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Yoga means union of body, mind and spirit. Of the six major practices of yoga, Hatha Yoga is the physical form of yoga, thousands of years old, designed to bring balance and well-being into your body and life. According to Bikram, "Hatha Yoga was specially invented to lubricate, strengthen, and repair one hundred percent of your body machinery, including screws loose in your head." Bikram's Beginning Yoga series is a set of 26 Hatha Yoga poses and breathing exercises. "Today most Americans practice Hatha Yoga for the unique sense of health and well being it provides, without reference to its spiritual content... Meanwhile modern medicine is busy researching the extraordinary health benefits produced by these 5,000 year old practice. " - Bikram Choudhury
90, 75, or 60 minutes depending on the class.
This is the most common misconception that prevents people from doing Bikram Yoga. Yoga is not about how flexible you are. Nor is it about the flexibility of the person next to you. Yoga is about stretching, healing and balancing your body while quieting your mind. Yoga also increases self-awareness and emotional balance. The more inflexible you are, the more you need yoga. You become flexible by doing yoga. Bikram's Beginning Yoga series is ideal for beginners and experts alike. The heated room and selected postures make the perfect combination for those wanting to reduce stiffness, pain, chronic muscle tension, and inflexibility.
Great! It may help your own practice to observe those with more experience. The classes are multi-leveled. The series of 26 postures, selected for maximum health and benefits, is designed for one to comfortably perform and progress through the postures at one's own level and pace. No blocks, straps, or other aids needed. Just give 100%, focus on your self, and reap the rewards!
The room is hot to warm your muscles, prevent injuries and allow for a deeper release in your body. Sweating will also help flush toxins and poisons from your body. The heat will actually protect muscles to allow for deeper stretching. The heat also helps to thin the blood to clear the circulatory system, increase heart rate for better cardiovascular workout, improve strength by putting muscle tissue in optimal state for regeneration, and reorganize lipids (fat) in the muscular structure.
Be prepared to sweat! We recommend bringing two towels, one for yoga, the other for drying-off or showering. Yoga mats are required. If you do not have one, we rent them as well as sell them. Also bring plenty of bottled water. For your convenience, we sell high-quality bottled water. Dress to sweat and move freely. Men usually wear bathing suits or shorts - women wear shorts with tank tops or sports bras, leotards or bathing suits. Clothing that is close-fitting and breathable/lightweight is more comfortable. You will want to see your knees in many postures, so avoid baggy leg-wear.
It is not unusual to feel nauseous or dizzy during your first class. Practicing yoga in a heated room reveals to us our present condition, and inspires us take much better care of ourselves. Usually the problem is that we do not drink enough water for daily living, let alone for exercising in a heated room. Nutritionists tell us that we need 64-80 ounces of water a day to help the body function properly. In the heated yoga room, your body needs adequate fund of water to allow perspiration to release heat from the body as you practice. So we estimate you need another 64-80 ounces (sometime during the day) to allow for your 90 minutes in the room. Once you are drinking enough water your body will tolerate the heat better and you will actually enjoy the heat. If you feel disoriented or like you need a good nap after your first few classes, this is likely because your body has begun to cleanse itself as a result of the yoga practice. Don't be scared. After the first few classes this sensation will pass. The more you can relax as you give your 110% honest effort during class, the more energized you will feel throughout the class and throughout the rest of your day.
With Bikram yoga, you get out what you put in. Each class offers a sacred space and time to release, relax, rejuvenate, and spend time just for you! Unlike weight lifting or other forms of exercise, it is usually not necessary to take a "resting" day off from Bikram yoga. The more you practice, the more benefits you receive. However, many beginning students can experience a greater necessity to adapt to the significant changes to the body that yoga brings about. Therefore, we find that for many beginners, around 2-4 times a week is a comfortable pace that reaps many rewards. After a couple of months you will find yourself ready to tackle Bikram's challenge: "Come every day (6 days/wk) for the next 3 months and I will give you a new body, a new life!"
People of all fitness levels find the 90 minute yoga class challenging. Your heart rate will definitely increase! In fact several postures are specifically designed to improve heart health and prevent heart disease safely and effectively. With persistence, patience and dedication you can lose inches and develop muscle tone and strength that might never come from other forms of exercise. Thousands of people who have taken Bikram's challenge (6 times a week for 3 months) have seen dramatic changes in their bodies including significant weight loss, increased energy, and countless health benefits! A steady practice of several times a week will give anyone a healthy heart and well balanced body from inside out.
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"By
the power and truth of this practice may all beings have happiness and
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What
is Hatha Yoga?