FitSugar

Jason Bateman Tells David Letterman His Reluctant Intro to Bikram

FitSugar — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 10:31:30 PDT

One of the hottest exercise trends (literally) is Bikram Yoga. On The Late Show with David Letterman, Jason Bateman tells the story of actually working with Bikram himself when he was a kid growing up in Los Angeles. The memory isn't exactly a happy one for Jason, but in classic Jason Bateman fashion he retells the story of being in Bikram's class, and he brings along a picture of him with Bikram to prove that he was there.

Learn Your Burn: Calories in Yoga Classes

Heather Dale — Sun, 22 May 2011 09:23:28 PDT

Deciding if a workout is worthwhile shouldn't be based on how many calories you burn; there are other factors to consider, like if you got your heart rate up, improved your balance and strength, or the exercise improves your energy levels. I'm a regular attendee at yoga classes, but it recently dawned on me that I have no clue how many calories I'm burning during yoga class. Because yoga makes me stronger and more flexible, it really doesn't matter how many calories I burn, but out of curiosity, I thought I'd see how my yoga classes stack up in the calorie department thanks to Health Status's calorie calculator.

Here are the results, listed from the lowest to highest calorie burners.

5 Yoga Bags For Bikram Yoga Enthusiasts

Heather Dale — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 04:00:05 PDT

Slipless towels for hot yoga? Check. But now that I have the perfect towel and mat, I need a fashionable bag that will effortlessly carry both. Fear not my fire breathing Bikram yogis, there are bags specifically designed to transport your mat, towel, and accessories to yoga class. I've rounded up some of my faves here. And if you're looking for a regular yoga mat bag that fits your unique style and personality, here are some colorful handmade yoga bags from Etsy that are sure to grab your attention.

Source: Flickr User lululemon athletica

5 Slipless Towels For Hot Yoga

Heather Dale — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 14:20:52 PST

Is it bad that I get more motivated to workout when I have all the "required gear" for a specific fitness classes? I'll go to one class and then convince myself that I need just the right headband, shoes, socks and sports bra to really step in up in class number two. What I truly love about yoga is the fact that it's a minimalists dream - heck, just show up and you can take part in what you're already wearing (OK, I take that back, you might need some lycra).

Aside from my yoga mat, the only other investment I've made to my yoga routine is getting a proper non-slip towel for Bikram yoga classes. Hot yoga is great for sweating out toxins, but your mat can turn into one dangerous Slip 'N Slide if you don't use a towel that is specially designed to grip to your mat. Trust me, I learned the hard way!

Here are some of my favorites that not only soak up the sweat, but keep you in one place during your practice. Namaste.

How Hot Do You Like Your Yoga?

FitSugar — Wed, 26 May 2010 13:30:16 PDT

The type of yoga I teach is pretty hot, and I remember one woman showed up to my class early while I was setting up. She pointed to the unit up above us and said, "Could you turn up the AC?" I looked at her and said, "Actually, that's heat." Needless to say, she didn't stay for the class.

Hot yoga has been a huge craze for years. Bikram yoga is held in rooms of 105°F or higher, and many other styles, including Ashtanga and Vinyasa, heat practice rooms too, but only to temperatures in the 80s or 90s. The heat serves a purpose - to warm up the muscles so a practitioner can get deeper into poses, and also to provide a detoxifying effect (read, sweat!). Many people also believe sweating profusely during a yoga class is a sign that they're dropping pounds, although the weight they're losing is mostly water weight.

Not only can exercising in extreme heat be dangerous, leading to heat stroke and dehydration, but many people just can't take it. According to fitness expert Fabio Comana, the body is designed to withstand temps between 97 and 100 degrees, so if your core temp raises above 105°F, he says "you'll start to damage protein." Some people are addicted to insanely hot yoga though, while others prefer practicing in more moderate temps, so tell me . . .

Wear Pants to Yoga, Even When It's Hot

FitSugar — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 03:30:00 PDT

If you're continuing your yoga practice into the warm Summer days, you may be thinking you need to purchase some shorts since the temperature has risen. Before you make the splurge, I'm here to tell you to save your money. I know it's tempting to ditch your pants since yoga can make you so hot and sweaty, but you actually want to wear pants instead of shorts.

Why? The extra material won't make you feel much hotter, but what it will do is absorb all your sweat, so your mat doesn't get dangerously slick. Plus, the material on your legs will allow you to do poses like Hummingbird and Crow more easily, since skin-on-skin contact is so slippery. You can also wipe your sweaty forehead on your pants every time you come into a forward bend. For all these reasons, opt for pants. You'll be thankful that you did.

You Asked: What Should I Expect From My First Bikram Yoga Class?

