Bikram Yoga: What to Tell Your Clients | L&T Health and Fitness

Posted by L&T Health and Fitness on 05 Sep 2012 /
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Clients often confront L&T about the safety of current health trends outside of our managed facilities. One of our members at a managed site recently reported taking a Bikram Yoga class at a studio in her neighborhood and leaving the facility ?near death?. She felt that she ?was definitely not prepared for the extreme heat and the difficulty of the class?. Although Bikram yoga is not a new practice, more and more facilities are offering classes that crank up the heat luring clients into their studios. Bikram yoga, a series of 26 poses and two breathing exercises, is performed in a studio at temperatures between 90-105 degrees and 40% humidity. Some studios have been designed to reach temperatures up to 175 degrees. It?s worth noting that The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) suggests health clubs maintain a temperature between 68 and 72 degrees for the safety of exercisers. ?ACSM is the?largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world and they are dedicated to advancing and integrating scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine. ?Knowing that this governing body has set a much lower temperature for exercising has many exercise professionals on guard before giving the green light to participate.

Bikram yoga has been found to sweat out toxins, burn calories and allow students to get deeper into poses, but being prepared for participation in Bikram is what we want to?emphasize. ?Fabio Comana, exercise physiologist with the American Council on Exercise (ACE) understands the benefits of Bikram Yoga, but reminds us that ?the body wasn?t designed to perform yoga in extreme heat (over 105 degrees Fahrenheit) and doing so can damage proteins. Some participants have experienced muscle strain and damage to the ligaments and cartilage during classes because the heat increases the ability of the muscles to stretch deeper into poses. This often can gives exercisers a false sense of flexibility. Heat stroke has also been experienced. The extreme temperatures may cause symptoms of dizziness, nausea and extreme sweating, which may be signs of heat stroke. Due to the heat, the class is not suggested for those with heart conditions or for those who have hip, knee, spine or shoulder joint issues. Health risk increase after 40 and beginners (or those who have been physically inactive) are encouraged to consult a doctor before attending class.

Understanding that Bikram Yoga might prove beneficial to your exercise program, here are some safety considerations before participating in a class.

• Maintain a daily intake of at least eight (and preferably 10) 8-oz. cups of water for normal activity, not including exercise.
• Drink 16 oz. of water at least 2 hours before your practice.
• Weigh yourself prior to class, if possible. Weigh yourself again after exercise, and consume enough water (or non-caffeinated beverages) to return to your pre-exercise weight.
• During class, drink early, frequently and before you feel thirsty, not to exceed 20-40 oz. per hour.
• If you start to feel light-headed, nauseated, or otherwise sick, stop and rest (or leave the room to cool off).
• Bring your own mat and possibly a change of clothes. The class will leave you drenched in sweat.
• Bring a towel to cover your mat to prevent the mat from becoming saturated with sweat.
• Clothing should be comfortable and breathable
• Listen to your body and don?t push posses too deeply if you are taking the class for the first time

As health professionals we should provide our clients with information that helps guide people in the right direction when selecting any form of exercise.? Bikram Yoga has its benefits but clients should be aware of the risks before participating and make sure they take the necessary precautions.

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Source: http://www.ltwell.com/blog/bikram-yoga-what-to-tell-your-clients/

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