Moksha Yoga

Location: 14927 111 Ave
Price: varies
Phone: 780-481-3070
Website: http://www.mokshayogaedmonton.com/

I've always been a big fan of yoga, but when the idea of hot yoga was brought up, I thought, "are you crazy?" I pictured this sauna with a bunch of really sweaty people smelling like dead rats (as my mom would describe the worst smell in the world). Not to mention just how do they propose I do the downward facing dog in 40 degree-heat? I can barely walk when it's above 25! I was intrigued bythe idea, but they say curiousity killed the cat, and I didn't want to take the chance.

I'm a sucker though. Let's face it, if everyone is doing it, chances are, I will eventually jump on the boat too. So when my friends Lisa & Candice called at 6 pm one evening and invited me to try it out, I internally struggled and wanted so desperately to say no, but I wanted so badly to fit in that I agreed!

Getting to the place was pretty easy, and there was plenty of parking. We got there a few minutes early and there was a long line up already!

For newcomers, they have a special deal where you can get a one-week unlimited pass for $20. For returning students (and at the time, I wasn't sure why anyone would want to return), it's $16 drop in rate with various prices available if you want to buy in class cards in packs of 5, 10, 20, or 50 (you mean people come back 50 times?!).

The place was a lot more modern than I anticipated. I'm not sure what I was expecting - the idea of sweat and stuff, I guess I was imagining a damp, dark, and just a hole in a wall. I was definately proven wrong! Maybe hot yoga wouldn't be so bad afterall!

Going into this super packed room, you could instantly feel the heat. The lights were down and they ask that you respect the silence. I put my yoga mat down and just laid there enjoying the solitude. I had a good feeling about this. I almost fell asleep waiting for class to begin!

It just so happened that the first time I went for hot yoga, we had an instructor that enjoyed taking poses to the next level! We were holding poses for a few seconds longer and we were doing just one more set each time...at 40 degrees, it was as if I was run over by a truck...10 times. I was DRIPPING sweat from places I never even knew had sweat glands! When they told me to bring a towel, I thought it was for afterwards, but my towel was soaked 10 minutes into class!

Was I more flexible? I didn't notice! I was so immersed by the fact that my ENTIRE body was like a human waterfall. I made it half way and I had to rest (thank goodness I wasn't the only beginner there at the time!), and I drank my whole bottle of water by the end of class. I thought I would be more self conscious about how I looked and stuff, but really, there was just no room for that at all! I was not only distracted by the neverending flow of liquid coming out of my body, but I was also trying really hard to concentrate on all the different poses. There was just not a moment where I could even glance around to see how everyone was doing.

Surprisingly, the room didn't feel unsanitary nor did it smell like dead rats. It was super spacious and could easily fit 40 people (but we squeeze in 50 at max!). They have cork studio floors which were super comfortable to walk on, and they use radiant heating panels to save up to 40% energy! Even their cleaning products are environmentally friendly.

Did I go back? Why yes, I did! I thought for $20, I may as well make use of my unlimited pass! Even though I didn't fall in love with hot yoga the first night, I definately grew to love it in the past few months. In fact, now going to both hot and regular yoga, I do notice that I am more flexible during hot yoga. Sure, during the tree pose, my foot would keep slipping off my sweaty leg, but overall, I do notice how much further I can stretch myself in the heat, and I always feel so refreshed and awake afterwards. Yoga instructors varies at Moksha yoga, but they really are all super fantastic. One thing I absolutely love about yoga is that all the instructors are so zen and peaceful, and it really calms the busiest minds.

Couple things to note: Please don't make a last-minute decision to go to hot yoga like I did. If you're going to go, plan it out and drink at least 8-10 glasses of water throughout the day. Eat light before class. Trust me, I didn't do this and I thought my head was going to split in half and I thought I was going to pass out! Freeze a bottle of water the night before and bring it to class, you'll be thankful for something cool to drink at 40 degrees. And when you feel tired, it's okay to take a break and go into child pose. It took me a couple of months to get through the entire class without a break.

At $16/class, this normally wouldn't be something I would recommend as affordable. But what's awesome about this place is that they offer "Karma Classes" on Friday nights at 9 pm for a minimum of $5 donation with all proceeds going to a different charity every month! What's more, for the month of June, they have in-training instructors and offering "community classes" on Wednesday at 9:30 am and Fridays at 6:30 am. It's hard to find regular yoga at that price, let alone hot yoga!

They offer change rooms with shower stalls. They provide soap and a place to leave your stuff. Their tap water is also filtered and cold incase you run out of water. Mat rentals are also available, check the website for more details.

If you're going to be sweating this summer anyway, why not sweat it out at Moksha yoga? The owner Angie is an awesome and positive person who always greets you with a smile! If you're feeling a little restless lately, I promise you a little dose of sweat will give you the experience you'll never forget!