An ex-colleague, and member of my beach swim club alerted me to the fact that the yoga studio that she attends around the corner from me was doing a day of free trial sessions. I had done yoga before and thought it was OK but preferred Pilates. Partly because it felt like a workout while resolving my flexibility issues, partly because a friend is an instructor and therefore have to prefer it and partly because previous yoga instructors I had been in contact with fit the stereotype of hemp wearing vegans who could feel the universe flowing through a haemorrhoid if the planets were in alignment. I thought I would give it a go anyway. A free class is a free class after all.
I have walked past the Yoga Lounge and it looked like a professional outfit. The assumption made purely on the size of the building and the quality of the posters and marketing material out front. But it was time to dive into the book and see what was beyond the cover. Turning up for my first class I was led into a false sense of security by the smiling, welcoming people behind the counter and pleasant setting. It was baptism by fire. Figuratively speaking.
I knew Bikram yoga was “hot yoga”, but there is hot and then there is hot. It didn’t start well when I was slightly late for the class because I was faffing about outside not really sure what to do and then had to walk past everyone to a free spot right at the other end of the room as they were just getting started. It then didn’t continue well when I went through thewhole contents of my water bottle just after half way through. I then had to sit out against a wall looking sorry for myself because I was on the verge of passing out several times and the instructor would not let me leave the room. I salvaged a bit of self-respect by re-joining for the ridiculously named cool down part of the session. I came out of that room more soaked through than if I had jumped in the sea. Everything I was wearing and the towel that was covering my yoga mat could have been rung out. Brandy, the instructor, congratulated my efforts and the rest of the team behind reception found enjoyment in my facial expressions as I emerged from the oven.
I was booked onto an Ashtanga session later on that day but was suggested that maybe I swap it for a Yin Yoga session with Ali instead as it was slower and a good compliment to the Bikram. I took their word for it and accepted the change which gave me an hour to get back to the house, sort myself out change and be back in time for the class. It was back in the same room as the Bikram and it had hardly cooled down during that time. While it was still a sweat fest, resulting in having my 3rd shower of the day after, it was a very enjoyable session. You hold positions for several minutes instead of a couple of seconds to get deeper into the muscles and the fascia. I came out and signed up for the introductory 30-Day Membership which was on offer at £24 during the day of free yoga rather than the usual £30.
Week One
Monday – Restorative Rest with Carina
Very similar to the Yin Yoga but without the singing bowl and incense sticks. A slow sweat fest. I thought I had finished making a fool of myself after Bikram but apparently not. Didn’t realise it was a hot one so turned up without a towel and a change of clothes, sweat through everything and dripped all over my brand-new mat and when we moved onto the lying down stuff, I kept sticking to it and it made fart noises because of the trapped air. If I hadn’t paid for another 29 days I probably would have never showed my face again.
Tuesday – Aerial Yoga with Faye
Was convinced I was going to break my neck somehow but actually made it through and enjoyed it. Some bits were surprisingly difficult, others a little uncomfortable with the curtain digging in but there were positions that you would think would be pro level that could be pulled off incredibly easily. I know for next time that a top with sleeves and long trousers are preferrable and encouraged.
Friday – Hot Power Yoga with Faye (Live Stream)
Was a bit of an early start, trying to get a class in before work. While advertised as Hot Yoga, as it was live streamed it took place in my room which was not the warmest place first thing in the morning. I could have turned the heater on to recreate the conditions I imagined were in the studio but I was not sure what the class would be like so thought I’d keep it off and know for future reference. Didn’t take long to get a bit of a sweat on and I had not put a towel down on my mat again as I didn’t think I would need it. Thankfully it was not as bad as my last hot session without a towel. This one was quite a physical class and highlighted the limited muscular endurance I have in my shoulders. Had to tap out a few mins from the end to get ready for work. Next time in know to get my lunch prepped the night before to save time.
Week 2
Wednesday – Hot Power Yoga with Faye (Live Stream)
I kept the heater off again for this session. Could have been that the room was colder or I was more conditioned but didn’t sweat as much with this one. A few different moves thrown in this time but the shoulders still got a battering from holding planks and downward dogs. Class finished with enough time to get ready for work and did not have to withdraw early.
Thursday – Aerial with Faye
It was a bit more comfortable in a shirt and old school trackies rather than a vest and shorts but I can see why “meggings”, mens leggings were suggested. Trackies are a bit loose and flowy unless you get the tighter fitted modern ones that seem to be in fashion. It was a good class, challenging but enjoyable with all the swinging around and hanging upside down.
Friday – Yin Yoga with Nick
Warm, slow and chilled. I do enjoy this class but I started to realise that holding these positions for the durations required resulted in pins and needles in everything below the knee. Not sure if it was because of the prolapsed disc or the lack of flexibility was finding some magical way of cutting of the blood supply but it made me fidget when the aim of the game was to sink into the position, hold it and stay still. Could only get better though.
Sunday – Kundalini with Lacey
Bit of a weird one this. Wasn’t quite sure what to expect but it ended up being a bit chanty. Not sure chanty yoga is my thing. Brought to the western world by Yogi Bhajan, it is very strict in its teachings and method. Meaning that there is no room for adlib, freestyle or artistic licencing. I know its silly to feel embarrassed and self-conscious when everyone else is doing it but I was. I don’t know how the others knew all the words. The other oddity with Kundalini is the repetitive nature and length of time you hold poses for. We only did 3 poses during the entire class, each for 11 minutes. One was sweeping my right arm over my shoulder, two was crossing them over each other and three was holding straight arms over the head. There is a lot of shoulder action in yoga I was not expecting.
