Best yoga for body shaping/toning and weight loss?

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Permalink Reply by Hillary Ashton Ross on December 26, 2009 at 5:39pm

Hi Raechel,

I am in love with Bikram yoga and am a certified Bikram instructor so I had to respond to this post!

First of all that is awesome you started Bikram yoga, how long have you been practicing for?
The first 60 days try to go everyday. It will change your life. As with any exercise what you put in, is what you get out. As a beginner one of the challenges is just staying in the room for the 90 mins, but as you get past that point you can really focus more of the postures. Even though you may be sweating in Bikram yoga if you don't feel like you are working hard, then you probably aren't, and that means you're probably not getting all the benefits. With every posture in Bikram yoga you should be feeling pain in your body somewhere, that lets you know you are doing the posture properly. For example in Cobra pose, you should be feeling the pain in your lower back, which is isolating the lumbar spine and then when you relax in savasana the fresh oxygenated blood flushes to that area, healing your spine. Now the word pain might not sound too "appealing" to most people but it is a healing pain, and you just have to change your relationship towards that pain, which takes time, but honestly the more you put in to this yoga, energy, time, commitment, you get back times 10. Like Bikram says, "90 minutes of pain or 90 years or pain?"

Another thing, if you are feeling dehydrated, make sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day, Bikram yoga is not meant for you to feel dehydrated, but if you are then it means you are not getting enough water so drink plenty of water and coconut water, or vega sport to replenish your lost electrolytes.

I have lost 30 pounds over the last year since I really increased my practice, and you start noticing a toned body right away. Clear mind, and overall well being! Keep it up!

Namaste :)
Hillary

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Permalink Reply by Elizabeth Dawn Fife on December 28, 2009 at 7:15am

I am a Bikram Addict myself and I think it really does work. I am way more toned when I do it regularly. I find that I have to go atleast 5 times a week though, anything less and it's not really noticeable. I haven't ever tried any other types of yoga.

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Permalink Reply by Raechel Lee Ann on December 28, 2009 at 10:09am

Thanks Hillary....I definitely agree that it's important to push yourself in the class, and really do try to get to that "pain" point. But I noticed a lot of toning results when I first started, and it's gradually seemed like less and less. This might have to do with the fact that I haven't been able to go consecutive days in a row as much as when I first started. I think I agree with the second commenter, Elizabeth, about the needing to go at least 5 days in a row. I go about 4-5 days a week, but often times those won't be right in a row. I have a break from chool (i'm a phd student), so I think I might try to do some days of 2 classes in one day! Wish me luck!

Hillary Ashton Ross said:

Hi Raechel,

I am in love with Bikram yoga and am a certified Bikram instructor so I had to respond to this post!

First of all that is awesome you started Bikram yoga, how long have you been practicing for?
The first 60 days try to go everyday. It will change your life. As with any exercise what you put in, is what you get out. As a beginner one of the challenges is just staying in the room for the 90 mins, but as you get past that point you can really focus more of the postures. Even though you may be sweating in Bikram yoga if you don't feel like you are working hard, then you probably aren't, and that means you're probably not getting all the benefits. With every posture in Bikram yoga you should be feeling pain in your body somewhere, that lets you know you are doing the posture properly. For example in Cobra pose, you should be feeling the pain in your lower back, which is isolating the lumbar spine and then when you relax in savasana the fresh oxygenated blood flushes to that area, healing your spine. Now the word pain might not sound too "appealing" to most people but it is a healing pain, and you just have to change your relationship towards that pain, which takes time, but honestly the more you put in to this yoga, energy, time, commitment, you get back times 10. Like Bikram says, "90 minutes of pain or 90 years or pain?"

Another thing, if you are feeling dehydrated, make sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day, Bikram yoga is not meant for you to feel dehydrated, but if you are then it means you are not getting enough water so drink plenty of water and coconut water, or vega sport to replenish your lost electrolytes.

I have lost 30 pounds over the last year since I really increased my practice, and you start noticing a toned body right away. Clear mind, and overall well being! Keep it up!

