A 'Sense' of Bikram

The Five Senses of Bikram (according the POM Institute of California)
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SIGHT: The class is held in a large, carpeted studio with mirrors on 2 walls. All the usual suspects were in attendance: The Hard Bodies, The Hairy Bodies, The Mushy Bodies, The Anorexic. Something to note is that in regards to clothing - less is more. And "less" there is. Some people are practically in bathing suits and some of the men are in tiny biker shorts with their junk on display for all to experience.
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SOUND: The instructor guides you through the 26 postures, so the main thing you hear is her/his voice. Usually it's pretty soothing and I like to hear how each posture benefits your body. The other thing you hear is BREATHING - lots of people breathing. Oh, and in my case, I hear ringing in my ears - but that's just me.
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SMELL: Now this is something that takes some getting used to. Remember the room is carpeted and there is lots of sweat dripping around. The first time I took this class with my friend K-Dub we had a very hard time focusing on anything but the stench. But now, I'm sorta used to it. Kinda like how farmers get used to the smell of shit, I guess. Even after not going to class in about 6 months, I still didn't really bother me. Go figure.
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TASTE: Lucky for us all, I managed to keep my tongue inside my mouth, so there was no tasting involved. Except I guess for water. One must consume copious amounts of water.
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FEEL: This can be divided into a few categories.
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HOW IT FEELS: It feels HOT and MOIST (I know some of you hate that word) so we can go with WARM and WET instead. The room is kept at 105 degrees with 40% humidity. Well, pack about 50 people into that room in a crowded class and I swear it's hotter! You start out doing a breathing exercise and by the time you are done with that, you are completely soaked through with sweat. Each position stretches and strengthens different parts of your body - inside and out. So some are easier than others, depending on your strengths & weaknesses.
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HOW IT FEELS TO ME: By the time I'm at half-moon pose (#2) I am really really hot. I have hard time with this pose because I can't straighten my arms above my head. Who knows. Pose 6 and 7 - my heart is POUNDING - like a full on cardio workout. I actually had to sit down on the 2nd set of these poses. I didn't want to pass out. But sitting down is fine - they just ask that you don't leave the room. Pose 22 is very challenging. I wasn't able to complete it this time because of the dizzy situation. But in the past - I loved it. It really stretches out the front side of your body - perfect for runners (tight hip flexors).
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HOW IT FEELS AFTER: All in all, I survived. There was no tunnel vision, no blacking out and no puking! Yeah for me. The best part of this class is how I feel after I'm done. I feel spent, but relaxed. I feel energized, but mellow and clear headed. I feel cleansed physically and mentally. And best of all, I feel LEAN and MEAN and ready to take on the world.
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(Warning: confession of a scale-whore)
I did step on the scale when I got home and lost a couple lbs of water weight - duh! I thought I drank enough water before, during and after, but I think I fell short a little. I woke up very tired with a little headache this morning. So next time -even MORE water! And yes, there will be a next time. I would like try to incorporate this into my workout schedule at least twice a week.
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Song of the Day: Buzzin' by Shwayze