What is the most intense yoga out there?

[RawSinger]

What type of yoga will really get your heart rate up and help you lose weight and what videos do you reccomend?

[Eva]

If your intent with yoga is to lose weight and get your heart rate up, hot yoga is perfect for that in my opinion.

[cara4art]

along with "hot yoga" aka Bikram yoga, undoubtedly Ashtanga. This WILL kick your butt if done the way it should be, and it teaches you really quickly what your limitations are as well. In Ashtanga yoga, one creates one's own internal heat by way of a special way of breathing all the way through the series. There are six levels, but believe me, if you get good enough to get all the way through 1st series, that's a huge accomplishment. That generation of internal heat and the constant movement flow(instead of having to hold a pose for a hundred years) affects one's metabolism, making it easier to lose weight especially if one's diet is also in place. also, you do have to practice 6 days a week to get the full benefit(moon days excepted). You will develop some strength and stamina as well, in fact, all body systems are affected since this IS really intense. Start slow with a small beginner's class of regular hatha yoga if you are totally unfamiliar with yoga, especially if you have limitations, so the instructor can help you modify poses safely. In my own experience, I was doing very beginner level Ashtanga exclusively for a year and a half on my own after my friend introduced me to it. It was amazing, and I felt great very quickly, although flexibility is not my strong suit - I have to really work to improve even a little bit. But I did really enjoy the constant movement aspect of it. I would have progressed more rapidly if I had had at least weekly classes, but I lived out in a rural area far away from anything like that. But there are many raw yogis - in fact the raw diet and yoga are extremely compatible - go for it. Many people report increased flexibility with going raw as well as weight loss along with a physically-challenging form of yoga like I just described.

[RawSinger]

My uncle took me to his hot yoga class once and I really loved it. I also used to take classes (Hatha, I believe) regularly when I was living at my grandmother's and was really into it. Unfortunately, my financial situation won't allow me to pay for classes right now.

What Ashtanga yoga videos would you reccomend?

Thank you for all the suggestions!