Bikram Yoga 30-Day Challenge Tips.

One reader (Miss Caitlin) wrote in the following a little while ago:

I'm thinking about doing a Bikram 30 day challenge, like the one you recently completed (congratulations!). Any tips/warnings before I start? I'd love to hear more about your experience.

Oh yeah... Do I have tips. Lots of them... Some that I have written about before, and some that are completely new.

Here you go, Caitlin...

1. Start training yourself NOW how to take down plenty of water before class. Yes, it takes training to learn how to drink lots of water... If you're not used to it. Start with eight classes a day. Then try and get that up to 12. STOP drinking water about an hour and a half before class. (Otherwise, your body could still be processing the water when class starts. And you'll have to leave to pee.)
2. Plot out when you are going to go each day. Seriously... You gotta schedule the classes in to your day before you start the challenge. If you think you can't get to class right after work on week days, then try to shoot for morning classes.
3. Make sure you get plenty of sleep during the challenge. Otherwise, you will be more exhausted than expected. And really, the yoga practice can be exhausting enough (if you kill yourself.)
   
4. Get a bikini wax. Seriously. If you like to wear short-shorts, just make a clean start with your "maintenance." And you won't have to worry about razor burn.
5. Switch it up! Each day you're in class, try to practice in a different spot than the day before. In fact, if you practice in the Boston studio, there are about 30 spots in total in the room. (As my friend Andy pointed out.) Try practicing in each spot throughout the practice.
6. Don't eat anything three hours before class. Each person is different, but I found that if I practiced on an empty stomach, I tended to have a better practice.
   

I hope these are useful for you Caitlin! And, if anyone else has any tips, feel free to leave them in the comments below.