I finally did it….I made it to Bikram!

I remember that when I was first exploring going to yoga back in January, this was one of the first practices I considered (mainly because it was the only studio that was SO easy to find down here in the south). And so when I bought my mat, I was already set on dropping by the Bikram Yoga Alabang studio. However, the Universe stepped in and I discovered Ekagrata Sala and my dear yoga teacher Dona’s shala and well, my dreams of Bikram were put on hold for the meantime. One thing was clear though…I knew that no matter how much in love I was with vinyasa and yin, it was still something I would like to try.

And yes…finally yesterday I got to try it I was invited to check out the studio and join in on a class which I was so happy to have been able to do. I really made sure I kept the day free (yes, I even made arrangements in the clinic because I usually work Saturdays haha).

surprise, surprise....whether in yin or vinyasa and even in bikram, apparently, i come face to face with this old frenemy pose!

It was quite an interesting experience, I must say. I will admit, however, that before the class, I got all antsy and anxious (as I always do haha). It was soooo anxiety provoking that I seriously needed to sit in my car and try to catch my breath. I even sent a text message to a dear friend of mine that the whole thing was such a stretch for me!

When I thought I was ready, I went up to the studio and well….I kinda had another wave of anxiety strike me!!! I guess it was more than just trying something new that was nerve-wracking for me, but also because it was such a large class and I didn’t know anyone there. Plus the fact that they all seemed to know one another and so I felt like such a loser an outsider. The instructor, Ginger, was very nice though and was quite accommodating so that helped quell my anxiety. I set up my mat in the far end of the room close to the mirror (mainly because the room was already full when I got there) and just sat there quietly and realized I was actually quite excited and happy to be there despite the mixed feedback that I had gotten from friends about it.ome of my friends, for example, love it to bits. Others, errr…let’s just say do not like it as much.

But as I have learned to do with my yoga practice, I decided to come with an open mind and an adventurous heart. What’s the worst thing that could happen anyway, right? Perhaps 90 minutes of pure torture? But then, it could be 90 minutes of pure joy. And so with that in mind, I sat in my mat and quieted myself.

The class began promptly at 3 and well, suffice it to say it was indeed very, very different from what I have gotten used to. This was made even more strikingly so because I had stopped practicing Ashtanga for the longest time and I had gotten so into the smooth, dance-y, flowy mode of vinyasa. The energy was also vastly different from the quiet overly-indulgent, spoiled to death one-on-one yin sessions I have been so blessed with.

I guess I can even say that to call it different is perhaps an understatement. For one, there’s that added element of the heated room, which I understand is one of the hallmarks of the practice. Much as many of my friends have had violent reactions about the heated rooms I LOVED IT. LOOOOOVED. Seriously. It’s more than just the extra sweating part that made me love the heated room, but the mere fact that I am such a “heat” person (I couldn’t say hot, haha!). Anyone who’s been reading my blog (or the other one at yapatoots.com for that matter) would prolly know how much warmth and sunshine really make me feel happy and whole, right?

Secondly, Bikram is a set sequence of 26 poses, wherein each pose is done twice (maybe next time I’ll write a little more about the actual practice rather than ramble about my experience, so do wait for that okay? Today I ramble haha). And so it’s a routine. That in itself is sooo different from the vinyasa that I have loved because my classes with Bow, for example, always is such a different feel. The sequences are always different and while I never thought I’d enjoy that given my controlling, “I-hate-spontaneity” personality, that uncertainty of what comes next and the eager anticipation it offers is what I have loved about vinyasa.

In Bikram many of the poses were standing poses and despite the fact that I have always had difficulty with those (such as the Dancer pose, Warrior 3, standing splits and even my frenemy Tree), I felt more able to follow in the class yesterday. Sure I still couldn’t hold it for long and there’s still lots of flexibility and stretching needed, but I was able to cope I did miss my down dogs, chatruangas and forward folds a lot though.

The size of the class and the fact that there were mirrors all around is also a big change from what I have gotten used to. I’ve never practiced in a room with mirrors after all. It made me a wee bit self conscious at first, but surprisingly, that feeling went away after a while.

At the end of the day,  did I like it? SURE! How can I not Teehee.

It wasn’t as bad as I had anticipated Suffice it to say I didn’t just survive my first encounter with Bikram, it was actually more fun than I had expected. It was definitely a physically fulfilling challenge I loooooved the heat and I loved being able to keep up with the class (which coincidentally was marking the end of a 30-day challenge), even though I needed to make minor modifications. I must say, however, it is still my vinyasa classes  at Flow that makes my heart sing and my yin classes that makes my soul still. But would I do it again…I prolly would. Especially since they have Sunday classes haha.Who knows, maybe one day I’d even be brave enough to take on that 30-day challenge myself

Bikram Yoga Alabang is located at 2nd Floor Commerce Center, Commerce Ave., Filinvest, Muntinlupa City. For inquiries, call (02) 846-5496. Check out their website at www.bikramyogaalabang.com or look them up on Facebook