Bikram Yoga Decatur

I am a forty five year old male who was introduced to Bikram Yoga roughly 6 years ago at the Atlanta studio. Being a drummer, I immediately liked the rhythmic timing of tension and release in the series. As my early practice took shape, I developed affinity for certain postures, dread of other postures, and the improper tendency to compare my poses to others'. I went more or less regularly for a year or so, during which I injured my lower back several times, from careless lifting at work to pushing postures too far. I gradually fell back into some old bad habits and drifted away from practicing for the next year and a half...

Flash to the opening of Bikram Yoga Decatur. They've got this deal: 10 days unlimited for $25. The first class back about killed me. Anyway, I think I did 7 out of the 10 days: a pretty good start. For the next couple years I'd buy 20 classes at a time, hitting 2 or 3 afternoons a week. I began to lose weight, acquire some muscle tone, and notice the natural progress that occurs in the postures when extra body mass is no longer in the way. My previously injured lower back was beginning to feel strong, now that it was getting stretched and no longer carrying extra weight.

As my practice has progressed, many of the things which bothered me early on have moderated or fallen away. I now enjoy postures I once dreaded. If I catch myself comparing my depth of posture with others', I let it go and try to smile about our human condition. I generally know when to push deeper into poses and when to take it easy. There are plateaus one reaches with continued practice: positions I used to think I would never be able to do, I now assume regularly. I go to morning classes when I can fit it in. I even set up in the hot corner...occasionally. These details are neither here nor there: as long as I am breathing and doing the positions to the best of my ability, I am receiving the benefits. It is a moving meditation, peaking with the endorphin headrush after the second camel, which is sometimes the highlight of my day...

I recently attended Bikram's Atlanta workshop. The man is an interesting speaker, teacher, and showman. The posture clinics were quite helpful and I found my practice injected with a new energy. Since then, I have been buying unlimited monthly cards and trying to make a class every day. Thanks to Eric and the kick ass staff at BYD, this has been a great experience for me.

"You got it, boss."