Bikram Yoga Tips For Beginners

I’ve been hearing a lot lately about Bikram yoga. You too? You’ll surely want to read Bikram yoga tips for beginners before starting this intense yoga practice. Also known as hot yoga, it’s practiced in an environment where the temperatures exceed 100°F. The sweating prompted by Bikram yoga can help release toxins and relax your muscles. Read on and proceed with caution! 

Get sweaty! Bikram Yoga Tips for Beginners

Bikram yoga, also known as hot yoga, is performed in a heat-controlled environment where temperatures reach over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. A Bikram Challenge, also called 30 Days of Bikram, involves sweating through a Bikram session every day for a month. Though this type of endurance yoga session is a popular offering at many studios, it should not be undertaken without preparation and safety precautions.

Safety

Before you begin Bikram yoga, see a doctor to make sure you’re healthy enough to handle the extreme heat and physical exertion. Conditions such as respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, eating disorders, pregnancy and sleep deprivation can make you more susceptible to heat-related illness, which could make 30 days of Bikram dangerous to undertake. Certain medications can also interfere with the heat-regulation system of your body, putting you in danger during a hot yoga session. Additionally, talk to your doctor about whether another form of yoga may be more beneficial. Holistic physician and prana yoga trainer Jeff Migdow, M.D., says people with allergies should avoid hot yoga, which may cause allergy symptoms to worsen, and instead focus on a slower and more relaxing form.

Preparation

If you’re a beginner to Bikram yoga, start gradually and work your way up to prevent overexertion, injury and heat illness. Spend a few weeks practicing a milder, easier form of yoga to learn posing and breathing and to strengthen your body. When you’re ready for Bikram, sit in on a class without participating to get your body used to the heat. At the next class, try a few moves, take adequate breaks and continue at this slower pace for your next few sessions. You want to gradually build up endurance without overdoing it.

I’m interested in trying a Bikram yoga class, but I think I’d find it more appropriate during the hot days of summer. I’d be very cautious about leaving a hot yoga class to a wintry cold walk to your car. That said, the idea of sweating out toxins during the holiday season, when we invariably eat things we know our bodies are better off without, sounds like a plus! ;)

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