Usually my stress relief and an overall sense of well-being is achieved through a hard-hitting 5km afternoon run, or a quick high-intensity gym workout.
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Although I love fitness, I have tried numerous times to be a part of a sports team or group exercise class, but have never truly appreciated its value and have instead opted for weekly personal training sessions.
So, when I was asked to try Shepparton's newest craze, Hot Yoga, a sport which incorporates every element that is opposite to my usual fitness routine, I really didn’t think I would enjoy it.
Hot Yoga became popular in the 1970s when American Yoga teacher Bikram Choudhury introduced the exercise to Hollywood and began to develop Bikram Yoga studios across the world.
Since then, it has taken off with various versions of the exercise developing.
However, hot yoga predominately incorporates 26 different movements and two breathing exercises.
Participants complete the routine in a humid 30 – 40-degree Celsius room, which is where the health benefits of hot yoga begin.
The humidity works to detoxify the body by working to remove heavy metals and chemicals which build up in the body.
The heat is excellent for injury recovery, promotes blood flow and oxygen.
Shepparton resident, Natalie Goodall a former banking professional and self-proclaimed fitness fanatic fell in love with hot yoga more than 15 years ago and regularly practised the exercise until she moved to Shepparton almost ten years ago.
So, after years of thinking about opening a studio in the region, Ms Goodall and her family took the plunge and opened Shepparton's first Hot Yoga Studio just over a month ago.
The studio sits in a tucked away, quiet strip of Harold St, just a one-minute walk from flourishing Fryers St.
Ms Goodall said she had been overwhelmed by the region's quick response and had over 600 new clients in the first three weeks of opening.
"I think Shepparton's a really health and well-being-conscious type of town, I think especially in the past few years we have become better at that and we are such a sporting town as well,” Ms Goodall said.
“Hot Yoga is very different to traditional forms of yoga, it's a much more athletic, fitness-based type of yoga which is what we are promoting, so we are about fitness, well-being and mental health.
“Whilst there is a spiritual aspect to yoga, that's not the pathway for us, we are more about the fitness aspect which then promotes all the athletes and the fitness type of people feel comfortable to come here because it's not a spiritual adventure,” she said.
The modern studio has four different styles of classes that run at different times to suit the needs of 16 to 80-year-olds who want to take part in the exercise.
“We’ve got classes to suit everyone, we have very strenuous classes and we have very gentle classes, we have a meditative relaxation type of class, so just come and give it a go, you will be really pleasantly surprised," she said.
And surprised I was.
As I first entered the room, the heat hit me and I was unsure if I would be able to complete the 60-minute routine.But within five minutes it was inspiring to see my mind disregard the heat and focus on the routine.
The group fitness environment didn't concern me as it was quite unique - you focus on the accuracy of the moves but find reassurance in your instructor (Ms Goodall) and other participants for accuracy.
I would encourage anyone who is interested in traditional yoga or had concerns like I did to give hot yoga a try, just make sure you take a towel as you will be streaming with sweat.
Ms Goodall's focus on fitness and overall sense of well-being is quickly passed onto her clients and in my experience is extremely addictive.I will be definitely be going back.
For more information or to book a class visit www.sheppartonhotyoga.com.au
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