Is suffering unavoidable for spiritual growth? Must the thermostat be set so high? Practitioners of Bikram yoga endure classrooms heated to 110—not quite sauna temperatures, but hotter than the hottest summer day hereabouts. After experiencing 90 minutes of Bikram recently, I needed a half-hour shower, a two-hour nap and a strong cup of coffee before I could even sit upright. If I was visited by some small share of bliss, I was just too completely exhausted to notice.
Since I started practicing yoga almost ten years ago, I have been loyal to Vinyasa, which is practiced at room temperature, but lately I had become curious about the strong emotions that Bikram seems to inspire. My friend Kim reported that after doing the 30-Day Bikram Challenge (one class every day for 30 days), her allergies disappeared and she felt like she could see through walls. I’m not sure I even want to see through walls, but I do have allergies.
Arriving at the bright, cheerful Brooklyn studio about a half hour before class, I announced my beginner status to the woman at the front desk. As I signed the standard liability waiver she told me that the most important thing to remember during my first class was to stay in the room. (Same instructions they gave my uncle when he felt sick during his first and only Bikram class; he obediently threw up on his yoga mat.)
I bought a liter bottle of SmartWater, rented the recommended 2 towels to keep me from slipping in my own sweat, and headed in.
This room was hot and dark and smelled like someone who hadn’t showered in 30 days. I left footprints in the damp carpeting and my leggings clung to my thighs. Class began with a stationary breathing pose, and after a round of inhales and exhales I was already bright red and dripping with sweat—before I had even begun to move.
Most yoga teachers encourage you to be gentle with yourself, to go at your own pace. This class had a boot camp feel to it. Our sinewy, shirtless teacher barked at us to “go past your flexibility…further, further, FURTHER!” He was explicit on the pain point: “You’re not doing the pose right if you’re not suffering!” Coming out of a pose early or taking a sip of water was a sign of weak discipline.
As class progressed, runaway rivulets of sweat dripped into my eyes, my clothes got squishy and I became steadily more nauseous and dizzy. But I stuck with it and was, frankly, impressed when I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror balancing forward on one leg while holding my back foot behind me and over my head in Dandayamana – Dhanurasana (Standing Bow Pulling Pose). I did leverage my beginner status a few times, releasing early out of Dandayamana -JanuShirasana (Standing Head to Knee Pose) and Padangustasana (Toe Stand Pose).
The class seemed interminable, and when it ended 90 minutes later I lay flat on my back, listening to the teacher urge new students to return the next day. I did notice that my normally jumpy, anxious brain was taking a breather. I just lay there, soaking up the dank quietness, until my need to breathe normal air won out.
In the lobby, the teacher gave me a tough-love “Good class” nod, in the manner of a football coach. I overheard two friends arranging to come back the next day, but it was all I could do to run out into the cool autumn day and suck down gulps of fresh air. Dazed and suddenly starving, I stumbled home, fantasizing the whole way about the crab cake leftovers in my fridge and waiting for the Bikram bliss.
Hours later, I was still suffering. My cheeks were rosy, my skin was dewy and the pores on my nose looked fantastic, but my body felt completely beaten up. I called Kim, the one who saw through walls, and she sighed and told me that the Bikram high doesn’t come until after the third class.
I’ll never know. I’ve decided against suffering through two more suffocating, Boot Camp-style sessions. The peacefulness in my brain was nice, but I get that from Vinyasa class—without all the hot and bother.
Comments (15)
Jen Jen Jen…wining is not good communication. the yoga you choose to do is purely preference and all forms are equally fine. something for everyone! how lucky we are! a true yogi will try different types of yoga and if he/she doesn’t like it then… he/she just simply doesn’t continue doing it… a true yogi doesn’t complain like the most awful thing in the world has happened. it didn’t kill you and you could have spent your time doing much more unhealthy things, right? try to relax and spend more time spreading positive thoughts on vinyasa (which i happen to enjoy too) instead of spreading negativity on other forms of yoga. i think this would as a whole be a much better way to spend your time. peace!
Jon jon jon…could you be more condescending? “A true yogi” this, “a true yogi” that – are you suggesting you are a true yogi? If so, I would love to come and sit at your feet, practice where you teach, and absorb your lessons on non-attachment. Because it’s obvious you are not attached to what others think about Bikram-style yoga. If you truly wish to give advice to someone whose opinion about Bikram-style yoga is different than yours, perhaps taking a ‘yogier-than-thou’ attitude isn’t the best way to get your point across.
namaste!
“You either love it or hate it” is what I commonly heard before I tried Bikram. Personally I love it and tell people, if you can get past the smell, you may love it too. As a yoga beginner, with the simple goal of becoming more flexible I was hooked after my first attempt at Bikram resulted in an small, yet inspiring, amount of progress towards being able to touch my toes. This ability to measure my progress is exactly what I like about Bikram. Each session no matter where you take it or who you take it from consists of a standard set of 26 poses each repeated twice before moving on to the next. The heat loosens your muscles allowing you to reach/stretch further the second time you do each pose. It is this immediate gratification of reaching/stretching a little further during the second attempt of each pose that keeps me going back. I love it!