Namaste :)
Hillary

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Permalink Reply by Maya Henderson on January 2, 2010 at 3:22pm

Hi Raechel,
I noticed that you're based in Minnesota. If you're looking to step up your toning/strength training, I highly recommend checking out a Yoga Sculpt class at CorePower Yoga. Yoga Sculpt is a mix of weight training (think basic curls, squats, etc.) mixed with vinyasa yoga. It's NOT a substitute for a regular yoga practice, but I love to mix it up and take that class once a week. I hear it's really popular in Minneapolis. A lot of woemn have this misconception that lifting weights will make them bulk-up or look too muscular, but when done properly it actually helps boost your metabolism and bone density. I wouldn't give up my yoga practice for toning classes, but I find that Yoga Sculpt gives me the perfect mix of both! Also, if you enjoy hot yoga, try their signature C2 classes. It's not as hot as bikram (about 98 degrees versus 105), but you're flowing and moving more, so it definitely feels as hot.
I like Bikram and I agree with Hillary and Rachel, but I find that I feel like I get more of a workout (and even better, a stronger mind-body connection) in C2 classes.
Hope this helps!
Maya
www.chicagonow.com/breath
ps- Vega Sport before Bikram or any other class is awesome!

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Permalink Reply by Raechel Lee Ann on January 2, 2010 at 3:25pm

Wow, this is very helpful! Thanks, Maya! I am pretty sure that studio is right near my home. : )

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Permalink Reply by Andrea Martyn on January 9, 2010 at 2:52pm

Thank you for your post Hillary!

I am just starting a 30 day challenge. I have gone 5 out of the last 6 days, and today, the studio I attend started the challenge today.

I am so excited for this challenge!

What I find so great about Bikram is the amount of mental strength it takes as well as physical strength. I can see the changes in my body already and I feel lighter and more joyful.

Best of luck to you Raechel on your search of what works for you. What's so great about yoga is, what you put in, you get out.

:)

Hillary Ashton Ross said:

Hi Raechel,

I am in love with Bikram yoga and am a certified Bikram instructor so I had to respond to this post!

First of all that is awesome you started Bikram yoga, how long have you been practicing for?
The first 60 days try to go everyday. It will change your life. As with any exercise what you put in, is what you get out. As a beginner one of the challenges is just staying in the room for the 90 mins, but as you get past that point you can really focus more of the postures. Even though you may be sweating in Bikram yoga if you don't feel like you are working hard, then you probably aren't, and that means you're probably not getting all the benefits. With every posture in Bikram yoga you should be feeling pain in your body somewhere, that lets you know you are doing the posture properly. For example in Cobra pose, you should be feeling the pain in your lower back, which is isolating the lumbar spine and then when you relax in savasana the fresh oxygenated blood flushes to that area, healing your spine. Now the word pain might not sound too "appealing" to most people but it is a healing pain, and you just have to change your relationship towards that pain, which takes time, but honestly the more you put in to this yoga, energy, time, commitment, you get back times 10. Like Bikram says, "90 minutes of pain or 90 years or pain?"

Another thing, if you are feeling dehydrated, make sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day, Bikram yoga is not meant for you to feel dehydrated, but if you are then it means you are not getting enough water so drink plenty of water and coconut water, or vega sport to replenish your lost electrolytes.

I have lost 30 pounds over the last year since I really increased my practice, and you start noticing a toned body right away. Clear mind, and overall well being! Keep it up!

Namaste :)
Hillary

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Permalink Reply by Joshua Mikael on February 21, 2010 at 6:23pm

With Bikram, many athletes enjoy it for the intense "workout", but it is important to note that the skeletal layer has a different way of unclutching leading up to and through intense asana work than the muscular layer does. It is true that bones follow muscles in a bio-mechanical sense, but hot rooms can possibly give people a false sense of "flexibility". Just be in tune with yourself and don't count on the warm air to loosen you up because you are so much more than muscle. Yoga never required hot air before Bikram introduced his style of practice to the west and it's been practiced for thousands of years there with fewer injuries than in the past several decades in the US. Since yoga has come to the US, it's been morphed in some ways to conform to western ideals of active fitness, hence the rise of yoga-related ER visits. Yoga is, first and foremost, for vibrant healing. You will never hear the word "workout" mentioned in India, whom we are all indebted to for the origins of the practice and its many offshoots. Becoming fit and flexible are merely positive longterm results of achieving optimal health through diligent practice ---> and avoiding injury is key to maintaining interest in the practice!

