As an introduction, Bikram Yoga is generally considered the most intense type of yoga. The series of poses is designed to work each body part in a correct order. Each pose prepares the body to another, and there is a specific sequence of postures and breathing to optimize oxygenation and detoxification of the whole body.
This kind of yoga was developed by Bikram Choudhury. In 1957, at age 12 he became the champion of yoga in India. After a weightlifting accident at age 17, he learned he would never walk again, after which he has developed - with the help of his guru Bishnu Ghosh - a set of poses to restore his health, and thus Bikram was born.
Bikram Yoga is now a series of 26 Hatha Yoga postures and 2 breathing exercises, lasting 90 minutes, all done in a room heated to 40.5 ° C with a humidity of 40%.
With the humidity in the studio, you'll have a lot of sweat. Many confuse the humidity with the actual temperature. The rooms' thermostat are actually controlled so that the temperature never gets too high.
Bikram Yoga starts with a breathing exercise to warm up, progressing through 24 asanas (poses) and finishing with one toxin eliminating breathing posture that works the abdominal muscles. This series of postures are specifically designed to work consistently throughout the body.
Regular profuse sweating produced by the heat apparently, will lead to the following:
• Flush toxins from the body.
• Promote relaxation and well-being.
• Facilitate calorie burning and weight loss.
• Accelerate cardiovascular action.
Yes, Bikram Yoga can raise your heart rate, and can be a very good cardiovascular workout. Each position combines flexibility, strength and balance to work your whole body. With constant practice and dedication, you can lose pounds, develop muscle tone and condition your whole body in a way that that you have not found in other forms of exercise.
A minimum of 10 classes per month is recommended to obtain the benefits of Bikram yoga, among which is attaining the ideal weight. If you're a beginner, it will take three classes for the body to learn how to approach the poses of Bikram Yoga, and ten classes to start to work with the postures. You will then notice that your appetite will normalize and your unhealthy cravings will begin to diminish. All these results will help to normalize your weight if you devote yourself to regular practice of Bikram.
The courses are designed for both beginners and experts and everyone can practice in the same room, because everyone is focused on his own practice and strives to improve its own level of ability.
P.S. Do remember however, that most of Bikram Yoga exercises should not be used exclusively as a tool for weight loss, rather it should be used in tandem with a healthy eating plan and other exercises.
Share this post to others and let's all live a healthy lifestyle =)