Anyone Practice Bikram?

[ATRookies]

Kind of random, I know, but I wanted to know how many hikers out there practice Bikram yoga and particuraly if you think it has helped with your hiking? (For those of you that arent familiar with it, Bikram yoga is a 90 min class with 26 postures repeated twice eash, in a room heated to 105 degrees with 40% humidity.)

If you do practice, have you felt it is a good prep?

Thanks All

[bigcranky]

The heat was on full blast during our practice last night, it sure felt like 105 degrees. I was sweating so much I couldn't hold a down dog -- my hands were slipping all over the mat. How do you do that on purpose?

As an old guy, I hope yoga will keep me flexible and hiking for another 40 years or so. It sure helps with my general fitness.

[Mags]

I don't do yoga, but it is something I want to try at some point.

Many people who do endurance activities (running, bicycling, cross country skiing..BACKPACKING/HIKING ), tend to work the same large muscle groups over and over again.

We have good strength, good cario, good endurance..LOUSY FLEXIBILITY.

Yoga would be a way to increase flexibility (along with other benefits), making me less prone to injury. I am still pretty young...but my vanishing hair and specks of grey in my beard reminds me that I getting older.

Now, if I can just find a reasonably priced yoga place that is not trendy or too new agey.

[Alligator]

...
Now, if I can just find a reasonably priced yoga place that is not trendy or too new agey.

When I had a teacher for yoga it was through the YMCA. There was a special program where you didn't have gym membership, but could take any three of the exercise classes every week. It was cheaper than the gym membership.

My gym has Yoga classes as part of the membership.

Sometimes yoga is offered through community programs too, like adult ed.

[Mags]

re: YMCA

I've heard good things about the Y and similar programs. However, considering where I leave, the crunch factor can be high.

In all seriousness, there are enough people who are looking for more athletic focuses yoga (as opposed to spirituality-based yoga), that I just have to get off my lazy (and non flexible) butt and join a class.

[Sly]

Mags, Boulder is getting to you!

[Mags]

Mags, Boulder is getting to you!

Namaste.....mindful and meaningfully of course.

[Sly]

Namaste.....mindful and meaningfully of course.

Yeah, same to you dude!

[Smile]

Yoga is so good for you

Isn't there a yoga for hikers site out there, I recall reading that somewhere.

[jrwiesz]

Yoga is so good for you

Isn't there a yoga for hikers site out there, I recall reading that somewhere.

If a person has cable or dish TV, I believe there are yoga choices on the fitness channel, or lifetime, or oxygen channel.

[Smile]

Yoga for Hikers DVD

Here it is

[CoyoteWhips]

Nice thing about Bikram is you don't have to crank the heat in your own house.

I though exercise in that much heat seemed silly, but then I noticed that my muscles are more stretchy when I'm hot.

[gold bond]

My wife and I have given some serious thought about yoga for this year. I know I got to loose about 15-20 pounds before hiking season kicks off again. I think yoga would be a benifit as well because of my knee's and back. Any thoughts on this from you guys in the know....

[Hooch]

Kind of random, I know, but I wanted to know how many hikers out there practice Bikram yoga and particuraly if you think it has helped with your hiking? (For those of you that arent familiar with it, Bikram yoga is a 90 min class with 26 postures repeated twice eash, in a room heated to 105 degrees with 40% humidity.)

If you do practice, have you felt it is a good prep?

Thanks All

With conditions like that I see where they get the "ram" in Bikram.

[Alligator]

My wife and I have given some serious thought about yoga for this year. I know I got to loose about 15-20 pounds before hiking season kicks off again. I think yoga would be a benifit as well because of my knee's and back. Any thoughts on this from you guys in the know....

I have had fewer back problems when I have regularly practiced yoga. It's a great addition to your workouts. Unless you are doing something like power yoga, it's not as calorie intensive as other exercise. So if you are only exercising 1-2 times a week, it would be a little harder to lose weight with. IMO yoga is great for maintenance and for rounding out your exercise program. Now if you do it nearly every day, it will tone you up.

Yoga is very easy on the knees. I had a little PT for my knees and found that the PT exercises were not mimicked well in yoga poses. YMMV.

I'd suggest Pilates as a way to bump it up some. It's sort of like a mix between yoga and aerobics. Of course you may not want to mention it to any football buddies .

[gold bond]

I have had fewer back problems when I have regularly practiced yoga. It's a great addition to your workouts. Unless you are doing something like power yoga, it's not as calorie intensive as other exercise. So if you are only exercising 1-2 times a week, it would be a little harder to lose weight with. IMO yoga is great for maintenance and for rounding out your exercise program. Now if you do it nearly every day, it will tone you up.

Yoga is very easy on the knees. I had a little PT for my knees and found that the PT exercises were not mimicked well in yoga poses. YMMV.

I'd suggest Pilates as a way to bump it up some. It's sort of like a mix between yoga and aerobics. Of course you may not want to mention it to any football buddies .

I do heating and air cond. work and I am either crawling under a house or in a attic so anything to help with my knee's....I'll put it on the 6 o'clock news!! Thanks for the info.

[Grandma]

My wife has done it in the past, and loved it.