Yoga related injuries:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/37896
http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/07/11/14/yoga-related-injuries-a...

Please don't think I'm inferring that Bikram yoga is the cause of the injuries detailed above--human misunderstanding is the sole cause, and that can be present in any style. I'm just offering a word of caution about the hot air...if you can use it to your benefit, do so, as there are many paths to optimal health.

Also, you might like Ashtanga yoga, which is a very intense style as well. David Swenson authored an awesome manual on Ashtanga, which places great emphasis on the bandhas ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandha ) to assist with transitions between poses in a sequence:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xeWmcXbmBY

If you can develop your bandhas, you will be able to safely explore many kinds of intense asanas, regardless of style or environment.

Personally, I have had to develop my own style because of an L5 herniation that greatly reduced my natural flexibility in my hips, which is why I have steered clear of Bikram, as the style is one of complete conformity, and with respect to the physical body (because of my personal experience with injury), I believe in adapting poses to people, not people to poses. I combine gentle techniques from teachers like Saul David Raye, Erich Schiffman, and Matthew Cohen that are excellent for what my body needs to get properly loose and free. This is the key--know your body and be honest with where you're at. If you are very healthy and have had no injuries, great! The more attuned you are to your physical being, the more you can avoid injury. Once I've unclutched my low back, then I am able to go into deeper, more intense poses without regret.

I also recommend that you read the Yoga Sutras by Patanjali, which is the definitive scientific and philosophical breakdown of the nature and value of yoga:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga_Sutras_of_Patanjali

And don't forget the most important asana ---> turn the corners of your mouth UP when you practice :o)

As for losing weight ---> eating a whole food plant-based diet is a great way to lose weight, as I'm sure you are aware since you are a member on the Vega forums. Combining proper diet and nutrition with attuned levels of physical activity are your best bet. Keep up with your practice and your diet and you will enjoy a vibrant life!

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Permalink Reply by Raechel Lee Ann on February 21, 2010 at 8:41pm

Thank you so much for this thorough answer. It's interesting you talk about injuries, because I just pulled my hamstring about a month ago (not during yoga....i was doing the splits without warming up!), and I keep getting conflicting advice as to whether or not continuing Bikram is helpful or harmful during my recovery. I'm getting very frustrated because I can't run and when I do go to yoga, I'm unable to do all the poses fully due to intense hamstring pain. Do you happen to have any insight? You seem very knowledgeable! Thanks again! : )

Joshua Mikael said:

With Bikram, many athletes enjoy it for the intense "workout", but it is important to note that the skeletal layer has a different way of unclutching leading up to and through intense asana work than the muscular layer does. It is true that bones follow muscles in a bio-mechanical sense, but hot rooms can possibly give people a false sense of "flexibility". Just be in tune with yourself and don't count on the warm air to loosen you up because you are so much more than muscle. Yoga never required hot air before Bikram introduced his style of practice to the west and it's been practiced for thousands of years there with fewer injuries than in the past several decades in the US. Since yoga has come to the US, it's been morphed in some ways to conform to western ideals of active fitness, hence the rise of yoga-related ER visits. Yoga is, first and foremost, for vibrant healing. You will never hear the word "workout" mentioned in India, whom we are all indebted to for the origins of the practice and its many offshoots. Becoming fit and flexible are merely positive longterm results of achieving optimal health through diligent practice ---> and avoiding injury is key to maintaining interest in the practice!

Yoga related injuries:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/37896
http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/07/11/14/yoga-related-injuries-a...

Please don't think I'm inferring that Bikram yoga is the cause of the injuries detailed above--human misunderstanding is the sole cause, and that can be present in any style. I'm just offering a word of caution about the hot air...if you can use it to your benefit, do so, as there are many paths to optimal health.

