"About seven years ago my friend told me what a deep and awesome yoga series Bikram Yoga was for her; I had heard about Bikram before, but seeing her enthusiasm really sparked my interest. When I finally made the decision to go, I really went because I wanted to heal my spine from a car accident and in general I wanted to develop a more healthy lifestyle. I hoped to lose body fat, and build muscle and bone strength. I wanted to quit smoking. I knew that if anything would help any combination of these things, it would be reintroducing a yoga practice into my life. I had practiced Ashtanga yoga, years prior to trying Bikram and my car accident, and I was looking to try something new. My regular practice has helped me achieve all of these goals! I once suffered from three bulging discs in my lumbar spine. My bulging disks often became inflamed in other exercises she tried, and through the warmth of the heat and the progressive backward bending and aligning postures of the Bikram yoga series, I no longer have any bulging discs or discomfort in my back. "I lost close to 30 lbs that I took on after my car accident and struggled to lose before. I began to have strength and definition in parts of my body that had previously felt static. I also quit smoking. My regular practice has helped me achieve all of the goals I started with, but has moreso helped me realize that by making it an integral part of my life it helps me in many more ways! "My yoga practice has become my catalyst to overcome whatever it is that I need to work out, literally or figuratively, each day. It's amazing how the same series of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises remains consistent, but my experience changes daily based on the external energy I bring in from outside of the hot room. "Besides the obvious physical benefits, I've also been most grateful for the spiritual, mental, and emotional growth that has come by integrating my Bikram yoga practice into my life. By embracing the uncomfortable obstacles I encounter in the hot room (the heat, my stiffness, distractions, the sweat!) I find I have great strength to take on challenges I meet outside of the hot room. Simply put: practicing this series makes me a better human! "The thing that continues to amaze me most is the reassurance I gain from the practice that BIG things are possible: that if you apply action, with patience and intention, and the willingness to fail, and try again, that anything is possible. "I am preparing to go to Bikram's Teacher Training this fall, and I am so excited! By becoming a Bikram Yoga teacher I will be able to inspire and help others heal themselves through this yoga. I want to study and know in depth the science and meaning behind every bit of the dialogue. I want to deepen my personal practice. I want to dedicate myself to Bikram yoga for life. It has improved my life so much for the better and it's time to share it with others!"
0 Comments
It's gearing up to be ridiculous here in Portland. The city is setting up "cooling stations," and we are pretty tickled that the temperature outside will actually be hotter than inside our hot room! Practicing Bikram yoga under especially steamy conditions takes a bit of extra attention and planning, so check out these tips for summer self-care- then come on in and cool down a bit (for a change!) 5 Tips for Bikram Yoga in the Summer
"I started Bikram yoga in Grapevine, Texas in June of 2015 with the 30-day challenge. I had herniated my L5 disc in my back and was in physical therapy for 6 months with no real results for the pain. A friend recommended Bikram hot yoga. Though painfully wonderful the first 30 days, the pain subsided and I began to recover. "In 2016 during a regular physical exam (after I had paused from Bikram yoga for about 9 months) the doctor informed me I had high blood pressure. He wanted to evaluate after 30 days with a recommendation of lower salt intake, weight loss and more exercise. I told him I was going to return to Bikram yoga and see if I could resolve the blood pressure issue. The following results speak for themselves: "My goals were: Lower Blood pressure (Achieved); Lose Weight 210 lbs (Close!); Heart Beat in lowest level for my age (Achieved); No prescriptions (Achieved); No alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, caffeine (Achieved); Low daily sugar 23g per day; Fun every day! (Achieved) September 12, 2016 BP 152/105 Heart Beat Per Minute 65 Weight 225 --> 30 days later! BP 116/72 Heart Beat Per Minute 51 Weight 211.6 "When I returned for my follow-up, my doctor was shocked that these results were achieved within 30 days of my September exam. He asked me how I did it. My response was: Bikram hot yoga, 3-4 times a week. Bikram hot yoga has now been added to my normal routine and I am convinced it has cured my ailments and redefined my body, mind and soul! Bikram hot yoga should be a required prescription in our medical system, for the results are stunning and life-long." “My first Bikram yoga class was in New York City about 16 years ago when a friend invited me to share in her new obsession. One day after work I jumped on the subway and made my way downtown to Chambers Street with just enough time before class to chug a Starbucks latte… I didn’t know anything about this hot yoga! Halfway through the standing series I ran out of the room and threw up in an aptly placed trashcan by the studio door. “It took me a couple of years to gather the courage to go back, and this time I knew how to