Does anyone here do Bikram's hot yoga? Curious to hear your thoughts on it... I've been thinking of going as an addition to my normal workout routine.
Bikram's Hot Yoga
- Thread starter DonEdHardy
- Start date
Bikram's or Hot Yoga IS the McDonald's of yoga. It can be a good way to get started, because of the repetitiveness and slowness of the poses, but you need a good teacher to guide you and even then it is a practice you should evolve out of fairly quickly -- there are better, deeper more interesting forms of yoga and quite frankly, Bikram's is a crock practice invented by some random dude a couple of years ago while he was rubbing crystals. Telling you to lock your joints is asinine and an incorrect direction. Some poses you may be trying to achieve skeletal support rather than holding the pose with your muscles (if that makes sense) but there should always be a micro-bend in any joints -- particularly your knees. The main thing is, find a good teacher and stick with them. The problem is, there are WAY more bad instructors than there are good ones. Done correctly, yoga will challenge your mind and body in ways that I haven't encountered with anything else.
Hmm, i don't see the McDonald's comparison except that they're both represented by clowns.
Bikram's is yoga for masochists. Imagine a 40+ degree 100% humidity, stanky communist exercise pit with someone barking orders over a microphone for an hour and half and if you try to take a break or leave, you are shamed in front of the class. Impersonal, one-size-fits-all, limited poses, repetitive, can cause dizziness, nausea..but good on a cold day if you're after a mega sweat & very rosy cheeks. Try it out & let us know, men seem to dig it. Most studios have a $30 1 week promo. Be prepared for lots sweaty guys in underwear.
I'm a yoga slut & recommend starting with hatha classes for posture/breathing fundamentals then try faster-paced Ashtanga aka power classes if you're after something more athletic. There's also 'yin' or restorative yoga..longer stretches, meditative..great for healing the body, calming the mind. Again most studios have first time promo deals, lululemon even offers free yoga.
Also try Yyoga & Moksha for more civilized hot yoga. Namaste.
Bikram's is yoga for masochists. Imagine a 40+ degree 100% humidity, stanky communist exercise pit with someone barking orders over a microphone for an hour and half and if you try to take a break or leave, you are shamed in front of the class. Impersonal, one-size-fits-all, limited poses, repetitive, can cause dizziness, nausea..but good on a cold day if you're after a mega sweat & very rosy cheeks. Try it out & let us know, men seem to dig it. Most studios have a $30 1 week promo. Be prepared for lots sweaty guys in underwear.
I'm a yoga slut & recommend starting with hatha classes for posture/breathing fundamentals then try faster-paced Ashtanga aka power classes if you're after something more athletic. There's also 'yin' or restorative yoga..longer stretches, meditative..great for healing the body, calming the mind. Again most studios have first time promo deals, lululemon even offers free yoga.
Also try Yyoga & Moksha for more civilized hot yoga. Namaste.
Took up yoga during the start of the year for the wrong reasons but ended up making one of the best decisions I've ever made. Totally changed my perspective towards various things in a very positive manner. However, Hot Yoga is something I will never do even though if Megan Fox is in the same class. I don't even use the sauna in my gym. YYoga is one of the best in the city.
Lately, the new Barre Fitness at Yaletown seems to give me a good exercise as well as it combines the elements of ballet, pilates, light weights, and ball work using a ballet barre.
Eat Pray Love
Lately, the new Barre Fitness at Yaletown seems to give me a good exercise as well as it combines the elements of ballet, pilates, light weights, and ball work using a ballet barre.
Eat Pray Love
I try and practice Bikram Yoga 2-3x a week. I love it. I love the way that it makes me feel when I am done. I find that no class is ever the same. There are a few routines(vinyasa) that are the same but I have done some really cool things that I never thought my body would do. If you are looking at it on a fitness level an average 1hr class of bikram yoga burns 600-630 calories. I find that if I practice once a week it is hard to go back to class because its hard and hot. If I dont do Bikram, I practice Hatha yoga.
