Bikram yoga was based by Bikram Choudhury who was born in Calcutta in 1944. He started practising yoga on the age of 4 and after profitable the Nationwide India Yoga Championship, he injured his knee.
Whereas docs mentioned that he would by no means stroll once more, Bikram Choudhury used yoga and was absolutely healed inside 6 months. With the information that yoga can remedy continual ache and heal the physique, Bikram devised his sequence of 26 postures to assist heal the physique and thoughts – which might later turn out to be generally known as Bikram yoga.
What’s Bikram Yoga?
Bikram yoga is synthesized from Hatha yoga’s strategies and values, a department of yoga that mixes postures with respiratory. Not like different types of yoga, Bikram yoga permits little or no in the way in which of creativity. It’s a sequence of 26 set poses carried out repeatedly in a 100 diploma plus room. The category will go on for 90 minutes and also will embrace two respiratory workouts.
Bikram yoga is extraordinarily particular, which is why it’s essential to not get it muddled with sizzling yoga – which can embrace Vinyasa circulate or Yin yoga. Whereas the instructors for these lessons could create a circulate both earlier than the category begins, or as they educate, Bikram yoga is extraordinarily regimented.
That’s to not say, nonetheless, that simply because you are able to do a lot of the poses required you’ll discover Bikram yoga to be simple. Bikram yoga will be extraordinarily difficult as a result of warmth, and 90 minutes is an honest size of time to be practising particularly when caught in a sizzling room.
Bikram’s 26 postures transfer contemporary, oxygenated blood everywhere in the physique. The postures guarantee our inside organs, veins, ligaments and muscular tissues obtain blood, serving to them to take care of optimum well being and performance. Collectively, the poses promote and work in direction of a wholesome and fully-functioning physique and thoughts.
What are the Advantages of Practising Bikram Yoga?
A Powerful Exercise
Practising Bikram yoga is a splendidly distinctive expertise – and it additionally comes with a bunch of well being advantages! The primary of those is that it’s a severe exercise. Whereas working your method by a sequence of poses could not appear as intense as deadlifts within the gymnasium or a Sunday morning 10k, we are able to guarantee you that it’s robust!
The new temperatures will elevate each your pulse fee and metabolism, which can burn some severe energy. Numerous the postures are critically intense, which can construct muscle tone and enable you to get stronger. If it’s your first-time practising, I assure that you’ll really feel it the following day.
Bikram yoga can be an ideal stress reliever. Whereas practising yoga is a implausible solution to really feel current and centered in your physique, Bikram yoga takes this to a different degree – as you’ll doubtless be too sizzling to consider something apart from your present expertise! You’ll depart the Bikram class feeling calmer, happier, and far, a lot sweatier!
Deeper Stretches
The new room can be nice for stretching out any aches and pains. Whereas this may be each a profit and a threat (as you’ll see later on this put up), the new temperature ensures you may get deeper into the stretches, and also you’ll be much less liable to damage than you could be if you happen to had been working your muscular tissues chilly. Whereas there’s a threat of overstretching, if you happen to don’t push your self too far you must discover stretching within the high temperature very nice.
Helps with Power Ache
Like Bikram yoga founder Choudhury himself skilled, yoga can even assist with continual ache and even simply day-to-day aches and pains. Sitting over a laptop computer or sleeping at an ungainly angle may cause virtually debilitating ache, and yoga could be a nice assist.
By strengthening the stomach muscular tissues, Bikram yoga will promote good posture which can assist maintain your physique freed from aches and pains. It’ll additionally cut back pressure in your stress-carrying muscular tissues – for instance, the hips and shoulders which are inclined to tighten after we’re confused. This will stop damage and improve your efficiency in different sports activities – similar to operating or biking.
Getting Sweaty
Lastly, there’s the sweat. There’s no hiding it in Bikram yoga – you’ll sweat, however this actually isn’t a foul factor. Sweating this a lot has a complete host of advantages. It’ll enhance your endorphins, detox your physique by flushing out alcohol, ldl cholesterol and salt, and it’s additionally nice on your pores and skin!
Whereas many individuals follow Bikram yoga when they’re hungover, I’d encourage you to proceed with warning. In the event you’re hungover you’re already doubtless dehydrated, so it’s important you get sufficient fluids in you earlier than your class.
Are There Any Dangers?
Whereas Bikram yoga actually has its advantages, there are some dangers which should be thought-about earlier than you begin in your Bikram journey.
Dehydration
The primary is dehydration. As Bikram is carried out in a extremely popular room, there’s a extreme threat of dehydration because the physique closely sweats for a chronic length of time. In the event you don’t soak up sufficient water, you’re more likely to turn out to be dehydrated. If you end up feeling nauseous, weak, faint otherwise you expertise cramping throughout a Bikram yoga class, you’re probably dehydrated.
Drink some water instantly and if signs don’t subside then depart the category and search medical assist. A great way to cease this taking place within the first place is to be sure you drink sufficient water within the days and hours earlier than your yoga class, in addition to pausing to take a drink all through the category.
