I've been doing the Bikram yoga for just over a month now, and I can say, it works.
Not only does it burn loads of calories, but it helps to reinforce healthy eating. I once broke down and had a dougnut the day of class, and felt so sick during class. Ever since then I've cut out fried foods completely. It's an easier way (for me at least) to stay motivated to stick to my diet.
I enjoy yoga but I live in Texas so I am never actively seeking places to be hot in on purpose. Sounds interesting, but not my cup of tea.
ETHELMERZ
1/11/2013 9:18:48 PM
When my sister in law tried this type of yoga, the teacher had them sit afterwards, and they had to pass gas before they were allowed to leave, so she never went back again. Why would they require this?
Avid yoga practitioner, not such a believer in Bikram (or most hot yogas) for a few reasons, some personal some more universal. 1) 26 poses is excruciatingly limited in terms of the number of yoga poses. Aside from the lack of variety just being boring, the body can get used to those pretty quick. Nothing to change it up. (Universal.) 2) Drinking a lot of water while doing deep stretching/twisting doesn't feel good. In lower-sweat yoga classes (where the sweat is actually from working hard and not mostly from external temperature) less water drinking is needed. (Mostly personal, some universal part.) 3) Working out in high heat/humidity sucks. (Personal.)
I have practiced Bikram Yoga and Hot yogas several times. In the beginning when I was more athletic and did not have injuries I was successful with my practice. As I continued to compete in running and triathlon events and getting those injuries that come with the territory, I seemed to feel my injuries become more intense when attending hot yoga practice. Earlier this year, I returned to Bikram and really enjoyed the practice, however, I had an underlying back injury that was coming back to the surface again and as I continued my practice, Bikram seemed a bit more aggressive than I needed for my practice. So I started attending a Gentle yoga of Ashtanga Vinyasa, where like "Petalia", I really like the continuity, breathing and meditative practices of this type of yoga.
I had a bad experience with yoga, especially of the "hot" variety. I'm looking forward to trying it again at a better yoga studio in the near future. I find the attitudes of the instructors can make or break the experience. The place where I went used overhead heat lamps for hot yoga. I don't know how other places heat the room.
While I shouldn't knock it before I at least try it, I must say it does not sound appealing to me. I have to agree with Jennk's first post. If I were having a hot flash while in a hot yoga class..... I would go nuts. I love yoga but like cool fresh air around me and honestly, I enjoy yoga on my own rather than a class. I focus much better.
I think I would love it, if it wasn't for the other people. The second I got a whiff or if I saw someone sweating like that, I'd lose my breakfast. The whole idea is a disgusting mold, fungus, germ nightmare in a group setting.
I tried Bikram Yoga twice, I really liked it. I found however that my knee joints started to swell from an old injury. Unfortunately this kind of hampered my flexibility; what little there was to start with. I really liked how I felt after the class, however, the cool breeze on my skin and a nice feeling of calm and relaxed happiness. ;-)
KATH180
10/30/2012 10:17:54 PM
My experience with hot yoga was not as positive. It was in a dark room and we were cramped into a space that just fit the forty or so people participating. The heat, the darkness, all were incredibly conducive to claustrophobia. I had called ahead of time asking what would be their recommendation regarding my difficulty with wrist-bearing positions since I have had surgery on both wrists. They recommended hot yoga. The moral of this: yoga instructors are not trained to recognize a medical emergency. If you are in a yoga room that is crowded, you are on your own. They do not ask questions about your health because they would not know what to do with the information. Not a criticism of yoga teachers; they are supposed to lead yoga and most of them are able to do that. But: exercising intensely for 90 minutes in heat and humidity is a definite stressor on the body and there may be many people who cannot tolerate it. You are on your own to figure that out.
SABRIELX
10/30/2012 8:02:15 PM
I wouldn't mind trying it, but since I feel light headed and just plain awful when I sit in a sauna for 10 minutes, I don't think this would be for me. I'll just stick to regular pleasant temperature yoga on my own time. Though as a warning for anyone new to yoga, if you start developing issues, STOP. I took a class in college and the instructor in my opinion shouldn't have been teaching. My back constantly ached after every class and through out the week, and I've never had a problem before in other yoga classes or following DVDs. So if something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't.
STEPHEN_LEE10
10/30/2012 5:24:19 PM
Hot Yoga is great, but like i say, doing anything in a hot environment will make you sweat. For me, any type of exercise will make you feel relaxed, but don't over heat your body. why not trying doing posh ups in the sauna for 15 minutes? probably pass out. never the less whatever makes you tick.
After reading an artilce from the New York Times, date January 2012, titled HOW YOGA CAN WRECK YOUR BODY....I would be very scared to ever practic this so called"exercise".
AHIMSAINLIFE
10/30/2012 12:16:11 PM
I used to have a regular (5-6 times/week) heated yoga practice and had to stop when my digestive and reproductive systems started acting up. I went to an acupuncturist who confirmed that I lean towards vitta (the warm dosha) and I was essentially over-heating myself. She said it is normal that warm people have affinities for warm/hot things -- i.e. spicy foods, hot yoga, vigorous exercise -- but that we are hyper-cooking ourselves. She sees hot yoga teachers all the time with longer or exacerbated menopause and lengthy lists of female reproductive problems. Essentially, we only have so much to heat before we start boiling out our limited resources. I was sorry to see the heated yoga go -- I really did like feeling so cleansed -- but I have felt better since returning to a regular-temp room. Just something for people to consider.
