Today I decided it was time to return to Bikram Yoga and give my mind body and spirit a serious workout!
Dropped the kids at holiday school and over the road I dashed to the conveniently located Chiswick studio.
I managed the class a lot better than I expected which proved the muscle memory theory is spot on!
I am red-faced and sedate! I drove home in slow motion as though I were taking the car for a leisurely stroll.
Absolutely starving... I have just popped some multivits and omega's and am about to indulge this trembling, wrung out, endorphin pumped body in a high protein brunch of smoked salmon and scrambled eggs.
Bikram yoga was founded by Bikram Choudhury, a gold medal Olympic champion weight lifter in 1963. This is the only form of yoga that utilizes heat to ensure optimal results for those who have the endurance to stick with it. The heat comes into play by way of room temperature. To simulate the temperature of India, the birthplace of yoga, the poses are done in a room with a sustained temperature of 95 to 105 degrees.
Bikram Yoga Basics
This form of yoga involves 26 different asanas, or poses. These are done in sequence and then repeated again. The asanas are held for 10 to 60 seconds. It is a very challenging 90 minute routine given the level of difficulty and the heat.
Benefits
There are countless physical and mental benefits to doing this type of yoga. Some of the poses apply pressure to certain points in the body. This works as a form of acupressure to release tension and pain. Because of the intensity of bikram yoga, it has many physical benefits such as strengthening muscles and toning muscles. This helps to reshape the body and make for a sleeker and leaner look and feel to your body.
With the intensity, weight loss is bound to occur if it is done frequently due to the sheer amount of calories burned during a session. It is known as a great source of cardio. The movements of this style of yoga also balance metabolism and decrease cravings, which further supports the practice of bikram yoga as a beneficial weight loss workout.
Images: courtesy of google images and bikramyoga.com. via pinterest
