Bikram Yoga

hello ladies and gents.

Does anyone here do Bikram Yoga on a regular basis? If so can you tell me what the results are like? Am considering taking up yoga for relaxation purposes (as opposed to going for a drink after work) as well as for toning up, but wondered if there were any first hand experiences here.

thanks

Its great. Over time, you gain flexability, and it helps soothe the mind as well. Helps get blood circulating round the body a lot better.

Oh, and the first time you do it, you WILL think that you are going to die.

yoga is really good for your vitality. but yes initially its very taxing.

yeah, especially bikram - if you have never done it before, be prepared for a bit of a shock to the system. just take it slowly and listen to your body.
you can get a bit nauseas the first time and feel light headed/want to sit down etc which is fine, they let you take a time out if you need it

There's no health advantage and in fact it is bad for you to work out at that temperature.

Based on......?

been moved to sports and fitness forum

Hmm I always wondered this. I can find both pros and cons....which is the truth about it?

Its fucking horrid.

He's kind of right. There is no explicit health advantage from working out in the heat. However it does allow your muscles to be looser, thus allowing much deeper stretches.

Also working out in the heat is not 'bad for you'. It's just much harder, so you have to be very careful initially to make sure you're hydrated and not over exerting yourself. The benefits of the heat in the long run just mean you burn more calories and lose weight quicker.



gc.

Also, there's nothing 'relaxing' about Bikram. If you really want to do yoga for relaxing purposes, I'd try to find yoga classes where they emphasise the teaching of routines for you to be able to do on your own, and get books etc.

We learnt yoga at acting school for relaxation purposes, but it's quite a different focus than when you're 'working out' in a class.



gc.

Good thread.

Now I know Bikram isn't for me.

I'll stick to pilates with the band works a treat.

Interesting... thanks for the info people. Might try and give it a go as there is a studio near my work that offer a 10 day trial for £20. I was hoping for something that would give me relaxation at the same time as working out, though seems Bikram might not be it. I find it hard in London to find the time to fit in exercise,other than when I run home from work. Qtraro, Pilates is also on my list of potentials to try. How long have you been at it?

I have never really understood Bikram. Why not heat up your body naturally from a cardio workout. My experience, run for about 5 minutes and then start on the stretches regardless it be Pilates or Yoga.

Well it's the same principle as training in a tropical climate. It's much harder, so you get a more intense workout.

Pretty simple.



gc.

anything that feels like being in a tropical climate during an english winter can't be bad...

Ok, why would it be harder? It's much harder to train when it's colder. When heat is involved your muscles have expanded which means there are a whole lot more flexible and your body finds it easier to stretch. When your body has warmed up, it's easier not harder.

You've clearly never tried to exercise in 40 degree heat if you think it's easier.



gc.

So I "bikram'd" yesterday, and fuck me... you are right I did ACTUALLY want to die. At the beginning it was all nice and tropical and relaxing, until about 15 mins into it sweat literally started pouring out of my body. I thought I was quite fit but I spent a substantial amount of last part of the class lying on my towel panting like a dog, thinking I was either going to pass out or throw up. My mind was so addled at the end of the class that I spent 10 mins looking for my boots in the changing room before I remembered you leave your shoes at the door. I felt quite nauseous all the way home but when I got home all I felt like was salad for dinner and I woke up this morning and feel like I should go back and do it again today. It helps that all the girls in the class had ridiculously toned bodies which is a massive motivator... maybe one day I will look like that

Ew sounds scary!

Maybe Ill just buy a yoga dvd to start!

Yeah man, with more time, and more classes, you'll start to feel pretty good as well

I have spoken to a yoga instructor who thinks Bikram is the worst kind of 'yoga' around, and definitely doesn't recommend it to anybody! And ew imagine all the disgusting sweaty germs lingering in dark corners all the time. Gross.

There are plenty of other relaxation classes available!

When you say "worst", worst in terms of what? Do you mean in terms of being bad for your knees?... which I have read. I have also wondered about the germs aspect of it. I have been back only once and am going to try another couple of types of yoga instead. TBH it was all a bit too odd for me. I didn't really like sweating that much with all those other people while most of them were half naked (the guys just seem to wear these tiny shorts and that's it).