Building Strength from Within

“Yoga makes you….YOU.” – Bikram Choudhury

People come to yoga for many reasons. Among these are to improve flexibility, improve skeletal alignment, strengthen and stretch muscles, find relaxation, achieve weight loss, cure spinal disease and arthritis, relieve muscle and joint pain, regulate blood pressure and cholesterol levels, improve focus and the list goes on. All of these are bi-products of yoga, and yes, with consistent practice they are all achievable. What most people don’t realize, however, is that yoga, in a broader sense, is a complete lifestyle. Improved physical, mental and emotional health are all wonderful results that are attained through yoga. As one gets further and further into their yoga practice, and these benefits abound it becomes clearer that… there is more. We can do more. The goals we were once aiming toward have been achieved and more is possible. Why limit yourself? The possibilities are endless! The only question becomes…what do you want? What do you truly want?

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Pause. Slow down. Wait a minute, you ask. Can I really have what I want? Can I really transform into the person I want to be? The hardest part is knowing what you want. The first step is to find out who you are. Yoga makes you….you.

We look forward to helping you take the first steps in your journey, and getting to know you along your path. It is not easy to make a change, but you can do it. You can do anything. There will be bumps in the road, and moments (that feel like days) of chaos, but you will change. You will come to know yourself in a way that you haven’t felt since you were a child.

There is nothing better you can do for yourself than begin your own process of realizing who you really are. And you can start here…feet together, toes on the line, looking in the mirror.

We can’t wait.

Namaste

Construction Updates….Getting Closer!

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The “rough” ductwork for our Thermotec heating system is currently installed and we’re now awaiting a visit by Temecula City inspectors which should occur this afternoon (Wednesday Aug 22). Our general contractor told us several days ago this should be a rather quick process which will then open the doors for the remaining dry wall, plumbing, and electrical work.

We’re all getting really excited as the opening date of Bikram Temecula edges closer and closer. Once we receive the exact date from our general contractor, we’ll send it on to you.

A couple weeks ago, we received word from Bikram Headquarters that FloTex carpet has yet to be an approved flooring for studios, so we’ve made the decision to return the Flotex carpet and ordered Shaw Stalok backing carpet from Pacific Flooring Co. in Murrieta. The StaLok has similar properties as the Flotex such as being anti-microbial and possessing a non permeable backing.

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If you haven’t already done so, please take a few minutes and register with us here. Doing so will make it quicker for you to register at the front desk during your first practice at Bikram Yoga Temecula. We’ll continue to keep you posted as the opening date draws closer.

BYT Opening News

PLEASE NOTE! Our opening is being pushed back to late Aug/early Sept due to delays with the installation of our heating system. Don’t worry….it’s just very technical and takes more time than the average home furnace! We will announce the opening date as soon as we can!

Bikram Yoga- Benefits of the Heat

Why practice yoga in the heat? For those of you out there that are new to yoga, or new to “Hot Yoga” it may seem strange to think about entering a heated room, especially in the summer, to practice yoga. So, why the heat?

Bikram Yoga was designed for the complete beginner to safely stretch all the muscles, open the joints, flush the organs and circulate oxygenated blood throughout the body for optimum function of all the systems in the body. If you haven’t been practicing yoga regularly, you may feel stiff or lack range of motion in various parts of your body. Bikram Choudhury, the founder of Bikram Yoga, found that students were less apt to incur injury in a heated environment, thus heat was added to the program. As a result, millions of people around the world have been able to enjoy the healing benefits of the practice.

The recommended temperature for practicing Bikram Yoga is minimum 105F degrees and about 40% humidity. The room is kept at this temperature or more for the following:

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Protecting the muscles to allow for deeper stretching
Detoxing the body (open pores to let toxins out)
Thinning the blood to clear the circulatory system
Increasing heart rate for better cardiovascular workout
Improving strength by putting muscle tissue in optimal state for reorganization
Reorganize the lipids (fat) in the muscular structure

What about practicing Bikram Yoga in the heat of the summer? Recent studies have shown that exercising in the heat actually helps people acclimate to high temperatures. You may begin to notice that you are handling the hot summer temperature much better as you practice throughout the summer months.

