Industry Buzz: My Experience with Bikram Yoga

Bikram yoga has recently found itself in the spotlight — and not in a good way. The New York Times reported that, “A former student has sued Bikram Choudhury, the millionaire founder of a wildly popular yoga franchise, accusing him of sexual harassment, discrimination and defamation.”

Choudhury’s yoga franchise, Bikram yoga, was popularized in the early 1970s. A typical Bikram class consists of a set series of 26 postures and two breathing exercises, completed over the course of 90 minutes. Bikram rooms are heated to around 105 degrees.

This isn’t the first time Choudhury and his yoga series have faced controversy. Many, including Noah Aldonas, a writer for Outside, have questioned Bikram’s safety. In “The Hidden Dangers of Hot Yoga,” Aldonas recounted his experience with Bikram and his yogi’s advice that “If you feel pain, it’s good. If you feel numbness in your arms, it’s your body saying ‘thank you.’”

Aldonas reported, “According to Keith Baar, a biology professor at the University of California-Davis and an amateur yogi, my teacher’s statements about numbness being my body’s way of thanking me were an example of ‘yoga physiology,’ the myriad of physiologically incorrect proverbs spit out by yoga instructors in their classes. This is a nice way of saying that it’s crap.”

Although, I personally cannot attest to Choudhury’s sexual harassment allegations, or Bikram’s safety, I can detail my personal experience with Bikram yoga. Two weeks ago, I took my first Bikram yoga class, and it was interesting to say the least.

I came to try Bikram yoga as a result of a Groupon in my area, which gave me the opportunity to try 20 classes for $20. I bought the Groupon, and signed up to take a class the next day. While signing up, the studio’s website advised me to drink 64 ounces of water before each class, and 24 ounces of electrolytes.

To be honest, I probably managed to drink about 30 ounces of water before class. I had been busy that day and drinking water wasn’t really on my mind. So, right before class, I chugged a bottle to make up for my lack of preparation, and hoped that would be enough.

The studio had also advised me to dress lightly, and come “prepared to sweat.” I chose to wear gym shorts and a tank top. A few minutes before the start of the 90-minute class, I entered the heated room and immediately had my breath taken away. It was hot (105 degrees, 40 percent humidity), and I felt a little suffocated.

Taking note of other class participants (some were dressed in swim suits, others in just shorts and sports bras), I set up my mat in the back of class and laid down to begin acclimating my body to the abnormal temperature.

When the instructor came in, I was excited to begin, only because I couldn’t wait to get out of the hot room. We began with a breathing exercise that left me winded, and then transitioned into the first of the 26 poses that we would complete over the course of the class.

I’d taken traditional yoga classes before, so the poses weren’t unfamiliar to me, however the heat is what really had me struggling. About 30 minutes in, the heat began to feel unbearable, and the thought of running out of the room became extremely tempting. However, my instructor was encouraging and I didn’t want to displease her, so I stayed. At this point, I had been sweating so much that my shorts and tank top were completely soaked (lovely, I know).

About two or three times during the class, the instructor would allow us to drink a small amount of water. According to the traditional Bikram series, this is looked down upon —  you’re not supposed to drink water during a Bikram class. My instructor explained that she didn’t agree with this philosophy though, and I was extremely grateful for the few moments we were allowed to rehydrate.

Close to the 45-minute mark, we transitioned from standing yoga poses to the floor, and I was extremely relieved. The floor poses were a little easier, however still hard. During the last few minutes, the instructor told us to lie down and relax. I did so without hesitation — the last 90 minutes had left me exhausted, over heated and emotionally drained. When the instructor gave us the cue to leave, I all but bolted out of the room into the hallway.

I say that my experience with Bikram was an interesting one for multiple reasons. On one hand, I hated every second of practicing yoga in a 105-degree room. It was hard, and emotionally draining to push one’s self past uncomfortable limits.

On the other hand, I pushed myself harder than I’d ever pushed myself before, and the feeling of accomplishment I felt after not running out of the room was extremely rewarding.

Additionally, after the class I felt great. My entire body was relaxed, I felt more flexible, and felt that I had done something good for my body.

Like I said before, I can’t attest to Choudhury’s sexual harassment allegations or Bikram’s safety — however, I can say that I’ll be going back to give Bikram another shot. Despite the heat, the feeling of accomplishment I felt after the class was better than the one I get from an average, everyday workout.

One thing my yogi said during class really struck me — “The point of Bikram is to push yourself,” she had said. “In today’s Western world, we’re not used to doing things that are hard. So I know this is difficult, but that’s the point!”

Have you tried Bikram yoga? What was your experience, and do you feel that it’s safe?

Rachel Zabonick is the assistant editor for Club Solutions Magazine. She can be reached at rachel@clubsolutionsmagazine.com. Reach out to her about exciting events or programs your club has implemented, or to share the amazing accomplishments of a member.