Get Hot With Yoga
Even the world of ancient practices isn’t exempt to fads and
trends. I’m talking about yoga,
which comes and goes as a trend itself, but now has a trendy new spin off that
is all the rage; Bikram or as the gyms and studios call it, hot yoga.
Hot yoga is basically yoga performed in a hot
room…approximately 100 degrees to be more specific. It is said that by doing
yoga in such a warm environment that your body releases all kinds of toxins and
is able to be more flexible.
Bikram yoga is actually named after its creator Bikram
Choudhury of India who is known as a yoga master as well as quite a controversy
in the yoga world after having tried to sue others for teaching Bikram yoga and
now fights to limit the name only to those who study yoga and become certified
by his college and follow the movements exactly to his specification. So what
does this all mean? That you can still find hot yoga at studios and gyms
everywhere but must call it ‘hot yoga’ or anything other than ‘Bikram yoga’.
Yoga is known to not only be a great workout, a form of
relaxation and a way to improve
flexibility but it is also considered a way to get in touch with yourself and
connect with your mind, body and spirit. It is often used by athletes in
conjunction with their other workout regimes because of its many benefits. Hot
yoga has all of the same benefits as well as those listed above pertaining to
the release of toxins.
If you’re looking to give hot yoga a try then there are a
few things that you need to consider before hand. First, you should know that
this type of yoga is not recommended for anyone who is pregnant or suffering
from a heart condition. If in doubt about your state of health, you should
consult your doctor before partaking in a class.
A little legwork and research is in order before you sign up
for classes as well. You should shop around and ensure that the class that you
take is being taught by someone who has been properly trained for this type of
yoga so that you get the best instruction and maximum results. You’ll also need
to be appropriately dressed for class and wear something that doesn’t restrict
your range of motion and isn’t too heavy since you will be literally sweating
buckets. And finally, you’ll need to bring your own yoga mat. In other yoga
classes you can usually use one provided by the studio, but because of all of
the sweating involved with hot yoga, there are no loaners available for
sanitary purposes.
Whether this style of yoga remains ‘hot’ here in the western
world is something that we have yet to see, but in the meantime if you want to
give this trend a try, remember these tips and go for it!
