Never challenge a Viking in jest!

“You’re all talk when it comes to a back to back class Matt” says Emma from Dubai. Well finally…

With Mine Taylan (Bikram Yoga Malmo studio owner) and her husband, Joshua returning from advanced teacher training, I was eager to meet them for the first time and booked in for Mine’s Swedish 8am class on Sunday. Erik suggested I take Joshua’s at 10:30 since his was in English but I’d decided to take Mine’s first, as a mark of respect.

“Why don’t we do both then?” challenging Erik to back to back classes the next morning. Erik worked nights and planned a yoga free weekend so I was sure he would balk at a double. That would be a no! The more he mused, the more he liked the idea, “plus it would be a good welcome home to Mine and Joshua”, he offered.

Hot travel tip #2: Never challenge a Viking in jest!

Getting home at 1am in the morning we jumped online, booking Erik in to the 8am class. With only one place available for the 10:30, I strategically convinced Erik he should sign up (my escape clause) and I would try my luck on the day. We then fueled up: 2 beef steaks for Erik, 2 salmon fillets for me, both grazing over a mountainous Feta Salad before getting 5hrs shut eye.

I’d heard how good Mine’s classes were: rich, flowing, precise and even beautiful. I wasn’t disappointed, but of course I couldn’t understand a word of it! The Swedish dialogue bypassed consciousness and I was swept along one of my most relaxed, yet powerful classes to date. As we sculled coconut water and snacked on fruit after the first class, we convinced Gwendolyn to join us for the double. With Erik’s suggestion, we lined our mats together in the front row, and moved as one, synchronizing our movements in and out of the postures throughout the second class. I’ve never thought to do this before but you can definitely feel the combined energy when you flow together.

Joshua’s class was up there with the best and it’s hard to believe he’s only been teaching since Spring 2008 training. His international English flavoured the dialogue with trusted knowledge and good humour, although by camel pose my lump was in the wrong place and I slowed a little before the final savasana, bathing in the sweat bath that remained around our mats. Yeah.. ewgh!

Did I receive the energy that’s proclaimed after a double? I’m not quite sure what I  felt. As we rode home, I was neither electrified or exhausted, perhaps hovering somewhere in between. We (read Erik) did however have the energy to whip up a huge shrimp pasta with a couple of traditional Swedish shrimp sandwiches for good measure. Would I do a back to back again? You betchya, the food rocked!