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| Read testimonials for more specific types of improvement on Bikram Yoga: http://www.bikramyoga.com/testimonials.htm
Read Testimonials of our Honorary Students |
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Megan Wanzek
Personal Revolutionary (35 yoga classes in 49 days)
November 2007 |
When I first thought about doing 35 yoga classes in 49 days I had no idea how it would even be possible. How would I ever find the time to attend that much yoga? Somehow, when I started the personal revolution it was like the yoga found me. I tried to go every day, and I always looked forward to it. After starting off doing just Bikram classes, I decided to attend a couple of flow classes. I found that the combination of the two deepened my practice to such an incredible degree. My body began to feel solid, contructed, yet loose and graceful. Now, after completing the revolution, I notice a different perspective on the world. My stress response has lowered and I maintain a natural feeling of well-being throughout the day. Nothing in my life has been so powerful or made such a positive impact on my mind, body, and spirit than this personal revolution.
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Erinn Morris
Personal Revolutionary
(35 classes in 49 days), Nov. 2007 |
My first few Bikram classes were a real struggle, to say the least. Skills that I had become proficient at in kindergarten, such as distinguishing the left side of my body from the right, were suddenly lost as I struggled to stay upright on both feet, forget that one-legged balancing series crap. Lucky for me I took a class with Alex within my first week or so at the studio. I knew that he had to be the smartest man alive after he explained that tight hamstrings were usually to blame whenever people said, “I have really long legs and extremely short arms”. Something that I swore I had and have now affectionately renamed T-Rex arm syndrome. Every class I attended seemed to prove to me that I was not alone in my quest to lengthen my arms and shorten my legs as others with T-Rex arms filed in to class. Soon enough I realized that I didn’t really have T-Rex arm syndrome I had hunch shoulders or a curved spine, which as I write makes me appear more like the Hunchback of Notre Dame and less like a prehistoric carnivore. But slowly, leg by arm by shoulder by back, my body began to figure itself out. Under the tutelage of Darlene “be thankful you’re not in a nursing home”, Alex “root to rise”, and Joan “you all look so great in that pose” I thought that maybe I’d get myself back in line and learn something about having some compassion for my body’s quirks, which amazingly enough I did. So, here’s to all you crazy staff that work inside the orange room with the blue stripe, without you I would still be using the long-armed reacher to pick stuff up off the floor. And a special thanks to Michael, the man behind the desk, I wouldn’t have made it to 35 classes without the vegetable stickers.
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Ryel Estes |
The impact that yoga has on the quality of my life is what keeps me coming back to the studio. The skills of balance, self-acceptance and mindfulness that I learn in class radiate outward into other aspects of daily living. With regular practice, my body and mind have begun to feel stronger and more resilient. Yoga has been, and continues to be, a positive and empowering experience.
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Sue Hogg
Finished 3 months yoga challenge January 2007 |
| I look so forward to going to yoga classes at Bikram Yoga Madison. They offer the opportunity to take me to my edge, to take risks, and to find peace in the intensity. Having had back surgery, knee surgery, a broken arm, a broken foot, and hysterectomy over the last decade and a half, I wondered if there would ever be another something out there that would continue to really challenge me. Studying & teaching dance, Pilates, & Gyrokinesis, and loving to hit it on my bike, I had been craving another direction to explore. And there it was, right on University Avenue! I knew I loved Bikram minutes into my first session. The class was focused, very focused….students respectful of each other and the teacher’s fabulous cuing. The poses in Bikram were different from other styles, and the heat was like a paradise for stretching and strengthening. The energy was very positive and encouraging for any age or athletic ability. There were building blocks to each asana, and everyone was focused on what they were doing. Very inspiring!
After these months of studying, I still love the classes as much as ever. Each time I learn something more about the body, where it bends, where it can create space, what to tweak to find something entirely different, and what it might feel like to be really grounded. It’s a never-ending look at patience, discipline, being peaceful in the middle of tension, and letting go, really letting go! What the experience brings is joy, a great feeling of accomplishment, a wonderful cleansing of toxins, and a new look at the world.
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Pat Barone |
| I found Bikram in July of 2003, when I roared into class looking for a way to balance my weight lifting regimen. I was bench pressing 165 lbs. and was nearing the limit of muscle my body could adequately carry. I thought I was coming to a stretch class, because I’d always experienced yoga in a gym where that’s all it is! I knew it would be hot but I sauna every day at the gym so my efficiency expert mind said “Oh, good, I’ll work out and sauna together!”
