A Perfect Place for Saturday

Recently, I've been getting into hot yoga.

That said, I've only tried it once so far.
It feels a bit early to say I'm "hooked." I've only just dipped my toes in. I think I'll take a little more time to be sure about it for myself.

Before that, I want to write about a Pilates lesson called "3D Conditioning Flow," which has already become a big part of my life.

I'm already waist-deep in this one.

I've been doing Pilates for about a year and a half. At first, I only took foundation classes, and then I focused on advanced lessons. As months passed and I began to understand the movement patterns, I stopped feeling the same freshness and excitement I once had.

That was when I encountered this 3D Conditioning Flow.

Based on basic Pilates movements, it adds light, supple motions and has you move your body to Western music. It's not quite dancing, but it's a lesson where you move rhythmically and fluidly to the music.

I secretly call it the "endangered species lesson." There are very few studios that offer it.

That's why I started traveling to a studio a bit further away once a week. It's been three months now.

At first, I had strong resistance to moving to music. Even now, there are moments during the lesson when I suddenly snap back to reality.

"What on earth am I doing right now?"

The moment I think that, my concentration breaks. While following the instructor, W, who moves lightly in front of me, I hesitate for a second, wondering, "Which way was it next?" Because of those few seconds of hesitation, I'm the only one who falls behind.

At first, I was just trying my best to remember the sequence of movements. Moving to the music while gradually adding new steps—it wasn't until about the seventh or eighth session that I felt my body finally starting to remember.

In this lesson, you often move while holding a small ball. Holding it increases your awareness of your body, but when I get absorbed in the movement, I tend to forget it's there. Before I know it, it rolls out of my hands. I've learned to laugh at such small mistakes now.

Furthermore, it mercilessly uses muscles I don't often use in regular Pilates. Especially with one particular movement, the outside of my thighs still cramp. The body is honest. It tells me exactly which parts I'm not using enough.

And there's something I realized anew in this lesson: I have less sense of rhythm than I thought.

Even so, lately, I've come to enjoy this time, including the version of myself that's a beat behind.

The reason I can keep going is largely due to the other members taking the class with me and the instructor, W.

There is an atmosphere in W's lessons that strangely helps you let your guard down. Even while moving lightly, they never leave the participants behind. I think that exquisite sense of distance is one of the reasons I can continue this somewhat difficult lesson.

The unpretentious atmosphere of treating everyone naturally leads to the comfort of the entire class.

When I first visited this studio, there were only about three members taking this lesson. Now, that number has more than doubled.

After moving for 15 minutes, I'm out of breath and sweat pours out all at once. Staying hydrated is essential.

Even with a few breaks, the intense movements continue.

As it nears the end, the final push awaits. The finale is a battle with the abs.

Even though I'm not doing sit-ups, the load gradually builds up during the speedy movements. By the time it's over, my abs are pleading, "That's enough."

Around the 50-minute mark, the intense movement finally comes to an end.

At the end, I entrust my whole body to the mat and quietly close my eyes. Gradually, my heartbeat settles, and my breathing evens out.

The body that was moving so intensely slowly regains its stillness. I love that feeling immensely.

Syncing my breath with strangers and moving to the same music—the sense of unity in sharing that time is unique to this lesson.

The studio, which felt like an away game at first, has become a place where I see more familiar faces lately. I've naturally become a regular with the staff, who greet me by saying, "You're coming to this class, right?"

Before or after the lesson, I sometimes eat the famous tempura bowl from the local shopping street.

I'm not sure if it's a pre-workout meal before sweating or a reward for working hard. But the things I look forward to in this town, besides the lesson, are gradually increasing.

On the way home, I always stop by the bakery in the shopping street. I buy two almond croissants and tuck them into my bag. Sometimes, I walk through the shopping street and buy a popular croquette to take home.

I've come to love this time on Saturday, including the walk home.

A town I didn't know much about before is slowly becoming my own place through Pilates. I can't let go of that feeling either.

Previously, I had come here after taking two other lessons at a different studio before this one. In other words, including the 3D Conditioning Flow, I was taking three in one day.

After getting home that day, I didn't have the energy to do anything. It was as if my body was saying, "That's enough for today."

Because it was fun, I had been too greedy.

But now, I stick to just this one lesson. Because of that, I've become able to fully savor this time.

Sweating comfortably and returning home with just the right amount of fatigue. That feels just right for me now.

I don't know how long this lesson will continue. Even so, I think this time every Saturday will remain my favorite routine for a while.

And perhaps it's because I encountered this 3D Conditioning Flow that I'm now interested in hot yoga as well.

More on that later.