Hot Yoga

[WestieMomma]

I love Bikram. Unfortunately I haven't been in several months but I want to start going again in Jan. I was going at least 3 times a week before. It is not easy but it does get easier and you feel so awesome when the class is over!

[JuliaK]

I was thinking about this thread today. I went for the 1st time in a month and I try so hard not to get discouraged during class. My balance is awful. I can twist myself into a pretzel but as soon as that one leg comes off the ground, I start teetering. I still love the class. I love that "I did it" feeling afterwards. I keep promising myself that I'll eat right, get a great night's sleep, drink buckets of water, and then go to class because I know I would do so much better but it hasn't happened yet. I can't wait until I can get to class regularly though.

Good luck on your marathon Sporty!!!!

[artist]

What exactly is "hot" yoga?

[JuliaK]

http://www.bikramyoga.com/

Basically, we go through a number of postures, stretches, and breathing exercises in a heated room. Kinda like yoga in a sauna.

[Belm]

Last month I finished up my 200 hour Yoga Alliance Certification. I teach at a hot studio and have been practicing in a hot studio for over a year (at least 3 or 4 times a week). I love doing Bikhram, but only the owner of our studio has been through Bikrham’s training – so, she is the only one that can teach it. Since I'm not Bikhram trained, I can't teach his series.

Artist Hot yoga is yoga that is done in a room that is about 95-105 degrees. Bikhram popularized this style of yoga, but not all hot yoga is the specific Bikhram series (which is a copyrighted 26 postures).

By being in a hot room, you are really allowing your body to be in a place where you can stretch/get into the pose deeper than you could in a "cold" room.

JuliaK Don't get discouraged about balance. Balance is the hardest thing to get in yoga. You just need to be patient with yourself and also make sure that you aren't drinking a lot of caffeine before your practice.

[mia's mama]

Bump!
Belm- I see that you are pregnant- do you still practice Yoga? I have recently gotten back into hot yoga (I used to practice Bikram yoga ...but it's been about 6 years). We are thinking of TTC again in a few months, but don't want to give it up! I have read that hot yoga while pg is a no-no (b/c of the elevated body temp), but there was a woman in my Bikram studio who was still attending class in her 8th month...what are your thoughts?

[j*east]

Bump!
Belm- I see that you are pregnant- do you still practice Yoga? I have recently gotten back into hot yoga (I used to practice Bikram yoga ...but it's been about 6 years). We are thinking of TTC again in a few months, but don't want to give it up! I have read that hot yoga while pg is a no-no (b/c of the elevated body temp), but there was a woman in my Bikram studio who was still attending class in her 8th month...what are your thoughts?

I'm not Belm, but I am PG and an experienced yoga student...there is absolutely no way I would do hot yoga now, because I'm pretty warm all the time anyway, and I think it'd be really uncomfortable and ultimately unsafe. Everyone is different though. I would definitely avoid it in the first tri at a minimum b/c an elevated body temp can threaten your pregnancy more at that time.

If you google "hot yoga" + pregnancy, you'll see a lot of talk about it, mostly people saying to avoid it, or to check that your core temp does not exceed 101 degrees while doing it.

[Belm]

I feel the same way - I do not recommend it for pregnant women - even if they are experienced yogis. I was teaching Hot Yoga (the walk and talk method of teaching) and stopped at 11 weeks because I just felt it was getting too much. It's the same principle as a hot tub - while it feels great to be in there, it is raising up your body temp and "cooking" the baby. It's just one more risk that you and your baby don't need when there are so many other types of yoga practice out there.

Right now I'm taking about 2 yoga classes - not prenatal at a jivamukti studio and doing a lot of postures/practice on my own. I would be taking a lot more, but where we now live the closest yoga studio is 40 minutes away.

[mia's mama]

Thanks Belm and j*east- that's what I thought, but wanted to double check...My studio doesn't offer prenatal classes (and offers only 2 classes/week that arn't at least warm-95)- they do however have some pilates classes in another (unheated) room that look pretty good...maybe when the time comes I'll switch to those.

[JuliaK]

It's a little late, but the first time I ever heard about Bikram was while watching an episode of A Baby Story. She was in her 9th month and still doing it. I was 9 months also and I remember thinking she was nucking futs. I wouldn't do it personally. Maybe you can do just the Hatha yoga but in a slightly warmer room?