The coolest thing about yoga is that you don't have to be good at it. You can just be yourself. As a beginner, there's no pressure being anywhere else in the world.
H
HubbaHubba
I liked it but found it took way too much time. The people were all extremely friendly and I liked the positive attitudes. Hey I don't buy into all the gonna change your life etc. but there is worse things you could be doing. I do like the Yyoga 1 hour classes much better though. I like variety
YYoga is awesome. Flow on burrard but I kind of miss the old room before it was reno'd could see outside with tea light candles on a friday night, amid the Burrard rush. But Flow is brand new, beautiful, clean, comfortable and it makes you feel good just being in that environment. My favorite is Spin Yoga (as I call it) or YRide its Yoga incorporated while you are spinning on a bikes. A great workout. I like the hot yoga, too. It a 40 degree room. You can be who are, whatever you are feeling. Not forced into anything. With 700 classes a week, until 11pm at night, its uber flexible which I like between work and school; I can always fit a class in. Keeps me sane!
http://www.yyoga.ca/
http://www.yyoga.ca/
Checked out the newly-opened Chopra Yoga Center along Granville the other day and the place seem pretty nice with its own Organic Lives as well. Its in front of my favorite cheesecake place which I'm trying to avoid. However, I'm still very happy with YYOGA though. For me, beautiful Vancouver is still the yoga capital of Canada. :nod:
Eat Pray Love
Eat Pray Love
Be glad when this 'fad' is over(anybody remember ti bo,palates?) See all these hipster doofuses walking around town with there yoga mattes. They all remind me of Caine from Kung Fu, all they need is a dirty beat up hat & a flute
I like masturbating to that tv show Namaste, some hot girls on that show
I like masturbating to that tv show Namaste, some hot girls on that show
I have never tried it and highly doubt I ever will.....I did read the following on the best of craigslist and thought it was uber funny.....and yes it is worth the read.
Yoga mat for sale. Used once at lunch hour class in December 2009. Usage timeline as follows:
11:45a
Register for hot yoga class. Infinite wisdom tells me to commit to 5 class package and purchase a yoga mat. I pay $89.74. Money well spent, I smugly confirm to myself.
11:55a
Open door to yoga room. A gush of hot dry air rushes through and past me. It smells of breath, sweat and hot. Take spot on floor in back of room next to cute blonde. We will date.
11:57a
I feel the need to be as near to naked as possible. This is a problem because of the hot blonde to my left and our pending courtship. She will not be pleased to learn that I need to lose 30 pounds before I propose to her.
11:58a
The shirt and sweats have to come off. I throw caution to the wind and decide to rely on my wit and conditioning to overcome any weight issues my fiancée may take issue with. This will take a lot of wit and conditioning.
11:59a
Begin small talk with my bride to be. She pretends to ignore me but I know how she can be. I allow her to concentrate and stare straight ahead and continue to pretend that I don't exist. As we finish sharing our special moment, I am suddenly aware of a sweat moustache that has formed below my nose. This must be from the all the whispering between us.
12:00p
Instructor enters the room and ascends her special podium at the front of the room. She is a slight, agitated Chinese woman. She introduces me to the class and everyone turns around to greet me just as I decide to aggressively adjust my penis and testes packed in my Under Armor. My bride is notably unfazed.
12:02p
Since I do have experience with Hot Yoga (4 sessions just 5 short years ago) I fully consider that I may be so outstanding and skilled that my instructor may call me out and ask me to guide the class. My wife will look on with a sparkle in her eye. We will make love after class.
12:10p
It is now up to 95 degrees in the room. We have been practicing deep breathing exercises for the last 8 minutes. This would not be a problem if we were all breathing actual, you know, oxygen. Instead, we are breathing each other's body odor, expelled carbon dioxide and other unmentionables. (Don't worry, I'll mention them later.)
