Sweating & Bikram.
Oh the questions you get asked as a Bikram yoga teacher. I LOVE them!
In the past few weeks, I have had a lot of new practitioners come up to me after class wanting to discussing what they see as a problem: their sweat.
They get that Bikram yoga is done in a hot and humid studio. We crank up the heat to at least 105 degrees Fahrenheit and the humidity sits at about 45%. IT'S JUICY! But after the first few classes, they start to notice that the "sweating situation" evolves... Which prompts them to ask a few questions.
"Is sweating this much normal?"
"Why am I sweating more than previous classes?"
"Why am I soaked before class even starts?"
In short: Yes. All of this is normal. All of this is okay. In fact, it is a sign that your body is working the way it is SUPPOSED to be working.
Sweating is your body's way of cooling you down. So when you sweat, it means your body is doing what it should. And the more you sweat, the harder you are working... And the harder your body is working to keep you cool.
So, sweat away! Enjoy it! Just don't wipe it away in class... It will just keep coming back. Be at peace.
LET IT FLOW!
Comments
Student (most likely before class): I don't sweat very much...
Me: Wait.
Half Moon... That's the first posture we do.
Tips:
1. Look forward at yourself in the mirror.
2. Toes and heels touching, hips nice and tight and contracted. (Squeeze your buM!)
3. Keep your arms and elbows locked out. Get the arms BEHIND the ears, without dropping your chin.
4. Stretch up out of your waist, and come straight down. You're pushing your hips in the opposite direction. Knees locked out.
The tendency is for people to roll their chest forward and down. But you don't want to do that. You want the two shoulders stacked on top of each other.
The only thing that bends are your hips. The legs are straight, and so are the arms.
I can help you in person next Saturday, if you come to the 9:30am class again. I would be happy to look at your pose and see what can be done to make it less of a struggle.