Athletes and Sport

The Standing Series – Bikram Yoga

July 1, 2015 By Beverley Brown Leave a Comment

The first part of class is the Standing Series and starts off with Pranayama Breathing – probably the most important “posture” of all. Deep breathing will detox and revitalise the body in preparation for the practice of the following 25 postures.

The standing postures are designed to increase strength and flexibility and bring about a balance between the two. If you are very flexible you may struggle more with the strength side of things and vice versa – great strength can compromise flexibility. Strength can be seen as the masculine trait and flexibility can be seen as the feminine trait – whether you are male or female – the body is better off with a balance of both – go “Androgynous”!!!

The Balancing Series – i.e. Standing Head to Knee, Standing Bow Pulling Pose and Balancing Stick are all great postures to train the mind and body to work together and bring about that balance – a balance in the body created by a balance of the body and mind.

Each posture is specifically placed in an order to work the body systematically. For example an “opening posture” such as Triangle (sometimes known as the “Master Posture of the Series”) is followed by a compression posture – Standing Separate Leg Stretching – followed by another opener – Tree and so it goes on. There’s a reason for everything.

At the end of the Standing Series there is a lovely 2 minute Savasana which I can guarantee will be well earnt and feels simply amazing!

Enjoy!

Beverley

Bikram Yoga – what’s all the fuss about?

June 14, 2015 By Beverley Brown Leave a Comment

Here is an article adapted from one of my earliest that I wrote on Bikram Yoga when it was virtually unknown in Europe:

Bikram Yoga is reputed to be “THE most challenging, dynamic, effective, and hardworking yoga system” – a tall statement indeed – so how does it live up to this?

I must admit when I first started practicing Bikram Yoga many moons ago it was purely for vanity reasons – my body shaped up so quickly I thought I had found the perfect exercise. In those days that was all I was interested in I’m embarrassed to say. Although it appears to be more physically based, having practiced hatha yoga for over 40 years I must say the benefits are far more reaching.

So what makes Bikram Yoga so different?

Firstly, it is a scientifically designed system founded by one of the yoga world’s most famous gurus – Bikram Choudhury. Each 90 minute class consists of the same 26 postures designed to work out every single part of the body, both inside and out and much more. The pace is fairly fast compared to most other yoga classes and there is no meditation time. Bikram declares when you are truly concentrating on your practice, THAT in itself is the equivalent to a meditation – a moving, open eyed meditation. Certainly, you don’t have chance to think about anything else when you learn to be fully IN THE MOMENT.

Whilst the gyms and aerobic classes turn on the air conditioning Bikram teachers are doing the opposite – they are turning the heat up! There is method to this madness – warmed muscles are much less likely to suffer injury, toxins are released very quickly, the body rejuvenates, tones and shapes up at a much faster level. The challenge of working out in heat also trains the mind to detach from the environment which can be very useful in our daily lives. There are also many other benefits but the length of this article prevents me from giving too much detail.

Instruction of the postures is very exact by way of a continual dialogue and aims to motivate and correctly align the student preventing bad habits from occurring. It is this precision that I believe sets Bikram yoga apart from any other hatha yoga that I have practiced.

Repetition is the Mother of Success

You may have heard the saying “Repetition is the mother of success” and this is a perfect example. By hearing the same instructions class after class the mind starts to understand the postures and then the body begins to be able to perform them. As Bikram says, your body is capable of much more than your mind lets it do.

Progress can therefore be extremely fast and in my experience after a few classes even total beginners can look as if they have been practicing yoga for years. It is so rewarding to encourage people and see them surpass their own expectations in a relatively short period of time. There is no competition in class as everyone simply performs the postures to their own ability.

Another thing that makes Bikram Yoga unique is that it attracts people from all walks of life. From athletes to city workers, from spiritual adepts to the body conscious – everyone gets what they need out of their practice. Even a few confirmed couch potatoes have been converted!