12:26p
It is now 100 degrees and I take notice of the humidity, which is hovering at about 90%. I feel the familiar adorning stare of my bride and decide to look back at her. She appears to be nauseated. I then realize that I forgot to brush my teeth prior to attending this class. We bond.
12:33p
It is now 110 degrees and 95% humidity. I am now balancing on one leg with the other leg crossed over the other. My arms are intertwined and I am squatting. The last time I was in this position was 44 years ago in the womb, but I'm in this for the long haul. My wife looks slightly weathered dripping sweat and her eyeliner is streaming down her face. Well, "for better or worse" is what we committed to so we press on.
12:40p
The overweight Hispanic man two spots over has sweat running down his legs. At least I think its sweat. He is holding every position and has not had a sip of water since we walked in. He is making me look bad and I hate him.
12:44p
I consider that if anyone in this room farted that we would all certainly perish.
12:52p
It is now 140 degrees and 100% humidity. I am covered from head to toe in sweat. There is not a square millimeter on my body that is not slippery and sweaty. I am so slimy that I feel like a sea lion or a maybe sea eel. Not even a bear trap could hold me. The sweat is stinging my eyeballs and I can no longer see.
12:55p
This room stinks of asparagus, cloves, tuna and tacos. There is no food in the room. I realize that this is an amalgamation of the body odors of 30 people in a 140 degree room for the last 55 minutes. Seriously, enough with the asparagus, ok?
1:01p
140 degrees and 130% humidity. Look, bitch, I need my space here so don't get all pissy with me if I accidentally sprayed you with sweat as I flipped over. Seriously, is that where this relationship is going? Get over yourself. We need counseling and she needs to be medicated. Stat!
1:09p
150 degrees and cloudy. And hot. I can no longer move my limbs on my own. I have given up on attempting any of the commands this Chinese chick is yelling out at us. I will lay sedentary until the aid unit arrives. I will buy this building and then have it destroyed.
I lose consciousness.
1:15p
I have a headache and my wife is being a selfish bitch. I can't really breathe. All I can think about is holding a cup worth of hot sand in my mouth. I cannot remember what an ice cube is and cannot remember what snow looks like. I consider that my only escape might be a crab walk across 15 bodies and then out of the room. I am paralyzed, and may never walk again so the whole crab walk thing is pretty much out.
1:17p
I cannot move at all and cannot reach my water. Is breathing voluntary or involuntary? If it's voluntary, I am screwed. I stopped participating in the class 20 minutes ago. Hey, lady! I paid for this frickin class, ok?! You work for me! Stop yelling at everyone and just tell us a story or something. It's like juice and cracker time, ok?
1:20p
It is now 165 degrees and moisture is dripping from the ceiling. The towel that I am laying on is no longer providing any wicking or drying properties. It is actually placing additional sweat on me as I touch it. My towel reeks. I cannot identify the smell but no way can it be from me. Did someone spray some stank on my towel or something?
1:30p
Torture session is over. I wish hateful things upon the instructor. She graciously allows us to stay and 'cool down' in the room. It is 175 degrees. Who cools down in 175 degrees? A Komodo Dragon? My wife has left the room. Probably to throw up.
1:34p
My opportunity to escape has arrived. I roll over to my stomach and press up to my knees. It is warmer as I rise up from ground level - probably by 15 degrees. So let's conservatively say it's 190. I muster my final energy and slowly rise. One foot in front of the other. One foot in front of the other. Towards the door. Towards the door.
1:37p
The temperature in the lobby is 72 degrees. Both nipples stiffen to diamond strength and my penis begins to retract into my abdomen from the 100 degree temp swing. I can once again breathe though so I am pleased. I spot my future ex wife in the lobby. We had such a good thing going but I know that no measure of counseling will be able to unravel the day's turmoil and mental scaring.
1:47p
Arrive at Emerald City Smoothie and proceed to order a 32 oz beverage. 402 calories, 0 fat and 14 grams of protein -- effectively negating any caloric burn or benefit from the last 90 minutes. I finish it in 3 minutes and spend the next 2 hours writing this memoir.
