The Words of 26+2 Hot Yoga - Where everything begins.

We love seeing new faces at the Studio, particularly when they come and try one of our hot yoga classes. Over the years I’ve seen many a newbies, and they roughly fall into one of three categories. Those who walk in with trepidation having some knowledge of what it’s all about. Those who walk in confidently a minute before class, having absolutely no knowledge of what they are walking into. And those who have arrive early, who have done their homework and prepared for the class.

Regardless of the category - at some point during the 60/90 minute class everyone is going to feel uncomfortable, challenged and question their decision to attend! As a teacher, I want to high five and hug everyone who finishes a class. I want to reassure you that it will get easier. And most of all I want to tell you that the initial discomfort is worth it, stick with it, because the benefits will outweigh the discomfort a hundredfold. 

One of the things that makes the 26+2 hot yoga practice unique (aside from the heat/humidity) is the words. Known as the dialogue, this is the foundation of the practice and where everything begins. So this blog takes a closer look at why the dialogue is so important, particularly when you are starting out, and how understanding the importance of the dialogue can make all the difference. 

Safety & Alignment

The instructions are crafted so as to safely get you into and out of poses while focusing on proper alignment of joints, engagement of muscles and normal breath control. Like a good book, every posture is made up of a beginning, middle and end and the dialogue gives you instructions for each.

It’s important to listen carefully to the instructions when you first begin, as they will give you everything you need. When you first start, you might only do the beginning part of the pose, over time you may progress to the middle & end part of the pose. How quickly you progress will depend on several factors, but we all have to start somewhere and in the beginning, what is important is that you work with your body as it presents on any given day, to safely move into the posture as far as your body will allow, while maintaining proper alignment, engagement and breath. Always remember breath before form, form before depth. Follow this simple rule and over time you will build strength and flexibility to move deeper into each pose. 

Additionally over time, the repetition of the dialogue will help students internalise movements and develop a deeper awareness of their body, allowing students to respond automatically to cues without needing to overthink

Every Instructions Matters 

The words make up each instruction and each instruction in the dialogue counts. For example in
Triangle Pose, the set up instructions are: ​"Turn your right foot out to the right – all the way, keep your two heels in one line. Inhale breathing, bend the right knee and sit down. Left hip down and forward. Make sure you’re sitting down low enough. Your right thigh bone should be parallel with the floor. Knee and hip in one line, same distance to the floor. Make sure your hips don’t go up anymore. Stay down there". It's incredibly normally in the beginning to be unable to get your right thigh bone parallel with the floor, so work on that part of the pose first. If you are not all the way down, it's impossible to have the fingers anywhere near your toes, without bending forward, which defeats the purpose of the pose. So listen carefully and go to where you can hold the pose with proper alignment and breath control. 

There is a saying in our yoga world, 1% the right way = 100% benefits, so if you are just starting out, don’t be discouraged, follow the words that make up the instruction as best you can and do it with integrity, take breaks if you need to, but keep trying the right way. 

Mental Focus & Concentrations

One of the benefits of the rhythmic, commanding tone of the dialogue is that it helps to keep the mind engaged, reducing distractions. By moving with the words, (not before, not after) It encourages a moving meditation, helping students stay present and push past mental barriers. As one student once put it, “.. it’s 90 minutes where you can completely switch off, because you are being told what to do every single moment". 

But what about when the student do things that are not part of the dialogue… like fidgeting, wiping sweat away, taking water, adjusting towels, mats, hair, clothes…  While all of these things seem innocent in themselves, they can take us out of that meditative state that you work so hard to create during the class and they can deplete your energy. So, next time you come to class, challenge yourself, can you avoid doing any of the unnecessary stuff, conserve your energy for the postures. Fidgeting is the minds way of saying things are getting uncomfortable, by focusing and concentrating on your breath and your stillness you are strengthening your mental resolve building resilience and strength. 

Energy 

The language of the dialogues is by design motivational, commanding and authoritative, pushing students to hold postures longer, go deeper, and challenge themselves. As Teachers we have to develop our own style so as to effectively deliver the dialogue in an inspiring way, which stays true to the commanding, authoritative and motivational style of the language.   

I have worked equally hard for Teachers that have a softer manner as I have for those who have a strong manner. Ultimately it is your decision how you choose to practice, and while you might be in a class with a highly enthusiastic, high energy teacher, you are in control to dial your practice up or down.

The 26+2 hot yoga sequence, is without doubt a challenging practice, I’ve seen grown men, athletics, body builders, take a knee and then some. Equally I’ve seen people with injured bodies, those who are overweight, those who suffer from chronic fatigue, crippling arthritis, MS, and more regularly and consistently do this practice - showing up and working with what they have - who swear by it!

I hope the above, has given you a little more insight and understanding of how this practice works - it's not a magic pill, it takes dedication and commitment & everything you need to get through the class is in the words. I hope it has inspired you to give it a go or perhaps another go if you fled after your first class :).