Have you heard about Bikram yoga? Or maybe you are already doing it. All forms of yoga have many health benefits, and Bikram yoga is not an exception.
Yoga originated from India. It is an old practice that uses breathing techniques, meditation and exercises to bring about benefits, both physical and spiritual. Yoga has a lot of benefits in our bodies, that’s why many people love it. As time goes by, yoga has developed into different types to suit the different needs of practitioners. One of the famous types is hot yoga, which is good in burning out calories and in making you more flexible.
What is Bikram yoga?
Bikram is named after the person who created it in the 1970s who was from California; his name is Bikram Choudhury.
This kind of yoga is performed in a hot room and involves 26 different poses in a set cycle for two hours. The poses used in Bikram yoga are from hatha poses that are good in relaxing the mind and also builds immunity.
Many people are confused about hot yoga and Bikram yoga.
Others believe that Bikram yoga and hot yoga are the same, but they are different. Hot yoga is performed in a hot room, but not hotter than Bikram yoga. In hot yoga, the room’s temperature should be 32-40 degrees celsius; however, Bikram yoga is hotter because the rooms are heated up to 35 – 42-degree Celsius. This is why Choudhury refers to this as a “ torture chamber”. This kind of yoga is good in eliminating toxins that are flushed out by sweating.
The poses in this yoga are good and are safe for beginners. However, there are things you should consider before doing Bikram yoga.
Experts state that people with diabetes, high blood pressure or any kind of diseases that are related to the heart should avoid this kind of yoga.
Also, it can cause dehydration and fatigue if you don’t drink enough water. If you feel dizzy while doing yoga, you can take a break and drink water or rest.
Benefits of Bikram yoga
Detoxifies your entire body
This is one of the best things that you can experience while doing it. You don’t need to drink cleansing juice for you to detoxify. The heat inside the Bikram yoga studio can cause heavy sweating. This sweat releases unwanted toxins and chemicals in your body.
Improves flexibility
There are different poses in this kind of yoga that involve stretching which also helps your body to be more flexible. If you are flexible, you can do poses correctly and can prevent yourself from having muscle injuries.
Being flexible is not just good for yoga, but it also makes your life easier and more pain-free.
It is also good for athletic performance.
Leads to proper breathing
Proper breathing is one of the techniques that you need to learn not just for Bikram yoga, but in all types of yoga. It helps you get enough oxygen and prevents you from collapsing during yoga sessions. Proper breathing can help you in everyday life, like walking up the stairs and even in sports. This is also good for your respiratory system.
It is low–impact
Bikram yoga is good for our joints, especially when your joints are weak and are already damaged. Running and jogging can help you strengthen your joints if there is damage or if there are problems.
This kind of yoga involves low-impact exercises that are suitable for people with joint problems.
So now you can enjoy yoga without worrying about joint pain while at the same time, you can get fit and burn calories.
A kind of strength training
Bikram yoga has 26 different poses and all of them are used to make us stronger. Some of the poses seem to be easy, but it takes a lot of strength to hold some of the poses for a long period of time. It is more challenging when you are all sweaty, hot and slippery. This kind of yoga also targets the main muscle groups of your body. Some people said that Bikram yoga is an alternative exercise for weight lifting.
A good cardio workout
This kind of yoga is also good for both the heart and lungs. The combination of high heat and intense Bikram yoga is like exercise for your heart and lungs.
Cardiovascular health is important to reduce your risk of having high blood pressure.
A stronger heart and lungs mean that your muscles are improving because they have enough oxygen.
Weight loss
This kind of yoga is one of the best ways to lose weight, thanks to the heat and intense poses. These can make achieve your body goals. One session of Bikram yoga can burn a lot of calories, even up to 1000 calories, which is comparable to various forms of cardiovascular exercise. Also, it can improve the metabolism of the body and leads to more burning calories. So, if your planning to lose weight, one of the best choice you can make is Bikram yoga.
Better focus
One of the useful benefits of Bikram yoga is focus and concentration. There are poeses in this kind of yoga that requires more focus and concentration to achieve the proper pose. And, as you improve, you can apply it in your daily life, such as while concentrating on your work or a thing that is important.
Stress-free and happy
A lot of people who do Bikram yoga claim that they can feel satisfied and happy after the sessions, and that this type of yoga can help them release stress. Exercise causes your brain to release endocannabinoids as well as endorphins, which are chemicals in your head which have very positive effects on your mental well-being.
Bikram yoga is one of the best ways to stay fit and healthy.
However, there are some concerns that you need to know. If you are pregnant, you are not allowed to do this kind of yoga, and you need to drink lots of fluids to avoid dehydration.
Try Bikram yoga now!
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