|
|
| Hello all:
Tonight I finished my 2nd Bikram class. This is the hardest yoga class I've ever taken.Tonight was a lot easier than the first night. Question, After class, I always come away with a headache, is this normal? |
|
| |
|
| Normal is debatable but I get them too on occasion from the heat and lack of food so far prior to class. Some water and chow afterwards and the headache goes away.
Tibard - 2004-03-01 10:14 PM
Hello all:
Tonight I finished my 2nd Bikram class. This is the hardest yoga class I've ever taken.Tonight was a lot easier than the first night. Question, After class, I always come away with a headache, is this normal? |
|
| |
|
| I have never had a headache after Bikram. Could you possibly be putting too much pressure on your head in Rabbit pose? Or, holding your breath in some of the poses? Or, it could be a sign of dehydration like Bruce already said. Or, maybe from the blood rushing to your head in the inverted poses? Just throwing out some ideas.  |
|
| |
|
| Thanks for the feedback, I may have held my breath on certain poses...I'll focus on not doing that and see if it makes a difference. When I have an 8:00 pm bikram class, I stop eating at 3:00 so it may be lack of food. I try all suggestions and see if that stops the headache. I'm happy to have found this forum. I think it's incredibly beneficial for new Bikram students. |
|
| |
|
| Having just started practicing Bikram there are probably many things that may be giving you a headache. A few tips:
1. It sounds like you may need a snack around 5ish. Maybe some fruit and water.
2. Speaking of water, make sure you drink a lot of water early in the day, not just right before class.
3. Like Kathy said, too much pressure on the top of the head during Rabbit is no good. Make sure you're pulling on your heels as you press your feet into the floor. As you lift the hips and roll forward, the arms move toward straight and support the majority of your weight. Also, don't roll too far forward onto the back of the head.
4. What are your shoulders doing through the practice? If they're always up around your ears (hunching), you're bound to end up with a headache. Both the upper trapezius and the levator scapula (scapula elevators) insert at the base of your skull. Hello headache! So, watch the shoulders in Pranayama breathing and whenever you're pulling in the forward bends. Think shoulders away from the ears, shoulder blades sliding down the back.
Hope some of this helps . . . let us know.
|
|
| |
|
| Bingo! Ding,ding,ding,ding!! Cat, I think you may have hit the jackpot. One of the reasons I started Bikram yoga is because my shoulders have moved up so high, they have become permanant earrings! I hope I can remember all of these suggestions in my class tomorrow,
It's funny what I've noticed in only two yoga sessions. My skin feels different and I'm walking slower, not because I'm weak but because my muscles feel longer.....it makes me want to stay the course to see what else happens. |
|
| |
|
| Hi all,
I just finished my third class tonight (end of the first week). No headache tonight! How did that happen? 15 minutes before class, I stretched out my neck and shoulders (the heat probably helped in that regard). By the time class started, my neck felt very loose. I made it through all of the postures and...no headache. Thank you everyone for your suggestions.
At the end of the first week, I have noticed a few changes, my skin feels different(smoother) and my walk is slower as if my muscles have been elongated. I also made it through class tonight without having to rest. Earlier in the week, I had trouble with my lower back so my teacher suggested I engage my stomach muscles more...big difference! As a result, I didn't have any lower back pain tonight. Not bad for a sedentary, overweight beginner..... |
|
| |
|
| 
So happy for you! Just continue to pay attention to your body, take it slow, and keep asking your teachers (and us) questions.
|
|
| |
|
| You mentioned your skin feeling different and I concur. I've had a hard time explaining it to folks. Will try again: I normally practice at noon so shower and dress for work again and that includes long sleeve shirt and tie. As I'm driving to the office, my arms are somehow carressed my the shirt material and it's sensuous--seriously...dumb sounding I know but I haven't been able to describe it anyother way. My teacher says it's because I have sex on my mind 24/7. While that's true, it doesn't explain to me why my shin is stimulated.
Tibard - 2004-03-03 9:41 PM
Hi all,
I just finished my third class tonight (end of the first week). No headache tonight! How did that happen? 15 minutes before class, I stretched out my neck and shoulders (the heat probably helped in that regard). By the time class started, my neck felt very loose. I made it through all of the postures and...no headache. Thank you everyone for your suggestions.
