9 Things You Need to Know About Bikram Yoga - Shape

Bikram is to yoga what Tae-Bo is to kickboxing. Like Billy Blanks, Bikram Choudhury took a long-existing practice and modified it to create a uniquely-packaged fitness franchise. According to the 66-year-old Indian-born yoga guru, the precise sequence of 26 postures and two breathing exercises must be performed within 90 minutes in a heated (100-degrees-plus) room to allow the body to stretch, detoxify, relieve stress, tone, and heal chronic pain such as arthritis, joint aches, knee injuries, back problems, and more.

If you decide to try a class, don't expect your instructor to demonstrate the moves. In Bikram, they're trained to talk you through the flow as part of a moving meditation (listening to these directions forces practitioners to stop thinking and be in the moment). No matter where you practice in the world, the dialogue between the teacher and the student stays pretty much the same (seriously, they're following a script).

Another constant: the sweaty smell! Every studio has a soft carpet, which is more forgiving to joints than hardwood floors. "These days many studios have an anti-bacterial carpet that gets cleaned regularly,? assures Maria McBride, owner and founder of Bikram Yoga Natick in Massachusetts and Lululemon Athletica ambassador. ?So if it stinks when you walk in that's good! It's not dirt, but just sweat, which is what we want,? she says.

Here's what else you need to know before you bring it Bikram-style.

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1. Handle the Heat

Stepping into a sauna-hot room mid-winter shouldn't be a problem. The hard part is staying there for 90 minutes. ?When you start to feel uncomfortable, your gut instinct may be to drink water, wipe sweat, gulp in air, panic, look around, and then run from the room,? says two-time U.K. yoga asana champion Kristin Bergman, who has a doctorate in psychological medicine and teaches at Bikram Yoga Richmond in London. ?If you feel dizzy, sit down and focus on trying to override the discomfort by using your breath,? she advises. ?Trust that you can recover in less than one minute by simply closing your mouth and breathing through your nose.?

Source: http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/9-things-you-need-know-about-bikram-yoga

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