If you take your yoga practice seriously and wish to take it to another level, say the militant, uber disciplined level, Bikram is the yoga for you. I read up on Bikram before I signed up for the 25 eur all you can sweat week (for 25 you can go to as many classes as you like for 1 week) so I was aware of the 40 degree Celsius, 60% humidity practice room conditions, as well as the 26 poses workout in 90 minute sessions. I knew that I had to drink lots of water (a minimum of 3 liters is what helped me get through without collapsing) throughout the day because you're going to sweat. Better: you are going to be dripping with sweat within the first 15 minutes and will dehydrate in the worst way if you don't drink enough water. I had a tremendous natural high after my first class, but was sick throughout the night and into the next day.
What I didn't know before walking into Bikram Yoga Center is that it is as popular as it is, meaning you are elbow to elbow with your fellow sweaty practitioner which is uncomfortable, there's no way around it. You also cannot drink water at your leisure, you cannot leave the room unless you are on the verge of a coronary, and you are going to experience pain- during and after. You should also brace yourself for the possibility of getting a teacher who believes that intense, militant like guidance is the way to proper practice. And, this might be so. Militancy, discipline, suffering, perfection(yes, some of those experienced practitioners and the teachers have bodies to die for) could very well be what one needs, according to Bikram, in order to achieve transcendence, high levels of concentration, self-assurance, balance, health, etc. And this is going to work for some people. In fact, from what I understand, Bikram is considered to be the elite yoga. But, my impression was that although elite might mean utter devotion to the discipline, it also might mean taking oneself too seriously. I can only go by my impression. I just have to add that I was disappointed, mostly, because I found the atmosphere here to be just too intense, too serious, and unfriendly. Many people scowl from the locker room to the street, and in all the years that I've practiced various types of yoga, I've never experienced such a hard, uninviting environment. But, that aside. This is a nice center, it's clean and pretty new. It is also expensive. You will get results though. I practiced Bikram the recommended 3 times a week for 1 month and I noticed changes in my body and in my mind in a very short amount of time. It is pretty amazing, but it's also torture in the beginning. I actually might have continued the practice, but it got to the point where I was in a bad mood before I went in anticipation of the cold and over serious experience. read more