At the end of the first week, I have noticed a few changes, my skin feels different(smoother) and my walk is slower as if my muscles have been elongated. I also made it through class tonight without having to rest. Earlier in the week, I had trouble with my lower back so my teacher suggested I engage my stomach muscles more...big difference! As a result, I didn't have any lower back pain tonight. Not bad for a sedentary, overweight beginner..... |
|
| |
|
| Bruce,
I totally understand what you mean. Perhaps we notice changes to our skin first because it is the largest organ on our bodies. Once I noticed the change in my skin, the first thing I did was run to the health food store to purchase organic moisturizer, no petrochemicals or synthetic products so my skin will not "take in" any poisons. I think this Bikram yoga is starting to make me a little freaky!!! |
|
| |
|
| Ah freaky is good though--too logical an outlook is no fun at all--vive la differance. My Bikram teacher was elaborating yesterday advising folks to wear as little as possible in class in order to cool as "the skin is the largest organs." Of course, we juvenile-minded guys snicker a bit wanting to respond that we have larger organs than the skin but we dont because, a) he teacher is all sincere ans stuff and B) It ain't true 
Guest - 2004-03-04 9:36 AM
Bruce,
I totally understand what you mean. Perhaps we notice changes to our skin first because it is the largest organ on our bodies. Once I noticed the change in my skin, the first thing I did was run to the health food store to purchase organic moisturizer, no petrochemicals or synthetic products so my skin will not "take in" any poisons. I think this Bikram yoga is starting to make me a little freaky!!! |
|
| |
|
| Hello All-
headaches are also a symptom of electrolyte depletion.
a bit of e'merg'en-c (or however they spell it...) mixed with water
during your practice should cut the headaches. I usually tell folks to have 2 bottles if they are drinking a beverage other than water in class. one of their Gatorade or e'merg'en-c mix and one of 'clear' water.
I find in Bikram yoga way too much emphasis is given to hydration and too little attention given to the electrolyte issue. great deals of water along with profuse sweating without INTENTIONALLY replenishing electrolytes can shut the body down no matter how healthy you or and how much bikram yoga you have done-- and it is DANGEROUS and SCAREY!
Blessings,
Dee |
|
| |
|
| Dee, Thanks for the information. I have "emergen - c" at home. I will make sure I take it to class with me along with my water. |
|
| |
|
| Dee,
I have also been surprised at the lack of information provided to Bikram students regarding electrolyte replacement. Neither his book or his website says anything about it as far as I can see. Even more amazing, there was a full-page article in the last issue of Yoga Journal magazine specifically about hydration/sweating related to Bikram classes and even that said absolutely NOTHING about electrolyte replacement. I think it's pretty well known that in any athletic endeavor with rapid loss of fluids from sweating that electrolytes need to be replenished and plain water is not enough. Although it can be done naturally with the right foods, since eating within 2-3 hours of a class or during a class would most likely cause nausea, the only other alternative is a liquid form supplement. Of course, we all sweat at different rates and I'm sure there are some people that are able to handle the classes without anything but water during class. |
|
| |
|
| By no means do I question this guidance BUT, before, during and after Bikram--I want nothing but water--juices, sports drinks and "health" concoctions do little for my thirst or state of wellness.
Kathy Ann - 2004-03-15 1:21 PM
Dee,
I have also been surprised at the lack of information provided to Bikram students regarding electrolyte replacement. Neither his book or his website says anything about it as far as I can see. Even more amazing, there was a full-page article in the last issue of Yoga Journal magazine specifically about hydration/sweating related to Bikram classes and even that said absolutely NOTHING about electrolyte replacement. I think it's pretty well known that in any athletic endeavor with rapid loss of fluids from sweating that electrolytes need to be replenished and plain water is not enough. Although it can be done naturally with the right foods, since eating within 2-3 hours of a class or during a class would most likely cause nausea, the only other alternative is a liquid form supplement. Of course, we all sweat at different rates and I'm sure there are some people that are able to handle the classes without anything but water during class. |
|
| |
Headache after class
