Bikram Yoga - A Beginner's Guide

What is Bikram Yoga?
Bikram Yoga is a series of 26 postures over 90 minutes in a studio heated to 40 degrees celsius. Each posture is designed to specifically target certain muscles and nerves or flush oxygen to an area to benefit your body and mind.

My first Bikram Yoga experience
I learnt all of the Bikram Yoga "Don'ts" in my first class!
I drank 0 water throughout the day, in fact the only liquid I had taken throughout the day was a coffee. I wore cotton leggings and a cotton head sweatband. And worst of all, I let my mind take over when I began to struggle with the heat and dehydration. I only made it through the 15 minute warm-up before needing to lie down. My fingers and toes began tingling due to the extreme dehydration. I wanted to leave the room and all I could think of is "When will this be over?". My instructor at North West Bikram Yoga talked me through what was happening and gave me Hydralite to rehydrate. I (just) made it through the 90 minute class then went home, showered, and went to bed thinking I will never do Bikram again.

My friend talked me into going again a few days later and, for her, I gave it another chance. I drank more water before class, wore appropriate clothing and went in with more determination than my first visit. After a few classes, my friend stopped going but I continued. I started going 2-3 times a week and before long I was hooked. I'm not much of a gym-junkie and I really need an instructor to tell me what to do (otherwise exercise just isn't going to happen) so it's a great way for me to stay fit and challenge myself. Apart from fitness, Bikram has become my 90 minutes of me-time. 90 minutes of mindfulness meditation. When I went through a hard-time in my life two years ago, I so looked forward to those 90 minutes every Tuesday and Thursday. 90 minutes where all I could focus on was the poses and my breath. It helped me be completely present and brought much needed clarity when I needed it the most.

There are still poses that I struggle with and there are good days and bad days. Every class is different. It's all part of the journey. And more often than not, it's not all about the destination.

Benefits of Bikram Yoga
- Weight loss
- Improved posture
- Detoxification
- Improved toning and strength
- Improved flexibility
- Mindfulness
- Stress relief

My Top 5 Tips for beginner Yogis
1. Stay hydrated. Drink 2-3 litres of water throughout the day before class. Gulping down water right before class won't help as water takes at least 2 hours to absorb into the body.
2. Take cool to room temperature water into class. Drinking ice-cold water while in a 40+ degree room will only be a shock to your organs.
3. Wear waterproof, breathable fabric. Nothing is worse than cotton leggings sticking to your body in the humidity.
4. Be patient with yourself. Some poses can take years to master.
5. Breathe and listen to your body.

Have you tried Bikram Yoga? Have you ever prepped for a class as poorly as I did?

Namaste