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| Hi all, I've been practicing bikram yoga for about 4 years now, and I truly love it. I am looking to try another type of yoga to compliment my bikram practice. I would like to try something that is equally as strenuous, but not as hot!
I currently take bikram 3-4 times a week and run 1-2 times. Once my yearly pass for bikram runs out, I'd like to go down to 2 classes of bikram a week, and 1 day of a different type of yoga. Why am I looking for a change? We'd like to start trying for kids in a year or so, so I'd like to find another practice that is safe to do while prego, and I know that bikram isn't!!! I will definitely go back to my usual bikram practice after we have a child. I love it, it's addicting! |
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| I'd suggest a Power yoga (like Baptiste's) regiment Gracie--I've found it to be the perfect complete to Bikram--lot's of upper body and strength building. Just as rigorous as Bikram but without the heat. |
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| Depending on your area I would try and seek out any student who is certified by Tony Sanchez. Go to www.usyoga.org and contact them to see if there is an instructor in your area. |
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| I echo yogabrian's suggestion - it's similar to bikram but with modifications for pregnant women, people with injuries, etc., not as hot and less strenuous on the knees. Power yoga is great - baptiste definitely works out the upper bod, but there are a lot of upward/downward dog postures and inversions which if you're beyond your first trimester, might not be recommended depending on how you feel or what your doctor suggests. You can always check out the website for usyoga and if there isn't anyone in your area, you can order Tony's dvd or vhs. Either way - best wishes and all positive vibes for the expansion of your family.  |
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| Boy am I a guy! I totally missed the probablity of getting pregnant in the original post--but good follow up advice from ya'll. |
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| I personally like Bryan Kest's power yoga (www.poweryoga.com) - and supposedly he's had a few students who practised through their pregnancies - but once you are prego, you will probably want to do pregnancy yoga classes. |
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| Thanks everyone! I guess I shouldn't even have mentioned the pregnancy probablity, since it is in the so far distant future. I am really hoping to find another style of yoga to enjoy along with my bikram practice. Boy I am really NOT looking forward to giving up yoga for 6-9 months, talk about torture  |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 2479
  
Location: A Blue State | Setting aside the pregnancy question (since you aren't just yet), you
could look for several things to complement Bikram yoga.
Yoga Challenge (Tony Sanchez's yoga, as mentioned by Brian and Deelited)
takes you into the advanced levels of the yoga lineage from which
Bikram's beginner yoga is taken. It will introduce you to the full versions
of some of the poses, give you more upper body work, give you
real inversions (I mean, calling Half Tortoise an inversion is a joke),
and help you develop much greater flexibility in the shoulders and back.
There are good videos on this, if you aren't near a studio that teaches
Yoga Challenge (Check with Sanchez for the locations of his teachers).
Another option is Ashtanga yoga, which will give you much more upper
body work, inversions, and vinyasa, all of which is missing from Bikram.
The Ashtanga primary series doesn't have as much back bending work
as Bikram, but the second series does.
A third option would be to study Iyengar yoga, which is not so athletic, but
which does work deeply on alignments and form. You will never approach
Bikram the same way after you start thinking in these terms...align, don't push.
Iyengar yoga tends to hold the poses for a long time, which gives you an
unexpectedly strong workout.
There are a variety of "power yogas" that are sort of like Ashtanga, including
Beryl Bender Birch's yoga and Baron Baptise's (which does include some elements
of Bikram's yoga....Baron lived in Bikram's house for while, or so I'm told).
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| you won't have to give up yoga at all during your pregnancy if you don't want to. i practiced bikram for 8 years and saw many women coming in and out of there while they were in their last trimesters. it's all a personal choice as you know. and you'll find that people will always tell you what's good for you and what's bad for you while you're pregnant - but the truth of it is, that they are your choices to make. my mom smoked and drank with me while she was pregnant - that was the thing during her time - and i turned out fine. cough cough. just kidding. trying other forms of yoga is always a great thing to do for yourself - you'll find something that fits you differently than Bikram but will be a nice compliment. buena suerte! |
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| Ya, my mom was telling me that she went in the spa everyday while pregnant with me (which was 100 degrees), and I have all (well most) of my brain cells! I am sure it is a personal choice, and everyone will have their opinions!! |
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A yoga to compliment my bikram practice?
