Physics Professor, age 51

What did you know or think about yoga before your first class?

I knew almost nothing, except I had realized that stretching after the workout in the gym helped me better than that workout itself.

What injuries or ailments did you earn over the years?

I had a disk herniation in the past and a related nerve injury that affected my ability to load my left leg and foot.

Describe your first Bikram Yoga experience?

I felt I was about to die, but it also gave lots of flexibility and energy to my body. I decided to stick in and consider it one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

How do you feel after class?

Of course you are tired after class. But you also feel light, younger, and more flexible. You are not “old man” tired, you are “young man” tired, like after a long game in your 20s.

What is your favorite thing about class?

I am focused on my body and have no capability of thinking about my every day problems. It is the only place where I can turn the daily routine off. It is not only a body workout, it is also a big mental relief.

Do you tell your friends you practice yoga? Do you consider yourself a yogi?

Yes, I do. They think I am crazy doing all that at my age. No, I am not a yogi. Becoming one seems too demanding to me.