Sweat It Out: Comparing Bikram Yoga And Hot Yoga Classes

 Have you been looking for ways to enliven your yoga practice? Or, does detoxing the mind, improving flexibility, and strength building sounds like the kind of workout you’ve been seeking? Well, joining Bikram or Hot yoga classes can be a positive, thoughtful, and constructive change. Practicing yoga in heat – be it hot yoga or Bikram – can be beneficial to your body. High-temperature levels can help you increase your stretch to achieve the desired level of flexibility. 

Yoga is a great workout and an excellent way to learn how to ensure your body and mind are aligned. By training your lungs to hold onto more oxygen, yoga done in a heated room can boost your lung capacity. Deeper breaths force them to expand more than usual, thus allowing for more oxygen to enter the bloodstream and reach the other organs. 

Furthermore, the intensity makes your heart pump faster since it pushes more blood toward the skin to cool you down. This gives you a better cardio workout than you’d receive doing the same sequence in a colder environment. 

Wondering what’s the difference between Bikram and hot yoga? Read on. 

What Is Bikram Yoga? 

Early in the 1970s, Bikram Choudhury founded Bikram Yoga, which is regarded as the finest and original form of hot yoga. A set sequence of 26 postures is practised for 90 minutes, and it's a fairly strict and serious practice. The temperature should be set to precisely 105°F, and the humidity level should be set at 40%. While this may sound strenuous, Bikram yoga is regarded as a detoxifying exercise that improves mental and physical control while strengthening and increasing flexibility.

What Is Hot Yoga? 

Hot yoga is basically just regular yoga done in a heated space. This style of yoga can be quiet like Yin yoga or more energetic like Vinyasa. As a result, the sequence is never the same and there are no guidelines for how the environment should be built. A hot yoga session takes place in a room that ranges in temperature from 32 to 40 degrees Celsius (90°F-105°F).

Understanding The Key Differences Between Bikram Yoga and Hot Yoga 

1. Studio 

Once you enter the studio, the first distinction between the two methods is immediately apparent. Wall-to-wall mirrors will typically be present in a Bikram studio, whereas hot yoga may not. It is this characteristic that sets Bikram apart from conventional yoga. Mirrors are considered a distraction in traditional practices because they make you more conscious of your outer body while dulling your awareness of your inner body. However, Bikram seeks to increase awareness of the outer body.

Furthermore, Bikram studios will have extremely bright lighting, whereas a hot yoga studio might have dim lighting.  

2. Temperature 

Even though the environment is different, both Bikram and Hot yoga in Brisbane are performed in heated rooms. While the temperature can vary during hot yoga sessions, it is fixed during Bikram sessions. The temperature and humidity in the room during a Bikram class are both precisely +40° Celsius. On the contrary, hot yoga rooms are frequently heated to a range of +26 to +40 degrees Celsius with variable humidity levels. 

3. Poses 

A hot yoga class can be taught as an extension of a regular yoga practice and can include any poses the instructor chooses. In contrast, Bikram Choudhury chose a set of 26 poses to be practised in any official Bikram session. The sequence in which these poses must be used each time is scripted.

Typically, inversions like headstands are not included in Bikram classes because they can be challenging for beginners to perform while also being in intense heat. Hot yoga classes, on the other hand, have more flexibility in how they are conducted, meaning you never know what to expect until you show up. 

4. Duration 

Both practices take a different length of time. With 26 postures and two breathing exercise sequences, Bikram-style yoga must be performed in exactly 90 minutes. Yoga, particularly in a hot environment, is not necessarily comfortable for everyone. On the other hand, hot yoga sessions last only 60 minutes, which is more tolerable, particularly for beginners.

Wrapping Up! 

There’s a lot of debate about which is best - Bikram yoga or Hot yoga. But the general opinion is that both these practices provide mental and physical benefits. When you do yoga regularly, it will improve your balance, reduce your stress, lessen your body pain and increase your muscle flexibility. 

However, in both cases, it’s important to stay hydrated enough and start slowly. Ensure you drink enough fluids before your class and take a bottle of water with you. Don’t forget to carry a towel!