed session on the roads. I am almost finished my powerade.

We hit the floor. Surely this must mean we are nearing the end? We may be lying down now but the stretches are not getting any easier. I almost feel like I'm about to pass out. I get a cramp in my lower back at one point. I just lie there and skip one of the stetches while I try and regain my breath and some composure.

After a few more poses we are left lying on the floor as the instructor makes an abrupt exit after wishing us a good night. It's over.

Though I'm absolutely exhausted I am one of the first to rise and exit the room, trying to escape the heat and find some water to replace the copious fluids I have just lost.

Afterwards, the instructor complements me on my effort and seemed a little surprised that it was my first class. A few guys congratulate me on completing my first class and encourage me to return. I must admit, at that stage I'm not so sure I want to put myself through that pain ever again. As with most things, the memory of the pain passes with time and I will make this a weekly addition to my training for the next three months, at least while I'm not running heavily.

I was reading during the week an article on cross training for runners and while yoga is a recommended activity the article mentioned that rest days from running should involve a relatively low intensity workout. I can't imagine mixing one of these Bikram Yoga classes into a busy, mid - high mileage training schedule as it hardly counts as a rest. I wonder are the other forms of Yoga any less intensive and would these be better for a runner to incorporate into their training routine than Bikram?

Any other Yoga attendees have any thoughts on this?



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