Bikram Yoga

Practicing Bikram Yoga Around the World

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One of the wonderful things about Bikram Yoga is that the class is the same, no matter where you are in the world.  My home studio is Bikram Yoga NYC in Manhattan, but I have been lucky enough to practice in several other studios.  And in each of these studios, I always felt at home, welcomed, and among friends.  The routine of the class was the same, the dialogue the same, the flow, the heat, the postures, all the same.  Even when the class was led in a different language, the rhythm of the words sounded familiar and I could follow along with ease.

So far in the United States, I have practiced in NYC, Yorktown Heights, NY, Walnut Creek, CA, and Maui, HI.  Overseas, I have practiced at two different studios in London and one in Berlin.  One of the classes I took in Berlin was in German and I remember it as one of the best classes I have taken.  Despite not knowing a single word of German, the rhythm of the words was so similar that I could follow along well.  It actually made it such a peaceful class – all about feeling the flow of the words and tapping into the energy of the other students, rather than listening so intently to the actual content of the words.

While the class is always reassuringly the same, it is fun to notice minor cultural differences in the studios.  For example, in London, one of the studios very strictly enforced where the mats were placed in the room.  Each mat had to be lined up with red lines on the carpet to make sure that all could see well.  Even in a less than crowded class this was strictly enforced.  I kind of liked that actually, as it eliminated any of the mat scrambling that can sometimes happen during class.  In the other London studio, fresh oxygen was pumped into the room periodically throughout the class.  I never really noticed a difference with that to be honest, but I’m sure it didn’t hurt.

I thought it would be fun to keep a photo album of all the studios where I have practiced.  So far the album is a little thin, but I am confident I will add to it over time.

Fellow yogis, where in the world do you like to practice Bikram Yoga?

Switch Up Your Grip for A More Balanced Practice

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Do you switch up your grip in second set?  I always try to.  For me, this means placing my other thumb on top in the second set of postures.  Early on in my practice one of my instructors suggested it, and it was easy enough to adopt.  It has become a habit, and one that I am happy I have.  I feel that it provides a more balanced stretch to my arms, shoulders and back, and builds more equal grip strength in my hands.  It also gives me a shot of discipline and focus in my practice, as I have to decide which thumb to put on top first and remember to switch it up for the next set.  Usually my right thumb goes on top in standing and my left thumb on top on the floor.  Not sure why….

I find the grip switch particularly useful in half moon.  I get a much stronger stretch in my hip when the thumb on top is the same as the side to which I am bending.  It makes sense, as the thumb is the strongest digit and its iron grip on the stretching arm allows for greater reach.  I also find it useful in half tortoise as it focuses the stretch on alternate sides of my back and hips in the two sets.  I also switch which arm is on top in wind removing pose and fixed firm pose.  This helps me get a more equal stretch in my shoulders, which happen to be very tight.

I find it interesting that some instructors talk about switching the grip and others do not.  It must not be part of the official dialogue, but I think it is ok to go off script a little bit, to add a helpful detail to the practice.  I appreciate it when instructors do that.  It makes the instruction more personal, and helps us learn from their practice in addition to the dialogue.

Fellow yogis, do you switch your grip?

Practicing Bikram Yoga as a Germaphobe

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I admit it.  I am a germaphobe.  My friends and family laugh as I Purell myself after riding on the bus, or after shaking hands with too many strangers, or after being near anyone with a cold.  But at Bikram, for whatever reason, it is ok — the bodies packed together, someone else’s sweat dripping onto my mat, even the occasional arm bump during full locust pose — all ok. Maybe it is the calmness I feel in class that gives me the clarity to handle the germs.  Maybe I am so sweaty anyway, it just doesn’t matter.  Maybe it is just out of necessity. Whatever it is, the class frees me from this phobia for the 90 minutes of practice.  I feel centered and focused on other things such that the germs become less of an issue.  I am grateful for that.

Today during class, the instructor walked on my yoga mat several times.  Not around my mat, not grazing my mat, but on my mat with both of his feet!  This was during standing series of course.  I almost laughed out loud realizing that I had been envisioning a blog post on practicing as a germaphobe and here I was faced with it head on (or foot on!).  I am happy to say that I was able to shrug it off and continue my practice.  In fact, it was a really uplifting class for me today.

In the interest of full disclosure – I do still wear socks in the studio unless I am on my mat.  And I really do hate to touch other yogi’s feet during the sit-ups.  So, I guess my yoga practice hasn’t cured me of my germaphobia entirely… but I am making progress.

Do you worry about germs in class?

Monday Bikram Yoga Class is a Killer

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Do you find Monday classes to be more difficult? I often do. My practice is usually limited to weekdays with my weekends filled with other activities (i.e. kids’ activities, errands, hiking, golf).  In my mind, I look forward to returning to Bikram on Mondays, but my body sometimes betrays me.  At the start of class I feel unusually stiff, creaky, and tight.  I take it slow, breathing deeply in the initial breathing exercise, letting the yoga do its magic to relax the body and work out the kinks from the weekend.

This Monday was no different.  I had played golf over the weekend so I was perhaps a little more sore than usual, especially in my lower back.  The breathing exercise helped, but I still felt tight heading into all four parts of half moon.  Second set was noticeably better. It took the full warmup to loosen things up, but the yoga worked its magic and my body was righting itself.

One of the my favorite things about Bikram yoga is that the sequence is the same every time.  It doesn’t matter the day of the week, the teacher, the geographic location – the class is that same.  I find this very reassuring, especially on days where I am stiffer than normal heading to class.  I trust the yoga and the experience, knowing that that while my body feels one way now, it will feel better by the end of class.  I can’t wait until Tuesday.

Does your practice change depending on the day of the week?

My First Bikram Yoga Class

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I will never forget my first class. Having never done a yoga class, let alone a Bikram Yoga class, I decided to look the part so I had on yoga pants, a workout tank and a t-shirt.  I felt very resourceful as well, having brought my own water bottle with me.  I arrived 20 minutes early to fill out paperwork and meet the teacher, Chris.   He was exactly what a yoga teacher looked like in my eye – svelte, calm, in control.  I felt strong, confident, ready.  But then he began to talk.  “Your goal for the class is to just stay in the room,”  he said.  “Oh, and you’ll need some more water,” he mentioned noticing my half drunk small bottle of water.  Now I was nervous.  If that was really my only goal, then this was going to be harder than I thought….

I set up in the back row in what I was told would be a cool spot.  The teacher was a popular one so the class was crowded.  I looked around the room and saw men and women of all ages, shapes, sizes and body types.  Nice.  The room was hot, very hot.  I was already in a sweat.  I took off my t-shirt.

The class began and I followed along as best as I could.  My shoulders ached from the breathing exercise, the sweat was running into my eyes, my legs were shaking, but still, I kept at it.  Chris explained everything so clearly and the monologue was so calming, that I just focused on his voice and did my best.  By the time we got to the floor series, I was thanking the yoga gods (and Chris!) that I had brought in more than my small bottle of water!

I attempted every posture – attempted being the operative word.  By the end of class, I was spent.  I had given all that I had and was a puddle of mush on my mat.  But I had done it.  I felt exhausted, but exhilarated.  I felt crazy, but calm.  I went home and cried from the sheer exhaustion and effort of it, but then began to feel empowered.  I had done it, and I was going back for more.

Fellow yogis, how was your first class?