What all Bikram yogis should know (and all other yogis too!)
Tuesday, May 28, 2013 at 12:05PM | Author SSHY You should be working 55-85% of your maximum in class
But I thought you said I was supposed to push harder?
It's true. When we say, "just kill yourself" we are really talking about your ego. When we say, "push more" we are really saying "push more if your body is able to do it today without pain and you can still breathe normally and find relaxation in the posture" (I think you can understand why we keep it down to shorter phrases)! You should feel energized after class, not exhausted. Your pain should slowly be lessening, not maintaing itself or getting worse. The yoga should be healing you, not creating more issues!
One of Bikram's first students, Tony Sanchez (he's the guy on the poster in the hall demonstrating all of the 84 postures) puts it perfectly. He advises brand new students to the practice:
Please do not go one hundred percent. Today is your first day with us. Try fifty-five percent. Tomorrow maybe sixty-five percent.
Once you have been practicing for a while:
One hundred percent is an illusion. Why do you think so many people in the Bikram world have a beautiful practice for a few years and then slip away? One hundred or even ninety percent is impossible to maintain. You will become exhausted. Mentally if not physically. Terrified of practicing the yoga you love because it is draining you not replenishing you...But even if you could practice at that intensity - even if you were so strong, you would never become exhausted - it would be undesirable. You can't make adjustments at your edge. You can't listen to your body. For regular practice, seventy-five to eighty-five percent is fine - you will never tire out and in the long run you will grow much stronger.
Try it next time you step into the room. There is a reason we tell people to "breathe, everything else is optional." We want you to be able to practice this amazing healing yoga for the rest of your life!
p.s. June Solstice Challenge June 8th-June 21st stay tuned!
p.p.s. Summer Special coming soon!
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