Also, you might like Ashtanga yoga, which is a very intense style as well. David Swenson authored an awesome manual on Ashtanga, which places great emphasis on the bandhas ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandha ) to assist with transitions between poses in a sequence:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xeWmcXbmBY

If you can develop your bandhas, you will be able to safely explore many kinds of intense asanas, regardless of style or environment.

Personally, I have had to develop my own style because of an L5 herniation that greatly reduced my natural flexibility in my hips, which is why I have steered clear of Bikram, as the style is one of complete conformity, and with respect to the physical body (because of my personal experience with injury), I believe in adapting poses to people, not people to poses. I combine gentle techniques from teachers like Saul David Raye, Erich Schiffman, and Matthew Cohen that are excellent for what my body needs to get properly loose and free. This is the key--know your body and be honest with where you're at. If you are very healthy and have had no injuries, great! The more attuned you are to your physical being, the more you can avoid injury. Once I've unclutched my low back, then I am able to go into deeper, more intense poses without regret.

I also recommend that you read the Yoga Sutras by Patanjali, which is the definitive scientific and philosophical breakdown of the nature and value of yoga:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga_Sutras_of_Patanjali

And don't forget the most important asana ---> turn the corners of your mouth UP when you practice :o)

As for losing weight ---> eating a whole food plant-based diet is a great way to lose weight, as I'm sure you are aware since you are a member on the Vega forums. Combining proper diet and nutrition with attuned levels of physical activity are your best bet. Keep up with your practice and your diet and you will enjoy a vibrant life!

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Permalink Reply by Joshua Mikael on February 22, 2010 at 12:45am

Rachel,

RE: your hamstring.

Ironically, you did injure yourself doing yoga, as the splits are derived from hanumanasana, regardless of where or how they are performed:

http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/874

Injuries are the physical body's way of enlightening your inner sense through struggle. Ideally, we'd all get to benefit from yoga from childhood on, before the neglect of modern/adult life sets in, but this is not always the case. One of the most important qualities one can take into their practice is mindfulness...and this is true of things we do off the mat as well. Doing a split without warming up might seem innocuous, but even incredibly flexible people still need to ignite the body's loosening/lengthening capabilities to then delve deeper into exploring their body free of restraint while avoiding injury. Notice how David Swenson just stood for a moment and set himself before beginning his sequence, and Ashtanga sequences, along with Bikram, are some of the most intense. Little things like that accumulate and yield a mindful practitioner.

Injury is like the winter season...an opportunity to retreat inward, like plants and animals, and accept the slower pace of the natural order of cosmic life, which is not always a constant stream of one type of energy or way of doing things. I'm not a clinically trained physician, so my recommendation is that you accept the injury without judgement and give it time to heal without doing anything strenuous-->you only get one body so show it love and avoid compounding injury, which you are absolutely doing by reaching a pain point. Not to say that there aren't things you can't do, but tangible pain, which is different from the fire of healthy Bikram, is your body's way of telling you that actions taken without proper mindfulness are non-optimal actions and you can clearly see that the result is the debilitation of your physical layer. I experienced this early on in my practice when I first started. I pulled a muscle in my mid-back doing a seated forward bend because I thought I needed to look like the rubber band girl next to me. I was not being mindful and my body made me aware of it very quickly. A stitch in time saves nine:) Walks, if you can do them without pain, are still a way to get exercise and a slower pace might be what your energetic nature needs at this time in your life. Mindfulness is key. There's a lesson in everything, even injury.

Also, the best part of yoga is pranayama ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pranayama ), which isn't an asana, but the process of maximizing the benefit of having lungs. So often we only take a 10%-20% breath for 99% of our daily breathing-->we commonly live mindlessly and breathe in a blank, shallow fashion while working on the computer, cooking food, talking on the phone, driving, etc... Oxygen boosts immunity (no supplements needed), and pranayama brings life force into your body in a way that nothing else can. While you are injured, be open to other aspects of what is a vast and kaleidoscopic art form.

