The all-important HEAT during Bikram yoga classes also strengthens the cardiovascular system by increasing the heart rate.
It further speeds up the breakdown of glucose and fatty acids, accelerating the fat-burning effects of yoga. Another amazing benefit of heat Bikram yoga is that it enables you to work up a sweat more quickly, helping your clean pores and create healthier, younger-looking skin along with a beautiful radiant yoga glow.
You may find that the heat is a challenge at first, but it will quickly get easier, so stick with it and enjoy the benefits as so many millions do around the world!
Bikram Yoga
Bikram is actually a guy – full name Bikram Choudhury. He developed the Bikram Yoga practice creating a 26 yoga postures series coupled with 2 breathing exercises which he claims restored his health. The ridiculously hot room (42˚C) in which Bikram Yoga is practice, is according to Choudhury, meant to mimic the climate of India. After much controversy from the yoga community, the therapeutic benefits of the heated room cannot be denied.
Bikram yoga was started in the early 1970s. This patented practice is taught in special Bikram yoga studios with carpeted floors, mirrors on the walls, and bright lights. The classes follow the same sequence for exactly ninety minutes, and the teachers need to be certified by Bikram himself.
The classes go through the same twenty-six poses every time, in the exact same order, and the teachers talk you through the same script. There should be no talking among the students, no interaction (including hands-on adjustments by the teacher), and no music.
Bikram yoga builds up muscle strength and flexibility, and additionally, releases toxins because of the heat and sweating. Whether this is true or not, it is a workout and you will sweat a lot!
Temperate of The Room
The second major difference between Hot Yoga and Bikram Yoga is the form of heating used and the maximum temperate of the room. The heating systems used will vary a lot from studio to studio, but generally, Bikram Yoga pushes hot air. The room to be able to get the temperatures up to what they require the room to be (42 ˚C) as well. To create the major “pool of sweat” factor that Bikram Yoga is famous for.
Here at Power House Yoga, we use a very healthy alternative to the heating systems used. Infrared heating, which is what Power House Yoga uses, is design to heat you first (as well as tangible objects in the room) before it heats the air. So the room is not suffocating to breathe in and in fact, heating is known for its health benefits for people who suffer from respiratory issues. As well as that, heating is known to penetrate deeper than just the superficial layer of the skin to get deeper into the fibers of the body. This penetration helps create length in muscle fibers as well as mobility in joint complexes.
The heat also promotes blood flow which is healing for the body and promotes detoxifying sweat.
The maximum room heat of Bikram Yoga is 38˚C and when we are talking about temperatures equivalent. A few degrees can make the world of difference. We also monitor the heat, so on warmer days, we reduce the heat to 36˚C. The reason for this is on hot days, we come into the yoga room with an already increased body temperature. Also, on hot days, most people will be naturally a little dehydrated. Hot Yoga, as well as Bikram Yoga, is not for the faint of heart. The added heat factor increases blood flow which also increases heart rate. here is the benefits
Weight Loss
Bikram Yoga, thanks to being really hot and physically intense, can help you burn a whole lot of calories. A single 90-minute session of Bikram Yoga can help you burn up to 1000 calories, which is just as good as various other forms of cardiovascular exercise. The various poses that you are forced to hold as well as the muscle contractions that are a part of this type of Yoga really make your heart pump and that translates to some serious weight loss.
Furthermore, the various poses involved in Bikram Yoga cause your digestive system to be more efficient and increases your metabolic rate as well. A higher metabolism means that you can burn more calories and keep those same calories from turning into body fat. If you are looking to lose weight, Bikram Yoga is definitely a good option.
Better Focus
Something that is really beneficial about Bikram Yoga is that it helps to increase your focus and concentration in everyday life. It takes a lot of effort and mental focus to execute and hold some of the most difficult poses in this type of Yoga.
Like we have said before, your brain is like other parts of your body and the more you train it, the better it becomes at its job. The hardcore concentration required to get through a hot Yoga class will translate to your everyday life and allow you to complete tasks with increased ease.
Stress & Happiness
Now there isn’t any solid scientific evidence to prove this as fact in relation to Bikram Yoga, but logical thought dictates our world and some careful consideration will show it to be true. Exercise causes your brain to release endocannabinoids as well as endorphins, chemicals in your head that have very positive effects on your mental well-being.
These two brain chemicals help to cause feelings of happiness, elation, euphoria, and calmness, thus helping you relieve stress, reduce the effects of depression and anxiety, and make you feel better in general. Interestingly enough, endorphins can also reduce the amount of physical pain that you feel, thus making your life just that much more enjoyable.
Those who are familiar with the traditional Bikram Yoga approach would agree that it is very military in its delivery.
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