It's all Guy Barker's fault. Guy is a friend, trumpet player (Sting, Frank Sinatra) and film composer (The Talented Mr Ripley) and one of the healthiest people I know. I mentioned to him that I needed to do something in addition to cycling to improve my fitness and flexibility and he told me about Birkram Yoga. I went to a yoga class years ago and I seem to remember it being well.....a little boring. Bikram Yoga is different Guy implored, it's power yoga done in a room that's heated to 100degrees and everyone from George Clooney and Andy Murray to Lady Gaga and Madonna are doing it. So never one to pass up a challenge I booked a series of 10 classes for an introductory price of $10 with Wendy Medieros at Red Dragon Yoga in Mill Valley, California.
The first class felt like hell. It was hot, sweaty and I felt as supple as an iron girder as I moaned and puffed my way through a series of exercises. In addition to this everyone seemed to have washboard stomachs and were going into postures that you would not believe. However I persevered and after a couple of classes I found I did have more energy, my flexibility was increasing and I was sleeping like a baby. Fast forward six months later and I'm a Bikram devotee going four to five times a week at my local yoga studio and even starting to enjoy the heat and spine twisting postures. I don't need an alarm clock anymore because I'm sleeping well and those extra pounds that every man over 30 has are slipping away.
So if you've never tried it and are looking to improve your health then give it a shot. Here are a list of Bikram Yoga studios worldwide.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEzznV7LlyA]
