Hot Yoga; FAIL

Friday night, Jess and I went to our first hot yoga class with Yoga to the People. Well, my first hot yoga class. Jess had been before while living in Pittsburgh and assured me it would be fine and just like our Wednesday evening class, only hotter. I was hoping for magical yoga- the kind I experience on Wednesday evening's in the park- a spiritual and mental release while pushing myself physically.

We entered the studio and upon arriving they had us fill out a name tag that was to be placed near our mats in the room. They explained that first time guests pay after class and we would be offered 20% off a package of classes, should we decide to purchase a membership. We went into the very small locker room to drop our bags off in a locker and then entered the room. We were a bit early but I thought it would be good to sit in there, get used to the heat, and prepare myself for the next 90 minutes.

Before I explain about the class, let me say that based on our schedule and the times classes were offered, we opted for "hot traditional yoga" as opposed to "hot power vinyasa yoga". I am accustomed to vinyasa yoga and wasn't sure what to expect from traditional yoga. But really, how much different could it be?

At the start of class, the instructor (can't remember her name) pulled all new-comers to the front of the studio to go through some breathing techniques. Ok, fine. They were strange but I went with it. Then we went back to our mats, she turned ON the lights, and we got to work. We started with the breathing exercises, then went into a few standing poses- none of the names were familiar to me but the poses were similar to vinyasa. There was little movement, it was all choppy and we would do three sets of each pose on our left and right side. Very early on during the class I felt like I was going to pass out. Beads of sweat started dripping off my body about five minutes into class and continued to pour out of my pores for the remainder of class.

Let me also say that, prior to class beginning, we were instructed to NOT leave class. If we could not do a pose or felt sick, we were to sit or lie down on our mats for as long as we needed to. I am pretty sure I spent the majority of class in one of these positions. I tried every pose but very often just had to stand there, trying not to pass out.

Halfway through the class, after we finished our standing poses (which, really, were not difficult to do at all. I did not feel like I was pushing myself except for the fact that I was sweating more than I did when I ran the half mary.) we had a two minute savasana (corpse pose) which I welcomed greatly. Jess looked over at me and mouthed "This is the worst! Do you think it's over?" To which I responded "There is no possible way that was 90 minutes."

The second half of class consisted of sitting poses, laying on our stomach, contorting my body in weird ways. I hated every minute of it. Not to mention, the instructors voice was harsh and loud and she talked the entire way through class (and the lights stayed on!) and her voice/talking actually made me MORE anxious about being in the room. I felt claustrophobic and annoyed for the full 90 minutes.

Now, I will admit that I don't handle heat very well, which is why I was nervous going into class. BUT, I thought, if hot yoga is magical and spiritual like other classes I have been to, I will endure the heat and the sweat for the experience and to rid my body of toxins. I truly do think that, should the class have been filled with vinyasa's and downward dogs and chaturanga dandasana's, I would have been able to handle it and would have enjoyed the class.

After a quick shower, which I sweated my way through, Jess losing her $50 blush down the drain in the bathroom (don't ask, it was traumatic), and being asked to pay $8 (when the website boasts that it is a donation based studio), we left. We were both so annoyed with the class- this was NOT what Jess had done in Pittsburgh- that we felt the only way to make it up to ourselves was to go to dinner.

We headed down to the West Village and went to Risotteria on Bleecker Street. Jess and Brian had been there before as they offer a gluten free menu and a $15 bottle of wine special. The wine was a Pinot Noir, which was delicious. I ordered the mozarella, portabello mushroom and truffle oil pizza (you know my love for truffle) and Jess ordered the gluten free mozzarella pizza. Mine was really tasty and there was just enough truffle oil to make me happy.

Despite our not so good experience with hot yoga, the night ended on a good note with good food and wine. Can't go wrong with that.

I think, for now, I'll stick with magic yoga on Wednesday nights and maybe find another studio to visit for hot vinyasa yoga. I can't wait for Wednesday.