Hot yoga cured my sinus infection. I'm not even joking. I went into hot yoga with a sinus infection and came out with a cough every once in a while and a sniffle or two. I'm completely amazed! I've only done hot yoga a couple of times but I'm a huge fan of yoga. I'm what you would call a freak of nature... I have really flexible joints, which isn't as great as it sounds. I get injured really easily. If I run too much I hurt a hip or a knee, if I swim my shoulder or my elbow hurts. But yoga has only made everything better, and for that I am eternally greatful.
**Warning, do not watch this video if you have a weak stomach!
This is me dislocating my shoulder on purpose. Yes, I know how crazy that sounds.
I used to be on the swim team, I swam butterfly and I was really good! Little did I know it was because I'm "hyper-mobile." I used to be able to pull my arms up over my head farther but I had surgery on my right shoulder when I was 15. My knees also bend back super far and my elbows a little bit too, so yoga is just natural for me.
Now I haven't gotten to the point where I can do these extreme poses. I'm flexible but I'm not very strong. I am working on it however! I hope to be focusing more on yoga now that I will be graduating and will have a little more time.
Hot yoga, or even yoga in general is definitely not for everyone. Especially with hot yoga there are some major things that can go wrong. If you have a heart condition you definitely shouldn't do it. Also, I will warn you the first time or two you do hot yoga, especially at first its pretty scary. I remember my first time in hot yoga, I was laying on my mat in savasana (corpse pose) and just the heavy, humid heat was starting to make me panic. I felt like I couldn't catch my breath and my breathing was getting quicker. But it truly is mind over matter. I told breathed in through my nose and out through my mouth and soon enough I felt calm. I even surprised myself by making it through the 90 minute class, and even yet by continuing to go back. It really does feel good, especially with this cold weather we've been having!
You are instructed not to eat 2-3 hours before the hot yoga class starts however this last time I went I ate 2 and a half hours before class and for the whole standing portion of the yoga class I felt very dizzy. Afterwards I asked the instructor how I could get rid of the dizziness and she said to eat something, such as a banana, before class because not everyone can do hot yoga on an empty stomach, so I plan on doing that tomorrow when I go!
To stay hydrated during class I make a special concoction. You sweat so much during hot yoga that you sweat out your electrolytes. And since you are only allowed to bring in water to class, I did some research on how to replenish your electrolytes during class. I filled the biggest insulated water bottle I could find with mostly ice and then really cold water. I added a pinch of salt and sugar and squeezed a lemon slice into the water. It was so refreshing during class and that is definitely going to become a regular drink for me!
Hopefully as I do more yoga I can start posting pictures doing some cool yoga poses! We shall see!
Namaste.
That looks painful to me but not all to you! This reminds me, I haven't seen a picture of your new glasses! :)
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