A more balanced body and a more harmonious mind are some of the benefits you gain after maintaining a regular Bikram Yoga practice. By strengthening and balancing your body, you are also strengthening and cleansing your thoughts. Yoga is a path to build upon and find balance in you, both on a physical and mental level. On a physical level it is about the use of the postures and how it affects various parts of your body, cleansing different organs, while trying to remain a conscious breathing.
So much is happening in your body during a class - muscles and ligaments are strengthened, stretched and balanced. In addition, blood circulation is also increased, elevating the oxygen levels in the blood. The nervous system is stimulated and balanced by compression and extension of the body. Other benefits include a stronger immune system and a better overall health.
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Specific Benefits of Heat:
The use of heat in a Bikram Yoga class also enhances vasodilation so that more blood is delivered to muscles. Vasodilation occurs as capillaries that weave around muscles respond to heat by dilating. This brings more oxygen to the muscles and helps in the removal of waste products such as carbon dioxide and lactic acid.
Heat allows oxygen in the blood to detach from hemoglobin more easily. Hemoglobin is the protein that fills red blood cells. It combines with oxygen, which is transported from the lungs to all parts of the body. When blood passes through warm muscles, oxygen releases more easily from the hemoglobin. Blood passing through cold muscles releases much less oxygen. Speeds up the breakdown of glucose and fatty acids.
Warm muscles are more elastic and are less susceptible to injury. Warmer temperatures produce a fluid-like stretch that allows greater ranger of motion. Cold muscles don’t absorb shock or impact as well and aren’t stretched as well so they tend to get injured more easily.
Improves co-ordination and reduces heart irregularities associated with sudden exercise.
Burns fat more easily and faster. Warm muscles burn fat more easily than cold ones. Fat is released during stress. The stress of intense exercise causes a deluge of fatty acids into the blood stream. If you exercise with cold muscles, they can’t use the fatty acids, and they end up in places they aren’t wanted, such as in the lining of the arteries.
NOTE: Muscles aren’t the only beneficiaries of heat. Higher temperatures improve the function of the nervous system, meaning that messages are carried more rapidly to and from the brain or spinal cord.
Excerpt, “Smart Exercise” by Covert Bailey
Here are some of the benefits of each posture:
1. Pranayama (Standing deep breathing)
- good for the lungs and respiratory system
- exercises nervous, circulatory and respiratory systems
- very good for asthma, shortness of breath and nervousness
2. Ardha-Chandrasana with Pada Hastasana (Half moon pose/hands to feet)
- improves the flexibility of the spine
- increases the circulation to the brain and the legs
- trims stomach, buttocks, hips and thighs
3. Utkatasana (Awkward pose)
- increases circulation to the knees and ankles, which is good for arthritis conditions
- heats and energizes the body
- strengthening the legs
4. Garurasana (Eagle pose)
- improves balance
- flushes out the kidneys
- improves flexibility of the 14 major joints in the body
5. Dandayamana-Janushirasana (Standing head to knee)
- improves concentration, determination and patience
- the perfect collaboration between strength, flexibility and balance
6. Dandayamana-Dharurasana (Standing bow)
- increases circulation to the heart and lungs
- improves elasticity and strength mostly in the lower part of the spine
- improves elasticity of the ribcage
7. Tuladandasana (Balancing stick pose)
- clears blockage in arteries which is preventative for future cardiac problems
- total spine stretch, relieves stress from the spine
- good for varicose veins
8. Dandayamana-Bibhaktapada-Paschimotthanasana (Separate leg stretching)
- releases tensions in lower back muscles
- good for abdominal obesity and for sciatica
- increases flexibility in the pelvis, ankles, hips and the last 5 vertebras in the spine
9. Trikanasana (Triangle pose)
- eliminates chemical imbalances in the body
- improves flexibility in hips and the side of the thorax
- good for kidneys, thyroid and adrenal glands
10. Dandayamana-Bibhaktapada-Janushirasana (Standing separate leg head to knee)
- balances blood sugar
- compression of the thyroid makes the digestive system and immune system work better
11. Tadasana (Tree pose)
- improves flexibility in the knees, hips and ankles
- corrects bad posture
12. Padangustasana (Toe stand)
- strengthens mental ability
- strengthens abdominal muscles
13. Savasana (Dead body pose)
- energizes the body
- relaxes body and mind
14. Pavanamuktasana (Wind removing pose)
- massages ascending, descending and transverse colon
- good for abdominal muscles
15. Sit Up
- energizes the body
- strengthening abdominal muscles
16. Bhujangasana (Cobra pose)
- increases flexibility and strength in the spine, specifically the lower spine
- good for different kinds of back problems like kyphosis, scoliosis, lower back pain
17. Salabhasana (Locust pose)
- good for tennis-elbow
- strengthens the buttocks and hips
18. Poorna-Salabhasana (Full locust pose)
- increases flexibility and strengthens the middle part of the spine.
- great combination of strength and flexibility
19. Dharurasana (Bow pose)
- increases strength of entire spine
- increases circulation to the heart and the lungs
- opens up the ribcage
20. Supta-Vajrasana (Fixed firm pose)
- increases circulation to the lower part of the body
- helps sciatica, rheumatism, gout, diabetes and varicose veins
21. Ardha-Kurmasana (Half tortoise pose)
- relieves stress, migraines, stomach discomfort
- relieves neck and shoulder tension, lower back pain and firms abdomen and thighs
22. Ustrasana (Camel pose)
-creates maximum compression of the spine which stimulates the nervous system
- opens ribcage
- excellent for good postural alignment
23. Sasangasana (Rabbit pose)
- creates maximum extension of the spine increasing the mobility and elasticity of the spine and back muscles
- good for thyroid and parathyroid glands
24. Janushirasana with Paschimotthanasana (Head to knee with stretching pose)
- stimulates thymus, digestion, immune and lymph system
- increases circulation to liver, spleen, pancreas, thyroid, thymus and intestines
25. Ardha-Matseyendrasana (Spine twisting pose)
- improves elasticity and flexibility of the spine
- calms the nervous system
26. Kapalabhati in Vajrasana (Blowing in firm pose)
- improves oxygenation and circulation to the body
- detoxifying and cleansing
- energizing the body