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B i k r a m Y o g a - H o t Y o g a !
from:B i k r a m Y o g a o r H o t Y o g a i s a s t y l e o f y o g a d e v e l o p e d i n L o s A n g e l e s b y B i k r a m C h o u d h u r y . B o r n i n I n d i a i n 1 9 4 6 , C h o u d h u r y s e t t l e d i n C a l i f o r n i a i n t h e 1 9 7 0 s a n d n o w l i v e s i n B e v e r l y H i l l s .
T h e u n i q u e e l e m e n t i n B i k r a m y o g a i s t h a t t h e s e s s i o n s t a k e p l a c e i n a w e l l h e a t e d r o o m i n a t e m p e r a t u r e o f 1 0 5 d e g r e e s F a h r e n h e i t o r m o r e . T h i s r e s e m b l e s t e m p e r a t u r e s i n m a n y p a r t s o f I n d i a w h e r e y o g a d e v e l o p e d .
I f p e o p l e a r r i v e a t a c l a s s f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e u n p r e p a r e d f o r t h e i n t e n s e h e a t , t h e y o f t e n q u i t t h e c l a s s e s . B u t l i k e a s a u n a , i t i s b e n e f i c i a l f o r r e d u c i n g m u s c l e s t i f f n e s s a n d i n c r e a s i n g p h y s i c a l r e l a x a t i o n a n d f l e x i b i l i t y . P e o p l e w h o s t a y t h r o u g h t h e f i r s t f e w s e s s i o n s o f t e n c o m e t o a p p r e c i a t e t h i s a s p e c t o f t h e c l a s s .
A B i k r a m y o g a c l a s s u s e s a s e r i e s o f 2 6 p o s t u r e s w h i c h a r e b a s e d o n t r a d i t i o n a l I n d i a n y o g a p o s e s . M a n y o f t h e s e p o s e s a r e a l s o u s e d i n o t h e r f o r m s o f y o g a b u t B i k r a m y o g a i s u n u s u a l i n t h a t i t o n l y e v e r u s e s t h e s e s a m e p o s e s i n o n e s e q u e n c e , a n d n o o t h e r s , a l t h o u g h a c l a s s m a y g o t h r o u g h t h e s e q u e n c e t w i c e . T h e b r e a t h i s a l s o v e r y i m p o r t a n t i n B i k r a m s t y l e o f y o g a . M o s t c l a s s e s a r e 9 0 m i n u t e s a n d w i l l i n c l u d e b r e a t h i n g e x e r c i s e s a s w e l l a s t h e p o s t u r e s , p l u s a r e l a x a t i o n s e s s i o n a t t h e e n d .
A s w i t h m o s t f o r m s o f y o g a i t i s i m p o r t a n t n o t t o b e c o m p e t i t i v e w i t h o t h e r s o r e x p e c t q u i c k r e s u l t s , b u t w o r k a t t h e y o g a p r a c t i c e f o r i t s o w n s a k e . S t u d e n t s m u s t t a k e c a r e n o t t o o v e r s t r e t c h o r i n j u r e t h e m s e l v e s . P r o g r e s s w i l l b e s t e a d y b u t s l o w . H o w e v e r t h e b e n e f i c i a l e f f e c t o f a t t e n d i n g a y o g a c l a s s r e g u l a r l y m a y b e f e l t i n a l l a s p e c t s o f d a i l y l i f e a n d o f t e n c a n b e r e a w a k e n e d b y r e t u r n i n g t o p r a c t i c e m a n y y e a r s l a t e r .
