Wednesday, July 14, 2010

30 days of yoga: Day 4 - sweaty betty

Sorry to sound like a broken record, but day four: nailed it AGAIN.

Now, the thing with Bikram yoga is that because you're in a hot room you sweat. A lot. It's a bit like doing yoga under a running shower, except the water stings when you're doubled over with your forehead pressed against your knee and everything runs down your face into your eyes. Seriously, sometimes I've come out of posture and half expected someone to give me a tissue because I look like I'm blinking back floods of tears.

Anyway, so sweating in class is a given. But what I've found since I started Bikram yoga is that when it's warm my body's instant reaction now is just to open the floodgates and SWEAT. It's warm in the office? SWEAT. Wander into a warm shop? SWEAT. How do I like my tea? SWEET. At one point I was actually a little bit confused about why I was sweating so much, but then a few weeks back one of my yoga teachers - maybe picking up on my sweaty psychic vibes - mentioned in passing that it's a side effect of spending so much time in the hot room. Sweating is, after all, your body's natural way of trying to cool down.

So if you see me wandering around the streets looking like I've just done several lengths of a swimming pool fully clothed, just remember that while I may look a damp mess, my yoga-honed physique is actually running at peak efficiency.

At least that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

3 comments:

Tara said...

So when you're feeling hot, you're actually pretty cool?

I've heard that before, about how when we sweat it's really our bodies cooling down. I just wish it wasn't so obvious. I went walking yesterday, in the humidity, and I was soaked by the time I was back home.

CyberPete said...

I'm always a sweaty mess and I never did any of that newfangled bikram yoga stuff.

The other day I was cleaning a bit and sweat dripped into my eyes and yes, it does sting. A.Lot.

Tim said...

Tara - Technically, yes, although I'd rather feel warm and not glow so visibly!

Cyberpete - You need someone to fan you.