In the October 2010 issue of the Journal of Applied Physiology, the impact of heat acclimation was shown to improve athletic performance in hot and cool environments. Acclimating to heat improves one’s ability to control body temperature. In addition, perspiration is improved, blood flow is increased through the skin, and the expanded blood volume allows the heart to pump to more blood to muscles, organs and the skin as needed. For those with limited cardiac conditions such as paralysis, adding heat to the practice or exercise environment will allow for further cardiac benefits than in a cool environment. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101025161144.htm

Don’t wait for the cool to experience the overall health benefits of Bikram Yoga! If you truly want to beat the heat, teach your body to do it naturally. When you learn to focus and stay calm in the hot room, you will find the same peace of mind in your every day life regardless of external conditions. In addition, practicing in the heat will allow you to enjoy cardiovascular benefits, increased flexibility, improved circulation and elimination of toxins through sweating.

We look forward to seeing you in the hot room this summer at Bikram Yoga Temecula. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at any time.

Namaste!

Our Modern Hot Yoga Facility

It is exciting to build a brand new Bikram Hot Yoga facility right here in our own town of Temecula! When we set out to plan the hot yoga room, we wanted to make sure we used materials and components that would help create a clean, safe and temperature efficient environment. After visiting, researching, and practicing at Bikram Yoga studios all over the country, we have been able to take the ideas that we think would work best at Bikram Yoga Temecula and create not only an aesthetically pleasing and sanitary yoga room, but also a reliable and efficient climate-controlled system.

For starters, we are using a specialized flooring in the yoga room called Flotex, which is produced in Australia. Flotex is a waterproof textile flooring made up of millions of straight fibers per square foot which prevent dirt and dust from penetrating. Antimicrobial protection integrated into the backing provides consistent protection against bacteria and the development of stale odors.

Next, our hot yoga room will have high powered and efficient Thermotek heating unit to heat the room to 105 degrees and an in-line humidifer allowing us to increase the humidity to 40%. In addition, a fresh air system will provide fresh, pre-heated air to the yoga room as needed. A CO2 monitor will be installed to regulate the air quality in the room. This process ensures you will always have fresh air to breathe throughout class.

After class, you can enjoy a hot (or cold!) shower in either the men’s and women’s shower rooms, both featuring three beautifully tiled showers, toilets, sinks and a changing area. We are building Bikram Yoga Temecula for the long term and we are excited to have you join us this summer for class! We want you to feel relaxed and comfortable here at BYT so that you can focus on yourself, and leave the rest to us.

What’s next? Keep in touch with us as the building continues and “LIKE” us on Facebook to receive updates and hear more about the progress as Temecula’s only Bikram Hot Yoga studio comes to life! Stay tuned for details about our Pre-Opening Party this July, 2012.

Thank you for reading…..Namaste.

BIkram Yoga Teacher Training

Twice a year, several hundred experienced Bikram Yoga practitioners attend teacher training with Bikram Choudhury. Trainees must complete an intensive 9-week program which includes two daily sessions of Bikram Yoga, lectures and posture clinics in order to receive teaching certification. Students come from all over the world to undergo this training program and it’s benefits are life-changing.

Taking 9-weeks away from family, work, and a lifestyle is not easy and many students are embarking on a life-changing career as Bikram Yoga teachers. In addition, the teaching staff at training come from around the world to contribute to the process of sharing the benefits of practicing and teaching Bikram yoga. Sometimes referred to as “bootcamp,” the trainees are challenged physically, mentally and emotionally so that they empathize with their future students who come to class and feel challenged.

Phillip Katzmann, co-director of Bikram Yoga Temecula, is currently completing certification this Spring in Los Angeles, and we look forward to having him back and hearing more about his experience. In order to attend Bikram Yoga Teacher Training, students must practice for a minimum of six months at an affiliated studio, be in good health with a strong practice, and receive a recommendation from the studio owner. The next teacher training will also be held in Los Angles this Fall of 2012. For more information about teacher training, please go to http://www.bikramyoga.com/TeacherTraining/AboutTeacherTraining.php or ask Katy and Phillip at the studio. We’d love to share more with you about the unlimited possibilities that come with this healthy lifestyle.

See you soon at Bikram Yoga Temecula!

Namaste.