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Fahrenheit 105 – Bikram Yoga Studio Heat Safety

January 13, 2019 By Dr. Jeff Hester 1 Comment

Bikram Yoga Studio Heat Safety

Sometimes it’s possible to have too much of a good thing. Heat in a Bikram Yoga studio comes to mind.

Bikram yoga means a lot to me. That doesn’t have anything to do with New Age “Oneness with the Universe,” whatever that means. I’m an astrophysicist, for crying out loud! My thoughts about Bikram are really kind of prosaic. My practice has helped me to feel better physically, mentally and emotionally. I practice with my wife, my daughter is an instructor, the owner of the studio is a friend, and classes are filled with familiar faces. I benefit from it, and I like the community.

There is another name for Bikram “yoga brain.” It is called “Heat Exhaustion.”

But that doesn’t mean that practice is always a good experience. If the room is too hot, instead of leaving me feeling good, I leave feeling like I’ve been hit by a truck. We Bikram practitioners joke about it. We chuckle and talk about being “yogafied” or having “yoga brain.” But we should really call it by its proper name – heat exhaustion.

For the human body to function properly, its internal temperature has to be kept within a fairly narrow range. Get much outside of that range and things start to go haywire. All the meditation in the world can’t change the chemistry going on inside your body, and brains are especially susceptible to those changes.

Body temperature is a balancing act.

To keep your temperature in a safe range your body has to balance the heat you produce internally with the heat that you lose to your environment. If you lose heat faster than you generate it, you cool down. If you generate heat faster than you can get rid of it, you heat up. It’s as simple as that.

So with that in mind, let’s take a look at two yogis standing there side by side waiting for practice to begin. At 110 lbs and 5’3? Jane is a petite woman. At 220 lbs and 6’1”, Jim is a big guy. They are both in the same room. They are both in good shape. They are both doing the same poses. But are they both having the same experience?

To understand how body type matters in a Bikram studio we have to look at a few numbers

To answer that question, I’m going to have to put on my physicist hat and look at a few numbers. When exercising the amount of heat that you generate depends on how much work your body has to do, and in yoga that depends on a combination of your weight and your height. Jim has twice as much mass to move around as Jane does, and every time the two carry out a motion Jim has to move that mass about 14% farther than Jane does.

So for every calorie that Jane burns, Jim has to burn about 2 1/4 calories just to do the same exercise. Jane might burn an impressive 700 calories during her practice, but Jim is going to have to burn 1600 calories just to keep up!

Most of that energy doesn’t actually go into moving our bodies around. Most of it goes into heat, and our two yogi’s have to get rid of that heat somehow. Dogs pant to dump extra heat. On the other hand, we humans sweat! If you want to understand the difference between what Jane and Jim are going through, just look at their mats at the end of class. Yeah, Jane’s mat is wet, but it’s unlikely she could ring her towel out and fill a bucket like Jim can!

Our bodies sweat, and as that sweat evaporates, it cools us down. Jim is bigger, so he probably has about 56% more skin area to sweat with than Jane does. But he has more than 2 1/4 times as much heat that he has to get rid of! That means that every square inch of Jim’s skin has to somehow get rid of over 60% more heat than a square inch of Jane’s skin. Not only that, but since Jim is larger, all of that heat is trapped behind a layer of fat and muscle that is about a third thicker than Jane’s.

A “challenge” for one yogi can be dangerous for another.

Put all of that together and it makes a big difference in how Jim and Jane experience the yoga room. A practice that feels good to Jane can push Jim to the point that his body is no longer capable of regulating its temperature. Jane might be doing just fine, even as Jim’s brain is literally starting to cook!

There is really nothing surprising here. If Jane and Jim were out in the evening, Jane might get chilly, and Jim might give her his coat. Women shouldn’t feel bad about accepting such an offer. It’s not just chivalry. The fact is that since Jane cools off so much more effectively than Jim, Jim’s just not cold.

That proffered coat is a good way to think about what is happening in the yoga room. Roughly speaking, for Jane to know what yoga at 110° feels like to Jim, all she needs to do is practice in a room somewhere on the high side of 120° F while wearing sweat pants and a sweat shirt!

In a Bikram yoga studio, safety is up to the instructor.

I understand that every Bikram instructor wants to give everyone in class the best possible experience. Instructors are caring people. If they weren’t, they wouldn’t have gone through what it takes to become a Bikram instructor. They take pride in contributing to the wellness of their students.