better prepare for class. I came hydrated, went to find peace and some relief from the stress NYC provided with unlimited generosity. I walked into class angry, grumpy, tired and walked out of class serene and sweaty: I was hooked! “For me, Bikram yoga is primarily my mental health medicine. Sure, it keeps me toned and focused on healthy eating, but what it really does is reorganize my energy and keep my brain and body in balanced, optimal working order. One class solves a design problem, another class offers forgiveness or releases sadness, some classes cultivate joy or compassion, or sometimes it’s just the sweat that washes away the day. “Recently I was surprised to receive physical healing for my body. This is what most people proclaim as their primary benefit! But, because I’ve never had injuries, I didn’t seek yoga to heal my physical body. This past winter (probably from the stress of driving in that dangerous winter weather) I experienced great sciatic pain. The pain disturbed my sleep, distracted my work, and was overall exhausting. During my 30-day-yoga-challenge, I worked through the pain, gently stretched the sciatic nerve, and used the meditation of class to help relax the spasms of muscles surrounding the nerve. The pain has gone away! This past spring I ‘threw my back out’ from sitting in a 3-day conference. I could hardly move I was in so much pain. I came to yoga every day for a week and each day the pain was reduced and my range of motion was increased. “What is magical is how Bikram yoga gives me what I need each class. Each day is different. Bikram yoga is unconditional in offerings and I am always finding more ways to appreciate and learn from my practice. As teacher Bill says: “You are your best teacher!” Using Bikram yoga to feel better requires that I listen carefully to how my body speaks to me. I am learning how and when I can be my own healer, or to work in concert with other modalities of healing. “Here at Bikram Yoga St. Johns, we are all part of a community of positivity and joy! This studio is unlike any other studio I have practiced in. Here we are all equal, all included, we are all working together to be our better self, we are open, vulnerable and strong together. Being part of this community is one of the most special gifts I have received this year and I thank you all for being here with me! See you in the hot room soon.” BONUS: Charlotte is our cuurent featured artist at the studio! Check out her colorful, joyful prints on your way to the yoga room today... Well. The sun is (indeed, finally) on it's way home to Portland and (probably!) here to stay for a while... Especially after the long winter we've had, it can be tempting to let summer's adventures take the place of your indoor sweat sessions. But! Stepping up your practice specifically during the warmer months can actually help you maximize enjoyment of everything you do this summer. Here are just 4 ways how:
Now that you're super pumped to stick with your Bikram yoga routine this summer, we've got just the thing to keep you on track: the BYSJ Summer Challenge! Find out details here... I had been working construction over 25 years when in 2009 I fell off a 2-story building. I shattered my coccyx and herniated 3 discs in my spine. I was looking for pain relief of both cystic nerves being cut off, and I wanted something other than pills. That's how I found Bikram yoga. Eventually I did have 3 back surgeries to fix my spine. I used the yoga as my physical therapy throughout the process. The first benefit I experienced was to finally sleep all night without my back pains waking me. In fact, the surgeon watching my progress now sends his patients to Bikram yoga as a result of what he saw in me! Pretty cool. The surgeon said I could not even think of working for at least 12 to 18 months after surgery. But 10 months after my last surgery I was in the hot room almost every day, just doing the best I could. By this time I knew very well what this yoga could do, and I wanted to share it with as many people as possible. I attended Bikram Yoga Teacher Training in California and graduated in Fall 2011. Since then I have been a resident of the Pacific Northwest in the summers and a traveling teacher in winters ever since. I firmly believe in the healing power of our yoga. It's not a quick fix, but with consistent practice it works. And I don't mean only healing physically- but mentally and emotionally, as well. I know firsthand the results for the body are more important in the practice than how deep into a posture one can get. I mean, my first backbend was literally being able to stand up straight! When teaching, I like to focus on the moving meditation of our practice, proper form, stillness in and in between postures and the breath. Because that's what really matters. Where we start is not important. What is important is just to start and let the yoga prove itself to you as it has for so many others. Don't miss Bill's class this summer at Bikram Yoga St. Johns! Check out his teaching schedule here. Full Locust pose can often feel like one of the most difficult postures to improve. It's challenging because it is the only posture where you don't get to use any leverage against the floor or another body part to cause your muscle contraction- you just have to go for it using your 100% strength and will power! Don't discourage if you don't feel like you are getting very high: you are getting plenty of benefits simply by doing your best in this seemingly simple pose...