Contrary to popular opinion, sport can actually wear out the body tissues but this can be counteracted by additionally practicing yoga as it actually rebuilds the body by encouraging new cell growth and is ideal for stretching out. It can also give a leading edge in competition sports with increased concentration, determination, as well as the necessary strength and flexibility. Removal of toxins and the thorough cleansing of the emotional and mental bodies helps to eliminates stress and provide clarity and peace of mind. For myself, after class the feeling of a clear body and well-being is second to none.

Bikram is very definite in his belief that the way to the spiritual is through the physical. Consequently every posture works the spine in some way and by the end of each class the spine has moved in every direction encouraging the free flow of Universal energy with which we are continually provided every moment of our lives. On a physical level this energy basically keeps us alive by feeding our energy centres known as chakras. These in turn direct the energy to the internal organs for their proper functioning via the endocrine glands. If the energy gets blocked along the way, ageing, stiffness, disease and illness result. Again this subject is enormous but for the purposes of this article it is sufficient to say that the free flow of this powerful energy keeps the body and mind healthy and helps prevent problems.

You may have guessed I love this subject and I have continued studying the body for many years and from a number of different angles. I am qualified in many energy based therapies including various types of massage but my first love is teaching yoga and how our consciousness has an immediate effect on the body.

Bevx

What’s in a Bikram Yoga Class?

June 7, 2015 By Beverley Brown Leave a Comment

A Bikram Yoga class is quite a different experience from what a lot of people may expect from a yoga class and there are reasons for this of course. There’s no OMMING, no chanting, no time for meditation and definitely no navel gazing!

Instead the comparatively fast paced 90 minute class concentrates on working every bone, limb, organ, muscle, ligament, fibre and even cell of your body – inside and out – bones to skin and fingers to toes! It is very physical and it therefore demands concentration, determination and focus of the mind. It is when the mind and body are working together instead of two separate entities that the magic can begin!

26 Postures to include 2 Breathing ones

There are 26 postures that except for a few are performed twice in the same order each time. They therefore systematically and synergistically work each part of the body to bring maximum function to all the internal organs, blood vessels, ligaments, muscles – you name it – nothing gets left out!

Yoga rebuilds the body from the inside out and with Bikram Yoga the postures are performed in a heated room to speed up this process. Waste products and toxins of all the glands and organs of the body are flushed away and old cells are sloughed off quicker as the body is cleansed at a cellular level.

Beginner’s Class – challenging but not advanced

The postures are challenging but not advanced in any way – the 90 minute class is actually the Beginner’s Class and everyone practices the postures to the best of their ability. Everyone’s body is different and some postures that seem easy for some will be more challenging for others and vice versa. Each person will have their own goal and accomplishment and that is all that matters. The standing postures train the mind, and encourage a balance of both strength and flexibility. The floor postures work the insides of the body – and ensures correct functioning of the organs and glands. When the insides are working efficiently the outside can take shape.

After class – bliss!

I have to say there is nothing quite like it on the planet and the feeling after class is second to none. No matter how hard your day was or how stressed you felt before you went to class – guaranteed it’s all forgotten as you float out of class!

Bevx

Why Bikram Yoga is so Effective on the Body

May 30, 2015 By Beverley Brown Leave a Comment

If you have ever taken a Bikram Yoga class anywhere in the world you will notice that the teacher seems to a have a problem with verbal diarrhoea! I had to laugh when a student (who is now an amazing teacher) likened it to a “rap” when he attended his first class with me! Yes I agree when you are not used to it it can seem a bit intrusive but after this post you may think a bit differently.

There is a reason for everything in Bikram Yoga – e.g. the heat, the order of postures, the timing and definitely the detail and that is probably why it is the most comprehensive series of postures that work every inch of you – inside and out – from bones to skin – from the fingers to the toes – to quote the Founder himself!

Every posture comes with a detailed set of instructions. Why is that so? Partly to ensure the correct timing (those last few seconds are the most effective) but also because we can get very “creative” in adapting postures to suit ourselves and thereby avoiding the whole point of the posture! I know I was guilty of this for years, like Eagle Pose for example, being told to suck in my stomach at the same time as twist myself into a pretzel was going a bit too far I thought! Come on Bikram – really??? Yes really!