Heatstroke and Warmth Exhaustion
Heatstroke and warmth exhaustion are additionally dangers that include the new temperature. As your core temperature will increase so does your threat of warmth stroke and it’s essential that your physique can cool itself down if want be. Throughout heatstroke, the physique’s cardiovascular system begins to close down which is exceedingly harmful.
Be sure to don’t push your self too far, particularly in your first few lessons when your physique isn’t used to the new temperature. In the event you really feel in poor health, it’s important that you just depart the category and relaxation.
Overstretching
Overstretching is one other severe threat. The extremely popular temperatures may cause you to really feel extra versatile than you’re. Whereas you may get deeper into stretches when the temperature is sizzling, there’s a threat that you’ll push your physique additional than what it’s able to.
Overstretching can result in joint and muscle ache in addition to irritation, and you have to to take day without work to recuperate from it. It’s best to know your limits from the offset and cease if you happen to really feel such as you is likely to be overdoing it.
Whereas there could appear to be a number of dangers related to Bikram yoga, offered you’re match, wholesome and don’t push your self too far, you shouldn’t have any complication. In case you are uncertain, examine along with your physician and be sure you inform your Bikram yoga instructor about any underlying damage or well being concern.
Making ready on your First Bikram Yoga Class
Your first Bikram yoga class can really feel extraordinarily daunting, however with the precise preparation, it needn’t be the terrifying expertise your thoughts might be making it out to be!
The very first thing I ought to let you know is that no, you aren’t going to die. In the event you’re wise, you’ll be completely superb, and we’re assured that you’ll depart the category a Bikram yoga convert!
Earlier than your Class
Earlier than the category, it’s important that you just hydrate. In the event you can guide a night class on your first time then that is very best, because it means you possibly can drink loads of water all through the day and never threat turning up dehydrated.
Bikram yoga may also be very demanding on the physique, so it’s essential to maintain your power up with meals. Nevertheless, we’re not advocating consuming junk meals or doubling your regular sugar consumption, yoga is uncomfortable if you happen to’re full and Bikram yoga isn’t any totally different. As an alternative, eat one thing gentle and wholesome. You wish to go to class feeling content material – not so hungry that you’re about to faint, however not too full both!
Throughout the Class
Deliver not less than 1 liter of water with you, I can not stress this sufficient! Different issues to convey are a towel (as your mat will get slippery) and one thing to put on after class – particularly if it’s chilly exterior. Though you could really feel extra self-conscious, lengthy pants or long-sleeved tops will not be a good suggestion.
You’ll get very, extremely popular. As an alternative, shorts and a t-shirt are a greater possibility, higher but, a sports activities bra. Bear in mind, everyone seems to be on their very own journey, nobody is you.
It’s essential to get to your first Bikram class early for 2 causes. Firstly, it lets you communicate to the instructor. Make sure you inform the instructor that you’re new, they may assist make it a great expertise for you and look out for you within the class. Whereas many individuals don’t wish to admit that they’re inexperienced persons, relating to yoga there isn’t a room for an ego.
Inform the instructor you’re new and I can guarantee you that they may enable you to really feel much more at residence. They could additionally be capable of direct you to a cooler spot within the room, for instance, nearer the door. In the event you’re not used to the warmth, you’ll really feel greater than grateful for this as soon as the category will get underway!
It’s additionally essential to get there early as a result of it offers you time to acclimatize to the warmth. Whereas 90 minutes is a very long time to spend in a sizzling room anyway, coming into the room 10-Quarter-hour earlier than the category begins will enable your physique to regulate to the warmth earlier than you begin practising. I like to recommend mendacity in your mat for a couple of minutes, practising some deep respiratory and attempting to loosen up. Plus, getting in there early may even will let you nab one of the best spot!
Make sure you take numerous breaks through the class. When you is likely to be tempted to push on to maintain up with everybody else – particularly if nobody else appears to be struggling – like I mentioned earlier than, there isn’t a room for ego. Nobody is watching you, and nobody cares if you happen to take a break. In the event you really feel such as you’re struggling an excessive amount of, sit or lie in your mat and attempt to loosen up. Take heed to your physique.
After the Class
Whereas I’ve little question that you’ll be feeling refreshed and rejuvenated after class, I like to recommend taking it gradual. Stand up slowly, take your time leaving the room and be sure you sit down if you happen to really feel in any respect unwell. Drink numerous water and take it simple!
Conclusion
I hope this put up has inspired you to dive into the world of Bikram yoga and provides it a go. When you could really feel nervous, or in lots of circumstances extremely uncoordinated and unbalanced, Bikram yoga has a complete host of advantages.
Not solely will you are feeling the optimistic results straight after class; follow Bikram yoga and also you’ll reap the advantages properly past the time you spend on the mat.
This can be a visitor put up by Kosta Miachin: Kosta Miachin is the creator of VIKASA Yoga methodology – a singular, difficult and efficient strategy to yoga. He’s additionally the founding father of VIKASA Yoga Academy. You’ll find him on-line: vikasayoga.com
