msully76

Hi Gabrielle,

I wanted to follow up on my last post in the thread Bikram/philosophy and felt that it may fit better in this thread.

Since my last post I have attended two more classes that went well but my weight difference is still a concern.(8lbs each class) For those who may not have read my last post I have returned to Bikram after practicing for several years because it just took too much out of me. Upon my return I have found that I am enjoying it more than I ever have but only practice 1 or 2x per week to make sure that I don’t get burned out again.

I have been involved with athletics all my life as a participant, teacher and coach. I have researched this dilemma and have found that many agree that a total weight loss for any activity should not be more than 2% of your body weight. At 175 lbs, that is 3.5 lbs. Because I suspected that this could have been the problem in the past, I make sure to weigh myself before and after each class and have found over 15-20 classes that my average loss is about 7lbs. I look forward to your comment as well as any others who may have a similar issue or have any knowledge of this subject. The bottom line is that I want to know if you agree with the research or if you think I have to worry about this. I am in very good health and practice other types of yoga as well.

After reading some of these stories I thought that I would respond. I started Bikram yoga 5 years ago, 3-4 days a week and loved it. After 2 1/2 years I left because it no longer was for me. I no longer enjoyed the classes because of the toll it took on my body, I was loosing as much as 9 lbs pre class and was just wiped out for the rest of the day. I found other forms of yoga that I fell in love with for the next 2 years that included hot power yoga, not nearly as hot as Bikram. I have however, returned to Bikram but on a limited basis. 1-2 times per week with at least 3 days in between classes while still practicing other forms. I have found that this has been the best combination for me as I am enjoying Bikram yoga as much as I ever have. Based on my experience I would say to anyone practicing any form of yoga something one of my instructors (hatha flow) says all the time. ” THIS IS YOUR PRACTICE SO YOU DECIDE WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU”. I have taken this to my Bikram practice and has worked well. I know that Bikram can be strict but we all need to take care of US. Don’t be bullied. If you are sick LEAVE the room. If you can’t lock your knees, DON’T. Do what you can do and know that is beneficial.

Hi Romy, I agree with the responses you have received and just want to reinforce a couple of items: I am also a type A very competitive person that has been practicing for 15 months and you must ignore any instructions that put you past your limits. Easier said than done but it took me to have a back problem as well before I simply had to say to myself that I would modify a pose, standing head to knee for example or to simply sit out a pose if my back was bad that day. Although all back problems are different, my chiropractor loves that fact that I am doing so much yoga and has said that my injury would have been worse if I was not doing it. I have recently mixed some basic haltha yoga with several days of Bikram and found that has helped me a great deal. Be confident in yourself, ignore others, and take charge of you. Don’t be a hero because it may eventually put you on the shelf with a serious problem.

As an athlete and coach my entire life I would agree that hot/Bikram yoga is not for everyone but it is because I don’t think everyone can handle the heat not the poses. If your instructor is so strict that he/she doesn’t allow for modifications I would find another studio because that is simply not realistic and can lead to injury. I fully enjoy my instructor who constantly is telling people not to worry if they can’t complete the pose but is also encouraging us to challenge ourselves to move forward. I have had a bad back my entire life and, as an avid golfer, decided 9 months ago that I had to return to some form of yoga and decided to try Bikram. I am close to 100 classes during that time and can say that I no longer have even a twitch in my back. I no longer have to take a hot whirlpool bath before golf and enjoy a life that is pain free. I have made great strides in my overall flexibility and also enjoy the calmness that this has brought to my life. It may not be for everyone but would encourage everyone to give it a try.