But sometimes you have to take a minute and really think about just what those students are experiencing. Bikram instructors are usually good about encouraging students to look after themselves, but let’s be honest. There are lots of pressures to “just stay in the room.” And when a student’s brain gets too hot one of the very first things to go is the ability to make just those kinds of decisions. Like it or not, when you are standing up in front of a room full of Bikram students, their well being is as much your responsibility as it is theirs.

More balance and union and less ego

In his book, Bikram recommends that the temperature in a studio be at least 100° F for the body to be as flexible as it needs to be. On the other end, if you look at OSHA’s guidelines for employers a temperature of 105° F and 40% humidity sits on the dividing line between “Danger” and “Extreme Danger” for physical activity. That sets a very good window for a Bikram studio.

Pushing the room over 105° might add to the challenge for some, but it doesn’t really improve anybody’s practice or add to the benefits they receive. Let’s face it. Practicing in a really hot room isn’t about the union and balance of yoga; it is about ego. Jane will get the same health benefits and opportunity to meditate at 105° as she would at 110°.

On the other hand, for those of us who are more like Jim, those extra few degrees can destroy the healthy balance that we come to yoga to find.

Bikram Yoga Studio Heat Safety

Filed Under: Fitness Tagged With: Yoga

Socially Conscious Active Wear Gives Back – Liquido Yoga Clothing

July 21, 2015 By Renata Facchini Leave a Comment

Liquido Yoga Clothing - Yoga Active WearExtraordinary acts require extraordinary measures to make a true difference in the world. Renata Facchini, Global Distributor of Liquido Active is operating her company to do just that.

Well-known in the fitness, yoga and fashion industries—Liquido Active has become a coveted and international brand by creating functional and chic active wear that offers socially conscious, second-skin feeling clothing with its sweatshop-free practices. With apparel that is bold and flattering in design for women who like to incorporate fashion and function that can seamlessly transition them throughout their day.

As an entrepreneur, Yogi, and the Global Distributor of Liquido Active, Renata Facchini has had many opportunities to work with talented and amazing businesswomen from all over the world. All of the women who have aligned with Liquido on its limited edition lines or humanitarian work all share a common goal: to make a difference in the lives of women around the globe.

Do Good Clothes

While each line has a different intent, humanitarian causes are of utmost importance to Facchini and the Liquido team, and this often times plays a role in the lines they create and distribute. “We often put forth limited edition lines that are socially conscious and benefit and develop the lives of women and children in third world countries,” shares Facchini.

Liquido is currently promoting two limited edition ranges that directly impact the lives of others: Liquido by Tiffany Cruikshank and Liquido for African Yoga Project.

Liquido Yoga Clothing -Yoga FashionLiquido Yoga Clothing by Tiffany Cruikshank

The Liquido by Tiffany Cruikshank is a limited edition collection created by Liquido with renowned Wellness Expert, Tiffany Cruikshank.

Tiffany Cruikshank is an international yoga teacher, author and health and wellness expert, Tiffany Cruikshank, creator of the celebrated brand, Yoga Medicine teamed up with Liquido to conceptualize and design an exclusive range of active wear. Their combined creativity and vision has led to one of Liquido’s most beautiful collections yet.

Tiffany’s background as an international yoga teacher, author and health and wellness expert, and creator of the celebrated brand, Yoga Medicine, was the perfect fit for this line. Our combined creativity and vision enabled us to conceptualize and design this exclusive range of active wear for women who like to integrate fashion into their active lifestyle while effortlessly transitioning through different phases of her day. It truly is one of the most beautiful Liquido collections yet.

Liquido Yoga Clothing - Yoga TrendsThe Liquido by Tiffany Cruikshank collection launched at the 2015 Yoga Journal Live Conference in San Francisco.

Bold and confident this collection features four patterns of pants, five colors of sports bras, and five colors of workout tops, with each pattern under one of these design categories: Soul Sister, Kindred Spirit, All For One, and Grateful Heart. The entire line is available for purchase in the U.S., Canada and Australia. The prices for this line are dependent on the specific article and range from $31.00-$82.00. Items from this limited edition line can be purchased directly from Liquido.

Liquido and Tiffany Cruikshank’s Yoga Medicine, both advocate for socially conscious fashion, and a percentage of all sales from this collection will go towards funding Yoga Medicine initiatives within India. This humanitarian project is with the Women’s Interlink Foundation (WIF), to address education and support issues for street and working children in the heart of Kolkata, known as The Nabadisha Education Project.

