Congratulations to our Challengers!
Join us for a Challenge Party on Zoom, Saturday, April 3 at 6:30 pm.
All are welcome to attend.
What is the Bikram Yoga 60 Day Challenge?
Bikram says “Give me 30 days, I’ll change your body. Give me 60 days, I’ll change your life.” Challenge yourself to accomplish something that’s just a little beyond what you thought you could do! Although the challenge is a commitment of time, it is, more importantly, a commitment to your health, wellness, and spirit.
Challenger Stories
Liza
Liza has been practicing for 11 years and didn’t want to stop practicing with shelter in place orders. She’s participated in challenges before and is ready for the next, setting herself up for a home yoga challenge.
“The mental, emotional, and physical benefits of this yoga were too much to give up, most especially when we needed to stay healthy and keep our immune systems strong. So stopping my practice was not an option. So I created a practice at home. I practiced quite regularly using YouTube audio classes. Early on, there were very few Bikram videos, so I kept using the videos I liked most. When live online classes came back, I was ecstatic! I see the teachers live, and they get to see me practice. The camera is like a magnifying glass, and it’s amazing what the teachers can see and correct.”
IRENA
Irena completed her first challenge earlier this year. “The times I was practicing more, I felt happier, stronger, better. I was curious to see the impact if I came every day. Even though there were a lot of things happening on the home side, it was just great! It helped me to deal with things gracefully. Now I try to do five days a week.”
“I fell in love with practicing in the heat. Even though I struggle, I can concentrate much more; it’s meditative. I can’t imagine my life anymore without this practice. I feel like I’m a better mom, a better wife!”
MENG LI
“I have my spot in the room. I feel like this past year I’ve grown a lot in my practice. It comes down to one thing: don’t underestimate yourself, and JUST TRY. I would try the first set. Then the second. I can now do all 26 postures without taking a break. I used to tell myself before class, ‘I’m exhausted.’ The only reason I couldn’t do the posture was because I thought I couldn’t do it. The thing is, you can’t get better if you never even try. Now I’m able to get low in Triangle Pose. I don’t feel like I’m going to pass out. You just work at it, and it gets easier and easier every day.”
Meng has practiced for five or six years now and this is her third challenge. She reached 100 days the day after the party.
VARSHA
“I never thought I could do it. I thought I would do 20 days, maybe 40. I even did two doubles. I’m so happy that I did it! Before the challenge, I used to come 2-3x a week. I used to be stressed out by a lot before – work, this, that. But coming here makes you feel relaxed. I actually feel for two hours I don’t want to look at the phone or anything. I just want to be in the room. I was not able to do a lot of the postures before, now I can do most of them. Fixed Firm is a favorite because my whole body feels relaxed.”
MEL
“I found this amazing place, now it feels like family. In 2014, I was overweight, feeling depressed, with four kids; my life was crazy. Living in the Bay Area is expensive. That year, I was living in the house, and they told me my choice was to buy the house or move out. I was thinking about jumping off a bridge.
The first class, I almost threw up. I was 208 pounds. I started doing it day by day, and feeling better. I was always thinking about groceries and laundry, and then one day, shhh, no thoughts. Losing weight, I was feeling great.
Then I thought, since I was feeling great, I stopped for two years. Then I started feeling depressed. I found my way here. I did the challenge, I feel amazing again. Now my kids tell me, go to yoga! Now I’m not stopping!”
NATALIA MANSOUR
Natalia convinced Mel to start practicing here. She’s a 5:30 a.m. practitioner. “I love it. I’ve never found another class at 5:30, so thank you. I did 60 consecutive days. Every time I had to go to Sacramento, I went to Folsom.”
“Coming on Saturday and Sunday was a big deal for me. That’s my weekend. I lost a LOT of weight. In 60 days, I really transformed myself.”
“I learned to listen to the teachers, even small things. Before, I wouldn’t have heard it. If you can listen, you can do better. For two years, I couldn’t do Triangle Pose, NO WAY.” Every time, Matt would challenge her to try Triangle. After the challenge? “I can do the Triangle right AND left!”
“Here is my happy place.”
SUNDAR NARAYANAN
Sundar makes a trip to China every three weeks. “If not for this challenge, I would have either killed my workers or…! My intention word was ‘sanity.’ I’ve done this Challenge 7 times. My challenge is to keep coming so I can face whatever comes up. Otherwise, I can’t cope.”
“As of last Thursday night, it’s been a year without a water bottle in class. I’m not saying everybody should do it, but for me, it’s been very helpful. It shows you how many things you think are impossible that you can do. I learned something new.”
“You keep me physically fit, that’s a side effect. You keep me SANE! YOU ARE A MIRACLE!”
SARA FOTAKIS
“I just started last summer to support my friend Lisa in her Challenge. To be honest, I was put off by the sweaty, naked people when you walk in the door! But I don’t feel that way anymore. At first, I felt a shift in my mental state, even more than the transformations in my physical body. I keep coming back. It was really hard for me to come even four days a week. But I wondered, ‘If not now, when?!’ I’m still going – on day 82.”
Sara finds Bikram Basics to offer a “helpful perspective. It’s different from the one you get in class! I recommend everyone go! I’m a Type A personality. I just love coming in every day knowing there’s going to be a challenge for me. I don’t know what it is, I have to wait for it. There’s always something. There’s always growth. I love it.”