Yoga in all its variants seems to be going through a period of popularity unheard of since the 70s. Regular practices with your every day asanas are a thing of the past, and more interesting or hardcore additions are in fashion. Examples of this are the increasingly popular Goat Yoga, or our more tame choice: Bikram Yoga.
What Is Bikram Yoga?
Bikram is a yoga variety that is practiced at 35-42 degrees. Each class usually lasts 90 minutes, during which 26 poses or asanas are performed. Apart from the heat, humidity is also a very important factor, and every classroom should be acclimatized to provide a 40% humidity environment for the students.
The 26 asanas are planned so that everybody increases their flexibility, strength and blood circulation. But Bikram might help you with many other ailments. Now, what exactly is Bikram good for?
Skin
The heat increases your blood circulation, so that your skin is flushed and fresh, while the humidity prevents dryness. And of course, the constant sweating thanks to those lovely 40 degrees helps you detox, keeping the nasties in your skin well out!
Pregnancy
Some women might be concerned about the positions and the conditions during pregnancy, but with just a couple of little modifications for a handful of asanas you can enjoy a superb Bikram yoga practice while pregnant! The heat helps fight bad circulation, as well as bloating, and an improved elasticity will potentially make labour easier.
Depression
A study carried out in San Francisco showed that hot yoga decreased anxiety, especially for women in their 20s and 30s. Undoubtedly exercise increases our endorphins and calms our mind, and even more so with Bikram yoga, since the heat and meditation takes the whole experience to a new level.
Weight Loss
Another study on yoga practice has found out that people practicing hot yoga two times a week during an interval of eight weeks ceased their emotional eating and felt in general less anxious around food. That combined with the improvement on their core strength and the constant detoxing could do wonders if you’re trying to loose weight.
But in truth the most important benefit from Bikram, or any yoga practice, is that it strengthens the connection between our minds and our bodies, so that whatever shape you are, you are happy and have a healthy relationship with yourself! Give this wonderful discipline a try, explore your ENTERTAINER UK app for a variety of venues and class discounts!
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