One single breath (by a true master): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcPjvp4La8A

Optimal number of breaths per minute = 6 (or less):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Respiratory_rate#Optimum_breathing

If you inhale for 5 seconds and exhale for 5 seconds, you will breath six times in one minute. With practice, you will, in no time at all, be able to double or triple that inhale/exhale count.

Intro to pranayama: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvdiMjSgItg

Value of 100% breathes:

1) http://www.faqs.org/abstracts/Retail-industry/US-OXYGEN-BOOSTS-IMMU...
2) http://www.diseaseeducation.com/wellness/Immune-System.php
3) http://breathing.com/articles/oxygen.htm
4) http://breathing.com/articles/clinical-studies.htm#Otto%20Warburg

Before the heart can beat to pump blood or the digestive system can assimilate nutrition, the lungs must be filled with air-->modern science may think differently about this than I do, although I wouldn't know its exact stance, but I live based off of experience with respect to my practice (if I can experience something and it resonates with me in a positive way, I share it with others). We can go weeks without food, days without water, but only seconds to minutes without air in the lungs-->this is illuminating when considered deeply. Sadly, most people, even yoga die-hards, neglect this aspect of the Self, yet it is our foundation as living creatures. I believe pranayama deserves its own class (at minimum) in every studio where it is the only aspect of the practice that is focused on. The lungs are your energetic emissaries to the vitality that keeps all things persisting in the present moment...learning to leverage your lungs to assimilate prana (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prana) into your being is a major step forward in balance and self-integration.

I do not recommend that you practice forceful pranayama until you have fully trained the diaphragm and supporting breath-work muscles, which are described in proper detail in the following book->

http://books.google.com/books?id=7mm9XVVxIjMC&printsec=frontcov...

Stick to reducing your number of breaths per minute until you have achieved 6bpm or fewer before exploring more intense pranayama like kapalabhati, which assists detoxification and weight loss:

http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/2452
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAr31nouYvY

Leslie Kaminoff's book will blow your mind all over your face. Chapter 1, page 5, paragraph 2 changed my life forever. It might not seem like much at first, but when you begin working with the breath, you will see how your existence in this world is contingent upon not only a spatial agreement with the atmosphere that engulfs you, but also your connection to prana and your ability to engage it for the sake of optimal health. Literally, the yogic message of opening up applies to every aspect of the Self, even the tiny glottis in your throat, and when you do, the universe rewards you by imbuing life force (prana) into your being. Close the glottis up, and you cut yourself off from life force.

Perhaps your injury is Life creating an opportunity for you to focus on the more subtle aspects of the art, as the intensity in Bikram that attracts you to it for the workout will still be there once your hamstring is completely healthy again. I would encourage you not to worsen your injury because of 30/60 day challenges. You can begin the challenge again once you are healthy. And pranayama will help you that much more once you are back in the studio.

Hope this helps:)

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Permalink Reply by Joshua Mikael on February 22, 2010 at 12:59am

If you use Facebook, I recommend that you befriend Ricky Tran, David C. Kyle, and Kathryn Budig. They are very talented at intense asana-work, but are incredibly mindful about their practice. Ricky can do a HEADstand, David is the "mula bandha king", and Kathryn is easily one of the most rubber bandy girls you'll ever see. These folks typically post videos on FB and on YT...David only posts on FB.

Ricky: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVZAI156cIs
Kathryn: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3q2SXoZK4cw

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Permalink Reply by Dasha Kornienko on April 22, 2010 at 7:40pm

Joshua, I really appreciate that you took the time to reply to this post and say what perhaps many others were thinking... Working in a Yoga studio, I encounter so many people who come in asking me similar questions about what kind of Yoga will make them sexier or how many times they have to do it to lose weight... it gets a bit frustrating. Although in the back of my mind I know that whatever gets them in the door is irrelevant, since they will begin to experience the other sides of Yoga that transcend the physical, so in the end, it's all good. You may have heard of the book "Yoga Inc.", but perhaps you haven't seen/heard this interview since it was mainly broadcast in Canada. Thought you may find it interesting. "Yoga Wars": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Djj78geiM0c

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