B i k r a m C h o u d h u r y h a s s p a r k e d c o n t r o v e r s y i n b o t h t h e A m e r i c a n y o g a c o m m u n i t y a n d i n I n d i a b y c l a i m i n g c o p y r i g h t o n t h e s e q u e n c e o f y o g a p o s e s t h a t h e u s e s . T h e o p p o s i t i o n a r g u m e n t i s t h a t t r a d i t i o n a l p o s e s w h i c h h a v e b e e n u s e d b y y o g a t e a c h e r s i n I n d i a f o r c e n t u r i e s c a n n o t b e c o p y r i g h t e d . S o f a r t h i s a r g u m e n t h a s f a i l e d t o o v e r t u r n t h e c o p y r i g h t i n t h e U S A , a n d a n y o n e w i s h i n g t o t e a c h B i k r a m y o g a o r u s e h i s s e q u e n c e o f p o s e s m u s t o b t a i n a l i c e n c e t o d o s o . O f c o u r s e t h i s d o e s n o t p r e v e n t o t h e r y o g a i n s t r u c t o r s f r o m t e a c h i n g t h e s a m e b a s i c y o g a p o s e s i n d i f f e r e n t s e q u e n c e s , b u t t h e y m a y n o t c a l l t h e m s e l v e s B i k r a m y o g a t e a c h e r s .
A s w e l l a s t h e r e q u i r e m e n t f o r t h e i n s t r u c t o r t o o b t a i n a l i c e n c e , t h e r e a r e l i m i t a t i o n s o n t h e p o p u l a r i t y o f B i k r a m y o g a c a u s e d b y t h e h i g h t e m p e r a t u r e s r e q u i r e d . T h i s i s n o t o n l y b e c a u s e p e o p l e a r e u n c o m f o r t a b l e i n t h e s e t e m p e r a t u r e s . M o s t p u b l i c b u i l d i n g a d m i n i s t r a t o r s w o u l d n o t a l l o w a n i n s t r u c t o r t o h e a t t h e r o o m t h a t h i g h , s o a s p e c i a l y o g a s t u d i o i s r e q u i r e d . D u e t o t h e s e f a c t o r s t h e r e a r e n o t s o m a n y B i k r a m y o g a c l a s s e s a s t h e r e a r e i n o t h e r s t y l e s o f y o g a .
Gaiam Yoga News
Celebrity Fitness Instructor Reveals Alex Rodirguez & Eli Manning's Training ... - Celebuzz
Celebrity Fitness Instructor Reveals Alex Rodirguez & Eli Manning's Training ... Celebuzz She has several online yoga classes on GaiamTV.com. Along with spring's blooming flowers and seasonal allergies comes a truly American tradition: baseball season. Fresh off spring training, our MLB pros take to the field with a statistical clean slate ... |
Time Warner Cable Launches Health on Demand, a 24 Hour Healthy Lifestyle ... - MarketWatch (press release)
Time Warner Cable Launches Health on Demand, a 24 Hour Healthy Lifestyle ... MarketWatch (press release) Gaiam TV segments will feature videos on exercise and stress reduction, including Cardio Weight Loss, Pilates Energy, Daily Yoga and Buff Moms, among others. "We are excited to introduce Gaiam TV to the Time Warner Cable Health on Demand audience," ... Health on Demand Launched by Time Warner Cable to Delight of Advertisers Time Warner Cable launched ad-supported healthy lifestyle VOD channel Time Warner Cable Launches 24 Hour Healthy Lifestyle Content Channel |
Time Warner adds Health on Demand channel - Cincinnati.com (blog)
Time Warner adds Health on Demand channel Cincinnati.com (blog) Gaiam TV segments will feature videos on exercise and stress reduction, including Cardio Weight Loss, Pilates Energy, Daily Yoga and Buff Moms, among others. “We are excited to introduce Gaiam TV to the Time Warner Cable Health on Demand audience,” ... Time Warner Cable targets on-demand niches |
Workout on the screen - Daily Camera
Workout on the screen Daily Camera A vinyasa-style yoga video for motivated beginners to intermediate yogis who want to get their heart rates up, build strength and improve flexibility. This is one of Gaiam's most recommended yoga videos, offering a 25-minute beginner's option, ... |
Trading the Elliptical for Video - New York Times
 New York Times | Trading the Elliptical for Video New York Times ... yoga instructor Mike McArdle. And Ms. Fonda, the veteran, last year came out with fitness DVDs for baby boomers. Industry executives are also beginning to offer live-streaming and on-demand subscription services. Bill Sondheim, president of Gaiam, ... |