Awkward Pose – the same thing – when your legs feel like jelly and then you have to make sure your stance is an exact “H” not even a slight hint of a “V” in there – oh PLEEASSSEE! (Don’t worry if you have never done Bikram Yoga before and you think I’m talking gobbeldy gook – come to class and all will be revealed!)

I found out many years later how incredible each line of the dialogue really is and that is why I decided to teach this yoga again. I took a break for a while and concentrated more on shifting the limitations of my mind / consciousness, and then when Bikram Yoga “came” to me again I was able to see everything with a fresh perspective and definitely new awareness and understanding of the postures. I was amazed that much of the information that I had learnt and the awarenesses that I had gained in later years from many, many other body/mind modalities (I was a workshop junkie!) was actually already included in this series of postures and I was inspired once again.

I truly believe the detail, the timing, the order and the precision of the postures is one of the biggest gifts of Bikram Yoga. I have taught this Yoga to many students over the years in various places around the world and I see first hand the difference that the Bikram detail (once applied) makes in anyone’s yoga practice and body and it is simply amazing.

Of course I understand if you have some bodily or physical challenges there may be much you cannot do and that is OK! Just do the postures to the best of your ability in that moment (and never forget that things can change in any moment too – never limit yourself with your thoughts). Concentrate on what you can do and do not judge yourself for what you can’t do right now and you will still get 100% benefit. That is why anyone can do Bikram Yoga.

Even if you have practiced for many years and are proficient in the postures, make the effort to “re-hear” the instruction and see for yourself how many “short cuts” you take in your practice – as I said – we can get very “creative”!

There are gems hidden in the detail I can assure you.

Bevx

Posture #7 – Balancing Stick Pose

May 16, 2015 By Beverley Brown Leave a Comment

Here is the next in the series of Posture Tips – the powerful Balancing Stick Pose!

(10 seconds in this posture is reputedly to be the equivalent to 10 minutes on a treadmill – I know which I prefer!)

The last of the “three” balancing postures is a doozy! This posture is only held for 10 seconds but can be a great workout for the whole of the body. As with all Bikram postures I believe preparation and alignment is key to not only getting the best out of a posture but also making it more enjoyable. Nothing feels great if you are just trying to hang in there and the body is all twisted so prepare first and you’ll find it really helps. It’ll tone you up much more too!

This one takes your determination and focus as you are not really in a natural position for the body – standing on one leg and trying to keep the body and arms parallel to the floor is not something the body is accustomed to! But it can be done!

Preparation for Balancing Stick Pose

Start as normal with your feet together and raise the arms up – hands just like in Half Moon Pose i.e. place the palms together right to the wrist, interlock the fingers and release the index finger and cross the thumbs. This makes the body know you mean business! Just like most the postures keep the head glued in between the arms and don’t let the two body parts separate. Most beginners will try and keep their head up to see where they are going but when the head and arms are separated the energy is dissipated and you won’t feel as strong. Keep the chin up so you can breathe and bring the body back a couple of inches – this will again open up the chest allowing you to have more puff for the posture!

As you inhale, take a big step forward on the right foot and then ensure both knees are locked. I find if I point my left toes too it really allows the leg to be straight – both legs locked to begin with gives you a lot of “oomph” to do this posture.

Let’s go – 10 seconds only!

Then in one piece the whole body pivots like a see saw and then comes to a balance in the middle. I often say to my students – imagine you are like a steel bar with no bends in the middle – that’s how much you need to keep straight so you don’t end up like the “broken umbrella” as Bikram so eloquently puts it! Broken umbrellas – weak, steel bars – strong! Imagine yourself in a T – parallel to the floor – you can feel it when you have it.

Keep those legs locked and toes pointed and you’re sorted! The other challenging part is keeping the arms upright – mine tend to try and dive bomb a bit and your arms will pull you down if you let them. So again it’s just practice to keep lifting them so they stay parallel to the floor.

While you are in this posture there is no let up – try to continuously stretch forward and backward as if someone is pulling your foot and another is pulling your arms – like a good ol’ tug-o-war! One of Bikram’s favourite words for the arm part is “as if the scapula is coming out of the body”! Body down – leg up – every muscle contracted!