Full Locust strengthens the middle back (thoracic spine) helping to improve posture and prevent or relieve lumbago, arthritis symptoms and cervical spondylosis. It is effective at strengthening and toning the muscles of the back, hips, buttocks and legs. It massages abdominal organs, stimulating digestion and helping to alleviate menstrual problems, too. All that, in only 10-20 seconds! Be sure to come to class at least 3 times a week and practice Full Locust pose (and the rest of the Bikram yoga series) for maximum therapeutic results so you can enjoy your life to the fullest! "I decided to try Bikram yoga because I had recently gone through a challenging time in my life and my good friend, a Bikram yoga instructor, told me that Bikram yoga could help me get through it- emotionally. What she didn't know was that it was going to also dramatically help me physically, too. My first Bikram yoga class ever was on February 23rd, 2017, at BYSJ. I tried other yoga classes about 10 years ago, but they hurt my back so I didn't continue. (I have a deteriorated disc in my back between L4 and L5 from a construction injury in 1998.) Until 1998, I had worked in the field in construction as an equipment operator and a foreman. When I injured my back, it forced me out of the trades and I became a project manager. Ever since then, I have tried various treatments to help reduce the pain and increase my back's physical capacity. I did physical therapy, deep massage, chiropractic treatments, acupuncture, back braces, ice packs, hot packs, and lots of pain medication. Through all these years and treatments I don't remember ever sleeping more than a couple hours without flipping from side to side because staying in one position for too long hurt too much and would wake me up. In 2012, I got in to see a back surgeon, and after performing an MRI, CAT scan, and a discogram, the diagnosis included disc degeneration, arthritis, bone spurs, and bone fractures. It was recommended that I get my L4 and L5 vertebrae fused together, because the disc between them had 0% containment of the dye during the discogram (basically there is no disc there at all!) and the entire area around it showed signs of arthritis setting in. I thought about it for a week, and then decided that I couldn't afford to take off that much work (6 month recover time), so I would go on as long as I could before having the surgery... I got used to living with pain, using plenty of ibuprofen daily to keep it tolerable. When I went to my first Bikram yoga class, I was nervous and expected it to render me somewhat useless the next day, as many other physical activities could- but to my greatest surprise it did the opposite. During class, I was shocked that I was able to bend my back in every direction without it immediately hurting, and then after class I was waiting for the muscle craps in my lower back to kick-in, but they never came. I was exhausted from the class, so I laid down on my back in bed expecting to turn over on my side after 15 minutes, and woke up 7 hours later in the same position- without budging an inch all night. This has never happened to me before. Here is the exact text message that I sent my instructor friend the morning after, at 8:48 am: "OMG- I feel so good! I usually have a hard time sleeping and I toss all night. Last night I slept on my back and didn't even budge once all night! I was worried about the yoga hurting my back and shoulder, but it didn't. I'm planning to go again tonight. ;-). Thank you!!" I have now attended 55 classes in 3 months and, without exception, I feel better every single time after class then I felt at the beginning of class. I have gone from taking 800 to 1600 mg of Ibuprofen a day, to taking it once or twice a week when I push myself at work or playing volleyball. In the mornings after going to Bikram yoga the night before, I generally wake up without any back pain, and when I skip a couple days without going to yoga I can't wait to go again. It truly has changed my life! I am grateful to my friend and to all the instructors at Bikram Yoga St. Johns for getting me started and creating a wonderful environment take motivates me to make it a regular part of my weekly routine. There are many other benefits I have noticed from my practice, too. My flexibility has increased in every aspect to levels that I haven't had since high school (30 years ago.) The sweating and exertion makes me drink lots of water and want to eat better and choose healthier foods because that makes yoga easier the next day if I feel better. My cardio and lung capacity is much better. When I play volleyball, I can play almost twice as long now because my cardio and my back are stronger. My body is leaner and healthier-looking from sweating a lot, which flushes toxins and helps my skin. Most importantly, Bikram yoga makes me want to take better care of myself. It has actually changed my inner motivation to live a healthier life. It is my personal form of meditation. Whatever stresses happen during the day at work, they all disappear when I go to yoga at night, and my mind quiets down and returns to the moment. I always leave the studio feeling peaceful and happy from the inside out. In some ways the major pain relief was just the beginning!" I have been practicing Bikram Yoga since 2006. A back injury I sustained in 1999 limited the activities I could do without pain and a co-worker's encouragement got me into my first class. As a stubborn perfectionist in my 20's, my initial yoga practice was intense, disciplined, and with the singular focus to deepen my postures. After becoming a teacher, practicing consistently over time, dealing with life, and growing as a person, my practice today