BIKRAM YOGA
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“I learned very quickly how to separate Mr. Bikram Choudhury from his wonderful sequence—all it took was seeing him on the taxidermy dead tiger poster when I walked into the yoga studio for the first time in my life … enough said”.
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Quote from Dane A. Vemb
about his thoughts on Bikram, the man.
about his thoughts on Bikram, the man.
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“The 26x2 sequence is the best 90 minutes in all of fitness; nothing compares to the challenge of the hot room. Balance, rehabilitation and transformation are magnificent trade-offs for such feats of strength.”
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Quote from Dane A. Vemb
about his thoughts on the Bikram series.
about his thoughts on the Bikram series.
YIN/YANG
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The best advice I can give to any practitioner of Yang-style yoga practices (Bikram, Hatha, Ashtanga, Vinyasa) is to complement these asanas with Yin yoga. You’ll achieve more depth in your postures and have a more balanced practice. In my book NAMASTE 2.0, forty-six Yin poses are demonstrated to complement the 26 Bikram postures from the sequence. I designed a program so each practitioner can assess their strengths and weaknesses and, from there, work with a training block to balance out their practice completely.
The cornerstones of a great Yang practice extend far beyond the mat. I have also included in NAMASTE 2.0 chapters on fitness/weight training, cardiovascular health, nutrition, core strengthening and balance. Each chapter highlights the need for these elements to be incorporated into your practice, and target specific exercises and routines to elevate your training to the next plateau. Bonus Chapters … Thinking Outside the Pose: Yoga Hacks for Better Depth and The Letting Go Factor. |
YOGA FOR REHABILITATION
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I can’t quantify this content with tangible evidence; I would need a few more sets of MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging) to prove my current physical well-being; trust me when I say I haven’t felt this good since my twenties. I’ve racked up quite a pile of injuries playing hockey, getting messed up on my mountain bike and just plain freak happenstance playing hard. I’ve broke more bones than I care to list, strains and sprains aplenty, a separated shoulder, meniscus tears to both knees, four screws in my back that would be an L5-S1 spinal fusion and a hamstring injury so fragmented the surgeon wouldn't touch it.
The 26x2 sequence has subsided all my aches and pains, and with the addition of Yin yoga, my body feels like it moves as one unit, which is the best preventative maintenance for the body. Many injuries happen because the body isn’t balanced, and you have one muscle group compensating for another. When this type of injury occurs, it’s a two-fold scenario: you have the original imbalance that needs to be addressed, plus the rehab on the injury. The 26x2 sequence targets the entire muscular body, internal organs and the skeletal system and, as a result, is the best tool to use to rehabilitate the body. Since my introduction to Bikram yoga in 2010, my modus operandi when I fall victim to new injuries or re-tweak those from the past is to keep doing the yoga. I follow the order of the sequence and do as many postures as possible. The strength in maintaining the practice lies in the actual movement in the postures, stimulating the central nervous system and ensuring the surrounding muscles to the injury don’t go into atrophy, making it even harder to rehabilitate. Note: Although the heat and humidity of the Bikram studio stimulate and advance the healing process, these two components aren’t vital. I can’t stress it enough—having a home practice is the best approach for building your yoga foundation and rehabilitating injuries. |
SHORTENING AND LENGTHENING EFFECT
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Another key factor as to why injuries happen is the effect on the muscles when we sit. We’re shortening the hip flexors and the back of the knees and lengthening the knee area and glutes … an authentic recipe for injury. Practicing the sequence is like a recalibration of the body to neutral, as it stimulates the entire physical body.
Poses from the series that correct the shortening effect on the hip flexors and introduce a backbend are Camel, Standing Bow, Cobra, Locust, Full Locust, and Bow poses. Poses from the series that correct the shortening effect to the back of the legs are Hands to Feet, Standing Bow, Standing Head to Knee, Balancing Stick, and Head to Knee poses. |
CONTENT WANTED: MEDICAL RESEARCH ON YOGA FOR REHABILITATION
CONTENT WANTED: BIKRAM INSIGHT FROM A MENTAL HEALTH STANDPOINT
CONTENT WANTED: BIKRAM INSIGHT FROM A MENTAL HEALTH STANDPOINT