Jen, great article! I have taken bikram several times, and i couldn’t agree with you more how draining it is! The first time I took it, in the evening, i couldn’t get out of bed the next morning. Not only was I exhausted, but I was so tired…I forgot how deeply I was able to twist, bend, and contort in that heat. Although I am a true devotee of Vinyasa, nothing beats that first breath of fresh air after the class is over! Can’t wait to hear more about yoga from you!
Jen, as a human being you have the freedom to experience life (and exercise) in your way, without being chastised for expressing an opinion.
Thank you for being true to yourself. It’s refreshing to read a piece that isn’t hidden behind the prescribed vision of what a “true yogi” is “supposed” to be!
Jen, I have never taken a Bikram Yoga class, but I feel like I have now! Loved the article. Very educational.
My boyfriend and I are big devotees of hot yoga, not Bikram per se and there IS a big difference. We thought we had seen and done it all when it comes to yoga until we went to an official Bikram class on Thanksgiving morning. #1 complaint – the smell. It’s definitely the carpeting. When we do hot yoga normally we do it on a wooden floor which definitely helps the stinkiness factor. We quickly came to realize that a lot of what we have done at our hot yoga studio is in fact “Bikram like,” without the vile smell. We were lucky enough to be in a small room on turkey day, as opposed to the giant smellier area. When we left our class however and walked through the big studio it smelled like urine – the class didn’t make me want to throw up but the smell that assaulted my senses afterward did!
A new yoga studio that has the right attitude just opened in Forest Hills, Queens on Queens Blvd called Bamboo Moves. This studio keeps the room at a nice warm, not HOT temperature. The 85 degree temp in this studio is the perfect balance of warmth for cold muscles and just enough heat to get a good sweat going. Andrew Tanner the owner has his own unique mix of martial arts, tai chi, qui gong and yoga. His energy flow techniques also complement his instruction. Every time we go there we are greeted with a mix of flexibility, strength training and spiritual/energy balancing.
Yoga should not be boot camp. Yoga should not be smelly. Yoga should be about restoring and honoring your mind, body and spiritual well being.
Jen, you are not alone in your feelings about Bikram. I won’t say that I will never do it again, however there are better options out there for yogis like us.
How refreshing to hear the truth with humor and some healthy irony. And all in a yoga blog – which could have such high chances for well intentioned positivity – a la fakeness all dressed up in a pseudo-spiritual mask.
Namaste & Rock on.
Meredith
http://www.meredithhaberfeld.com
I loved your post-Bikram description. My husband used to go to class with me, and he finally threw in the (wet, stinky) towel after one particularly grueling session. Personally, Bikram reminds me of the Camus quote “The only way out is through”. I feel like I really work through all of the stresses and am better off for it (although I don’t get that zen like feeling after class that I have with vinyasa, with B-ram it comes a little later).
I have found many of the Bikram Yoga teachers tend to bark their orders of demand to you from almost what feels like a heartless space and when you tell them your “F’n knee” IS LOCKED but not hyper-extended then its war and they are going to nit pick your asanas to death.
Perhaps many of the teachers have never experienced any other type of Yoga and as Bikram clones only do as told?
In Bikram’s latest book it says for Dandayamana -JanuShirasana “until a person can correctly lock the knee you will never reach self realization”.
I wonder if he wrote this in his little bannahammock perched upon his almighty holeyerthanthow throne?
Bikram is yoga for the Type A personality. Good thing, too, as it has attracted a number of new converts to yoga – particularly ones who at first saw yoga as “all chanting and candles.” There are some pretty inspiring testimonials at http://www.bikramfinder.com, the social network for hot yoga fans.
After trying (and loving) Bikram yoga, but doing reading about the experiences of others, I can’t help but think that so much of this relies on the studio and the teacher. Strange considering that they are all bound to a specific script and taught this routine with the same curriculum.
I would agree that it’s probably a love it or hate it thing and each person’s experience is different. I personally couldn’t sleep the first night I did it because I had so much energy.
I guess I’ll just be happy with loving it and consider myself lucky not to belong to a stinky studio. :)
I think this is a funny piece. Good to see some honesty. I have done several spates of Bikram yoga and take all the push push push mentality with a healthy dose of salt! Yes it’s definitely got something and you feel great after a few sessions, but not it’s not the only exercise high you can get. Try martial arts, try boxing, pilates whatever floats your boat.
Im new to yoga.. I usually run to stay active.. But so far after doing my 4th class of Bikram I love it and I want to explore more types of yoga..
I did also enjoy reading your point of view of the class.. Because I can totally see where you’re coming from! :) For now though, I have no complaints and im lucky the class I’m in doesn’t smell!
Bikram Yoga is Advanced Medicine for the human body. The heat is required to get into the poses. It’s intense and it requires that you find a good teacher. You are your best teacher. The teachers go through a 9 week course. You cannot master something in 9 weeks. If your in seattle here is a good school: http://www.theashramyoga.com. Stu R.