How much does everyone sweat?

So here it is, just a couple of weeks after stopping my own use of a tiny facecloth to ONLY wipe my hands before Standing Bow, and I’m finding myself becoming a towel/wiping Nazi!

I think it’s a contagious habit at my new studio. Half the people seem to do it. There’s one particular guy, I call him “the wiper,” as in, “Oh, no, the wiper is setting up right behind me again!”

He misses half the postures, sitting them out, breathing through his mouth, drinking and wiping. He wipes down his entire body almost every other posture.

Okay, I already know the answer – mind my own business and FOCUS!
I could go on the other side of the room, but the other side is hotter.

I also know we’re not supposed to always stay in the same spot, but there you go.

Ah, the challenges we face!!

Bonnie,
Congrats at finding a higher level of peace! When I first started Bikram I never would have believed that something as innocent as wiping sweat could ultimately prove to be such a huge distraction.

I also can get distracted by people wiping now, but I try REALLY hard to not pay attention. Just this last Monday I was in class next to one of the instructors who has been doing Bikram for seven years. At the break she took her hand towel and wiped her face, chest, arms, belly, back, down her legs and her feet. I was really surprised to see that.

I have found a new distraction, though. Now I spend an inordinate amount of time straightening my feet and heels on the line-moving them back and forth, turning them just so. I’m aware that I’m doing this, but having a hard time stopping. Oh well–just need to work on it more.

Namaste
Cindy

It is amazing how hard it is to just be still and focused. That may be the most challenging thing about Bikram.

Hi Micherie

Gatorade is not the ideal product! And it is possible to drink too much plain water (especially at those times when your diet can’t step up to the mark for good nutrition or when you are continually exerting yourself without topping up your supplies). It can cause some very serious problems. Here is another very recent discussion on the forum: Tiredness.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Man, this is a great topic and I can relate to a lot of what has been said. I had been doing Bikram fairly regularly for a year or so and then for various reasons stopped for almost a year. About 2 weeks ago I started again. My first couple of classes I noticed that I didn’t sweat nearly as much as I did when I was practicing regualrly, then after about the 3rd or 4th class, sweat was rolling off of me. So, I’m thinking my body got reacclimated to dealing with the hot environment and started functioning appropriately. Or maybe, since I was doing Bikram I just remembered to drink more water, I know I’m more concious of it, as of right now, it’s just after 7 AM here and I have had nearly a litre of water while at my desk at work.

I never got in the habit of having an extra towel or anything to wipe sweat off so just allowed myself to sweat. I do have to wipe the sweat out of my eyes sometimes because it burns. On the other hand, I’m in such an elementary state that I can’t do many of the poses completely, so not sure the sweat on my hands makes much difference. When, Bonnie I think, mentioned being in front to check her pelvis alignment I realized that I’m sure I don’t keep my pelvis tucked properly all the time, I know I think of it and try to pull it in and all but then I start trying to do a pose and forget again. Sometimes I get really disappointed due the lack of progress, and not sure I’m getting as much out of Bikram as I should.

Then when someone said that eventually they could do Bikram without clothes, I have to admit, I’ve thought about that many, many times. And not because I want to see others or definately not because I want others to see me (they’d run out of the room shriekiing in terror or laughter, not sure which) but because it does seem a good idea. I actually looked around the Washington DC area for nude yoga classes and found a few but they are almost entirely dedicated for gay men. I don’t care if someone’s gay but I don’t go to yoga because of my sexual proclivities.

I have found this board to be quite encouraging though. Thanks

Just an FYI about those yoga toe socks and some of you may already know this but they don’t help you stay put AT ALL. In fact they made it worse and I had to take them off.

my instructor recently told us that in time the toxins will leave your body and the sweat will sting less if at all…. and we’ll be less slimy. i’m looking forward to that day!

I notice that by the second pose (Half Moon Pose With Hands To Feet Pose) I can clearly see my footprint clearly. I notice people around me isn’t all that wet. Is that normal?

Normal for me too – and by no means abnormal.

@panalulu – that stinging *should* eventually go – I do notice that when I have breaks from my practice that on return, the sweat can get a bit stinging again in those forward bends.

(When I say eventually – usually in a matter of weeks with a regular 3 or more x week practice)

🙂

Robert

Hi Bonnie – I really don’t know the scientific reason for it – in the old days I used to think it was that my body needed to “eliminate stuff” but now I’m not so sure that sweat itself plays such a big part in that.

Perhaps more likely that the sweat pores themselves are simply dirty and being so highly activated gives them a good flushing?

Maybe the “Hot Yoga Doctor” could lend her POV?

Good question!

Closing your eyes for that type of need is fine – the “idea” behind eyes staying open (apart from natural blinking which is important for keeping eyes feeling comfortable, as I’m sure you know with your sensitive eye history) is to help people stay present and focused on themselves.

So do what you need to do in those forward bends – at least until it stings no more!

Another thought I had too, when I had this issue I used to wipe my eyes/brows (with hand, not towel) before coming forward to try to mitigate so much sweat stinging. Not the ideal solution, but it was better than 75 mins of burning eyes.

😉

I wear glassas also, take them off when doing floor poses though, no point. Eventually though, enough swear drips on them that it’s hard to see anyway! Plus, I always station myself in one of the back corners of the room, so can’t usually see the mirrors very well. Maybe, someday, I’ll be able to do enough of the poses to make it worthwhile to look at myself in the mirrors.

I wish one day I am brave enough, or good enough should I say, to stand on the front row. First row students suppose to be good in poses and act as a guide for others behind them.

Stupid question. What makes sweat sting my eye? Is it because it is dirty or some mineral that is in it?