Week 3
Monday – Restorative Reset with Carina
Still getting pins and needles from holding these positions for ages. At least this time I remembered my towel to soak up the sweat and stop the fake flatulence.
Thursday – Aerial with Faye
This became the first aerial class where I was the sole male representative. A theme that would continue for the rest of them. Confidence was building in getting into positions I had done in previous classes and that the curtain was going to hold me. If it wasn’t for the clothes being loose and the body being tight, I thought I could go pro.
Friday – Yin Yoga with Nick
I was struggling to work out the difference between Yin and Restorative yoga. They are both warm and slow and they both hold positions for minutes. Restorative is warmer, Yin is slower. Its incense sticks….. Yin has them, Restorative does not.
Sunday – Ashtanga with Meredith
Ashtanga had the same kind of intensity that Hot Yoga had, but made it look a bit more like an exercise class than a yoga class in comparison. This felt more ‘yoga-like’. While still highlighting my lack of flexibility and cardio limitations due to an intensity I wasn’t used to, I needed and enjoyed it. Nearly took a mirror out by rolling back into it, which got a few laughs.
Week 4
Monday – Restorative Reset with Carina
Was an exact copy of the previous class. Not to say that this is a bad thing, it was very thorough in getting all body parts involved, but if you want a bit of variation this may not be for you. I was starting to lean into the stretches for longer before the pins and needless kicked in which I was happy about.
Tuesday – Hot Pilates with Darren (Live Stream)
Another early doors pre-work class. Again, I should probably have had the heater on to make the class as authentic to the studio experience as I could but didn’t really fancy getting to hot and sweaty that early in the morning. This class did not help me define the line between what is yoga and what is Pilates but it was a good level of intensity for an early morning exercise wake up call.
Wednesday – Hot Power Yoga with Faye (Live Stream)
The shoulders were starting to contend with the punishment this class kept throwing my way. The core was activated, triceps fired up and the quads on point. The heater was still off.
Friday – Yin Yoga with Ali
Even though the instructor had changed back to Ali who did the free trial session, the class was based on the same script Nick was reading from. This is not a criticism, just simply an observation as I do enjoy the class. The frequency of my attendance should hopefully convey this.
Saturday – Meditation with Anna
I have been neglecting my meditation practice for a few months so I thought I would try and use this to get me back on track. As guided meditations go it was alright but it could quite easily have been replaced with a YouTube video in my opinion. No offense to Anna. Another oddity I found was they give you headphones to listen to the music with Anna’s narration being broadcast through them as well. Other classes had music playing over the speakers with the instructors just talking to you without use of a microphone. Not sure why they couldn’t just do that. Maybe it was an immersive thing. As with all other guided meditations I have done, I tune out and have no idea what the guide is on about. At one point I was opening a gate, the next thing I knew I was a tree with no recollection on how I got there. It probably works for some people though.
Sunday – Kundalini & Gong with Lacey
Well, this was an interesting class. I forgot I had done a Kundalini class before and what it was about but this one took it to the next level with more chanting, baboon breathing and utilising the power of the new moon to energise our 3rd and 5th chakras while holding our hand in the mercury position to boost femininity or sex organs or something like that. This adds to the cosmic theme when it was followed with a gong bath using a mars gong and a moon gong. At the end of the class we were told to have between 60-80 ounces of water afterwards to flush out the toxins and rehydrate. I was also told I would probably have some weird dreams because of the gongs. They were not wrong.
Week 5
Monday – Restorative Reset with Carina
The second and last class that I would attend with the friends I thought I would do the majority of “yoga practices” with. Was just like the other two classes and as it was the last one, I leant into the heat, the sweat and the pins and needles.
Tuesday – Aerial Yoga with Faye
The last day of my yoga pass and the most technical aerial class so far. Layers upon layers of twists around the curtain, getting more wrapped up. Getting untangled was not a flattering task but thankfully they are quite casual classes and we all have an acceptable laugh at each other during these moments.
So, yoga. Has this month changed my perceptions of it? Yes. There are more variations of it than I thought so it can be an inclusive experience for all ages and abilities which other forms of exercise may not be able to provide. The instructors are always talking about it being our own practice and working to our ability as well which supports this concept.
Has this month changed my perception of the people who participate in regular yoga? No, not really. They are the nice quirky bunch I would have expected them to be but I have moved the goal posts to broaden my definition of quirky. From the few conversations I had with others taking part, they all had their own reasons for turning up and it wasn’t always to do with crystals, universal lay lines, vegan diets and the latest hemp wearing trends.
Will I be carrying it on? Yoga? Yes I will. At the Yoga Lounge? I would like to, sadly the monthly cost of unlimited yoga classes is out of my reach. Dedicated yoga studios are expensive places. There are however other membership options on offer to keep up my practice such as paying for a one-off class or a 10-class pass to do the classes I am interested in continuing with. There is nothing to stop me incorporating certain aspects of the various classes into my own exercise routine at home. I will be taking the stretches from Yin and Restorative and some of the dynamic movements from Hot Yoga with me, unfortunately the curtains in my room aren’t quite fit for purpose to practice aerial moves and I will probably leave the chanting in the studio.
