you asked

Baron Baptiste’s Vinyasa Flow is amazing! I always tend to attend these styles of classes but am wondering what other styles might be similar to his power flow class? Any recommendations? Also, Moksha seems to be offered in a lot of studios. What exactly does this style emulate? - Sarah

a yogi answers

Well, as a Master Baptiste Teacher I LOVE the Baptiste flow, too! There is something exceptional about the Baptiste flow and how challenging and inspiring it is that I just can’t find anywhere else. If you can find teachers that have trained with Sean Corne, Shiva Rea, Brian Kest or Dharma Mittra, you will enjoy their style, too!

Moksha is a style of yoga based off of the Bikram series but with a strong emphasis on environmental consciousness. Just like Baptiste Yoga, Moksha is also very accessible to all levels of students and is a great way to be introduced into the world of yoga. The main difference is that Moksha is a set series of poses like Bikram and Baptiste is a Vinyasa or flow style of yoga. There are just so many styles of yoga, just like there are so many styles of music and art and dance. The important thing is to find a teacher and style of yoga that resonates with you, stimulates your inner inquiry and awakens your soul!

- Kinndli, lululemon Oakville ambassador

what is ask a yogi?

Ask a Yogi is a yoga advice column that is published on Monday, Wednesday and Saturdays. If you have a yoga question for future yoga panels, please email askanexpert@lululemon.com.

After high school, Angela moved from Ontario to Alberta for university and volleyball. While at school, she started practicing yoga to compliment her intensive volleyball training. She soon fell in love with hot yoga and made it one of her goals to open the first Moksha studio in Edmonton.

Once she graduated, Angela worked at lululemon athletica on the team that opened our Kingsway store in Edmonton. Her time in the store provided her with the opportunity to develop her leadership skills and discover another one of her passions: developing people. At the same time, her position allowed her the freedom to continue pursuing her yoga studio goals as she took a month off to get her Moksha teacher certification in Thailand.

Angela teaching an outdoor complimentary yoga class

BHAG accomplished

Soon enough, Angela was able to realize her dream and open the first Moksha Yoga studio in Edmonton. At the time, this was the only Moksha studio and she was the only Moksha instructor in the entire province. Her amazing ability to attract and develop people has clearly worked in her favour; two and a half years later, she has opened her second studio location and she now shares the teaching workload with 20 other Moksha certified yoga teachers!

Our Strategic Sales partner, Moksha Yoga Edmonton

Angela still works closely with the Edmonton stores and this past year she signed on for her second term as an ambassador with lululemon West Edmonton Mall. To check out her new studio and to learn more about Moksha Yoga visit Moksha Yoga Edmonton; to find a lululemon Strategic Sales partner in your community check out our partner listings under the Community tab.

Let me start by saying that I'm quite partial to this topic. Hot yoga is my absolute favourite. I crave it, I (sometimes) dread it, but I always love it.

To say that hot yoga is good for you is an understatement. Though it may feel unbearable at times, hot yoga offers unique health benefits that get you absolutely hooked. Being in a hot room gets your muscles (and the connective tissue around those muscles) limber letting you go further into that stretch. The cardiovascular benefits along with the added toning and strengthening elements help make hot yoga one of the most well-balanced workouts I've ever come across. On its own, it can do wonders, but partnered with a running routine - it's the perfect compliment.

I used to get very confused as to what 'hot yoga' actually meant, and it wasn't until I took the time to go to different classes that I really learned what I was getting into. The two most prominent types of hot yoga are Bikram and Moksha. Though they have many similarities, they're very different in practice.

Both Moksha and Bikram are a series of Hatha poses held for 30-60 seconds. While Bikram repeats every posture twice, Moksha incorporates a handful of flows to get the heart rate up and helps deepen the breath. Bikram is also practiced in a room at a few degrees hotter than Moksha; this is always relative to how many people are in the class - the more people, the hotter it gets. I especially love Moksha because of the instructor's ability to take creative license with each class; this energy really resonates with me and I've learned that some of my most creative moments come after a class - after countless hip and heart openers. That's what has kept me all these years, and I'm certain it's what will keep me coming back for years to come.

So should you ever want to try hot yoga, whether it's Moksha or Bikram, grab your mat (studios have mats to rent as well), your water bottle, and a towel and get ready to sweat and feel zen all in the same breath. It's rather liberating to feel so completely calm during such an amazing workout! Give it a try, I promise you won't be disappointed!

Namaste.

Above: Lindsay keeps cool in a pair of Boogie On Shorts and a Power Y Tank.

Adding heat to certain things introduces an element of fun: popcorn kernels, a relationship, even the yoga room! My first hot yoga class was not what I expected and I felt muscles the next day I didn’t know I had. I avoided hot yoga for a few weeks, but then decided to try another class with a different style. I felt more in tune with my body and its needs, and I now have a newfound love for the heated room.

