How to Stretch for a Bikram's Yoga Class
Bikram yoga is a series of 26 poses that Bikram Choudhury adapted from hatha yoga. Hot yoga is another term used for Bikram yoga, the theory being that a warm body is more flexible. Adherents practice Bikram yoga in a 104-degree-Fahrenheit studio. The heat encourages sweating and the flushing out of impurities, which speeds up the inner cleansing process. It is important to perform a few stretches and warm-up poses to prepare your body for the class.
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Instructions
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Start by warming up your neck. Keeping your spine straight, shoulders facing forward and your neck relaxed, inhale and turn your head to the right as far as it can go. Exhale and bring your head back to the center. Inhale and turn your head to the left. Exhale and return to center. Repeat two to three times. Remember to keep your chin parallel to the floor at all times. On your next exhalation, lower your chin to your chest and take two breaths. Inhale and lift your head back to the center. On the next inhalation, stretch your chin up to expose your neck. Take two breaths. Inhale and lower your chin back to center.
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Perform warm-up exercises for your shoulders by raising one shoulder to your ear, then dropping it. Do the same with the other shoulder. Then lift and drop both shoulders at the same time. Repeat five to 10 times. Keep your spine straight, shoulders facing forward and your neck relaxed.
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Place your hands on your shoulders with your elbows bent. Start warming up your arms by moving them forward and up on your inhalation. Exhale and move them backwards and down. Repeat two to four times. Stretch your arms out in front of you, keeping them parallel to the floor. Inhale and move them forward and up, exhale and bring them backwards and down. Repeat two to four times.
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Warm up your hips by standing with feet shoulder-width apart. Place your hands on your hips and push your hips as far as possible to the front, then sweep them around to the right, back and left to complete a circle. Repeat 10 times. Reverse direction and do 10 more repetitions.
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Stand with your feet together and arms loose by your side in preparation for a spinal curl. Inhale. As you exhale, lower your chin to your chest and carry on relaxing your spine downwards, vertebra by vertebra, keeping your shoulders, neck and arms relaxed, until your back is rounded and your head is by your knees. Bend your knees to release any pressure from the spine. Touch your toes, or place your hands on the mat beside your feet. Now inhale and reverse the movement. Curl upwards vertebra by vertebra. Hold your abdomen in and breathe into your chest until you are upright. Repeat two to four times.
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Stand with your feet together and interlock your fingers to prepare for a full-body stretch. Bring your hands above your head with your palms facing upwards, inhale and extend your arms to the ceiling. Keep your arms close to your ears. Go onto your toes, suck your tummy in and tuck your tailbone under as you stretch from your toes to your fingers. Hold for 10 seconds. Exhale as you release the stretch and rest. Repeat.
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Tips & Warnings
Bring a 2-liter bottle of water to a hot yoga class. As you sweat a lot, it's also advisable to bring your own mat and towel with you.
Warming up beforehand shows you what your body will be capable of during the class. Listen to your body, and do not overstretch unless under your yoga instructor's personal guidance. Overstretching can cause injury.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit pilates standing stretch image by Leticia Wilson from Fotolia.com
