The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › Hot Yoga Facts
Forum Replies Created
-
AuthorPosts
-
in reply to: Injuries & Older/Less Athletic Students #5561
Thanks so much for all your feedback, Gabrielle.
Just want to clear up a couple things.
New members are not “forced” to the back of the room. When new folks come for the first time, they are encouraged to stay towards the back for better viewing of more experienced students. I have moved a bit around the room myself, but since I’m slower/less experienced, I feel more comfortable in the back anyway (the windows are also in the back and one side of the room, so it’s more likely I’ll get a blast of fresh air!).
As for the teaching style, I would not call it “militant” but do find they strongly encourage working more deeply into the poses. Of course I’m paraphrasing but one of the teachers did state that, although it was hard work – that’s often better for us. I am more familiar with a gentler form of yoga and Bikram seems much more athletic in approach. My body does struggle with the combination of high heat and a hard workout for 90 minutes, although it’s possible that if I were more familiar with the poses there would be less struggle. Also, for me, the teacher’s non-stop dialogue can be distracting. Example: While in a balance pose, the teacher provides instruction on how to deal with falling off balance – invariably I fall off balance!
Just want you to know that a friend lent me your book and it’s quite wonderful! It’s great to have as a resource, especially while taking a step back during my rehab. It would also be amazing to study with you, but it seems you teach in Australia (a bit far for me). That said, this forum is extremely helpful and I much appreciate your feedback and encouragement. Please let me know if you have any suggestions for further training (Marin County – California).
My best wishes to you.
in reply to: Injuries & Older/Less Athletic Students #5530Hi Gabrielle & Rebecca,
My thanks to you both for your kind and thoughtful responses. As I would like to “try again” once healed, I hope to do so with greater awareness of my body while practicing and both your responses provide me with helpful tools should I return. Although I am not particularly athletic, I am a healthy woman and have done some hatha yoga since the age of 27 (2 years of steady classes and now mostly at home), walk daily, and work out in the gym. That said, this has been a humbling experience for me as it means there’s much more to learn about the strengths and limitations of my body. At present, I am doing some rehab on my left hip/backside and was told not to doing anything other than stretching and walking until healed.
Gabrielle, I was told the studio is heated to 110 degrees. At a certain point in the class, windows are opened a bit to let in more oxygen and, I assume, reduce the heat. As for the teaching, my concern is that the room is crowded and the beginners are asked to stay further back in the room and watch advanced students in the more difficult poses for direction (not while practicing but sitting out during the first series of a posture). There’s very little individual attention and, if you’re doing a posture incorrectly, injury may follow. Also, there’s much emphasis on going deeper in the poses and working harder, which can also lead to injury if you’re not ready to do so. Although the heat does allow the body to open up and relax, I find it can be somewhat deceptive if your body is not yet prepared to enter a pose(s) more deeply or if the posture is being done incorrectly. In addition, as our bodies age, changes occur that need to be respected both in or out of a gym/yoga studio. Sometimes we forget this!
I truly am a Bikram baby and am most open to all the feedback you are willing to give.
Thank you both again. -Catrina -
AuthorPosts