For those who haven’t tried hot yoga, here are some tips for first timers that want to give it a try.

Do your research

What are some popular hot yoga studios in your community? Ask friends that have been to a hot yoga class and see how they liked it. If you like structure and routine, Bikram may be for you. If you prefer a little more variety each class in poses and intensity, try Moksha. Many studios have a one week unlimited class pass for beginners, so don’t be afraid to ask.

What to bring

A yoga mat, water, towel, and an open mind. If you’re a quick sweat-er, join the club! Start with a regular beach or shower towel beside you, but you might find it beneficial to lay it across your whole mat. Some prefer a yogi-toes towel because they add extra grip to your hands, feet and mat.

What to wear

Comfort is key. I personally love my Cool Racerback Tank as a staple top. For bottoms, I alternate between Boogie On Shorts for a closer fit, and my Rock Out Crops for more coverage on my legs. Both items are moisture wicking and four-way stretch, perfect for a heated class. If you prefer natural fabrics, try lighter weight cottons like pima cotton.

Before class

Avoid heavy meals 2 hours before your class and try not to snack anything too big right before your class. Arrive 15-20 minutes before your first class. If you happen to catch your instructor before the class begins, let him/her know it’s your first time! Find a space either in the middle or the back of the room so you can follow along easily and have a good view of the instructor. Relax ☺

What to expect

You’ll get sweaty and hot quickly so sip water when you need to. More importantly, breathe deeply. The heat will alter your breaths so make sure this is top of mind. And never do anything you don’t feel comfortable doing. Child’s pose and savasana/corpse pose are encouraged when you need a rest.

After class

The heat from hot yoga is meant to detoxify you. Make sure to drink plenty of water after your class. Notice how you feel that evening and the following day before you attend another class.

The greatest thing about hot yoga is that anyone can try it, and anyone can do it. You don’t have to be experienced or flexible, just open to a new experience that could add a little hot fun in your life!

When I was 15, I learned what it meant to be dehydrated. We were at a school event - an overnight sports marathon affectionately termed the 'Marafun' - and my hands ballooned to the size of ski-gloves. Now, if you saw my hands to begin with, you'd know they're rather small, perhaps even freakishly small. So I was absolutely terrified. Embarrassed as I was, I got up the nerve to ask our supervising teacher what was wrong. She asked if I had been drinking any liquids - I shook my head as I was having far too much fun to take a water break. She took me over to the teacher's staff room and handed me a large glass of water.

"Drink it." She said.

I obliged. After polishing off the glass, she refilled it and again ordered me to drink it. A bit confused, I did as I was told.

After I was filled to the brim, she explained that it being 3am, and me being immersed in activity and not replenishing my fluids, I was simply dehydrated. At 15 I didn't really get it. I didn't understand why I needed to drink water when I wasn't even thirsty. It wasn't until I started doing Moksha yoga that I fully understood the amazingness that is water.

On my first Moksha experience, having only tried Bikram a few times prior, I was quite naive to the process. I showed up to the class with my water bottle and my mat. Within the first 5 minutes I became extremely light headed and had to sit out for a better part of the rest of the class. Realizing it was my blood pressure I made it my personal mission to drink a large quantity of water during the days I'd be doing Moksha. And it helped. I was able to curtail my light-headed spells, and I was actually sweating. Never before in my athletic life had I sweat as much as I did in a one hour Moksha class. Some will argue that it's the crazy heat, but I've gotten to know my body fairly well over the years. The days that I'm fully hydrated and the days that I've slacked on my water intake; there's a HUGE and very noticeable difference. I was so excited about this observation, that I went out and bought a skidless yoga towel to soak up my sweat!

Side note: Isn't it weird that a blue towel with orange trim can make walk with a bit more bounce in your step as you walk through the studio doors. Dorky as it is...

I challenge anyone who reads this to drink the recommended amount of water a day (click here for an easy conversion calculator based on your activity level and weight) for a week straight and see the difference in your body. Your skin is a little less dry and a little more clear, your hair a bit shinier, your sweat a little less salty. You'll feel a bit more energized, and your recovery time after a work-out will seriously lessen! If these aren't reasons to up your water intake... I'm not quite sure what is!

So find a vehicle (my Om Water Bottle has been my best friend for the past few months), decide if you like your beverage plain and cold, room temp with a kick, or whatever other combination. My personal favourite is plain ol' filtered tap water, slightly chilled, sometimes with sliced cucumbers and sometimes with sliced strawberries. Love.

And next time you're feeling a bit drained raise your glass of aqua and remember that we are what we drink!

Namaste.