Results by practicing at home? Please share

I too had to change my practice due to my new daughter!! I can’t (obviously) get to the studio as much as before.
I wanted to assure you ….. I LOVE my home practice:)
I have gotten MANY benefits and though the practice is different it is wonderful. The focus and quiet is incredible and I have seen major improvements in many aspects. I only caution you to do your research and practice the form and feeling in the poses to do them CORRECTLY. It is a little easier to get injured w/o the visual instruction. If you are advanced enough in you practice though to feel comfortable you can see so much!!!! I still do go to the studio about once a week or week and half.
GOOD LUCK

I, too, have had a hard time finding info. on my home practice. This morning, I got out my 1970’s Bikram book from the library, and my small space heater.
Cranked that sucker way up, let the room heat for about 15 minutes (small guest room), stuck towels under the closet door and entry door, too.
I had a nice, warm practice this morning.
Definitely NOT as hot as class. But totally warm and relaxing. I have a SMALL space (the room also had a bed, dresser, TV, etc).

One thing I found was that I really pushed myself to advance poses- head to knee for example. I didn’t care about anyone looking at me or getting corrected. I had to keep looking at my book which was annoying but SOO helpful.
Worked at the poses for about an hour and 15.

If I had the sequence memorized, it would be so much better.
Good luck!

Hi Stefan – sorry for the large delay in responding.

It only takes me 10 minutes faster… Do you hold poses shorter time?

Not generally shorter no – usually with a silent class with one person “leading” you’ll lose around 20 mins. If I’m doing my own silent class, I’ll usually have shorter savasanas and since I know what pose is next, there’s no “setup instructions” – so that’s shorter still.

Also when away, I’ll do a single set, no savasana silent “class” which is very quick – 30-40mins – and still feels good, though obviously is only “maintenance” compared to a full class. Better than nothing!

Can one really do that? I have heard Bikram say the savanasas is very, very important.

Bikram says all sorts of contradictory things (ref your remarks about timing for example!) – since the advanced series doesn’t have savasanas between poses, I imagine he’s not firm on that. But anyway, that’s not so important – I think you are correct yes that savasanas (between poses) are beneficial. One of my favorite teachers on this subject is a guy called Tony Schwartz who believes we should actually train & ritualize “recovery” skills. I think that savasanas are good “recovery training” in that it teaches us how to calm down rapidly and practice the “good health practice” of bringing the heart rate back to a healthy resting pace as quickly as possible after stress/vigorous exercise.

But for regular practitioners, doing a class very now and then without savasanas between poses is a great challenge!

The timings are so strange. In the the Bikram Yoga beginning class book it says 10-20 seconds, but in a class more than 1 minute, and in this guide also 1 minute is certain poses.

Is it OK to do it shorter time? I am a great fan of ayurveda, and according to ayurveda you only work up to discomfort and hold back. If you need to mouth breath, hold back, if you feel pain or discomfort, hold back, if you loose form, hold back.

Stefan, it’s your practice so in the end, it’s up to you. In terms of full muscle recruitment to “get” the stretch and to turn off the golgi-tendon organ reflex (protection from muscle tearing), it takes a full 10-20 seconds to get the 100% effect – hence why poses are usually held that long. So if you hold a pose for only 1-sec – there’s little benefit in it! (Other than satisfaction I suppose!)

I think that one of the great successes of the various hot yoga series is the elevated heart rate and breathing stimuli – coupled with some of the longer poses (30/60sec) that really improve cardio-stamina – but for sure, anything that causes pain or is obviously aggravating a condition must be modified – for example, I have a minor tear in my meniscus (allegedly!) and so for 3 poses in particular, I simply don’t twist that leg/knee, but modify the pose, as it only makes it sore, without any improvement.

So with your back problem for example, it may not be a good idea to attempt full standing head to knee at all. For those with a bad back, or a minor injury (and I’ve done this myself after a back strain), we usually recommend just holding the knee and standing straight. This is no longer a compression pose obviously, but it is still practicing the balance, quadriceps stamina and some cardio in preparation for returning to the first part of the pose once the injury has healed.

Some yoga – such as Yin Yoga for example – specifically uses looooong holding (3-5 mins) to focus on opening joints/stretching into notoriously tight ligaments etc. So it depends on your aim I think!

I hope that helps – the timing guide as far as I know is accurate to what is commonly practiced in most Bikram-style studios. As always, for anyone reading, you should follow your instructor’s guidance.

Namaste,

Robert

LOL! Watch out for those skateboards!

Yes Stefan actually I meant no savasanas at all – standing or floor – the whole thging just flows. It really makes you concentrate on your breathing too.

Love the idea of the Sun Salutations after Half-Moon – that would bring the energy up for sure.

Namaste

Robert

What about those sit-ups between floor poses? Do you still lay on your back between poses and do the sit-up?

To the original question about practice at home: I’ve been doing Hot Yoga for about 10 years off and on and have only been to a studio once. I found out about Bikram online and ordered the book that described the poses. I’ve studied that book many times. I’ve also taken other yoga classes. But for Hot Yoga (which is my preferred version) I do a home practice that is geared just to me. I do my practice in a sauna. There is enough space to do anything, you just have to think about the space a little more than you would in a studio i.e. where exactly to place my foot so that neither my other foot nor my hand touch a wall during balancing stick. I don’t worry about getting to and from a studio. I don’t pay class fees. The sauna doesn’t smell stinky like many studios. I don’t worry about what to wear. I gear each practice to my needs. I can do a shorter practice or a longer practice. I can add time to areas that need a little more attention. I typically add maybe three or four non Bikram poses to my practice.
Although I do the Bikram series my practice is not like a Bikram studio class. It is My practice and I love it.
Namaste
Kathy
🙂