The first master yogis bent themselves like twist-ties around their enemies, smothering them with relaxing vibes. Now that all of your human and animal enemies are dead or exiled to the spirit realm, today's Groupon offers a similar chance to defeat work-related stress with two five-class passes from Bikram Yoga San Antonio for $24 (a $130 value). If you're a new client, you can take all 10 classes yourself; if you're not a new customer or have a benevolent soul that fears commitment, you can give one five-class card away to friend or someone you've scorned (as long as one of you is new). Each five-class card must be used up within a month of the first class. Classes are held every day of the week from early in the morning through the evening, depending on whether you choose the Alamo Heights or Hollywood Park studio.
Bikram's impassioned instructors remix the 26 pliable poses from the Bikram tradition, bestowing strength and flexibility while priming the different organs of the body to awake and do their groovy thing. Classes take place in a heated room to infuse each move with additional penetrating power and protect the body from injury. It addition to helping you work up a sweat, the high temperatures elevate your metabolism, making it easier to burn fat.
Different poses unblock dammed channels of energy, and deep breathing suffuses the fatigued spirit with renewed vigor, just like blowing into a Nintendo cartridge. Finally become flexible enough to eat spaghetti with your feet and touch your earlobes together. Yoga veterans malleable as warm wax and neophytes unable to touch their toes or look themselves in the mirror are equally welcome.
Reviews
Two Yelpers give Bikram Yoga San Antonio 3.5 stars, while three Yahoo! Local users give it a perfect five-star rating:
- Great yoga experience. Go if you want to challenge yourself and improve your health. – JennaF, Yahoo! Local
- This is extreme yoga! 90 minutes [sic] in a 105 degree [sic] room doing 26 different yoga poses. You come out of that class drenched, but feeling amazing - just make sure you drink a lot of water before hand. – AJ P., Yelp
The Union
The Union's instructors like to remind their students that for every expert yogi, there was a first class. They hold on to this humble philosophy at three studios, where high temperatures help both old hands and newcomers stay limber. The staff cautions their students against aiming for perfection during the 60 and 90-minute courses; instead maintaining that, by simply trying each of the 26 postures and two breathing exercises, bodies and minds achieve the maximum benefit.
To highlight the value of consistent practice, they encourage visitors to take the 60-day challenge, which charges students to attend one yoga or Crossfit class every day for 60 days. Beginners are welcome and everyone is challenged based on their ability and fitness level. Those who accomplish this task are immortalized by writing their name on the Challenge Wall, which doubles as the police force's superhero directory. The studios also honor individuals in their class community with the yogi of the month feature, a series of interviews with students about their Bikram yoga practice.