Mind, body and soul are the three aspects that make up the holy trinity of spirituality. Many people spend their whole lives looking to attain even one of these three and the primary practice of people wishing to get the point where these three things marry up is yoga, and a particular form that has gained notoriety is Bikram Yoga.
The inventor of this controversial form of yoga is Bikram Choudrey, an ex-All-India Yoga Champion who remained undefeated until his retirement from the competition. Having practised yoga since he was four, he has dedicated his life to it and has established himself as a prominent character on the scene - his much-talked about technique is the reason why.
The premise of hot yoga is simply practising it in a room of a raised temperature. Choudrey recommends the humidity to be 40% and the temperature at 105 degrees. This affects the three aspects of spirituality in striking ways. Physically speaking, the heightened temperature allows the muscles to be more relaxed which not only helps stretch and attain poses but also reduces the risk of injury to the muscles being used. The twenty-six moves and two breathing exercises are designed specifically to maximise oxygenation and are set in a particular order which enables the body to prepare itself for the next pose. Many sportsmen have now adopted an otherwise a fairly bohemian practice due to the effect is has had on their muscles post-performance. Andy Murray has cited Bikram as a real test to his physical ability saying, '"Until you do it you can't comment on how difficult it is. It's tough. It's ugly." The heat, while being beneficial to the muscles, has been said to be tough on the mind.
There have been many noted health risks to exercising like this in such a high temperature, including nausea, dizziness and fainting. All this and dehydration from sweating can cause heatstroke so it is not for those who can't bear the heat, and certainly not for anyone with high blood pressure or heart problems. Even though there are some negatives, the positive effects on how you feel during and after sessions are pretty hard to ignore.
Bikram's scientifically designed programme is aimed at primarily allowing the muscles to relax, which allows for the prevention of injuries and is said to have an almost regenerating effect. One pioneer of Bikram is Michele Pernetta, who is credited as bringing this form of yoga to Great Britain. He says of this regenerating factor, "Most sports have long-term effects but yoga is the science of putting the body back to the way it's supposed to be." A ninety minute session contains two breathing exercises and twenty six poses to be done in a particular order which maximises flexibility; it is frequently practised by dancers for this effect.
Bikram Yoga is seen to be mainly about the physical side of yoga rather than some of the more popular ideas of spirituality and unity. Bikram Choudrey speaks contrarily to this and is an avid supporter and indeed champion of competitive yoga. He says - Competition is the foundation for all democratic societies. For without competition, there is no democracy. Perhaps he has taken this saying into his personal life as well; he has filed numerous lawsuits in the United States for copyright infringement and the unlawful use of his technique. He is seen as a rather strange character in the world of yoga, but the pioneering effect his theory is having on people is undeniable.
Bikram's technique is now so well known in the west it's being practiced by Lady Gaga, David Beckham and Ashton Kutcher among others. It seems to be a craze that won't let up and perhaps that's a good thing. Anything that can relax and calm us down at the end of the day is a good thing, but why always take it easy? Why not turn up the heat and face a challenge? Perhaps it's not for everybody but it's being talked about everywhere in the yoga world and it seems to be catching on!
The inventor of this controversial form of yoga is Bikram Choudrey, an ex-All-India Yoga Champion who remained undefeated until his retirement from the competition. Having practised yoga since he was four, he has dedicated his life to it and has established himself as a prominent character on the scene - his much-talked about technique is the reason why.
The premise of hot yoga is simply practising it in a room of a raised temperature. Choudrey recommends the humidity to be 40% and the temperature at 105 degrees. This affects the three aspects of spirituality in striking ways. Physically speaking, the heightened temperature allows the muscles to be more relaxed which not only helps stretch and attain poses but also reduces the risk of injury to the muscles being used. The twenty-six moves and two breathing exercises are designed specifically to maximise oxygenation and are set in a particular order which enables the body to prepare itself for the next pose. Many sportsmen have now adopted an otherwise a fairly bohemian practice due to the effect is has had on their muscles post-performance. Andy Murray has cited Bikram as a real test to his physical ability saying, '"Until you do it you can't comment on how difficult it is. It's tough. It's ugly." The heat, while being beneficial to the muscles, has been said to be tough on the mind.
There have been many noted health risks to exercising like this in such a high temperature, including nausea, dizziness and fainting. All this and dehydration from sweating can cause heatstroke so it is not for those who can't bear the heat, and certainly not for anyone with high blood pressure or heart problems. Even though there are some negatives, the positive effects on how you feel during and after sessions are pretty hard to ignore.
Bikram's scientifically designed programme is aimed at primarily allowing the muscles to relax, which allows for the prevention of injuries and is said to have an almost regenerating effect. One pioneer of Bikram is Michele Pernetta, who is credited as bringing this form of yoga to Great Britain. He says of this regenerating factor, "Most sports have long-term effects but yoga is the science of putting the body back to the way it's supposed to be." A ninety minute session contains two breathing exercises and twenty six poses to be done in a particular order which maximises flexibility; it is frequently practised by dancers for this effect.
Bikram Yoga is seen to be mainly about the physical side of yoga rather than some of the more popular ideas of spirituality and unity. Bikram Choudrey speaks contrarily to this and is an avid supporter and indeed champion of competitive yoga. He says - Competition is the foundation for all democratic societies. For without competition, there is no democracy. Perhaps he has taken this saying into his personal life as well; he has filed numerous lawsuits in the United States for copyright infringement and the unlawful use of his technique. He is seen as a rather strange character in the world of yoga, but the pioneering effect his theory is having on people is undeniable.
Bikram's technique is now so well known in the west it's being practiced by Lady Gaga, David Beckham and Ashton Kutcher among others. It seems to be a craze that won't let up and perhaps that's a good thing. Anything that can relax and calm us down at the end of the day is a good thing, but why always take it easy? Why not turn up the heat and face a challenge? Perhaps it's not for everybody but it's being talked about everywhere in the yoga world and it seems to be catching on!
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