But hot yoga sure did! After that first class, I had muscle aches in places I didn't even know I had muscles - and loved it! That particular studio was out of the way for me, and it was hard for me to get class regularly. A year or so later, I went to a closer studio because of another groupon special. For some time, I did attend classes there with more consistency.
Just after Revolution Hot Yoga (RHY) opened, my fiance bought me a gift certificate for Christmas. Even though it took me almost 6 months to go in for my first class, I was surprised and happy to find Rebecca (Jordan-Turner) sitting behind the desk. At the previous studio, I had taken and enjoyed her classes.
Yoga has become the most consistent fitness practice I have done in years. I like to try new forms of exercise but have a history of giving the latest new thing my all for a short period of time and then losing interest. I either don't see the results I want to see physically or I get bored which isn't the case with hot yoga. RHY has kept me totally engaged over the last year.
With hot yoga, I find everything challenging and engaging. Some days, it's a challenge just to show up. On other days, the challenge is to stay present and focused. Every class seems to bring a new challenge but overall it's always to push myself to progress just a little bit, but also honor my limits.
I've been practicing regularly for just about a year now. When I first began at RHY, I wanted to go into the full expression of every posture right from the start and thought that not being able to was a sign of weakness or being out of shape. But I've learned that the slower I take things, the better the results in the long run. Slowing down and taking small calculated steps is a continual challenge for me. Yoga also challenges me to show up, stay engaged, focus on myself, do what's best for me that particular day - building on where I've been and focusing on where I can go.
Every class over the past year, I would just go through the motions of reclined hero pose with my bottom nowhere near the floor - and as far as I was concerned, it was never going to get there. I was convinced that this was the one pose that I would just never be able to do. But one class a few months ago something clicked and down I went. My butt was on the floor! I have never been so happy to have my rear end on the ground. It's the small victories like this that keep me coming back.
I find evening workouts are hard for me to commit to and have always had more success sticking to a morning workout routine. If I can roll out of bed and show up at a class or the gym before having the opportunity to talk myself out of it, that's always best.
I LOVE the 6am class and the low lights and the calmness of the room. I love that its usually still cool outside and the room is so warm. When I leave class, I love the natural high I feel and how that stays with me through my day. When I've done yoga, I sleep better, eat better, and have a better attitude.
I like the vibe at RHY. I like all of the teachers and how they bring their own unique styles to each class. I like that every class is just a little bit different. Not different enough that you don't know what you are doing or what you have stepped into, but just enough to be challenging and fun. I love that the teachers know me well enough to know my abilities and show me how to take my practice just a little bit further each class.
I like the vibe at RHY. I like all of the teachers and how they bring their own unique styles to each class. I like that every class is just a little bit different. Not different enough that you don't know what you are doing or what you have stepped into, but just enough to be challenging and fun. I love that the teachers know me well enough to know my abilities and show me how to take my practice just a little bit further each class.
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