Bikram...

When I was playing soccer at El Camino College, our coach used to make us run around the college as a warm up; not every practice, but often. Around the college as a warm up AND, for the first week, Bob came out onto the field carrying only cones, no soccer balls. Now when a coach does not have soccer balls, you know that means only one thing. I remember vomiting at least twice during that season, but most of us tried not to as it clearly exemplified weakness and we were not weak, we were athletes. The kind of training required to be in soccer shape, well, good soccer shape is simple. Run, sprint, run, intervals, run, weight train, run, situps, run, run, run... even a child can do it and they do. There were practices when, literally at the end, we were flopped on the grass, exhausted, sometimes nauseous, pissed off and Bob expected that, really, he demanded it. College soccer, in any way, shape or form is not for the faint of heart. But when it came to play, when we walked out onto that field, we were warriors in the best sense of the word and we could go for 90 minutes every time. Sure we lost, but we didn't lose because we were outrun or outlasted; Bob made sure of that. My point here, for those of you who are sticking around to read what it is, is that, after those initial weeks of training and after the vomiting stopped, my body was so fit that I didn't think twice about pushing myself and, the pain that you feel when you have worked yourself to the limit, when you have pushed past your limit is such an addictive feeling that I regret that I lost it for so much time. Like an adrenaline rush, when you physically exhaust your body from intense, strong, painful exertion, there is no better feeling because, soon after, your body is better. It performs, rests, feels, looks and is better, is stronger and is more capable than you ever thought possible.

This anecdote regarding soccer comes to mind because I've taken on a new challenge and today's class marked day two and, I am still alive... a friend had talked me into taking yoga some time ago, well, about three months ago and I love it. I love the teacher, I love the relaxation, the meditation, the good karma, all of it. But, as our class is now on hiatus while our yogi travels to India (she's amazing), I've had the opportunity to train in the gym lately, to run and yesterday, to convince one of my crazy ass friends, who had done this before, that we needed to wake up at 4:30 am to go and take a 90 minute Bikram yoga class. Yes, she is a great friend because most of my other friends wouldn't have even taken the call, let alone gotten up, picked me up and laughed with me about how crazy we are to being taking on yet another "activity." For those of you who are considering Bikram, but you have never done it; take my hand and walk with me into another world...

In a large room with ceiling to floor North facing windows and mirrors that line the West and South walls, there are close to 20 people, men and women, all ages, all body types sitting or lying on their mats, resting, waiting. Large jugs of water are catecorner to every mat and towels not only line the mats, but there are handtowels nearby as well. No shoes are allowed inside and you must immediately close the door upon entering. Most students arrive early to acclamate to the environment and since this was my first class, it was especially important to get a feel for what the next 90 minutes would be like. Rosh opened the door and I followed, closing it behind me. She smiled at me right away as I looked around the room, my eyes resting on 1, 2... 11 humidifiers lining the walls, all at full tilt, expelling steam into the air. I moved to a spot to lay down my mat and I noticed that I was directly underneath the air vent that was blowing out heat full blast. I quickly moved my mat behind the pillar. When we first entered and sat down, the room felt about 90 degrees, but it was the first class of the day and everyone hadn't "warmed" up yet, so it was going to get hotter. For those of you who are unaware of the practice or the intent behind this well disguised torture, Bikram is a series of 26 poses, completed in 90 minutes of non-stop movement in a room with a temperature of 105 degrees. Once you get an image of 20-30 bodies in this room, trying to hold poses while sweat literally pours off of your body; you'll get a better idea of how intense it is. When the class began, I followed as much as I could and I tried very hard to remain still, to hold poses, to breathe and... to not pass out. After the first 20 minutes or so, I actually felt very loose and the sweating aside, I was enjoying the movement and the challenge and, all of a sudden, the teacher was bidding us "namestay" and telling us to be thankful for what we had done for our bodies. I looked at Rosh, she looked at me and we gave each other the thumbs up. I couldn't do nearly every pose and it was hotter than Hades in there, but it was a really great first experience. I was told that the practice especially helps those with arthritis, tendonitis, carpal tunnel, joint problems, really any malady and in addition, you are doing 90 minutes of stretching which, done properly, can never be bad. I felt so good after as a matter of fact that I asked Rosh if she wanted to do it again today. The brochure and the instructor told us that it is best to take your second class within 24 hours to help with the stiffness and the soreness. Rosh jumped in (Bless that girl) and we were signed up to go this morning at 7:30. In all fairness, she also warned me that the second class is harder than the first... I should have listened.

