I'm doing 6 things
- I’m copy and pasting this from http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Started-in-Bikram-Yoga, because it’s nicely organized and helpful!
Bikram Yoga, also known as “hot yoga” is a specific type of yoga developed by Bikram Choudhury. Classes are held in a hot humid room allowing you to safely work deep into your muscles, tendons, and ligaments while releasing toxins and congestion within your body. Many stars like Madonna and Quincy Jones swear by it and some former athletes are hailing it as their only form of exercise. Take on the challenge and learn to unify your mind breath and body.
Steps
1. Find a studio near you. There are locations all over the world. Consult the External Links mentioned below.
2. Mentally prepare yourself. The room is between 105 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit and classes are an hour and a half long, so you will be sweating a lot. The postures are designed to stretch your muscles, compress your cardiopulmonary system and modulate your circulation, so it may be uncomfortable or mildly painful at first and you may get lightheaded or nauseous during the session. These sensations are often symptoms of detoxification taking place in the body, but be cautious if they are a sign of dehydration.
3. Drink plenty of water throughout the day before and after class. You will not want to drink more than small sips during class, because drinking a lot of water during class cools down the internal heat you're striving to build within your body.
4. Arrive at the studio fifteen to twenty minutes early. You will need to sign up, meet the instructors and receive some preliminary instructions.
5. Strip down to the smallest amount of clothing in which you can be comfortable.
6. Take your materials to the back of the classroom.
7. Place your towel over your mat and lie down so that you can adjust to the heat.
8.
Bikram Choudhury's antics
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Bikram Choudhury's antics
During the class, pay close attention to what the instructor says and watch the other students for an example. For the first couple of classes, it will be a challenge just to emulate the other students.
9. Stick around for at least 2 minutes. When the class is over don't leave right away. Continue to lie in shava asana (corpse pose) so that your body can come back to homeostasis and receive all of the benefits of your hard work. This relaxation pose can be the hardest pose of all.
10. When you leave class, try to maintain the relaxation that you experienced in "final shava asana." You may feel dizzy, but it is possible that you have just realigned your body and your old method of standing and walking does not work any more. Maintain your relaxed state and modify your walk accordingly.
11. Enjoy the benefits. Most likely you will feel relaxed and energized at the same time. You may also have the best sleep of your life that night.
12. Attend class regularly. It is recommended that you attend at least three times a week. Some practitioners attend every day. In your following sessions, don't get lazy just because it feels easier. Pay attention to what the instructor says and try to achieve the full form of the posture. The more you put into it, the more you will get out of it.Tips
- If you absolutely cannot continue or if you start to feel nauseated, sit on your towel cross-legged or sit on your heels. If you still feel lightheaded, you may lie down. As soon as you regain your strength, take some water and start to participate again.
- Don’t quit! The only people who leave a class early are first-timers, because they are not yet aware of the benefits they will experience from this seemingly torturous form of exercise. If you leave early, you will miss out on those benefits.
- In Bikram Yoga, you will always grab onto your feet with a full five-finger grip. Eventually, you should use this grip to pull and stretch yourself beyond where you would be able to otherwise. Also, the pulling results in an excellent workout for the biceps, triceps, deltoids and back.
- Use the mirror. If you notice any asymmetries or if you notice that you don’t look like the other people, that is an area that you need to work on. Some postures may be easier or more difficult depending on your body type or flexibility.
- Remember this is yoga practice not yoga perfect. Allow yourself to be where you are and do not push too much or you will injure yourself. Yoga is a life long journey not a 6 month program. You will achieve the most benefits if your asanas are in a state of balance between effort and ease.
- You may notice increased body odor after your first session. This is because the various bacteria and toxins have been present in your skin for months or years are now all over you. Just scrub hard when you shower and know that it won’t be as bad the next time. If you attend regularly, you may even realize that you do not need to use deodorant/antiperspirant any more.
Warnings
- Bikram Yoga is quite expensive.
- Although it is best to push yourself, use common sense when stretching. If you feel intense pain or feel your joints in a position that they shouldn’t be in, back off a bit.
- Due to the heat, Bikram yoga can be hard on certain body types. Those who have trouble with heat, or have high blood pressure, heart problems or any serious health condition, should check with their doctor before practicing Bikram.
- Women may want to consider avoiding white tops which can become transparent during sweating.
- Women who are pregnant and have not been practicing regularly should not take. There is a pregnancy video available with adapted poses for pregnant women hosted by Bikram’s wife Rajashree, that is safe for most pregnant women.
Things You’ll Need
- For men, light workout shorts
- For women, a sports bra or bikini top and light workout shorts
- Water
- A Yoga mat
- Two towels (if your studio does not provide them)
- A complete change of clothes (don’t forget underwear)
Related wikiHows
- How to Perform Yoga Postures
- How to Breathe Like a Yoga Master
- How to Meditate
- How to Exercise While Sitting at Your Computer
- How to Start Your Own Exercise Regimen and Stick to It
- How to Practice Nirvikalpa Samsara Yoga
External Links