3:47p
Create Craigslist ad while burning final 2 grams of protein from Smoothie and before the "shakes" consume my body.
4:29p
Note to self - check car for missing wet yoga towel in am.
Yoga mat for sale. Used once at lunch hour class in December 2009. Usage timeline as follows:
11:45a
Register for hot yoga class. Infinite wisdom tells me to commit to 5 class package and purchase a yoga mat. I pay $89.74. Money well spent, I smugly confirm to myself.
11:55a
Open door to yoga room. A gush of hot dry air rushes through and past me. It smells of breath, sweat and hot. Take spot on floor in back of room next to cute blonde. We will date.
11:57a
I feel the need to be as near to naked as possible. This is a problem because of the hot blonde to my left and our pending courtship. She will not be pleased to learn that I need to lose 30 pounds before I propose to her.
11:58a
The shirt and sweats have to come off. I throw caution to the wind and decide to rely on my wit and conditioning to overcome any weight issues my fiancée may take issue with. This will take a lot of wit and conditioning.
11:59a
Begin small talk with my bride to be. She pretends to ignore me but I know how she can be. I allow her to concentrate and stare straight ahead and continue to pretend that I don't exist. As we finish sharing our special moment, I am suddenly aware of a sweat moustache that has formed below my nose. This must be from the all the whispering between us.
12:00p
Instructor enters the room and ascends her special podium at the front of the room. She is a slight, agitated Chinese woman. She introduces me to the class and everyone turns around to greet me just as I decide to aggressively adjust my penis and testes packed in my Under Armor. My bride is notably unfazed.
12:02p
Since I do have experience with Hot Yoga (4 sessions just 5 short years ago) I fully consider that I may be so outstanding and skilled that my instructor may call me out and ask me to guide the class. My wife will look on with a sparkle in her eye. We will make love after class.
12:10p
It is now up to 95 degrees in the room. We have been practicing deep breathing exercises for the last 8 minutes. This would not be a problem if we were all breathing actual, you know, oxygen. Instead, we are breathing each other's body odor, expelled carbon dioxide and other unmentionables. (Don't worry, I'll mention them later.)
12:26p
It is now 100 degrees and I take notice of the humidity, which is hovering at about 90%. I feel the familiar adorning stare of my bride and decide to look back at her. She appears to be nauseated. I then realize that I forgot to brush my teeth prior to attending this class. We bond.
12:33p
It is now 110 degrees and 95% humidity. I am now balancing on one leg with the other leg crossed over the other. My arms are intertwined and I am squatting. The last time I was in this position was 44 years ago in the womb, but I'm in this for the long haul. My wife looks slightly weathered dripping sweat and her eyeliner is streaming down her face. Well, "for better or worse" is what we committed to so we press on.
12:40p
The overweight Hispanic man two spots over has sweat running down his legs. At least I think its sweat. He is holding every position and has not had a sip of water since we walked in. He is making me look bad and I hate him.
12:44p
I consider that if anyone in this room farted that we would all certainly perish.
12:52p
It is now 140 degrees and 100% humidity. I am covered from head to toe in sweat. There is not a square millimeter on my body that is not slippery and sweaty. I am so slimy that I feel like a sea lion or a maybe sea eel. Not even a bear trap could hold me. The sweat is stinging my eyeballs and I can no longer see.
12:55p
This room stinks of asparagus, cloves, tuna and tacos. There is no food in the room. I realize that this is an amalgamation of the body odors of 30 people in a 140 degree room for the last 55 minutes. Seriously, enough with the asparagus, ok?
1:01p
140 degrees and 130% humidity. Look, bitch, I need my space here so don't get all pissy with me if I accidentally sprayed you with sweat as I flipped over. Seriously, is that where this relationship is going? Get over yourself. We need counseling and she needs to be medicated. Stat!