You will need to look forward but keep the head down securely cradled in between those lovely strong, locked arms! Where your eyes go your body will follow – you want to go forward so look forward!

Once you start to improve on this posture after lots of practice you can start to fine tune – like rolling the hip of the airborne leg down a bit to ensure your hips are parallel to the floor. Then you can gauge whether your legs or arms need to be higher or lower but all this comes in time and when you are ready to make some improvements.

At last the 10 seconds are over, inhale and come back to centre. Rinse and repeat on the other side and then give the second set all your muster! I feel worked out just by writing this!

Summary of the Main Points of Balancing Stick Pose

Keep the arms strong by locking them and glueing the palms together
Head is glued in between the arms throughout the posture
Body is back a little – open the chest to allow you to inhale properly
Keep the chin away from the chest so you can breathe
Pivot the whole of the body in one piece – don’t separate at the waist!
Eyes forward – look forward
Keep every muscle contracted for the whole posture, stretching forward and pointing toes
Aim to keep the arms and legs locked
Pull in the tummy – that will give you a lot of core strength to hold this posture more easily

The Benefits of Balancing Stick Pose

Opens up the chest and works the heart
Develops determination, focus and concentration
Increases body strength like nothing else!
Tones up every part of the body and it only takes 10 seconds – love it!

Next up is Standing Separate Leg Stretching – my favourite “feel good” posture!

Speak soon…

Beverley x

Bikram Yoga Postures – Friend or Foe?

April 25, 2015 By Beverley Brown Leave a Comment

When practicing Bikram Yoga you will inevitably find some postures easy but there may be a few that seem incredibly hard! Perhaps it’s the balancing on one leg bit that challenges you the most or maybe trying to place the head on the knee and not below the knee in the many compression postures. Often, for someone who has a busy and hectic life or is an ideas type person, the Savasana (the lying down between the floor postures) maybe the biggest hurdle of all! Everyone is different and can be challenged in different ways. The person on the left of you may do a near perfect Standing Bow Pulling Pose but find the Triangle somewhat difficult! So what causes this?

A strange phemonena!

Well one “phenomena” I have noticed happen many, many times over that when something is going to do us “good” or provide some type of freedom for example, there is a part of us that fights that or tries to push it away! You may have experienced that yourself in other parts of life too. Sometimes we hold back on allowing ourselves to experience the good stuff and will find a way to “block” it. I can categorically say from my own experience and from talking to friends, it is quite common.

So what is the posture actually doing?

So what does that have to do with the postures? Well each posture is placing the body in a certain position to allow it to experience certain things. Some postures for example, will stimulate organs whilst in the position, bringing the body back into balance when lying in Savasana. Other postures will stretch the spine out as much as possible and compress the internal organs, others will do the opposite by compressing the spine and stretching out the internals. Standing Bow Pulling Pose for example will shunt blood from one side of the body to the other and then stimulate a balance of the two sides of the body when you stand still after the posture. Others assist greatly in the training of the mind and focus. And so it goes on. There is a reason (or rather many) for every posture. Yoga is holistic, the postures work on other levels too, not only on the physical but also on the mental, emotional and if you are open enough, even the spiritual too.

Don’t fight or resist the posture!

The reason why I have explained the above is that very often the posture that you or your body needs the most will be the one you dislike, or even “dread” the most or find the most challenging! It is almost like there is an internal (subconscious) fight going on. I have taught several types of energy work for many years and this is the thing that has fascinated me the most. We can often put up amazing resistance to the things that will allow us to change something for the better. It feels easier to stay in the comfort zone instead of challenging yourself to go outside of it! This is actually a very large subject and I am finding it hard to put into words but I hope you get the gist by the end of this post!

See the posture as the gift it really is!

So what to do about it? Change your feeling and focus about the posture. That actually is very easy to do as it is just a thought and feeling. It may take longer for the body to enjoy the posture but you can change what you think about it in a nano-second! So instead of seeing it as the posture to dread, or the “punishment” it may feel like at the moment, see it is the “gift” it really is for you. Have gratitude for what it is doing, even for how it is teaching you something about yourself for example.