The Nabadisha Education Project will operate 15 street kids shelters for over 525 children living in the slums and red light districts of Kolkata. It will target kids between the ages of 4-15 to prevent them being trafficked into the sex industry. The centers provide healthcare, education, nutritional meals, tutoring, job coaching, yoga classes, and sports and recreational activities. One year of operational support for the 15 shelters including teacher’s salaries, supervisor’s salaries, accountant, programming, transportation, educational materials, and office support for the Women’s Interlink Foundation. More information on this retreat with Tiffany Cruikshank and supported by Liquido, can be found by visiting here or www.experiencethevillage.com.

To further support humanitarian project, Yoga Medicine will host a very special Seva (service) teacher-training module in support of this from December 7, 2015 through December 16, 2015, at the Vedic Village Spa Resort. The teacher-training component will be all about selfless and compassionate service work, but the retreat is open to the public. This is very unique, as usually Yoga Medicine retreats are open only to those in teacher training. This retreat will include daily yoga, meditation and education on issues relating to human trafficking, rehabilitation, and economic empowerment. If you are interested in learning more about this Seva, please visit www.experiencethevillage.com.

Liquido for African Yoga Project

Liquido recently released a limited edition legging to benefit the education and wellness projects that Africa Yoga Project (AYP) supports throughout Africa. The African Sunrise legging was designed exclusively for AYP with 10% of all sales going towards continued support of their programs to spread joy and awareness domestically and abroad.

This bright and beautiful pattern legging is available in size small through x-large. This limited edition item can be purchased directly from our website for $85.00.

AYP’s core activities include: yoga practice, meditation, self-exploration through inquiry, performing arts as a vehicle for empowerment, health education (HIV/AIDS), relationship building, and community activism. All of their programs are designed to increase physical, emotional and mental wellbeing on the individual level while also building healthy and empowered communities.

AYP provides a scholarship-based, 200-hour teacher training course to residents aged 18-25 in slums and informal settlements around Kenya. The goal is to help these trained yoga teachers spread health throughout their communities while also providing them with a stable income. Through this program, AYP empowers over 250,000 Kenyans a year through the power of yoga. The 100+ AYP teachers see no boundaries of sharing this practice. They teach in prisons, schools, special needs centers, HIV/AIDS support groups, deaf schools and rural villages. More information can be found at www.africayogaproject.org.

These are just two examples of projects that Liquido is currently involved in to make an important mark on this world.

“The most rewarding part of what we do at Liquido is to see how empowered our customers are when they are wearing our product—to see women feel confident, self-assured and beautiful in our active wear lines is such an incredible feeling! Equally rewarding are the projects we’re involved in to give back. Humanitarian causes are such an important and valued component to our business and the lives that we can impact. If I can encourage others to do one thing it’s this: be the kind of person (or business) that leaves the world better then you found it.”

About Liquido: Liquido was first started in 2001 by a family in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and is an active wear clothing company that specializes in creating functional but fabulous pieces. In 2009, entrepreneur and yogi, Renata Facchini brought the brand to Australia and the United States and now offers everything from yoga pants to high impact sports bras, and holds the distribution rights for Liquido worldwide. The range is now coveted by those in the know in both the yoga and fashion industries. www.liquidoactive.com.

 

Filed Under: Gear Tagged With: Yoga

AntiGravity Techniques for the Treatment of Depression and Anxiety

July 12, 2015 By Christopher Harrison 1 Comment

Treatment for Depression & Anxiety

For years now Rosie O’Donnell has been touting the benefits of hanging upside down in order to treat her depression. At first people thought she was crazy, but now there is a greater understanding that “upside down is right side up” when it comes to treating depression and anxiety.

I originally developed AntiGravity® Techniques on the Harrison AntiGravity® Hammock for the sake of performance. From the Olympic Ceremonies to the Presidential Inauguration, since 1991 Team AntiGravity has been inverting to entertain and loving every minute of it. We discovered in the process that the work (or rather play) not only got rid of kinks in the back, but also made us feel happier. I created AntiGravity® Yoga in 2007 in order to share my discoveries with the world — the first of 7 AntiGravity® Fitness Programs.  All of my thorough techniques offer the benefits of zero-compression inversions, which utilize decompression to combat depression.