1:09p
150 degrees and cloudy. And hot. I can no longer move my limbs on my own. I have given up on attempting any of the commands this Chinese chick is yelling out at us. I will lay sedentary until the aid unit arrives. I will buy this building and then have it destroyed.
I lose consciousness.
1:15p
I have a headache and my wife is being a selfish bitch. I can't really breathe. All I can think about is holding a cup worth of hot sand in my mouth. I cannot remember what an ice cube is and cannot remember what snow looks like. I consider that my only escape might be a crab walk across 15 bodies and then out of the room. I am paralyzed, and may never walk again so the whole crab walk thing is pretty much out.
1:17p
I cannot move at all and cannot reach my water. Is breathing voluntary or involuntary? If it's voluntary, I am screwed. I stopped participating in the class 20 minutes ago. Hey, lady! I paid for this frickin class, ok?! You work for me! Stop yelling at everyone and just tell us a story or something. It's like juice and cracker time, ok?
1:20p
It is now 165 degrees and moisture is dripping from the ceiling. The towel that I am laying on is no longer providing any wicking or drying properties. It is actually placing additional sweat on me as I touch it. My towel reeks. I cannot identify the smell but no way can it be from me. Did someone spray some stank on my towel or something?
1:30p
Torture session is over. I wish hateful things upon the instructor. She graciously allows us to stay and 'cool down' in the room. It is 175 degrees. Who cools down in 175 degrees? A Komodo Dragon? My wife has left the room. Probably to throw up.
1:34p
My opportunity to escape has arrived. I roll over to my stomach and press up to my knees. It is warmer as I rise up from ground level - probably by 15 degrees. So let's conservatively say it's 190. I muster my final energy and slowly rise. One foot in front of the other. One foot in front of the other. Towards the door. Towards the door.
1:37p
The temperature in the lobby is 72 degrees. Both nipples stiffen to diamond strength and my penis begins to retract into my abdomen from the 100 degree temp swing. I can once again breathe though so I am pleased. I spot my future ex wife in the lobby. We had such a good thing going but I know that no measure of counseling will be able to unravel the day's turmoil and mental scaring.
1:47p
Arrive at Emerald City Smoothie and proceed to order a 32 oz beverage. 402 calories, 0 fat and 14 grams of protein -- effectively negating any caloric burn or benefit from the last 90 minutes. I finish it in 3 minutes and spend the next 2 hours writing this memoir.
3:47p
Create Craigslist ad while burning final 2 grams of protein from Smoothie and before the "shakes" consume my body.
4:29p
Note to self - check car for missing wet yoga towel in am.
Yoga has been in existence for several thousands of years now so it must be one of the longest running fads then.
Yeah in India, wasn't much yoga going around here in north america in the 60's,70's,80's & 90'sYoga has been in existence for several thousands of years now so it must be one of the longest running fads then.
On the fringes maybe.Now @ 5:00pm,every 3rd,4th person has a yoga matt downtown.You ain't seen nothing yet. :nod:
That's good though for LULU shareholders since the stock is presently doing above 60. They surely make mediocre bums suddenly look great while those hotties with existing killer bums make guys lose direction.
Pretty glad with Fidel Castro's latest commentary just last Tuesday. Looks like the Living Legend has found the light. lol Well, better late than never.
" Yoga does things with the human body that defy the imagination. " - Fidel Castro
" Yoga does things with the human body that defy the imagination. " - Fidel Castro
I have been doing Bikrams yoga on and off for years, very steady the last year or so.
It's so good for your whole body, but I think it's also good to do other things to keep a variety.
I recommend it to anyone that has any aches or pains...can make a huge difference on how you feel.
Yoga and red wine....the staples of life.
It's so good for your whole body, but I think it's also good to do other things to keep a variety.
I recommend it to anyone that has any aches or pains...can make a huge difference on how you feel.
Yoga and red wine....the staples of life.
