As you might have heard in the TeachStreet forums, I have thought about starting Hot Yoga, as there is a new facility near my apartment. Well, I did it!

Before the class, I didn't know much about yoga. Let me re-phrase that... I didn't know anything about yoga, let alone Hot Yoga. I had looked online for some basics, but found the same description ("Hot Yoga is a series of Bikram yoga poses done in a heated room, which is usually maintained at a temperature of 105 degrees Fahrenheit.").

Ok, so it's hot. I did know that much.

But what do I bring? What do I wear? Are there different levels of yoga classes at this particular facility?

I managed to wrangle a male friend into the Hot Yoga experience, and the two of us discussed our reactions over dinner. The things we took from our first experience:

• Bring your mat, water, and a towel. A bunch of poses have you moving to one end of the mat or the other, and it's good to have that extra towel laid out beforehand. As far as clothing goes, don't wear shorts (my mistake)... that poor teacher may have had some exposure of my ultra-white upper thighs based on what positions we were taking. I will be wearing my loose capris next time. Bring extra clothes as well, as it's chilly once you exit the studio! You're probably covered in sweat. Gross.

• We felt great. It's exhilerating to get out of that hot room and be completely stretched out. Unfortunately, it was raining when we left the studio, but we discussed how throwing a frisbee in the park would be the best thing to do following our Hot Yoga experience! And surprisingly, neither one of us experienced tightness the next day, even though our in-class experiences were different. It's cleansing, since the body is completely rid of toxins following the class.

We are totally doing this again. It's so refreshing, and hey... if you're not a yoga pro (cough cough), it's ok. You're in a dark room anyway, and who really looks that good while sweating profusely? Not the two of us, anyway.