Be aware that on some level this posture could give you a freedom that you may never have experienced before. It could give you incredible focussing ability to improve your sport for example. It could just open you up to many opportunities.

Funnily enough, once you’ve cracked this, more often than not it will then become your favourite posture and the easiest to do!

So is that Bikram Yoga posture your friend or foe?

It is whatever you choose it to be in that moment!

Bevx

What’s the difference between yoga and sport / fitness?

March 25, 2015 By Beverley Brown Leave a Comment

All movement of the body is great – after all you need to move to maintain flexibility and strength in the body for starters. It also helps the mind to get clearer – one of the keys to your body feeling a lot more ease.

I’m not a runner but I know lots of runners who say that their sport allows them to go into the “zone” and when they are they in the zone they feel like they can run a lot easier and further etc etc. It is the same in yoga when you obtain that mind / body connection you can experience a lot more ability and ease in the body.

But what then is the main difference with yoga? Once again it is a massive subject but in the context of this post if you check out the page on this website (bikramyoga.je if you are on Facebook) about Bikram he boldly states:

“ Yoga is the only exercise on this planet from which you gain energy instead of burning energy. ”

He also went on to explain in class that consistent sport can wear down (or even damage) parts of the body after a long period of time or if there is a repeated action on one side of the body such as in tennis etc. Some sports can also create a lot of tightness in certain areas of the body. If you are an athlete you will probably relate to some of this!

So what does Bikram mean by that and what is the difference with yoga? It is that yoga works from the inside of the body to the outside not the other way round. Every yoga posture (in the Bikram Yoga series at least) will work the spine – the “backbone” of your body – the “backbone” of your life in fact! It has a knock on effect on your glandular system and therefore the organs and so it goes on! Without a healthy spine, many parts of the body would be compromised not only physically but internally too. Together with the brain, the spine forms the body’s nervous system which is essential for maintaining mental and emotional health which in turn is a major contributor to bodily health. Suffice to say the spine is the centre of your body and it affects every other part. With regular practice of yoga you will begin to realise that everything is linked and yoga is therefore is a “wholistic” method of exercise and also a completely natural type of “medicine” so to speak!

So what does that mean – you shouldn’t do sport? – of course not – I’m a great believer in doing what you love as that in itself is a major reason to do it! However it may be a good idea to incorporate a regular yoga practice to counteract the wearing down of tissues and the muscle damage that can occur.

Yoga is actually a “generator” of your body and does not deplete it or wear it down – it actually rejuvenates and can even reverse and at least halt the aging process. This subject is my favourite of course but it will need a few more posts to talk about that! It’s all about that “life force” (and more importantly what you do with it) that I mentioned in my earlier post.

I hope this explains at least a bit so you if you don’t like sport or normal fitness classes OR if you love it and want to stretch out and repair the body you may wish to give yoga a go!

Bev x

Posture No 1 – Pranayama breathing a.k.a. Standing Deep Breathing

March 24, 2015 By Beverley Brown

Well as promised I will give some more info on the postures. Because of timing and the already detailed instruction there is not much time to add in more in the class so I hope these blogs will help!

Every Bikram class starts with Pranayama Breathing – 10 sets done twice. Bikram always told us that this actually was the most important posture of all! Why? Because it gets the heart and lungs to work together properly providing a smooth flow of life force through the body (prana = life force) via a deep breathing technique. And life force is exactly that – you need life force to keep the body alive! We can go weeks without food, days without water but only a few minutes without air!

The breathing will also prepare the body for the following postures as it allows for deeper concentration by working on the nervous system and therefore is great to alleviate irritability. (Remember the old saying – “take a deep breath and count to 10…”) – now you know why!

You may have heard the expression that we only use 10% of our brains – same goes for the lungs. This technique helps us to learn to use the other 90%! It can be a little bit hard to master so if you are new or fairly new you may wish to watch a couple of breaths before you join in. It takes a bit of coordination – well it did for me anyway!