I've been fortunate enough to train with my parents' personal trainer the past two weeks. They haven't felt well and as they recover, they asked me if I'd like to go in their stead. I agreed wholeheartedly, having worked with Jerry before and today marked the last session that I'd get to see him for awhile. Jerry Gamallo looks like a Gladiator; he is one of the most intimidating people that I've ever seen up close. If you didn't know him, you'd probably be afraid that he'd kick your ass and, frankly, he could if he wanted to. But the funny thing is, for as ripped as he is, he is the very kind and soft spoken and he takes his job and your health seriously. He and his wife Rachel are two of the fittest people I've ever met and two of the most down to earth and dedicated. That aside, Jerry does not let you quit or slack off or tell him that you "can't;" instead, he gives you reasons why you should and how you can. He pushes me the way that Bob used to push us on the soccer field and he makes me want to do every rep and every situp, well, not every one and sometimes when he turns away, I cheat a little. Hey, I'm only human, but, he has an answer for that too, "You're only cheating your fitness level, not mine." Hmmm, wonder if I could get a cheeseburger after this...
I digress, so, back to Jerry. Today, Friday, New Year's Eve, last day of training; the dreaded, most feared of all days, LEG day. No explanation is necessary here if you read that correctly and I thought, at the end, that I did pretty well considering it was just me and Jerry and his stopwatch for an entire hour. I worked hard and I felt great when I was done even though I knew that I'd be "good" sore later on and tomorrow. I felt SO good in fact that, you guessed it, I met Rosh for round two of Bikram yoga right AFTER my turn and burn session with the personal trainer. What can I say? I'm an adrenaline junkie or, really, just plain stupid.

Rosh was waiting for me this morning and I had to laugh, that Irish lass, she was hungover; at least we were both hurting going into this. We walked into the room just like we did yesterday and... we should have run; we should have known better and we should have seen it coming. The room was a veritable roaster and we were the turkeys about to be fricassed for Thanksgiving. It was 105 degrees at least and we looked at each other, trying to mask the fear and the thought that "the second class is always tougher than the first" and we put out our things. I also should have known when the instructor walked in wearing what looked like a bikini. She had, by far, one of the best bodies that I've ever seen in my life. Those bones that jut out from a guy's hips that you can see and drool over when he has a six pack, she had them. Her ass looked like you could bounce quarters on it and her posture was so straight that I'd have thought that she had a two by four in her shirt if she'd been wearing one. Impressive and awesome. She was the poster child for why I needed to drag my sorry ass into the studio in the first place.

Class began and every minute of today's practice was painful and intense to the point of nausea which, by the way, the teacher will tell is "Completely normal, keep holding the pose, it will pass." I don't know about you, but when I feel dizzy and nauseated to the point where I think I'm going to pass out; that doesn't feel all that normal to me. But Rosh and I hung in there and we shifted, pose after pose, the sweat dripping off my body, running into my eyes and ears and down my calves. I felt like one of those hand washed blouses from the early century that's put into the ringer and twisted through. I had no hydration left in my body and I drank a quart of water. A quart and it wasn't enough. Next time I'm bringing a hose with me. Next time, you caught that didn't you... you're getting smarter or you just know me by now. The class was difficult today, made moreso by Jerry's leg workout, but also by the fact that flexibility is not my strong suit, never has been. My mom used to tell me, "Bend, stretch, touch your toes" when I did gymnastics, but I would've gotten a 3 on a scorecard for flexibility. So yoga is helpful, but difficult with which to begin especially for me. After class we went to breakfast where Stacey met us and that too was helpful; three cups of coffee and much needed food later - you are also not supposed to eat 2-3 hours before Bikram, probably so the vomit doesn't stain the carpet when students do actually vomit I'm guessing... I felt better, just tired. A 15 minute power nap and the longest shower of the century and I was back in action...

Now, as I sit here, on New Year's Eve, listening to the four year old snore, I am once again reminded of those days at El Camino and that feeling of my body at rest after I've exhausted it. The soreness and the pain feel so great that it is like an addiction. Because I know that as I recover and even after, my body will be so much stronger and leaner and more flexible that the rest of it will be forgotten. Well, maybe not completely. Regardless, I will be back in the studio by Monday, to punish myself, to reward myself, to thank myself for working hard and tonight, as my heart is at rest and my skin is clear and my mind is at peace, I will be thankful for the opportunity to have discovered another challenge, just in time for the new year.

By the way, for all of the skeptics out there, a woman of my height and weight who does a 90 minute session of Bikram yoga... 1089 calories burned on average. Google it, research it and, don't make resolutions; total waste of time. Instead be resolute and remember what it felt like when you were a kid, paralyzed with exhaustion after a day long excursion of tree climbing, bike riding, wall climbing and, then, take a chance, sign up and I promise you one thing; it will be unlike anything that you've ever experienced and, really, isn't that reason enough to give it a try? Happy 2011...