In all my years of dipping in and out of yoga (of which there have been quite a few), I have never managed to get myself to a hot yoga class.
The idea of doing a yoga sequence in blistering heat has always appealed to me. Yes call me made but I love the heat! I naturally feel the cold and there is nothing worse than trying to relax into an asana when a cold draught comes floating through the room to chill you. This was not an issue at the yoga lounge in Manchester.
Myself and a friend pootled off to hot yoga after a fairly hectic day at work. The start time of the class is perfect for a post work session so we got there in plenty of time. We got changed in their small but spotless changing room, picked up a mat (£1 charge) and headed into the studio.
WOW! That was my first thought, the second thought was something along the lines of ‘if I’m sweating standing still what the hell am I going to be like in 45 minutes’. They do tell you it’s hot, I mean the give-a-way is in the name but nothing could prepare me for the bone warming sensation of this studio.
The practise was fairly fast paced but nothing I wouldn’t normally do, the heat however gave it a different level that I had never imagined. My head felt light, my skin was dripping and I’m not afraid to say I day to go into child pose on more than one occasion. Looking across at my friend who is a little less experience than me, I could feel her pain!
The teacher was encouraging and clear with instructions, she reassured us it was fine to stop and I felt at ease, well as much as I could pouring with sweat!
The class ended, and as we wobbled out red and sticky the fresh air never felt so good. The 3 (or was it 4) flights of stairs down were a little interesting with a fuzzy head but as I trekked my way to the train station I felt exhilarated. My skin felt like it had been given a good scrub, my muscles ached with pleasure and I really felt as if I had achieved something.
Needless to say I was excited to do this more regularly. Although a little more expensive (£10 a class, or you can buy blocks or membership) I would say it’s thoroughly worth it. It’s not for the faint hearted (or faint headed), and I would suggest you need a good grounding in regular yoga before trying this out but I would recommend to anyone who is looking for a new challenge.
I tried out hot yoga at the yoga lounge Manchester http://theyogalounge.co.uk/