New Poses like the inverted (downward) dog, which were unfamiliar and I needed to get used to.
Old poses that I had to enter from new positions/angles/situations e.g. Dancers pose starting from being bent over rather than standing.
- Heat effects on the ability to hold a pose (a question of muscular endurance, or mental endurance?) and breathing. I needed blocks on poses I didn't think I would. I couldn't hold poses as long as I expected, and my shoulders or hamstrings would start to quiver well before I thought they should.
That last one sums up Hot Yoga for me. If you went running with a 40 pound backpack on your back, you would burn more calories and get stronger as a runner for the same time spent running, no question. The problem isn't just that it would be uncomfortable, it's also that it would be frustrating to not be able to run as fast or as far, due to the fact that you've purposely made it harder for yourself. I found every session to be a struggle, and I guess I figured it would get easier. I have to admit not needing blocks on the last day might have been a good sign. Though it was humbling to have to practice Yoga at a level lower than I would expect for myself given prior experience, Yoga is forgiving that way - it isn't competitive, and it makes it easy to accept whatever circumstances you happen to be in on a given day.
I do think that I put some good strength work into my shoulders and legs that should help them stay injury proof and help with endurance and stability. Fitting Yoga into a triathlon training schedule is advisable, but difficult; at least Hot Yoga gives you the best bang for your buck in terms of time (and sweat!) spent.
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I took this picture in stealth mode, I figured photograpy might be frowned upon. |
Infinite Yoga is a simple and clean facility. Nothing too fancy in the change-rooms (lockers would have been nice), though there are showers and a filtration machine on the water tap.
The hot room is large and spacious with adjustable lighting, so they can dim for the meditative beginning and ending to each session. The lobby has a warm, welcoming atmosphere that gets you in the right mood for yoga.