Why do a 30 Day Bikram Yoga Challenge?

Currently at BYT, we have about 25 people who are completing a 30 Day Bikram Yoga Challenge which means that they will complete 30 classes in 30 days. This can be done by taking one class a day, or making up one class a week (if missed) by doing two classes a day. What is the point of this, you may ask?

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“Give me 30 days, I’ll change your body. Give me 60 days, I’ll change your life!” – Bikram Choudhury. The Bikram Yoga series was created to move through all the muscles, joints, and systems of the body to systematically open up and speed healing to all areas of the body. In today’s world, most Westerners suffer from high stress lifestyles which result in various chronic illnesses and disease in the body. These can vary from heart problems, spinal disease, diabetes, muscular skeletal disorders, back pain, poor circulation, obesity, sinus problems, sleep disorders, and depression just to name a few. In order to achieve peace of mind, one needs to start with the body and relieve pain, disease and chronic illnesses such as these mentioned above.

Through yoga, millions of people have found healing for physical, physiological and psychological disorders. By using the body as a medium, we let the mind rest and come closer to knowing ourselves. A consistent yoga practice allows us to align our inner and outer bodies so that we can achieve optimum health. Three key factors of practicing Bikram Yoga
frequency, precision, and intensity. In the practice, we repeat each posture and complete the same 26 posture series. By doing the practice daily (as in a 30 Day Bikram Yoga Challenge) the practitioner is able to gain flexibility, strength and medical benefits of the postures sooner than practicing a few times a week. As a student progresses with consistent practice, he/she is better able to listen to the body and be more precise with movements. Finally, with a consistent and careful practice, a student will be able to use more strength to go deeper.

The 30 Day Bikram Yoga Challenge, while a commitment of time, is more importantly a commitment to one’s health, wellness and spirit. We often help others around us, only to find that we are exhausted, stressed out, or left feeling empty or alone. Through a regular yoga practice such as the 30 Day Challenge, students give themselves at least 90 minutes a day to revive and create a healthier inner environment which then allows them the health to more easily help others. Bikram Choudhury tells us that we are all here to serve a purpose, but we have to prepare our bodies and minds so that we are ready to do our work at any time. Yoga gives us energy and allows us to connect our body, mind and spirit so that we can function to our maximum and live life to it’s fullest.

A regular practice of Bikram Yoga results in a wide range of benefits. The most common experiences include stress reduction, weight loss, improve muscle tone, reduced pain and stiffness, recovery from injuries, better digestion and improved energy and vitality.

Doing the 30 Day Bikram Yoga Challenge is a great way to feel the potential of this powerful practice. It’s not just a gift to yourself, but to those around you. It could be your own contribution to peace around you as well as within.

See you in the hot room!

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.