Bikram yoga was based by Bikram Choudhury who was born in Calcutta in 1944. He started working towards yoga on the age of 4 and after successful 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 totally healed inside 6 months. With the information that yoga can remedy persistent 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 often 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 respiration. Not like different types of yoga, Bikram yoga permits little or no in the best way 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 embody two respiration workouts.
Bikram yoga is extraordinarily particular, which is why it’s vital to not get it muddled with scorching yoga – which can embody Vinyasa circulation or Yin yoga. Whereas the instructors for these lessons could create a circulation both earlier than the category begins, or as they train, Bikram yoga is extraordinarily regimented.
That’s to not say, nevertheless, that simply because you are able to do a lot of the poses required one can find Bikram yoga to be simple. Bikram yoga could be extraordinarily difficult because of the warmth, and 90 minutes is a good size of time to be working towards particularly when caught in a scorching 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 the direction of a wholesome and fully-functioning physique and thoughts.
What are the Advantages of Practising Bikram Yoga?
A Robust 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 critical exercise. Whereas working your manner via 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 powerful!
The new temperatures will elevate each your pulse charge and metabolism, which is able to burn some critical energy. Plenty of the postures are critically intense, which is able to construct muscle tone and allow you to get stronger. If it’s your first-time working towards, I assure that you’ll really feel it the subsequent day.
Bikram yoga can be a fantastic stress reliever. Whereas working towards yoga is a implausible strategy to really feel current and centered in your physique, Bikram yoga takes this to a different degree – as you’ll probably be too scorching to consider something aside from your present expertise! You’ll go away 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 submit), the recent temperature ensures you will get deeper into the stretches, and also you’ll be much less susceptible to harm than it’s possible you’ll be for those who had been working your muscular tissues chilly. Whereas there’s a threat of overstretching, for those who don’t push your self too far it is best to discover stretching within the high temperature very nice.
Helps with Continual Ache
Like Bikram yoga founder Choudhury himself skilled, yoga also can assist with persistent ache and even simply day-to-day aches and pains. Sitting over a laptop computer or sleeping at a clumsy angle could cause virtually debilitating ache, and yoga is usually a nice assist.
By strengthening the belly muscular tissues, Bikram yoga will promote good posture which is able to assist hold your physique freed from aches and pains. It’ll additionally scale back pressure in your stress-carrying muscular tissues – for instance, the hips and shoulders which are inclined to tighten after we’re burdened. This will forestall harm and improve your efficiency in different sports activities – akin to working or biking.
Getting Sweaty
Lastly, there’s the sweat. There’s no hiding it in Bikram yoga – you’ll sweat, however this definitely isn’t a foul factor. Sweating this a lot has an entire host of advantages. It’ll increase 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 might encourage you to proceed with warning. When you’re hungover you might be already probably dehydrated, so it’s important you get sufficient fluids in you earlier than your class.
Are There Any Dangers?
Whereas Bikram yoga definitely has its advantages, there are some dangers which have to be thought-about earlier than you begin in your Bikram journey.
Dehydration
The primary is dehydration. As Bikram is carried out in a highly regarded room, there’s a extreme threat of dehydration because the physique closely sweats for a protracted length of time. When you don’t absorb sufficient water, you might be prone to turn out to be dehydrated. If you end up feeling nauseous, weak, faint otherwise you expertise cramping throughout a Bikram yoga class, you might be probably dehydrated.
Drink some water instantly and if signs don’t subside then go away the category and search medical assist. A great way to cease this taking place within the first place is to be sure to 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 recent temperature. As your core temperature will increase so does your threat of warmth stroke and it’s vital 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 you don’t push your self too far, particularly in your first few lessons when your physique isn’t used to the recent temperature. When you really feel ailing, it’s important that you simply go away the category and relaxation.
Overstretching
Overstretching is one other critical threat. The highly regarded temperatures could cause you to really feel extra versatile than you might be. Whereas you will get deeper into stretches when the temperature is scorching, 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 will want to take break day to recuperate from it. It’s best to know your limits from the offset and cease for those who really feel such as you may be overdoing it.
Whereas there could appear to be a number of dangers related to Bikram yoga, supplied you might be match, wholesome and don’t push your self too far, you shouldn’t have any complication. In case you are not sure, verify together with your physician and be sure to inform your Bikram yoga trainer about any underlying harm 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 appropriate preparation, it needn’t be the terrifying expertise your thoughts might be making it out to be!
The very first thing I ought to inform you is that no, you aren’t going to die. When you’re wise, you may be completely fantastic, and we’re assured that you’ll go away the category a Bikram yoga convert!
Earlier than your Class
Earlier than the category, it’s important that you simply hydrate. When you can ebook a night class on your first time then that is preferrred, because it means you possibly can drink loads of water all through the day and never threat turning up dehydrated.
Bikram yoga can be very demanding on the physique, so it’s vital to maintain your vitality up with meals. Nonetheless, we’re not advocating consuming junk meals or doubling your common sugar consumption, yoga is uncomfortable for those who’re full and Bikram yoga isn’t any completely different. As a substitute, eat one thing mild 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!
In the course of the Class
Convey not less than 1 liter of water with you, I can’t stress this sufficient! Different issues to deliver are a towel (as your mat will get slippery) and one thing to put on after class – particularly if it’s chilly exterior. Though it’s possible you’ll really feel extra self-conscious, lengthy pants or long-sleeved tops aren’t a good suggestion.
You’re going to get very, highly regarded. As a substitute, shorts and a t-shirt are a greater choice, higher but, a sports activities bra. Keep in mind, everyone seems to be on their very own journey, nobody is you.
It’s vital to get to your first Bikram class early for 2 causes. Firstly, it permits you to communicate to the trainer. Make sure to inform the trainer that you’re new, they may assist make it a very good expertise for you and look out for you within the class. Whereas many individuals don’t wish to admit that they’re rookies, on the subject of yoga there isn’t a room for an ego.
Inform the trainer you might be new and I can guarantee you that they may allow you to really feel much more at residence. They might additionally be capable to direct you to a cooler spot within the room, for instance, nearer the door. When 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 vital to get there early as a result of it provides you time to acclimatize to the warmth. Whereas 90 minutes is a very long time to spend in a scorching 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 working towards. I like to recommend mendacity in your mat for a couple of minutes, working towards some deep respiration and attempting to chill out. Plus, getting in there early may also permit you to nab the most effective spot!
Make sure to take a number of breaks through the class. Whilst you may 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 for those who take a break. When you really feel such as you’re struggling an excessive amount of, sit or lie in your mat and attempt to chill out. Take heed to your physique.
After the Class
Whereas I’ve little question that you may be feeling refreshed and rejuvenated after class, I like to recommend taking it sluggish. Rise up slowly, take your time leaving the room and be sure to sit down for those who really feel in any respect unwell. Drink a number of water and take it simple!
Conclusion
I hope this submit has inspired you to dive into the world of Bikram yoga and provides it a go. Whilst you could really feel nervous, or in lots of instances extremely uncoordinated and unbalanced, Bikram yoga has an entire host of advantages.
Not solely will you’re feeling the constructive results straight after class; persist with Bikram yoga and also you’ll reap the advantages effectively past the time you spend on the mat.
It is a visitor submit by Kosta Miachin: Kosta Miachin is the creator of VIKASA Yoga technique – a novel, difficult and efficient strategy to yoga. He’s additionally the founding father of VIKASA Yoga Academy. You could find him on-line: vikasayoga.com
