Hot Yoga Benefits: Why is Bikram Yoga performed in a heated room?

If you think about it, it makes sense.

Any exercise program focuses on warming up our bodies before vigorous activity. The temperature of the yoga room is similar to our body's own temperature. This accelerates improvement in many of the benefits of your yoga practice.

Regular exercisers recognise that peak performance occurs when fully warmed up and your body generates heat from the inside radiating out and into your muscles.

Why is sweating beneficial?

After experimenting with different levels of heat and moisture, we have found that the increased moisture in the air is more likely to make you sweat, rather than the absolute temperature! And the more people in the room, the more moisture from our breath, the more we sweat.

Experts agree that the optimal humidity when considering lung function for protection against colds, flu and other respiratory problems is around 60-70% .

Enjoy the sweat! It is doing you so much good on many different levels!

Our room is thermostatically controlled so the temperature never gets too high and in dry conditions we use a steam vaporiser to ensure correct humidity.

The heat has many benefits ...

The heat means we can get into postures more deeply and effectively - plus the benefits of the postures come quickly. Like thousands before you, you will find that practising yoga in the warm room creates a satisfying and almost addictive feeling of achievement.

The benefits are many:

• Your body burns fat more effectively, fat may be redistributed and burned as energy during the class. It is common to lose centimetres of shape in a very short time


• The heat produces a fluid-like stretch allowing for greater range of movement in joints, muscles, ligaments and other supporting structures of the body


• Capillaries dilate in the heat; more effectively oxygenating the tissues, muscles, glands and organs and helping in the removal of waste products


• Your peripheral circulation improves due to enhanced perfusion of your extremities


• Your metabolism speeds up the breakdown of glucose and fatty acids


• You benefit from a strengthening of willpower, self control, concentration and determination in this challenging environment


• Your cardiovascular system gets a thorough workout


• Your muscles and connective tissue become more elastic and allow for greater flexibility with less chance of injury and improved resolution of injury


• Sweating promotes detoxification and elimination through the skin - which is the body's largest eliminating organ


• Just as when your body raises its temperature to fight infection, the raised temperature in the room will assist in improving T-cell function and the proper functioning of your immune system


• Your nervous system function is greatly improved and messages are carried more efficiently to and from your brain


• Metabolism improves in your digestive system and in the body's cells (that is food in the gut and nutrients in the cells)

Yoga Flexibility Poses to Get Limbe

Looking for yoga flexibility poses to loosen your muscles and make you more limber? Check out these four poses, which will help you get more flexible in large areas of your boy, like your spine, lower back and legs.

Yoga for Flexibility

Yoga offers several different health benefits. Building strength, reducing stress and achieving better posture are just three of these. But yoga really shines in the flexibility department. It offers poses of differing challenge levels, so even beginners can benefit from practicing yoga.

Straddle Forward Bend

The straddle forward bend involves the entire body, so you get an all-over flexibility workout with this move. You’ll likely feel the most relief in your back, neck and spine.

Begin by straddling your feet more than shoulder width apart. Place both hands on the ground in front of you, then crawl your fingers back in toward you. You should end with your palms on the ground in between your feet and the top of your head on the floor just in front of your hands. Hold this pose for 10 to 15 seconds, then slowly release your body back up to your starting position.

Cow Face Pose Modified

The original cow face yoga flexibility poses might be difficult for beginning and intermediate yoga posers, so we’ll focus on the slightly easier pose that still offers flexibility in your lower body.

Sit on the ground with your legs out in front of you. Pretend as though you were going to cross your legs. But instead of crossing them next to each other, cross one over top of the other, so they both create a triangle shape and remain stacked.

Your bottom foot will support one side of your hips. Place a shallow object, like a yoga block, between the hip and the floor on the other side so you don’t topple over. Fold your hands in prayer position in front of you with a straight back and shoulders. Hold this pose for at least 10 seconds and switch legs.

Seated Spinal Twist

Seated spinal twists work your whole body in a gentle flexing motion. This is great for relieving pops and tightness in your lower back and middle spine.

Start out sitting down with your legs crossed, right leg on top. Lift the right leg up so that your knee is about at chest level. Draw the bottom foot around to your hip so the knee points ahead of you. Bend your left elbow so your hand points to the ceiling. Cross it over your right knee, twist your core and place your right hand behind you for balance. Remain in this position for at least 10 seconds and switch legs.

Ankle to Knee Stretch

This is one of many yoga flexibility poses that involves crossing the body over the legs and ankles. It’s fairly easy and offers relief in your legs, back and shoulders.

Begin sitting down with your feet crossed, one leg on top of the other so that your legs and feet are stacked. Place both hands in front at each side, then crawl your fingers out as far as you can without overextending your hips. Hold this position for at least 10 seconds, then switch legs.

Things to Consider

Twisting poses should not be performed by pregnant women. Before starting this or any other exercise program, consult with your physician to ensure that it's physically and medically safe for you to do so.

Read more: http://www.brighthub.com/health/fitness/articles/113574.aspx#ixzz1M8cb68LC