Mark
Age: 37

After my first Bikram yoga class, I realized one concrete truth: I'm really, really, really, bad at this.

After practicing for about a week, the physiological benefits were very apparently. The most noticeable one was weight loss. Though I had been lifting weights and running consistently for several months, I had not been able to shed hardly any of the weight that I wanted. It started coming off IMMEDIATELY when I started with Bikram's yoga. So far I've lost 20 pounds in 1.5 months and I'm still dropping.

Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, I have released much long stored tension and discomfort in my neck, back, and elbows. And, in general, my whole body feels much more supple.

I like Standing Bow pose because it is one that I can legitamately attempt correctly, and it challenges me both physically and mentally.

Some of the poses (any that involve hip flexibility) I've made VERY slow (if any) progress with. I challenge myself to find ways that I can get into them more deeply and to have faith that "one day my hips will bend!"

Umm, drink lotsa water! Ohh, and don't go out drinking the night before your second class (made that mistake once..).