Hey all,
So I'm considering trying bikram yoga....has anyone tried it before? I haven't really done yoga before but a colleague at work suggested it.
Also, what do guys WEAR to do bikram? I've been told "as little as possible" but does anyone know what that means? What do you wear if you don't want to go shirtless, I'm kind of overweight, pretty hairy chest, stomach and back so I'm sure nobody really wants to see my hairy torso dripping everywhere LOL.
•
I wear loose fitting dry-weave bike shorts and a fitted t-shirt. (I have a good deal of scarring on my body and, really, nobody wants to see that shit even when it's not in full-stretch and twist.)
I only went a few times tho. The heat was just too much for me to deal with. I prefer my yoga without the heat.
•
Will: Wear whatever you would wear to run outdoors on a hot day - I usually wear loose shorts and a tank top. One point - bring a change of clothes to wear home so that you're not stuck in dripping wet clothes while trying to drive home or navigate public transit. Adam goes more often than I do, the heat gets to me, I prefer more traditional yoga.
•
You may or may not wish to wear what I wore to my first session. I asked my friend what he wore - lycra bike shorts and a wicking T-shirt like runners wear. I did too, but my bike shorts were tangerine and became see-through with perspiration. I did make a couple new friends that day, but the two women in the class were not impressed. Black lycra bike shorts were great for subsequent sessions. Just bring a big absorbent towel. And do bring a change of clothes.
•
i just almost died laughing at the thought of transparent tangerine cycling shorts....
•
Loose and cool (breathing) clothing.
I would suggest getting a pair of sweat pants that are 1-2 sizes larger than you need and cut them off at the knee (half shorts) loose enough to where you need to use the string to hold them up.
As for shirt - I would suggest a light cotton T shirt, again about 2 sizes too large - might want to cut the sleeves off.
This gives you covering, but also is loose and not distracting from the exercise. The 'little as possible' is because clothing affects ones mind. While your brain is good at not consciously thinking about clothing, until someone tells you that you can now feel the weight of your shirt pressing against your skin (now try NOT thinking about your clothing), you are constantly aware unconsciously of your clothing.
This is why so many people fidget with their outfit, straightening it, pulling it, whatever - they are not even aware that they are doing it, but their brain is and sending signals.
Yoga is about bringing the mind and body into focus, that includes the subconscious mind as well as the conscious mind - in theory one takes away all distractions of the outside world, reducing sensory input, thus modest light, no noise (maybe focus on a bell or the bowl sound) and clothing....
I would pull the instructor aside at some point and address your body image issues. THAT is a distraction that most likely is always present (unconsciously) and will detract from the exercise.
•
Posts: 9,300
Threads: 3,497
Joined: May 2013
Reputation:
0
I'm a : Single Gay Man
Starsign: Sagittarius
Mood: None
If you can find some suitable clothing made of silk, that would be a very good thing to wear because:
An all-climate fabric, silk is warm and cozy in winter and comfortably cool when temperatures rise. Its natural temperature-regulating properties give silk this paradoxical ability to cool and warm simultaneously. Silk garments thus outperform other fabrics in both summer and winter. Silk worn as a second layer warms without being bulky
Silk is highly absorbent it can absorb up to 30% of its weight in moisture without feeling damp. Silk will absorb perspiration while letting your skin breathe
In spite of its delicate appearance, silk is relatively robust. Its smooth surface resists soil and odors well. Silk is wrinkle and tear resistant, and dries quickly
"You can be young without money but you can't be old without money"
Maggie the Cat from "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." by Tennessee Williams
•