Bikram yoga?

[Tanja_swe]

ok... after reading about Amethyst_Rain's 60 days yoga challenge I got curious about Bikram Yoga. Never heard of it before. It sounds very fascinating!!

I wonder though... is it something that a big gal like me could do safely? Do you have to be fit before you attempt it?

[JoJo]

I just started doing Bikram yoga about 2 months ago. It is done with the heat at 101-110. I am not in shape. The first three classes I only did part of the class and just rested while the class went on. They have a 10 days for $10 to try it where I go. This is tough but I can tell a difference in my energy and lack of hunger.

JoJo

[sjpersonal]

Hi, I have been taking Bikram Yoga for several weeks. There are several full figured women and one pregnant woman in my class. So I am sure that you could take the class. I am at my heaviest 154 due to recooperating from a surgical procedure so I am unable to do all of the postures. You just have to build up to it.

Hope this helps.

ok... after reading about Amethyst_Rain's 60 days yoga challenge I got curious about Bikram Yoga. Never heard of it before. It sounds very fascinating!!

I wonder though... is it something that a big gal like me could do safely? Do you have to be fit before you attempt it?

[asil]

I started doing Bikram a few years ago when I was at my heaviest -- over 200 lbs. The heat never bothered me. But I can't say I really enjoyed it or got as much from it as I should have. Not because of the weight thing, but because I was a beginner. I took it for about a month, then enrolled in a beginners Iyengar class at another studio. That rocked! We spent so much time learning how to do the poses, feeling the amazing and subtle differences from merely engaging one set of muscles vs another one, a slight shift in the angle of the head -- that sort of thing. At least at my Bikram studio, that type of in-depth instruction just wasn't part of Bikram.

By the way, I went back about a year later and took it again for about six months. This time I loved it. I love the heat, the steady, slow pace, the way you hold poses for such a long time (very strengthening). But as much as I love it, I must say, it is *not* a more vigorous work-out than many other types of yoga. The heat makes it seem more vigorous, and the poses are very impressive looking. But many, many other styles are just as vigorous. I'm taking Kundalini now, and while it looks simple and gentle, it is very, very intense.

Anyway, I say, try a class and see if you like it. If not, try a different style. Nothing in this world is better for your body than yoga!

[swingbolder]

I tried one bikram class, wasn't crazy about it. Mostly bc the teacher walked around barking at us through a headset. . . is that normal for bikram? I've been taking yoga for a long time and never encountered that before.

The heat was great though, you come out feeling absolutely refreshed, like you've just had a thorough massage.

[Tanja_swe]

thanks for all the replies! I will look into it a bit more and also into other types of yoga and see what might be the best option for me :)

Thanks!

[theresaann]

I have done Bikram a couple of times in a studio, and several times without the heat in my own house. I REALLY like this-but it's not for beginners. But man, I felt like a wrung out dish rag after-the second time I did it I had a sore throat for 2 days and could "feel" the coffee and scones coming out of me. THat was a couple of years ago. I want to try it again after I've got about 3 mos. raw under my belt because I did not *enjoy* the detox it produced when I was eating the SAD.