The Embarrassing Experience That Is Hot Yoga

Sometimes trying new things can lead to total and utter embarrassment. I don’t get embarrassed easily, but I was a little bashful after my latest experience with hot yoga.

My fiancé Ross is a fan of hot yoga and has dragged me to it in the past. I enjoy the stretching, but the heat mixed with core exercises doesn’t do it for me. Last night, I decided to give it one more try at a popular studio near our house.

We weren’t late for class, but we were the last ones to arrive. We stepped through the door and had two dozen pairs of eyes staring at us. I felt like the new student walking into the classroom for the first time, but the semester started months ago.

And just like school, the only two spots left were right in front of the instructor.

I recalled my last hot yoga experience being, well, hot. So I wore compression shorts and a tank top to avoid heat exhaustion.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get the memo that everyone wears leggings and t-shirts. I felt like a naked fish out of water.

Needless to say, the embarrassment for me started before class even began, but as the class commenced, I got into the flow of each pose and tried my best to slow down my mind and look through my third eye. But all I could manage was some heavy breathing, a sore back, and a copious amount of sweat collecting on my yoga mat.

Ross loved it, but for me, it was far from Zen. Sometimes trying new things doesn’t work out for the best.