looks, and feels, WAY different than it did back then! I have always been a rebellious and creative person so it is surprising that I picked Bikram Yoga as my yoga of choice. Here are some tips I use to keep my yoga consistent, nourishing, and healing no matter what is going on. 1) "Just breathe, everything else is optional." - Diane Ducharme-Gardner The most important thing your teachers constantly remind you to do in class is "breathing always normal." If you never did a single yoga posture, but kept your breathing normal, you would still be practicing yoga! If your yoga postures are very pretty on the outside, but you breathe by your mouth, you hold on tightly to your breath, or your breath creates a panicked response in your central nervous system, you are not doing yoga, you are just making body shapes. By breathing normally in and out by your nose you stay present, keep your system calm, and get the intended healing benefits of the postures. Next time you practice, put a little more attention on how you are breathing, especially during the postures you dislike - you may find you dislike them because you are not breathing. 2) Pay attention The dialogue helps to create a moving meditation. When you have been practicing for some time it's easy to tune the teacher out and go at the pace you want to go at. Don't fall into that habit! If you stay with the postures word-by-word, you will deepen the connection between your mind and your body. You will hear different things in the dialogue and you will begin to understand them differently. "Nice and tight contraction" and "completely relax" will each take on new meaning from practice to practice. You will understand your muscles and injuries and sensations in your body. You will start to be able to make better decisions in your practice. Pay attention with your ears, the feelings in your body, and the energy you have on any given day. 3) Adjust your intensity This may be one of the most important lessons I've learned over time. The postures should always be done with the correct alignment and precision of technique. However, the intensity you apply to them should change on a regular basis. If you are feeling great, have gotten lots of sleep, are well hydrated and fed, and have laser beam focus you can practice much differently than if you have been working overnight shifts, have been drinking nothing but coffee, and haven't slept in 3 days. You need to consider yourself in the present moment when you practice because if you don't, you will start to hate your yoga. You should always leave the studio feeling better than you did when you entered it. If you are constantly tired, are in pain, or dread coming back, something needs to change. Give yourself permission to push less, rest more, and perhaps be kinder with yourself during your 90 minutes. Life is crazy and yoga should always make you feel like you can handle it better. If yoga is not helping you, talk to your teachers, they have been there, too, and can help! 4) We're all in this together I recently had a student tell me she was feeling frustrated and discouraged because she felt like everyone else in the room was "getting it" and had great postures and she was the only one that was struggling. Here's a tip from someone that stands on the podium and also stands on a mat - none of us get it and we're all struggling! What I mean by that is you can't tell what is going on with someone internally by looking at them from the outside. I've known people with beautiful looking yoga postures that struggled with chronic pain. I've known people with some wonky looking postures that were so joyous and felt so good in their bodies that you always wanted to be around them. I discover new things about the dialogue and about myself every time I step onto the mat. People share with me every day both their struggles and their successes and how their yoga is so important. Remember that most of us are doing yoga for a reason - because we need it. 5) Simply show up I can't tell you how many times people come up to the front desk terrified of stepping into the room after a long hiatus. They build up the class so intensely in their heads and put huge expectations on themselves for what they need to accomplish. Please go back to the first tip above - just breathe. Most importantly - just show up. The hardest yoga posture you will ever do is Showing-Up-To-Classasana. Bikram Yoga is a beginner's series designed to heal, strengthen, and create resilience in the mind, body, and spirit. Keep this in mind when you step into the room. Take the pressure of performance off yourself an embrace the heat and the healing and the community support of your fellow practitioners. What do you think about these yoga tips? Which one are you most interested in practicing? I can't wait to meet you all and talk everything yoga with you next week! Love, Audrey Audrey Holst is a Certified Bikram Yoga Instructor, Studio Owner of Bikram Yoga Natick in Massachussetts and professional Stress Reduction Consultant. She will be in residence at BYSJ this May for a whole week- teaching, mentoring our instructors and giving private lessons to you! View Audrey's teaching schedule here. Locust pose strengthens the muscles and connective tissues around the upper back and shoulders, helping to alleviate many back or spinal problems such as slipped disc and sciatica. Stretching the elbow joints with your body weight applied helps prevent or cure tennis elbow, tendonitis, arthritis and carpel tunnel syndrome. Lifting your legs like that is also excellent for firming your buttocks and hips! A Few Tips for Locust Pose:
|
AuthorHHY Founder, Yoga Business Coach, yoga-doer and life-lover, Kay Afif! Categories
All
|