My client Rachel and I attended an "all levels 90 minute Hot Vinyassa" yoga class at New York Hot yoga Monday night and we starting comparing our personal experiences with the different styles of hot yoga.
this blog will share our opinions regarding the differences of Birkim vs. Hot yoga.
Bikrim yoga- 80-105 degrees
Bikram Choudhury is the creator of Bikrim yoga. His method of Hot Yoga is a set series of 26 yoga poses in a structured sequence. Each exercise is performed twice in a 90 minute class. The contriversy is that choudhury didn't want anyone to call yoga in a heated room "bikrim" unless they were certified by him, thus the "hot yoga title" came about.
Bikram Choudhury is the creator of Bikrim yoga. His method of Hot Yoga is a set series of 26 yoga poses in a structured sequence. Each exercise is performed twice in a 90 minute class. The contriversy is that choudhury didn't want anyone to call yoga in a heated room "bikrim" unless they were certified by him, thus the "hot yoga title" came about.
Hot yoga: done in room 95-100 degress based off a hatha sequence
I first started doing traditional yoga in a nonheated room, but 2 years ago I decided to take yoga to a new "heated" level I first tried bikrim and loved it. Years later I tried hot yoga which is my new favorite type of yoga. Hot yoga is not the same sequence every time unlike its counterpart bikrim. Different styles like "vinyassa," "power" and "yoga basics" are styles practiced in a hot room. This adds varitey and a challenge which I enjoy.
Bikrims premeditated sequence can be limiting because there is little progression. I like bikrim, but after a while I want different poses and new sequences. Hot yoga offers me a new way to challenge my body with different sequences, but we always do similar movements like twists, inversions, backbends, forward bends and hip-openers.
Rachel shares her experience and love for Bikrim yoga:
"Based on my one hot yoga experience, and having done bikram 2-3 times a week for the past 5 months, I think Bikram is a lot harder...probably because you are asked to hold the poses for much longer. It may also be because I have finally learned to do the bikram poses correctly, which means I'm probably working harder. The teacher had to come by repeatedly to correct my form in hot yoga because I'm a novice at that. hot yoga had much more "flow" to it than bikram (which I don't think has any) it was refreshing to explore the different options available for each pose in hot yoga, something that seems to be strictly forbidden in bikram yoga, which are a series of 26 poses that must be done in the same order and in a precise manner. That said, I like knowing what's coming up next in bikram. I typically like the element of surprise when I workout, but not for yoga, when the room is 105 degrees.
Lastly, Bikram does not allow you to leave the room once class has started, which may pose a problem for some. Personally, I think there's something to be said for starting and finishing together, uninterrupted.
Both classes involved lots of stretching, which I LOVE, but hot yoga probably had more.
Both classes made me feel so much better emotionally once class was over. Both classes provide a good workout (woke up feeling sore from hot yoga from all of the cobra poses, which equates to tons of push-ups, and my hamstrings seemed to have worked out too)
At the end of the day, I prefer Bikram, however would recommend hot yoga for those who don't want to do the same poses all of the time, and those who are not accustomed to doing yoga in a heated room. I think hot yoga may pose a challenge for people with wrist injuries as you are constantly doing cobra poses and downward facing dog, which put a lot of pressure on my carpel tunneled wrists..and because you are flowing, I found it tough to do modifications for these two poses as it would have broken my flow."
Bottom line: try something that interests you. You make the choice. Many studios offer free classes for first timers.
Lastly, Bikram does not allow you to leave the room once class has started, which may pose a problem for some. Personally, I think there's something to be said for starting and finishing together, uninterrupted.
Both classes involved lots of stretching, which I LOVE, but hot yoga probably had more.
Both classes made me feel so much better emotionally once class was over. Both classes provide a good workout (woke up feeling sore from hot yoga from all of the cobra poses, which equates to tons of push-ups, and my hamstrings seemed to have worked out too)
At the end of the day, I prefer Bikram, however would recommend hot yoga for those who don't want to do the same poses all of the time, and those who are not accustomed to doing yoga in a heated room. I think hot yoga may pose a challenge for people with wrist injuries as you are constantly doing cobra poses and downward facing dog, which put a lot of pressure on my carpel tunneled wrists..and because you are flowing, I found it tough to do modifications for these two poses as it would have broken my flow."
Bottom line: try something that interests you. You make the choice. Many studios offer free classes for first timers.
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