hello Kindred Spirits,
I am relatively new to bikram practice (about 3 months now) and though I have read most of the postings and bloggings; I thought I would post some questions...that I, a beginner have had come up...
Any tips--on what other practice or physical activity I could incorporate in order to get more into the poses?? how long have you all been practicing? Any stories of inspiration--to keep a beginner going? :)
Health/cleansing--I get terrible acne when I am stressed and since I have started bikram it's gotten slightly better. Though I am not not completely healed yet, I am hopeful. Any tips on what any of you whom dealt w/acne did (or did not do) to avoid further exacerbation of the problem??
Anything else you can think of that you wish you had been told when you started bikram practice?
I am relatively new to bikram practice (about 3 months now) and though I have read most of the postings and bloggings; I thought I would post some questions...that I, a beginner have had come up...
Any tips--on what other practice or physical activity I could incorporate in order to get more into the poses?? how long have you all been practicing? Any stories of inspiration--to keep a beginner going? :)
Health/cleansing--I get terrible acne when I am stressed and since I have started bikram it's gotten slightly better. Though I am not not completely healed yet, I am hopeful. Any tips on what any of you whom dealt w/acne did (or did not do) to avoid further exacerbation of the problem??
Anything else you can think of that you wish you had been told when you started bikram practice?
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Hey Jewels - When I 'm in Denver I go to Yoga Energi - Patrick is phenomenal at motivating without pushing. He's a great mentor - You should check him out. Truly an inspiration and questions are always welcome in class. No judgements.
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last nite i tried out a new studio--which is much less heated than the studio i regularly practise at....today i am REALLY sore. i found myself being able to focus more--w/out the intense heat & humidity--though i enjoy the higher intensity of heat b/c it seems that it's a 'cushion' of a sort. i.e. the heat/humidity is more inviting to going deeper into poses. Is that right???? What advantages and/or disadvantages have you all found from practising in various heat intensities??????
leeza--i took your tip...the studio i went to last nite was yoga energi..w/Patrick. Great teacher...right on....a challenging as well as deeply meditative experience. also, super friendly and kind :) which i've found lacking in the other studio i frequently go for classes. -
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I'm happy you liked YE/Patrick Jewels! I'm hoping to make a trip down next week - Maybe I'll see you there. L
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I've found that each studio has a unique chi/energy/ambience.
I find that there's a variation in heat/humidity between studios and also between teachers in the same studio. Trying to objectively guage these variations while immersed in the postures is difficult and a distraction. But I do seem to be aware of the issue while in savasanah at various points.
Also, these atmospheres can vary between class times as well. 7:00 pm classes tend to be hotter and more intense than 5:00 pm. It seems there's a cumulative effect that builds and gets added to the 7:00.
Last Thursday, I had a relatively cool class with one of my regular teachers. At first I was a little disappointed that it wasn't as hot as I'm accustomed to. But then I noticed that since the heat wasn't burning me out, I seemed to have more energy and stamina than usual. It may be an error to ascribe my additional energy to the lower heat, because there might be other factors at work. (Science calls these "hidden variables.")
The experience of each individual class is so subjective that it's hard to pin down the contributing factors. I sometimes try to ascribe a value of 1 - 10 to each class in my journal, the value being made up of a combination of factors -- level of heat, level of humidity, perceived energy level, stamina, strength, etc. I've thought about bringing in my own thermometer to monitor the temperature for myself but haven't tried that yet.
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How often are you practicing?
The best thing you can do to improve your poses is to practice more often. The most challenging and rewarding times for me are when I'm putting in 7 days / week. Your mileage may vary. There's a woman who did 386 classes in 365 days in Baltimore.
I've been practicing four years and have completed 3 separate 60 day challenges with incredibly satisfying results. -
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Thanks all for your advice.
Leeza, Ive looked up classes at yogaenergi and am planning to take a class w/patrick this week. Thanx 4 the tip.
Marcus, I've actually been using the tea tree oil and it's working...slowly but surely.
David, I'm only practicing about 3 times a week. I thought it would be best to start off slow...Is that right? I've noticed that I am so hesitant to go often and get into poses quick....out of fear of hurting myself. I've been known to push myself too hard when it comes to physical activity...however, I've noticed that when I let go off that fear...and focus on my breathing...i've gotten further into the poses. strange. -
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Unsu...
That's why bikram is so mental. It helps me face some of my fears outside of class.
