Yoga has been a popular new trend in the west for a while now, but is has its roots in ancient India. The tranquil practice is regarded as a way of bringing your mind, body and soul together using a series of moves, known as asanas and is a way of getting a bit of 'you time' when life gets too much. Bikram Yoga, however, is not something for the faint-hearted newbie and we're going to take a look at why.
Bengalese All-India Yoga Champion, Bikram Choudrey, had some strange new ideas of how to practice this age old art form. His life-long love of yoga started at the age of four and he grew up to found the Yoga College of India; he's still an active force in modern yoga techniques today and his specific set of asanas make challenging form of the ancient practice, known as 'hot yoga'.
The premise of hot yoga is simply practising it in a room of a raised temperature. Choudrey recommends the humidity to be 40% and the temperature at 105 degrees. This affects the three aspects of spirituality in striking ways. Physically speaking, the heightened temperature allows the muscles to be more relaxed which not only helps stretch and attain poses but also reduces the risk of injury to the muscles being used. The twenty-six moves and two breathing exercises are designed specifically to maximise oxygenation and are set in a particular order which enables the body to prepare itself for the next pose. Many sportsmen have now adopted an otherwise a fairly bohemian practice due to the effect is has had on their muscles post-performance. Andy Murray has cited Bikram as a real test to his physical ability saying, '"Until you do it you can't comment on how difficult it is. It's tough. It's ugly." The heat, while being beneficial to the muscles, has been said to be tough on the mind.
Mentally, Bikram is a challenge. It is practised in a room of intense heat and can be difficult to adapt to even for seasoned yoga enthusiasts. There are many risks to exercising like this such as dehydration due to sweating and it is therefore recommended to sip water during classes. Another danger can be hypothermia which is the overheating of the body; symptoms for this are dizziness, nausea and fainting which can lead to heatstroke. This pressure on the body also has an extended risk to the mind. Many experts and sportsmen have claimed it builds up mental stability and helps strengthen emotions. Yoga has particular notoriety as being something that requires dedication and almost something of a lifestyle change, so the added pressure that Bikram applies is not for the faint-hearted, however the long-term effects have been praised.
Bikram's scientifically designed programme is aimed at primarily allowing the muscles to relax, which allows for the prevention of injuries and is said to have an almost regenerating effect. One pioneer of Bikram is Michele Pernetta, who is credited as bringing this form of yoga to Great Britain. He says of this regenerating factor, "Most sports have long-term effects but yoga is the science of putting the body back to the way it's supposed to be." A ninety minute session contains two breathing exercises and twenty six poses to be done in a particular order which maximises flexibility; it is frequently practised by dancers for this effect.
Bikram Choudrey has a different view on yoga from most. Having been a champion of competitive yoga he feels that competition is what democracies are based on. Some say he's a bit of a character, well known in the U.S.A for suing a lot of people for copyright infringement, but people are still going crazy for his idea, and the benefits seem to be obvious!
Bikram's technique is now so well known in the west it's being practiced by Lady Gaga, David Beckham and Ashton Kutcher among others. It seems to be a craze that won't let up and perhaps that's a good thing. Anything that can relax and calm us down at the end of the day is a good thing, but why always take it easy? Why not turn up the heat and face a challenge? Perhaps it's not for everybody but it's being talked about everywhere in the yoga world and it seems to be catching on!
Bengalese All-India Yoga Champion, Bikram Choudrey, had some strange new ideas of how to practice this age old art form. His life-long love of yoga started at the age of four and he grew up to found the Yoga College of India; he's still an active force in modern yoga techniques today and his specific set of asanas make challenging form of the ancient practice, known as 'hot yoga'.
The premise of hot yoga is simply practising it in a room of a raised temperature. Choudrey recommends the humidity to be 40% and the temperature at 105 degrees. This affects the three aspects of spirituality in striking ways. Physically speaking, the heightened temperature allows the muscles to be more relaxed which not only helps stretch and attain poses but also reduces the risk of injury to the muscles being used. The twenty-six moves and two breathing exercises are designed specifically to maximise oxygenation and are set in a particular order which enables the body to prepare itself for the next pose. Many sportsmen have now adopted an otherwise a fairly bohemian practice due to the effect is has had on their muscles post-performance. Andy Murray has cited Bikram as a real test to his physical ability saying, '"Until you do it you can't comment on how difficult it is. It's tough. It's ugly." The heat, while being beneficial to the muscles, has been said to be tough on the mind.
Mentally, Bikram is a challenge. It is practised in a room of intense heat and can be difficult to adapt to even for seasoned yoga enthusiasts. There are many risks to exercising like this such as dehydration due to sweating and it is therefore recommended to sip water during classes. Another danger can be hypothermia which is the overheating of the body; symptoms for this are dizziness, nausea and fainting which can lead to heatstroke. This pressure on the body also has an extended risk to the mind. Many experts and sportsmen have claimed it builds up mental stability and helps strengthen emotions. Yoga has particular notoriety as being something that requires dedication and almost something of a lifestyle change, so the added pressure that Bikram applies is not for the faint-hearted, however the long-term effects have been praised.
Bikram's scientifically designed programme is aimed at primarily allowing the muscles to relax, which allows for the prevention of injuries and is said to have an almost regenerating effect. One pioneer of Bikram is Michele Pernetta, who is credited as bringing this form of yoga to Great Britain. He says of this regenerating factor, "Most sports have long-term effects but yoga is the science of putting the body back to the way it's supposed to be." A ninety minute session contains two breathing exercises and twenty six poses to be done in a particular order which maximises flexibility; it is frequently practised by dancers for this effect.
Bikram Choudrey has a different view on yoga from most. Having been a champion of competitive yoga he feels that competition is what democracies are based on. Some say he's a bit of a character, well known in the U.S.A for suing a lot of people for copyright infringement, but people are still going crazy for his idea, and the benefits seem to be obvious!
Bikram's technique is now so well known in the west it's being practiced by Lady Gaga, David Beckham and Ashton Kutcher among others. It seems to be a craze that won't let up and perhaps that's a good thing. Anything that can relax and calm us down at the end of the day is a good thing, but why always take it easy? Why not turn up the heat and face a challenge? Perhaps it's not for everybody but it's being talked about everywhere in the yoga world and it seems to be catching on!
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