are you traveling soon?
we will be taking a cross-country road trip in a couple days.
[woo hoo]
so, have you been thinking about your 2013 goals?
these past few weeks, i have NOT been making working out a priority.
i havent 'failed' or 'fallen off the wagon' ; i just havent been putting fitness on the top of my list.
i am walking daphne a couple times a day & riding 50-80 miles a week to work ; but other than that, i havent been working out.
so when we get back ; i want to start HOT YOGA!
i already bought a 2 month package to this local studio.
i some new pants.
and these fun little 'yoga toes' socks.
have you done [hot] yoga?
[i use to go to a studio a few years ago & tried to do it at home ; but would get too distracted]
i need some tips!
and encouragement.
the studio i am going to is one of the best in the cities.
they offer TONS of classes each day AND each class is 105*.
[my biggest fear is passing out][im from minnesota, man. im good at being cold ; not sweltering hot]
what gear do you love? mats? tops? hairbands?
if you do yoga ; i want to hear from you!
and if you DONT do yoga ; id love to hear what fitness tip // trick // plan you plan on using in 2013.
plan on running a race? doing a 5 min plank?
TELL US!
disclaimer : i bought the yoga passes & gear with my own money. nobody gave me anything or asked me to write anything. i just want to practice yoga & not throw up.
1. For hot you'll want a yogitoes or you'll be sliding all over your mat (cheapest is usually on amazon).
ReplyDelete2. 105 is REALLY hot. I typically practice at 103 max as hydration and taking it slow only do so much for you. Also focus on electrolytes and minerals you may lose thru your sweat.
3. It's easy to get really competitive. I've found the more I do yoga, the better I get at listening to my body and only doing what my body wants to do. Your goal is to not give a sh*t about anyone else in the room but yourself. If you want to do an alternate pose than what's instructed, just do what you want. It's hard, but once you can achieve that mentality, you'll find more joy in practice.
4. Don't buy pants online unless you've tried them on in-store. It's amazing how poorly some pants crotches are designed and you want to see how that goes before you buy or else you'll have "unfortunate" situations when you are practicing.
5. Running pants are not the same as yoga pants. They are typically thinner and your skin will peek thru when you are flexing and stretching.
6. Lastly, it is amazing what time and practice can do. I'm not at all flexible and was not good at any of the moves but I really got better over time and can do some moves now I never ever thought I'd be able to do.
7. Athleta makes great head bands that actually stick and don't fall out.
8. Never wear cotton to hot yoga, only synthetics that wont get heavy and trap moisture on your body.
9. I actually like capri pants vs. shorts for hot yoga because you get better grip.
10. This is a great mat that is reasonably priced http://www.amazon.com/Aurorae-Yoga-Mats-Illuminating-guaranteed/dp/B004TN51EE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1356024484&sr=8-3&keywords=yoga+mat
11. Cheap mats are the worst. They smell like plastic, they wear out fast and they stretch so that when you're holding poses your feet spread the mat apart and you have no balance. They are also often thin and uncomfortable.
girl! these are AWESOME tips, thank you SO much!
Deletei have gone to yoga a few times now & i am really loving it.
after each class, i feel strong, light & powerful. and really sweaty ;)
I want to try hot yoga as well! Maybe I will follow your example! I'm from California where in the summer we often have 107+ weather so maybe it won't be so bad! :)
ReplyDeleteSit in the front row (unless your studio has a policy against new students doing that), and sit where you can have unobstructed mirrors on two sides of you.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Stephanie k., especially #3, #6, #9! I've never tried yogitoes, and I wear cotton clothes in hot yoga -- and I look ridiculous at the end of class, so go with the synthetic/wicking clothes when you can afford them, etc. And I use a cheap mat. Again, COMPLETELY worth the upgrade if it's in your budget.
You'll get used to the heat. It's mainly mental, but MAKE SURE you're hydrated/hydrating throughout the day. Feeling dizzy/slightly blacking out is semi-normal during hot yoga, which seems counter intuitive, so just go with it and remember to KEEP YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME.
Yoga taught/is teaching me a lot about my body, which is awesome/scary/intense. I take classes with my best friend, someone I've looked at almost everyday for literally 20 years. I can do some poses WAY "better" than her, but she is 1000X more flexible than I am in certain poses. So, stare at yourself (something else weird you have to get used to), and have a phrase ("mantra") you can repeat in your head during a pose. Sometimes I say, "SELF. YOU CAN DO THIS. [PUT YOUR LEG UP HIGHER.] [DON'T FALL OUT OF THIS.]" I feel stupid, but it really does help.
Mostly enjoy yourself and watch your body transform! Yoga is so hard, but so much more rewarding.