The room
The room is still heated, but it's more like 100 instead of 105 and I don't think the humidity is as high. However, for some odd reason my body said "oh, hot room, I know what to do" and I was dripping like a faucet 10 minutes in. I looked around and everybody else just had a "glow". Nobody was dripping. Damn that hair trigger sweat reflex that seems to develop with a consistent Bikram practice! The other difference was the floor was wood (bamboo) and the lights were kept very dim. The instructor does some postures with us, but also walks around. She did talk the whole time, telling us what to do, but it wasn't a memorized dialog like Bikram. Also she had a calm soothing voice and was well, more mellow somehow. I prefer the cadence of the Bikram dialog. There is something very meditative about it.
The postures
We start off in savasana. Being new and trying to keep up with everybody, I certainly can't list everything we did but I'll try to cover some of it. We did a different tree, the one where you put your foot on your calf or inner thigh. We did half moon, but without the backbend/forward fold added to it. Also at the end of half moon, you drop your inner arm down along your thigh. We did awkward but not the third part. Eagle seemed to be pretty much the same, although it felt like she was holding us in that for 45 minutes! There were at least two water breaks that I can remember. Triangle is different, you go into it from warrior so your hips are not down like the Bikram triangle. There is warrior, up dog, down dog, chartaranga, plank, those kinds of things. There was a forward fold but you grab your toes not the back of your heels and your feet are hip distance apart. There is a standing series, approx. 40 mins, followed by savasana then right to the floor series where you do start off with wind removing posture, same as Bikram. There was a spine strengthing series that was very similar. Camel, Rabbit (w/out putting the towel over your heels) and they do pigeon. Pigeon was another one where I felt like she had us in there forever, which was good because it opened my hips up nicely. The class lasted approx 80 mins and then I layed in savasana for about 5. I felt pretty good after, but not the same "I'm a washcloth that just got wrung out" feeling I get in Bikram. It's very possible that it's because I'm not familiar with the series, so I was just sort of stumbling along and not really working it like I would if I went consistently. Did I like it? Yes, I did. But not as much as Bikram. I won't replace Bikram, that's for sure, nor will I even do half and half. I picture maybe once a week for the Moksha. I need the bright lights, the scorching heat, the teachers barking dialog at me and correcting me at the same time. What I need may change someday and perhaps then I would gravitate more toward other forms of yoga. But for now, I'm a Bikram girl.
That being said, I'm going to go to 330 Bikram with Frank now. Will post after. Hopefully I won't curl up and die having done another form of challenging yoga earlier!
The big question really isn't whether it was different, but whether the differences made a difference. It sounds like you liked the addition of Pigeon, and I know a bunch of people who do that either before or after Bikram class. Other than that, it sounds like you aren't in much of a position to judge. I'd like to hear more, and its really cool that you are doing a Bikram class today on top of the Moshka.
ReplyDeleteSounds cool. I wish there was someplace near me I could try it. I'm thinking about getting one of the CDs.
ReplyDeleteDuffy~ you're right, it's hard to tell after only one time. I may go back next weekend and give it another go! I do prefer Bikram though.
ReplyDeleteCJ~ I didn't know they had moksha cds. That's pretty cool! There are not many moksha studios in the states yet, mostly canada, but maybe they will start popping up!
Cool, cool. I did a 2-day workshop earlier this month with a "hot yoga" guy trained by Tony Sanchez (one of Bikram's original students). It was pretty similar to what your describing - little cooler room, lots of similar postures, but lots of extra postures too. (I also did Bikram classes on those days, and I also was dripping swat after 5 minutes of pranayama in a 90 degree room.)
ReplyDeleteI feel the same as you - it was interesting, and it was alright, but I didn't like it as much as the regular Bikram. The 26 and 2 is just so FOCUSED. Adding postures to a class of the same length just felt like cramming to me, and I didn't feel like they were universally helpful. There's something about that 26 and 2 - nothing missing, nothing extra - that I really like. It's so complete!!
J~ yes, you have managed to put my muddled feelings/thoughts into the correct words! My sentiments exactly! :)
ReplyDeleteI did the 3 week trial for both to compare. I liked both. The moksha is softer for lack of a better word. The Bikram really is the bootcamp of yoga. Bootcamp resonates for me. I read Bikrams book and believe the health benefits of doing 26 poses twice. He created them to cover every internal and external part of the body. He has the knowledge and experience to know. I find the Moksha to be what Bikram calls the north American yogas diluted. The Moksha is made to make it easier, but misses the health benefits by mixing up and leaving out poses. I get why people go to the softer yoga and granted it has health benefits. I have now been a Bikram nut for about a year. I fell and look great. People often ask me if I'm getting younger and at 41 that is a good thing. I am a die hard Bikram fan. Luvin and lovin it.
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