Inversion Therapy for Depression

If you are one of those people whose mind immediately goes to fear with the thought of turning upside down, then this technique is for you! Eleanor Roosevelt is famous for saying, “Do something every day that truly scares you.” If you are stuck in your comfort zone, you are not growing. When the body and mind are not challenged, they fall into depression. The initial “fight or flight” response in your parasympathetic nervous system during your first inversion is quickly transformed into pleasure as the body is relieved of compression and the mind learns it is not a victim to unfounded fears.Inversion Therapy for Depression

Over 50,000 people per day in over 50 countries now practice AntiGravity® Fitness Techniques, and they can all affirm that the practice makes them feel lighter in body & mind. Here are the five reason why: 1) Gravity compresses your body, making both the body and mind more closed. AntiGravity® decompresses your body, making both your body and mind more open — they are intricately connected. When we are open we feel less pain and therefore less anguish. 2) Inversions cause fresh blood to flow to the brain. When the hypothalamus is bathed in fresh blood it triggers the glands to secrete neurotransmitters (aka happy hormones) such as endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, etc. In truth, when you hang upside down you are sipping a happy hormone cocktail. 3) Moving the body freely in all dimensions of open space creates new synaptic connections and neural pathways to the brain, increasing your neuroplasticity (ability to learn). This leaves you with that great feeling of accomplishment. 4) Moving your body mindfully in conjunction with your breath reconnects the body and mind, which also puts you more in tune with your real essence — your spirit.  When we are connected to our true selves we feel more empowered, which in turn leads to happiness. 5) Laughter is the best medicine, and there is nothing serious about turning the body upside down. In fact, we encourage laughing breaths that jostle the spine into correct alignment.

Come experience an AntiGravity® class and learn what others are discovering — that upside down is right side up when it comes to increasing both your mental and physical health. Remember to look for the AntiGravity® logo to make sure that you are flying in the safe hands of professionals.

Christopher Harrison, Founder AntiGravity

Inversion Therapy Depression

 

Yoga inversion therapy for depression

Filed Under: Fitness Tagged With: Yoga

Why is the Ancient Practice of Yoga More Popular than Ever?

April 1, 2015 By Hugh Sinclair Leave a Comment

History of YogaWhile the origins of yoga date back to thousands of years ago, today the ancient practice is more popular than ever. Yoga originated in ancient India and first caught on in the United States in the 1960s. However, until recently, the activity fell short of gaining widespread popularity.

In recent years, the ancient art of yoga has skyrocketed in popularity and is more widely available. According to a National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), the number of adults who performed yoga practically doubled between 2002 and 2012. In 2013, over 24 million American adults used yoga, which makes yoga as popular as golf. This is a substantial increase from 2008 when 17 million people did yoga, a Sports & Fitness Industry Association survey reported. Yoga is also becoming more popular among children. Approximately 429,000 more American children did yoga in 2012 than in 2007.

If yoga has been around for hundreds of years, why is it just recently gaining widespread popularity in the U.S.?

One reason is yoga is more widely available and accessible than it has been in the past. While yoga used to be primarily restricted to yoga studios, now it’s offered at most gyms and fitness centers, as well as featured on all sorts of fitness videos. People can practice yoga in the comfort of their own home or attend yoga classes at their gym.

In addition to its widespread availability, yoga has gained popularity because of its versatility. Unlike with many other fitness activities, such as basketball, gymnastics or football, you don’t need to have a certain physical stamina or be a particular size to enjoy the exercise. While yoga involves flexibility and strength, participants don’t have to be extremely flexible or strong to partake in the activity. The activity is suited for people of all ages and skill sets. However, as with any physical activity, the more you practice, the better you become.

While these reasons have attributed to yoga’s rise in popularity, the most prominent reason for its growth is its health benefits. Due to modern innovations in science and technology, we know much more about the health benefits of yoga. Today, we know yoga strengthens one’s core and muscles, increases flexibility, and reduces anxiety and stress, among many other physical, spiritual and mental health benefits.

Here are some of the major health benefits of yoga:

  • Improves flexibility – One of the most notable benefits of yoga is it improves your flexibility. Many people can’t touch their toes during their first yoga class. But, if they continue to go to yoga classes, they will gradually see improvements to their flexibility. After a few weeks, they will be able to perform poses that once seemed impossible.
  • Alleviates back pain & improves posture – Tight, inflexible muscles can cause back pain and poor posture. As you loosen your muscles and improve your flexibility, you will start to see your aches and pains disappear and your posture improve.
  • Builds muscle & increases strength – Yoga doesn’t just increase your flexibility. It also helps you build muscle and become stronger. When you perform difficult yoga poses, you are strengthening your muscles in your core, upper body, lower back, hamstrings and quadriceps.
  • Reduces stress and risk for mental disorders – Along with the many physical benefits, yoga also produces various mental benefits, including reducing stress, anxiety and depression. Yoga modulates the body’s stress response systems, which reduces your heart rate, lowers your blood pressure and eases your respiration to put you in a calm, relaxed state of mind. This is beneficial to people who are over-stressed or suffer from an anxiety disorder. Yoga also helps those with depression because it improves mood and cognitive functioning.