You inhale by the nose and exhale by the mouth but both through the back of the throat so it should sound like a “HAH” sound. (It is also best to inhale through the nose inbetween postures throughout the whole class by the way – a tip I learnt from another teacher as it really keeps you much more centred, strong and calm). Take the full six seconds for each inhale and each exhale instead of taking a big gasp in one go and letting it out in one big blast too! “Low slow flow” as Bikram would say!

All ten fingers need to be interlocked and always maintain contact with the underside of the chin another time for the”full grip” as you so often hear in the dialogue throughout the class. When you inhale you need to open the elbows out so you can take in more air as you expand the lungs and bring your elbows up as high as you can and as close to the side of the head as possible. The stomach should be sucked in and you should be able to see the rib cage in the mirror as your lungs expand. (Open chest and sucked in stomach is mentioned in many of the postures and after 18 years I finally noticed that – sometimes it takes a while for the penny to drop!)

When the head goes back (slowly – not a jerk back) on the exhale, remember to relax that neck again (let go!) and bring your elbows gradually to the front so they meet on the 6th second as high as you can i.e. level with the shoulders and as far away as you can from the chest. Make sure you exhale open mouthed to expel toxins.

It is a must to keep your eyes open so you are totally present in the body and not floating off to some other universe. Now you may feel a little dizzy – that is quite normal as this deep breathing is not your normal type of day to day breathing. One great adjustment which I noticed I needed to do was to stop straining my neck and consciously relax the neck and shoulders and that relieved the tension I often felt in my arms and shoulders. Again I believe tension and indeed some pain we feel can be a resistance to just let go and it manifests as tension and ache. This is a big subject and I will explain more in later posts but I can tell you being aware of when I was tensing up really worked for me.

Bikram dialogue has a lot of detail but you will find a consistency throughout the postures once you get more acquainted with them. Toes and heels together – feet going straight forward not splayed out at “ten to two”! The weight is also on the heels. The detail makes all the difference. Keeping your body straight (don’t lean back) and in alignment is also necessary to keep that energy flowing properly and as the dialogue says “hip muscles solid, concrete” and a little bit forward on the exhale – forever opening up those pesky hip joints!

So to summarise the key points:

Maintain the connection between the knuckles and chin throughout the posture
Use the nose and mouth only as a passage way as both inhale and exhale should be through the throat
Toes and heels together, feet straight forward, weight on the heels
Relax the neck and shoulders
Low slow flow by synchronising your head and arm movement – its like a cycle – no jerky movements
Take the full six seconds for each inhale and exhale
Expand the lungs and suck in the stomach and hold it in during the inhale until you can see the rib cage visible in the mirror
Keep your eyes open all the time or you will feel dizzier
Exhale as much as possible – elbows meet on the 6th second
Bring your elbows as high as the shoulders and as far away from the chest as possible when the elbows meet
Try not to collapse the chest as you start the next round
Know you are now well prepared for the class!

I hope this helps! Half moon posture is next!)

PS. If you are an athlete try a few rounds of this breathing technique before you start – it could just give you the edge!

Bevx

The Standing Series – Bikram Yoga

Bikram Yoga – what’s all the fuss about?

So what makes Bikram Yoga so different?

Repetition is the Mother of Success

What’s in a Bikram Yoga Class?

26 Postures to include 2 Breathing ones

Beginner’s Class – challenging but not advanced

After class – bliss!

Why Bikram Yoga is so Effective on the Body

Posture #7 – Balancing Stick Pose

Here is the next in the series of Posture Tips – the powerful Balancing Stick Pose!

Preparation for Balancing Stick Pose

Let’s go – 10 seconds only!

Summary of the Main Points of Balancing Stick Pose

The Benefits of Balancing Stick Pose

Bikram Yoga Postures – Friend or Foe?

A strange phemonena!

So what is the posture actually doing?

Don’t fight or resist the posture!

See the posture as the gift it really is!

So is that Bikram Yoga posture your friend or foe?

What’s the difference between yoga and sport / fitness?

“ Yoga is the only exercise on this planet from which you gain energy instead of burning energy. ”

Posture No 1 – Pranayama breathing a.k.a. Standing Deep Breathing

So to summarise the key points:

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