It’s never too late, it’s never too bad, you are never too old or too sick to start from scratch once again!
- Arrive 15 to 30 minutes early before class to register, meet the instructor, and get set up in the yoga room.
- Avoid eating a big meal at least 2 hours before class. Doing yoga on a full stomach is no fun. Some people need to eat “a little something light” (banana, grapefruit, toast) an hour or so before class.
- Shorts, tank tops light, comfortable, and fitted (swim suit, yoga wear, gym clothes) are preferred attire. Long pants, baggy shirts, and other loose clothing get in the way and trap body heat. You are going to sweat.
- All Bikram Yoga classes last for 90 minutes. Please attend only when you are capable of remaining the entire class.
- Before and after class the instructor is available to answer questions, chat, and help develop your personal practice. If you have questions, please ask us.
- Yoga mat
- Towel (to cover mat)
- Water
- Please do not bring mobile phones into the yoga room
- Avoid using strong fragrances (perfumes, deodorants, etc.)
- Always breathe normally, in and out through the nose during every posture. This type of breathing can take lots of practice, just keep trying and you will improve and benefit. Breathing in and out through the nose keeps your mind and central nervous system calm; breathing heavily through the mouth or holding your breath during the postures can make you tense and dizzy.
- Come to class well hydrated. Drink 36 to 64 ounces of water prior to class. As you stretch, your muscles need sufficient hydration. To avoid dizzy, weird feelings, please drink fresh water throughout the day. Then balance the extra water with electrolytes (ex. coconut water) after class.
- Try to stay in the room the entire first class. Please feel free to rest on your yoga mat if you feel dizzy or nauseated until you’re ready to resume. Honor, listen to, and take care of your body. It’s OK to do only one set of a posture, or skip a posture entirely. If you absolutely must leave the room, make sure the teacher knows you have left, and come back in as quickly as possible.
- Yoga is a process. Don’t expect perfection in your first class. Avoid comparison and judgment. With time and practice your ease of expression will blossom. Patience, concentration, determination, faith, and self-control are natural results of practice. Doing the twenty-six (26) different postures well during your first class is not necessary. What matters most is that you try to do the postures properly.
- Focus on yourself and be as still as possible between poses. As you build your ability to focus your mind and still your body, the heat and the struggle will soon disappear. Keep your mind focused on yourself in the mirror and keep your inner voice positive, supportive, and encouraging fashion.
- It is normal to feel emotions during class (cry, laugh, feel anger) This is a very powerful yoga that works on all levels to heal us. Sometimes tears will flow as you perform a posture. This means your emotional body is releasing energy and you are healing psychologically and emotionally. Don’t judge the experience and don’t stop because you think something is wrong. Your yoga practice is working exactly the way it is supposed to.
- Certain postures may cause unusual experiences. Old injuries may re-emerge as aches or dull pain. We may be afraid we are re-injuring ourselves and should stop practicing yoga. The opposite is usually true as this is part of the healing process. Continuing our yoga practice and/or practicing more often will actually help us heal faster. Always check with your doctor if you have medical concerns.
- Bikram Yoga is suitable for all skill levels – including beginners. You will see men and women of all ages, sizes, and shapes. You will see people, practicing Bikram Yoga, who are unfamiliar with it, and also those who are quite skilled.
- You might feel very tired after class, this is absolutely normal and a good sign that your body is cleansing. Your energy levels should be restored to normal within several classes.
- You might find yourself feeling extremely energetic and experience difficulty sleeping. Don’t worry, this is a good sign the yoga is filling you up with energy.
- You might feel dizzy or nauseous, this is a normally a sign your body is dehydrated. Replenish your body’s fluids with at least 36 to 64 ounces of water per day. You must also replenish your minerals, the major ones being sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium. The studio sells coconut water and electrolyte packets which are fantastic to help your body hydrate.
- You might feel stiff or sore after class, come back as soon as possible! Your body is waking up and coming alive. Keep the process going. Any feelings of being overwhelmed will fade away with each additional Bikram Yoga class you attend. Your next class will be much better than the first.
- Every class is different. Experience each class like it is your first class. Your body is different every day and it is normal for certain postures to be easy one day and difficult the next. Having a difficult class is part of the process. The miserable class will be followed by a great class. The important result is HOW YOU FEEL AFTER CLASS.
- Last, but not least, you should expect to feel better the more you practice. Your body will become more flexible, stronger, healthier, and toned with each class.
