Why the heat?

What to Bring for my First Class?
Bring your own mat, towel, water bottle, and a change of clothes for post-sweat comfort.

 

 

What should I Wear?

Wear breathable, comfortable clothing that you can stretch and sweat in. Sports tops and shorts are the most comfortable; Avoid pants and long sleeves. Please refrain from wearing perfume, scented oils and lotions. Please remove footwear before entering the yoga room. Shoes and socks are not to be worn in the yoga room.

 

Is Yoga for Everyone?
Absolutely!  Bikram yoga is for all ages and all body types. It is designed for beginners and advanced students alike. You do not need any yoga experience; a highly-trained certified instructor will guide you the entire way. No one will judge you and there's no reason to feel self conscious. Most likely everyone will applaud you at the end of class for trying. Every student remembers what it was like as a beginner!

H2O Intake before/during Class?
Being hydrated means having sufficient water and minerals to help your body operate properly. We need both water and certain minerals (sodium, magnesium, and potassium) in sufficient quantity. Unfortunately, most people walk around mildly dehydrated all the time in normal life!  Dehydration can cause headaches, dizziness, fatigue, skin problems, digestive issues, mild depressive symptoms, and generally reduced or sub-optimal health.

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To avoid this, make sure to start hydrating the night before your class, and throughout your day, not just immediately before or after class.  The more hydrated you are, the most comfortable your practice is and the less water you need to drink during class. Furthermore, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.  If you can’t do that (or need an additional boost,) make sure your hydration includes electrolytes.  Electrolytes are salts and minerals that can be lost during profuse sweating, and symptoms that your body needs more include dizziness, headache, cramping, and fatigue.

If you are starting Bikram Yoga, practicing daily, or returning after a break, increasing your electrolyte intake can be THE key to feeling good during and after your practice!  If you need some while you are in the studio, you can purchase electrolyte powder, coconut water, and Himalayan pink salt.

Heat Levels in Classes? 

Our room is heated to 105 degrees for 26&2: Level 1 Hot Yoga, using our infrared sauna heating panels.  The temperature is slightly lowered for the e84: Level 2 and 84 Asanas: Level 3 classes, since we are working so deeply in the body and generating more internal fire.

 

Why do we do the same postures every time?
Never fear, you won’t get bored! While the sequence of postures and breathing exercises are always the same, you will find your practice is different every day. We keep it consistent for these reasons: mastery, concentration, meditation, and self-realization.

 

• Mastery: As a beginner, not having to anticipate what will come next helps create a shorter learning curve. The repetition helps you to see progress in posture accuracy and depth, and to measure how much your mind & body improve with a consistent practice. Mastery of anything creates the possibility of skillful living.

• Concentration: Concentration is more available when there is not constant change and surprise. No distractions!

• Meditation: The practice may appear to be just physical activity, yet it is also a form of moving meditation. Especially in coordination with our dialogue (the words we use to teach), the repetition of the series deepens your ability to concentrate on the present action and frees us from the overthinking, overanxious part of our brains.

• Self-Realization: Over time you start to see your habitual reactions and, as a result, to dissolve them. You learn that your experience is created by you, not by what is external. You observe your development under the microscope of the repeated postures and sequence. By building this awareness of your thoughts and emotions and how they change over time, you develop insight.

 

All of this is eventually taken from the yoga mat into life, as you become able to target your deeper levels of self and harness your full power.

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Why is the class so long?
Bikram Yoga is a prescription for health, and it doesn’t work “a la carte.” Just like you wouldn’t take half of your antibiotics, you can’t pick the parts you like or take a shortcut and get the same benefits. The things that get cut to make the class shorter, and “save you time” are usually:

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• Savasana:  allows your body to reset and your mind to meditate.

• The 2nd set:  the 1st set is diagnostic, where you’re figuring out what to do and how to do it. In the 2nd set, after you’ve made more space in your body, you can go a little deeper and gain the maximum therapeutic benefit.

 

In the end, what you save in time with shorter asana practice, you ultimately lose in health. As we often say, would you like to suffer for 90 minutes, or 90 years?  The time you spend in class is an investment in the quality of your life, and the 90-minutes Bikram Yoga system has been designed and proven to transform your body, your life, and your world.

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What if I am not flexible?
You’re in the right place!  Saying you’re too stiff to do yoga is like saying you’re too dirty to take a bath.  If you are stiff, Bikram Yoga will be especially helpful.  The heat helps you relax your muscles and ligaments, making it easier to stretch and bend.  Over time, through consistent Bikram Yoga, you will develop the ideal balance of strength and flexibility.  Important Note: it’s also not good to be too flexible! Too much of either strength or flexibility causes problems, which is why Bikram Yoga uses both to bring you back to the balance you need!  There are no prerequisites to practicing Bikram Yoga.  Just do the postures the right way, using what strength and flexibility you have, and you will get what you need.

 

Ideal Practice Frequency?
A simple formula is:  5 classes per week is recommended to make big changes in your mind, body, and spirit; 3 classes per week to make gradual change; 2 classes per week is the minimum to sustain your practice.

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It all depends on how *amazing* you’d like to feel!  For optimal results, we recommend you practice at least twice a week.  Less often still helps (regular commitment is more important than frequent commitment), but the benefits are not as quick or complete.  Especially starting your practice, the more often you are able to practice, the more quickly you will adapt to the heat and see progress.  It is also helpful to increase your “dosage” if you are healing from an injury.  Many of our long-term practitioners even choose to practice 5-6 times per week; once a year, we like to try a 60 Day Challenge to skyrocket our evolution and growth.

 

What if I feel overwhelmed or sick during class?
This class is intended to stimulate your body and mind so it’s completely normal to feel a bit dizzy, nauseous, or light-headed when you begin, or return after having a break.  Good!  Something is definitely happening!  These sensations are information from your body – stay present to what it is communicating and respect it’s messages.  If you need to at any point, stand still and breathe or sit down and breathe.  In the floor series, rest in savasana and breathe.  Notice the theme?  Do less, breathe more. Most of the time, one of these will help the sensations pass.  If not, and you need help, alert the teacher.  We have all been there!  Remember, too, that the purpose of your yoga is not to have perfect postures; the purpose of yoga is to improve the quality of your life, and that begins by connecting with yourself.  Finally, set yourself up for success: before your next class, make sure you are well hydrated and have sufficient nutrition.

 

Should I practice Bikram Yoga if I am injured?
If you have a severe, acute injury, rest for a few days.  Then, it is time to let the healing begin!  Bikram Yoga was designed to restore your body to full & proper function – so it is even more important when you are injured or in pain to come practice!
Here’s the key: practice more often, and do less.  When you practice, don’t push past pain.  If a posture is painful, do a step less. Show yourself compassion.  Your job will be to be consistent and super patient.  You should be able to maintain every posture in stillness, with breathing normal, even if it’s 1% of the depth.  The more often you can practice, the more you will stimulate your body’s own natural, powerful healing mechanisms.

 

When should I not practice Bikram Yoga?

• If you’re sick. (Practice at home, even just the floor series.)

• If you’re under the influence of alcohol, plant medicines, painkillers, or drugs.

• During the acute phase of injury.

• Within two hours of eating a big meal. Instead, practice later, once your body has had the chance to digest.

• Practice with caution if you are newly pregnant, fasting, just given blood, or dealing with an eating disorder.

• We recommend wombyn skipping practice on the first two days of their moon cycle, to rest the body and receive as much nourishment as possible during this time.