- Stay hydrated...not only during class, but beforehand. You will start sweating as soon as you enter the room, so it's prudent to drink water/coconut water/juice starting a few hours before class so you don't become dehydrated. The recommended amount for an average person is 2.5 Liters/2500cc/8-10 cups a day, and if you are exercising often or expending a lot of energy, you need more. You need the water to keep your body from overheating; remember that perspiration is your body trying to cool itself down. I find that I sweat more profusely in class when I am dehydrated from the start.
- Eat lightly before class...I'm talking water and a banana (maybe). Or toast. Anything light and carby, and eat it about four hours before class. You want energy so you don't get lightheaded, but not to be so full that you will upchuck. Believe me, you will feel what ever it was you ate once you start the compression postures. One time at a 9am class, I was still feeling some cheesy crab dip that I had eaten the night before! Cheese is generally pretty evil before Bikram. Every body is different, but heat and stress slow digestion, and when you start compressing your belly and lying on your stomach, any food will feel bad if it's still in there. The slowed digestion also causes the side-effect of nausea. So don't stuff your face beforehand, and you'll be just fine! Also, any food you would describe as "rich" or "heavy" may not feel so good before class.
- Bring to class: water, yoga mat, towel to cover mat, headband. Water is so clutch, I can't even tell you. Often, instructors will do a water check to be sure each player has a bottle. You will need a towel (bath towel at the very least) to place over your mat. This catches sweat, but also prevents one from slipping on their mat. Remember as a kid when adults used to tell us not to run at the pool? This is why. Your feet, knees, hands, legs, everything will be slippery. I once went to a class where this dude sweated puddles on and around his mat...imagine slipping on that ish. If you have hair, wear a headband and/or put your hair in a bun. If you are a man, I recommend a man bun (because I love them! Mmm)
- What to wear: I'm not telling you to be a slut, but I repeat: It's hot as hades in that room! So you want to be wearing as little as possible, of breathable (non-cotton) fabric. Don't worry about looking sexy, because if you are doing the postures correctly, you will not be paying attention to anyone else in the room, but yourself.
- Focus your breath...I once had an instructor who said that mouth breathing tends to cause the body to go into panic mode, and thus causes one to start panting, which may make you pass out. All types of yoga are fueled by the breath: inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth. You'll find that focusing on your breath allows you to effectively concentrate in class and avoid fainting.
- Don't chug your water...you will be so hot during class that you'll want to chug your entire bottle of water. That's a bad idea because it will give you mad gas and it will be too much of a shock to your body that it will probably make you nauseated. Ration your bottle of water throughout class and take sips in between postures.
I'm so excited for you to experience your first Bikram class! I know all my tips have the underlying reason of "so you don't pass out", but that's because this class is so intense. Honestly, after my first class, I felt the most energized and refreshed as I've ever been in my life. Thus, why I have become obsessed. Again, keep these tips in mind, and you will feel so good after class! You might even think that Bikram "wasn't that bad". Have fun!
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