FitSugar — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 11:00:00 PDT

Hey Fit,
I'm going to try out Bikram yoga for the first time next week, and I'm a little unclear on what to expect (and a little nervous). I know it's going to be hot, so I'm wondering if you have any tips or things that I should (and shouldn't) do that day so that I get through the class feeling good instead of feeling like I might pass out halfway through - foods to stay away from, should I hydrate more than usual, etc.?
Thanks!
tlsgirl

This is a great question since Bikram yoga is becoming increasingly popular. To find out how to prepare for your first class, read more.

Yoga: What's With the Heated Room?

FitSugar — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 02:30:00 PST

When I first started teaching yoga, a new student walked into my class and said, "Can we turn the air-conditioning on?" I had to explain that the room was actually heated for two main reasons.

Heat warms up the muscles, making your body stretch more easily, which can actually prevent injuries such as pulled muscles.
Heat makes you sweat, and sweating is beneficial to the body in helping to remove toxins.

Ashtanga, Bikram and Vinyasa classes heat the room to temperatures between 90 and 104°F. This can feel overwhelming, especially if you live in a cold climate. It's also shocking to the body if you're not used to exercising in such high temps, so take these precautions when practicing in a heated room:

As a preventative measure, drink plenty of water before you start practicing. You want to be hydrated so when you start to sweat, you won't become dehydrated.

What else should you do? To find out

You'll be amazed at how much you sweat while practicing in a heated room, and all that sweat can make your yoga mat slippery. So place a towel, cotton yoga rug, or a Yogitoes towel over your sticky mat to prevent slipping. You should also wear long pants to soak up the sweat and keep a hand towel next to your mat to wipe down your face and arms to prevent puddles from forming around your mat.
Listen to your body and take breaks if you need to. If you begin to feel dizzy or overheated, skip out on doing the crazy yoga moves and just sit quietly on your mat. If even that's too much, step out of the room and get some fresh air and water to help cool you down.
Bring a set of dry clothes to change into after class since your yoga clothes will be soaked.
It may take several classes in a heated room to learn to love it, so don't give up after your first experience. If you find that heated yoga just isn't for you, ask someone from your local yoga studio or gym to recommend an instructor who doesn't heat the room.

Source

Bikram Yoga and Weight Loss

FitSugar — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PDT

I talk to a lot of people about yoga, because I really love to talk about yoga. Many people I talk to swear by Bikram and say they won't do any other kind of yoga because other forms don't provide the same detoxifying effects. These folks love the heat and the intensity Bikram brings, and they also claim that it helps them lose more weight.

Hold up here!!! I need to clarify something very important about Bikram yoga. The room you practice in is set to at least 105°F and 40% humidity. This extreme temperature causes the body to sweat profusely to keep you from overheating. Sweating is healthy for the body, and it does help to remove toxins, but it doesn't make you lose weight. The weight you think you've lost from going to a Bikram yoga class is really just water weight because it's so dang hot and you sweat so much. As soon as you go to drink water after class to re-hydrate yourself you'll "gain" all that weight back.

Sorry to burst your bubble people, but sweating doesn't make you lose body weight, and you don't even have to sweat to drop pounds. Calories are what you want to watch out for, and you've got to consume less or burn more if losing weight is your goal.

Fit's Tips: I do not have anything against Bikram yoga, but if you are going to practice in this extreme heat, make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day before you go to a class. If you don't drink enough, you could suffer from symptoms of dehydration including dizziness, fatigue, and you could even end up fainting.

Source

Hot Yoga and Summer Heat: The Perfect Combination?

FitSugar — Tue, 31 May 2011 01:21:21 PDT

Hot yoga like Bikram is practiced in a studio heated to around 105 degrees, which sounds great for those cold Winter months, but when the temperatures rise, who wants to be stuck indoors without the A/C? Sweating it out in a heated studio with dozens of similarly glistening strangers may sound like the exact opposite of what you'd want to do.

But, practicing hot yoga during the Summer months can help acclimate you to the season's heat, and even arm you with proper coping tools when things get too unbearable (just close your eyes and breathe like you're in the studio, or try a kneeling or seated pose that lowers your head to help lower your heart rate). Also, without the large difference between the temps outside and inside the studio, you'll be able to warm up faster once you get to class.

No matter what the season, some people can't imagine sweating it out in a hot room for so long, least of all when the weather outside is perfect for a dip in the pool. It's important to remember that proper fueling and hydration are especially important when just walking outside in the stifling heat makes you fatigued (try eating something two to three hours before class and drinking at least four liters of water the day of class to help prevent feeling dizzy or nauseous).

Has the Summer weather got you in the mood for hot yoga? Read on to learn all about it!