Day 1, Bikram Yoga Challenge: Learning to Overcome Sweat “Issues"

From FreeYogaDay

This is me in my 60 day challenge t-shirt from my first challenge with studio owner, Karen Buckner

Today was my first day of my 60 day Bikram Yoga Challenge in preparation of Bikram Yoga Teacher Training. The best thing I can say about it is, it can only get better from here! What is a 60 day Bikram Yoga Challenge? It’s where you challenge yourself to complete 60 Bikram Yoga classes in 60 days. Sound hard? It is. I did one a few years ago during a time when I was still traveling a lot for work. The fun part of that one was I got to take class at different studios all over the country. Sixty classes in 60 days is definitely a challenge. The time commitment alone is worth the t-shirt you get at the end. But like the t-shirt says, you get a new body and that is worth so much MORE than the t-shirt!

I am looking forward to refocusing my practice and really dedicating myself to a daily practice again. It has been a long time and I certainly can feel it. Today was a good example of what happens when I don’t go to class consistently. I haven’t been to a real class since Saturday a week ago. I went to class while on my ski trip but I don’t consider that a class since I barely sweated. So basically I haven’t taken class for 8 days. Eight days can make a lot of difference. Plus, I did the Big D Climb on Saturday, which kicked my butt! So all in all, not a great class today.

Today’s class was packed; there wasn’t a single spot left by the time we started. This has become a regular occurrence so I got there early and set my mat right next to the podium - reducing the possibility of flying random sweat by one person. (Or so I thought.)

Class starts and everything seems great. My neck isn’t stiff with shooting pain as my head goes back in the breathing exercise. I am convinced it is because I spent the last week outdoors and not with my head bent staring at a computer screen.

Then in Eagle the guy behind me swung his arms (as they tell us to do in class) and I felt some sweat on my back. ICK! Ok, I think, relax…you are sweating too, it will just wash off. Focus. Ok, I got over that.

I need to interject here and explain my sweat issues. It isn’t just other people’s sweat I have a problem with. In general I don’t like ANYthing from another person touching me, sweat, hands, feet, hair, etc. I have serious personal space issues and it has taken me years to even hug people. So why take Bikram Yoga where you are sure to get sweated on? Because I am sure to get sweated on…and I need to get over my issues. (And not only sweat issues…I have a long list of issues, some Bikram Yoga can fix, some perhaps more expensive measures might fix.) :D I work on these things daily.

Ok, back to the yoga….Then in the balancing series I felt like I had never taken yoga, couldn’t balance to save my life. Fell out of first set of Triangle too. Sat down for second set and David, the instructor gave me a bit of a hard time since I am going to training. “What’s wrong? You sitting down? You are going to training. There is no sitting down at training, unless you are throwing up.” This made me laugh, and get up.

Savasana was like heaven and David got to telling stories so I am positive each of our savasanas were longer than normal, loved it. Then can Spine Twist. I’m sitting on the edge of my mat, about to turn and WHAM, right on my face comes sweat off David’s arm. UGH! The whole point of being by the podium is to AVOID sweat, not ATTRACT it! Ok, so I have two choices, react or let it go. I turn, twist and stay in the position but I can feel the sweat, his sweat, running down my face…and OMG, it is about to go into my eye! In a flash I am thinking of all the bacteria related eye issues I might end up with and before I can stop thinking, David says change. Whew! I reach down and rub my face with my towel. Bacterial eye infection averted.

And then I guess because I was worried about bacterial eye infections, I forgot Spine Twist was the last posture. Kapalbhati in Varjrasana (Breathing in Firm Pose) and then done. Whew! What a class. Struggled through the standing series, worked through TWO bad sweat moments and one that could have potentially produced some eye infection…all on the first day of 60 days of Bikram Yoga. I am sure there are more sweat issues tomorrow.

Come back for more glorious tales as I work through my 60 days! Namaste.

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