With these health benefits and yoga’s widespread availability, the exercise will only continue to grow from here.

Filed Under: Fitness Tagged With: Yoga

Yoga While You Do Housework? Absolutely!

March 18, 2015 By Christine Chen Leave a Comment

Yoga While You Do HouseworkTrue statement: Yoga made my house chores less of a chore.

True story: I broke a sweat, because certain yoga movements while you do housework are valid workouts, too.

Biggest truth of all: I felt more peaceful and happy as I did the chores and even better as I did something good for myself.

When I started practicing yoga 15 years ago, my work schedule kept me from getting to class as often as I wanted. So, I started threading pieces of poses I learned in class into the rest of my life – at work, on planes, waiting in line at the grocery store, and yes, even while I was doing housework!

Here are five ways you can transform ho-hum housework moments into mini, yogic bits of health.

Yoga While You Do Housework#1 Dish It (Yoga While You Do the Dishes)

While you’re scrubbing plates, incorporate an abdominal strength builder that also helps overall digestion.

  1. Stand at the kitchen sink with your belly touching the counter.
  2. Inhale through your nose and inflate your belly (feel it press against the counter).
  3. Exhale and shrink only your belly away from the sink (you should feel it move away from the counter).
  4. Still on your exhale, imagine lifting your belly button in and up, suspending your exhale for a beat or two.
  5. Inhale and repeat steps 2-5.

Yoga While You Do Housework#2 Surf It (Yoga While You Vacuum)

As you push the vacuum cleaner, build greater balance and leg strength while stretching your hamstrings and producing a clean carpet.

  1. Take a firm, wide stance with your feet.
  2. With the vacuum to one side, pull the vacuum toward you, shift backward, and bend your back knee, putting the weight on the leg furthest away from the vacuum.
  3. Push the vacuum away from you, bend your front knee, and shift your weight to the leg closest to the vacuum.
  4. Repeat steps 2-3 and find a rocking motion as you move the vacuum back and forth across the carpet.

Yoga While You Do Housework#3 Garden With The Gods (Yoga While You Garden)

Stretch your calf muscles and feet, improve your posture, and tone your arms, shoulders and upper back while bringing good vibes to your plants and flowers.

  1. Kneel on your shins in the grass or another soft surface.
  2. Keeping your shoulders dropped away from your ears, reach your arms above your head, interlace your fingers, and press your palms together.
  3. Release only your thumbs and index fingers from the interlace, and press them together. Point them up to the sky.
  4. Feel your tailbone lengthen into the earth, and reach higher with your arms and pointed fingers.
  5. Breathe deeply and hold for 10 breaths. Repeat if desired.

Yoga While You Do Housework#4 Laundry Lift  (Yoga While You Do Laundry)

No need to hit the gym for squats. Strengthen your legs and support your back at the same time, then meditate while you match socks.

  1. Widen your leg stance, bend your knees, and come into a squat position, bringing your rear closer to the ground while keeping your chest and face lifted.
  2. Inhale, and grab your laundry basket.
  3. Exhale, then, press down into the ground to stand up, keeping your chest and face lifted.
  4. Repeat and keep breathing!

Yoga While You Do Housework#5 Couch Potato  (Yoga to Restore Your Post-Chore Energy)

Look no further than your couch to “power nap” the yogi way, helping yourself let go and relieve your body of tension, which then restores your energy.

  1. Lengthwise, lie down on the couch with your rear close to the end.
  2. Toss your legs over the arm of the couch, bending your knees close to ninety degrees.
  3. Close your eyes; breathe deeply.
  4. Imagine you’re a dense potato, sinking deeper into the couch.
  5. Stay there for one to three minutes, maybe more (but try not to fall asleep right there).

Great Yoga BookBased on real yoga poses, these are just a few brief ideas of how to turn housework into bits of wellness!

More detailed versions are in my new book, Happy-Go-Yoga, simple poses to relieve pain, reduce stress, and add joy, in a chapter called “Chill Homies,” one of several chapters that bring yoga into real life situations – at home, on the job – wherever you are!

Filed Under: Fitness Tagged With: Yoga

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