I recommend practicing as much as you can take. Even I was sore form class, I felt better if I went to class the next day.
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Jewels: there are many strange things that you'll encounter doing Bikram, mental and physical. I'm not a teacher but I have had my share of learning experiences.
That said, my advice would be to start off slow only to the point of not hurting yourself. Relax. Breath. Maintain control over your body and mind. It is interesting that sometimes struggling harder makes the class easier! I've definitely been known to push myself but that's ultimately not the key. You'll get it. My opinion is that it's better to practice 5 times a week and have two or three slow classes than to only do 3 intense classes and spend the rest of the time trying to recover. The more you practice the more you'll learn to balance these things out and not hurt yourself.
Above all, make sure you pay attention to form not depth.
I once strained a muscle in my leg because I was just pulling, pulling, grunting and groaning during standing separate leg stretching. All I actually had to do was listen and pay attention instead. It's amazing what you hear but don't listen to. -
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Hi everyone,
Just did my first ever bikram's class ever yesterday, interesting experience for sure. I've done a lot of ashtanga in my life but I want to get into bikram pretty much just to kick my own ass into shape; been an extended period of time without much exercise. I definitely like aspects of bikram's and can see how it will definitely expell toxins, etc. in a hurry. I was definitely glowing last night after class, just feeling all of my body much more than usual. Must be a good clearer of the energy pathways. I'm gonna stick with it for a few months at least, and then see where I go from there.
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Hi, I've been doing Bikram Yoga for a 18 months now and I absolutely love it. I agree with the people who said to practice more. When I first started the first 3 months or so I tried to pace myself with how sore I was. I was pretty out of shape in the beginning, I hadn't worked out in about 10 years and honestly it kicked my ass. After about the 2-3rd month I started to see results, instead of gasping for air in triangle pose I noticed I wasn't breathing as hard and I could feel the energy building rather than feeling tired. I also noticed that if I went day after day, I didn't get sore...I could go deeper into the poses because I didn't let the lactic acid settle in my muscles (I used to do a lot of free weights so I had to reset myself to the yoga mindset) I am so much more flexible now than when I first started, and I owe that both to the heat and to the regimine of the postures. I am a goal oriented person, I need to see improvement or else I get bored. Very unyogi like, but lets face facts...I am a beginner to yoga and I need the process, it takes time to build something...I've noticed that I see the most improvement (by that I mean how well I can hold the poses or get deeper into the so called ideal) if I practice at least 4 days a week...otherwise if I go less it seems like I am just warming up to the place I left at the last class...the more I practice the better and better I get (I actually think that in class sometimes when it's really hot, and I am being pressed to my edge by the instructor) . I used to to ask, what other things can I do to go deeper into the poses...but really all it takes is just practice. I was a gymnast in highschool, not a great one, but we had a saying...perfect practice makes perfect...In Bikram yoga if you practice the right way, which is the way they tell you in the dialogue, you'll get better it's really as simple as that. I had a lot of breakouts when I first started too, it's a lot better now but I can always tell when I am getting ready for a big release because I'll get breakouts just before...I just drink more water, take my flower essences and keep going.
As for inspiration, I went to the Bishnu Ghosh cup in LA in February...I got to compete in it, and even though I couldn't lock my leg in standing bow pose or do a very good rabbit posture...everyone there was so nice and supportive...the energy and sense of community was amazing. It's not really about the competition as much as it's a gathering of people who love yoga. I'm not afraid to say I am a beginner, nor ashamed that my practice isn't as beautiful as someone who's practiced longer--it was incredible to see that the ideal posture truly was possible...I saw people doing it with my own eyes, and it has made my practice so much better because I know what I am shooting for in class. They flew in a 12 year old girl from India, and she could do all of the hard postures I've ever seen in the magazines and she just went one right into the other...it was absolutely amazing, the crowd was awestruck...How much healthier would Americans be if they were exposed to more yoga at a young age like that little girl? It was humbling and amazing all at the same time.
I think yoga should be an olympic sport, but the only way that is going to happen is when people start seeing that it is both interesting and athletic...the olympics is a competition too, but it is so much more than that...it's bringing people together. I also like the fact that its the one sport I can do for the rest of my life...how many other sports can you start at 34 and still have years to get better ? Yoga is helping me heal the damage all the other sports I've done have done to my body...and helping my posture and alignment...one day at a time...
Good luck, stick to it... (I just started a 100 day challenge at our studio....only 83 to go...lol)
