East West Bikram Yoga

This is, by far, THE worst smelling yoga studio I’ve ever experienced in my life.
You walk in and instantly you’re punched in the nose with what smells like a dirty, wet, microwaved sock.
There aren’t any lockers to keep your belongings safe, either.
The practice itself was decent. But, it was hard to find any kind of serenity with how awful it smelled in there.
I got home and I could still smell the dirty sock smell lingering on my clothes. Disgusting.
Don’t waste your money here.

Okay, Bikram Yoga is fucking hard man. I’ve done yoga before, and been to East West maybe, 8 times in my entire life. Every time I go it’s because I gather up enough courage and I’ve forgotten how painful the previous time was.
It’s bloody hot in there, as you’d expect. You can’t eat for a few hours before you go, you can’t drink for the first 20 minutes or so, you can’t really leave without being looked down on. But if you’re going to Bikram, you probably know this already and you’re there for a reason and you’re prepared for it. That being said, if you’re going for the first time, it’s unlikely you’ll make it through the whole class doing all the poses.
The best thing about Bikram, is the feeling you get after. It’s just like incredible relief. You’re alert and you feel flexible and your muscles are warm. It’s just getting through the 90 minutes to get to that stage. It works though, people who go on the reg drop weight and tone up and get super flexible.
East West is one of the few places in Auckland that do Bikram, and the Ponsonby branch is one of the nicer ones. It’s not so cheap to go, but there are a few deals so check out their website for them.

I’m the first to admit I was once obsessed with Bikram Yoga. I did a challenge; 6.30am class every day for a month. Yip, a bit mad really. My love for it wasn’t immediate; the first class was actually hell. The heat takes a while to get used to and after the first 10mins I was feeling faint and a little queasy. The combination of positions pushed my body to the limit, and some of them seemed impossible. I endured though, and I’m glad for it. After only the first week my flexibility, balance and endurance improved. After the second week I really began to surprise myself and was managing the 2^nd or third stage of a position. Because it’s so hot in there your muscles and joints can be pushed so much further; it’s great physically feeling your body loosen and strengthen at the same time. The classes are challenging but afterwards you get that relaxed feeling similar to spending a day at the beach. My skin was amazing, so too my cellulite — it nearly all disappeared! I didn’t lose loads of weight but could definitely see tone, and ate a lot better (as all you want is water, fruit and salad after a class). I guess the only downside for me is that its 90mins, so these days I can’t really commit to such a length of time each day. I still love going to the casual class; it’s intense but strangely relaxing as well

Bikram yoga is not for the faint hearted. Once you’ve mentally prepped yourself to take a class, you need to adjust to the humidity and heat (and smell… the smell of feet at 40degrees celcius is a little musty to put it politely) but once you’ve completed your 90 minute class you really will feel great.
Every class will have its experts and its beginners. If you’re new to Bikram, stick at the back and follow the lead of not only the instructor but the people in front of you. Only push your body as far as you can go — you won’t get all the moves in your first few goes, that’s natural. If you feel dizzy/​nauseous/​faint, sit down and drink some water. Try not to leave the room, even if the humidity and heat are getting to you, as it will be harder for your body to adjust when you come back into the heated room. When I first started doing Bikram I would have to sit down 3 – 4 times per class. After 5 – 6 classes I was able to complete the full 90 minutes without a break, and extend myself much more in each position too.
I haven’t done Bikram in a while but writing this post is re-​inspiring me to get back there!
It can be an expensive exercise option if you do it on a casual pay-​as-​you-​go basis — try and get a deal on a concession card or for ultimate cost-​effectiveness, sign up to one of their bikram monthly challenges.

East West Yoga have a lot of great knowledgeable and friendly yoga teachers. The studios are modern with changing and showers available (the latter being pretty essential the amount you sweat during class)! It is pretty cray cray, I’m not gonna lie…
Advice:
Keep drinking water during the whole day that you are going to go to class — it is really important to be hydrated.
You’ll still probably think you are going to die the whole way through your first class. Just getting through it is an achievement, so don’t worry if you have to sit out some of the postures.
Come back! Hold your judgement until you go to another class, you’ll probably find it not quite so tricky (you’ll know more about what to expect).
I have found this yoga really benefits my skin and I find the class to be a good stress reliever.

Get Toned — get to Bikram Yoga East and West!
This really is Yoga with a twist! 26 Yoga Postures in a heated room to allow for that deeper stretch. It lasts an hour and a half and really will get you into shape. Not for the faint hearted though. Purchase 3 sessions for only $ 20 to see if it suits you. Then if you like it you can purchase a pass to suit your lifestyle with 20% off your first pass. I love this. It may sound like a hefty period out of your schedule, but it really is worth the time. You will notice your body shape improves, your skin tone feels softer, your sleep is deeper and a tranquil peace of mind. You need to be attending at least once a week, if not more. It is not uncommon for some to attend several sessions a week. Although initially a killer, you will reap the benefits!

I decided to take my friends advice and join a few Bikram yoga classes, fantastic I thought as I got myself mentally psyched up for the challenge. A few months prior I had become a mum, so the exercise was richly rewarding.
The Bikram Instructor I had was really well trained and made me feel at ease with the stretches I could do, and helped me with those I could almost reach.
I must warn you now if you’re not one to like humidity and heat then this class is not for you. The class is ninty minutes long, and involves around twenty five easy and hard poses. The large room is heated to thirty degrees celsius, and is hugely humid.
However if you can overcome this challenge– you will come out of this class, well stretched, and rejuvenated from the inside of your soul to the outside of your body. I can’t rave enough about Bikram, it’s a feeling you need to experience yourself.
Remember to not eat for around two hours if you can before the class, and drink lots of water before, during and after.
Your skin will thank you too, and your body will perk up in a matter of hours if not a day.
There are facilities for a shower and to change clothes; perhaps sit in the welcome lounge for a chill out or browse the neat yoga gear for sale.