This being my first time, I was pretty scared, but I went with a friend which helped. Also, the Bikram center allows you to test drive 10 days for only £20 - a great deal to see if you like it!

OK, first things first - the room is at 110 degrees Fahrenheit (or around 44 degrees Celsius), as expected. What I did not expect was that the class is one and a half hours long - I expected it to be only an hour, so I was a bit light-headed towards the end. The instructor (and my friend) said the most important part is to make sure you stay in the room for the entire class, so although I was a bit slow towards the end, I did make it. The exercises and poses are fantastic...i really enjoyed it, and would recommend it to people who have always been curious to try it. I am not that flexible, but I still really liked it. Some tips below though..

A few tips I would advise to first timers
- I would personally advise doing a normal Yoga class 3 to 4 times before doing Bikram so you can get used to the poses; its tough to concentrate in the heat, so you want a basic understanding of some of the poses. I think it makes it easier. And if you are not flexible like me, other classes where instructors can direct and assist you could be useful.
- Get to class 5-10 minutes early to get used to the heat
- bring a bottle of water
- bring two towels (one for the class, one for showing afterwards)
- it gets sweaty, so you need clothes that hold up well to the sweat...I ended up going topless
- Don't overtax yourself early on..conserve your energy
- The instructor told us to keep our eyes open to remain "present"...which i actually liked, as I found myself shutting my eyes a lot
- I did not feel uncomfortable or competitive or judged by people...after the first 5 minutes, you completely are working from within, so other people do not matter, in case you are wondering about that
- Towards the end, it really tested my mental strength...which was great. You need to block everything else out and concentrate on doing the poses...its great focus training

At this location, you remove your shoes before entering reception, which i thought was nice.
Lockers need a £1 coin, so bring along! SHowers & changing room were spot on - clean and basic.

I have 10 days, so I will probably try to go 2 times each week and see if it continues to go well.