Bikram Hot Yoga Houston Blog

two weeks into the bikram challenge, i thought you all would enjoy this comment i received from naeem, one of our long time students.... bikram always says that by regularly practicing his yoga, we become bullet proof, fire proof, water proof etc. apparently we also become snow proof!!

"I think I became a 'real' runner when I started to run barefoot in 2004, first in San Francisco then Miami, Houston, and Johannesburg. In the northern cities it was a little irritating when barefoot running was made rather difficult and painful in snow.

Although I've been been doing marathons and ultras since 1999 mostly racewalking in the steps of Dave McGovern, I have never really enjoyed them so much as running barefoot. Especially since barefoot I can run faster and enjoy it more than when shod.

What is good about piles of snow and minus plenty below 0' temp?  Well, it compeled me to enter the spectacular universe of something even more arduous, frustrating and torturous than a marathon.... That is, Bikram Yoga classes! Bikram Yoga really does condition your feet for extreme heat and extreme cold. Isn't it interesting that right after a January Bikram Yoga class in Pittsburgh, DC or Chicago I can now enjoy walking outside barefoot on gravely trails or icy snow?

auf Wiedersehen, Cheers y Namaste

one of our wonderful students, robert the super yogi, shared that day 3 of our bikram yoga challenge is day 290 for him! how inspiring is that? i asked him what top three things in his life have changed with this many consecutive classes, and he shared the following:

1: I have had psoriatic arthritis (it's similar to rheumatoid arthritis) for over 25 years. I have recovered a *tremendous* amount of **pain free** range of motion (especially in my ankles, knees, hips, and back), have healed several persistent pains, and significantly reduced my arthritis symptoms. This is why I am in the hot room every day. For me, even missing just 1 day makes it very uncomfortable once I get back to the yoga.

2: I have not had to take any of my prescription medication (which has some rare but potentially nasty side effects) for my arthritis in over 4 months.

3: While I haven't lost any weight, I have lost inches. People have commented that it looks like I have lost 10-15 lbs. I have added quite a bit of muscle to my shoulders, back, and legs. My body looks very different (better!) than it did 10 months ago....

And I'll take a moment to channel Billy Mays to say "There's more! You get a bonus 4th change ABSOLUTELY FREE!"

4: I feel a heck of a lot better (physically, mentally, emotionally) than I did a year ago!

60 days: New mind, new body, new life, no joke!

The yoga keeps working, so I keep coming back.

i'd love to hear from those of you who would like to share the changes you're noticing as you journey through your bikram challenge. you can email me or leave your comments here or on our facebook page. we've entered the land of miracles and it's fun to share the maps....

day 2 of our bikram challenge is well underway!

during class these next couple of days really focus on the first breathing exercise, pranayama breathing. bring all of your attention to each inhale and make every effort to take in just a little bit more air each time. exhale with the same determination and concentration.... notice anything different? make an entry in your journal about the breath....

this breathing exercise is often overlooked or done in a rote manner. some folks even try to avoid it (which is one of the reasons we do not allow students to enter the classroom if they're late). however the foundation of the entire class rests firmly in this first breathing exercise. pranayama warms the body from the inside out. it increases the oxygen in our blood and fills us with "prana" / life force energy.

you can do this breathing exercise before any physical activity as it increases circulation throughout your entire body. instead of using only 10% of your lung capacity, pranayama breathing, done correctly and mindfully, uses 100% of your lung capacity. this breathing exercise benefits everyone, but especially those who struggle with asthma, emphysema, and other lung ailments. pranayama breathing is nature's medicine for our lungs, so give this exercise your very best effort!