I’ve taken ___ classes here in Madison and over 100 classes in ten states across the country. One of the many things I appreciate about Bikram Yoga is the fact that I can take class wherever I travel. I’ve even taken class with Bikram in L.A.
From 1996-2000, I lost over 70 lbs. and in 2001, I started my own business helping others find permanent weight loss (Catalyst Coaching LLC, www.patbarone.com). I only work with permanent weight loss, which happens from the inside out with attitude and belief change. Less than 3% of dieters keep their weight off after 5 years, which is the marker for permanent weight loss, and I’m determined to change that percentage number in my lifetime.
As a professional personal trainer and certified weight loss coach, I’m a big fan of Bikram Yoga for many reasons. My personal training mind loves the way the yoga addresses every single aspect (every muscle, every tendon, every tiny fiber!) of the physical body. My coaching mind appreciates the way the yoga facilitates change on the emotional and spiritual planes.
I spent my first year figuring out the poses. The second year was about emotions. (Darlene may remember the first time I got my butt down in fixed firm and burst into tears.) My third year was all spiritual exploration. So far, my fourth year is about consciousness in the body. I know there’s no end to the learning in the yoga studio and I’m very grateful for that.
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Sue Vraga
Finished 3 month yoga challenge, 65 classes in 13 weeks on Jan. 23, 2007.
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I’m really glad I signed up for the 3 month challenge. It was a great way to get into yoga, full steam ahead. I noticed the benefits almost immediately. I would come out of class extremely wet but energized and basically feeling good all over. I felt stronger and more toned. I did a variety of classes with a variety of instructors which made the workout different each time so I never got bored. I loved it when Kellie sang to us at the end of class.
Today I feel better both physically and mentally and hope to continue with yoga for total well-being. A great big thank you to all involved at Bikram Yoga Madison and I hope to continue to see you around.
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Heidi Hallman |
| I started doing Bikram Yoga in 2002 because I had been intrigued by yoga for years but had never found a yoga studio/ practice that seemed "right" for me. As a long distance runner, I was skeptical that any form of activity could be more meditative and energizing than running. However, after a couple of yoga classes at Bikram Yoga Madison I felt I had found something right for me. I've practiced consistently over the past four years and have found that my body is more energized than ever before. The periods of weeks within this time that I have not done Bikram Yoga have caused me to eventually long for the practice. When I've returned to the studio after a couple weeks off I've felt relief that the practice is still there for me to engage with.
I am expecting a baby in March 2007 and have felt really good so far. I know that yoga has helped calm my worries and enjoy my pregnancy thus far. I want to tell everyone I know how Bikram Yoga has changed my perspective on exercise and well-being. I hope that more people can experience what happens as a result of a regular practice.
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Katya Fassett
30-day challenge (7/31-8/29/06) |
| Bikram yoga has altered my outlook on exercise and what it means to take care of my body. Previously, I looked at working out as a way to burn calories. But, after a month of Bikram I’ve gained a couple of pounds, and I couldn’t be happier about it. I feel better about myself than ever before--I stand taller and with greater body posture awareness, and I know by looking in the mirror that those pounds are muscle. And, the strength I have gained through my Bikram practice has taught me to appreciate my body for what it can do. It was thrilling to move through the month and watch remarkable improvement in both flexibility and form (in standing bow, particularly). Looking back, my first triangle pose was pretty frustrating and shamefully misaligned, but with Marit’s careful adjustments and a mindful practice, I’ve come to really enjoy the standing pose series.
Perhaps more importantly, going to Bikram almost every day for a month gave me a sense of calm that I have carried over into the start of my first year of medical school. I am now able to approach a stressful day knowing that I can escape at night with a sweaty, intense, thoroughly relaxing 90 minutes at Bikram. And, during the day I catch myself fully appreciating the power of taking a full, deep breath, something that I learned through Pranayama breathing and the attention I paid to my breath both in active poses and Shavasana. Bikram has become the ultimate escape for me, and I know I will practice for a lifetime. Being away from the studio just four days has made me antsy for a good sweat and a satisfying stretch.
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Chelsea Lindeman
Finished the three month challenge in Aug. 2006 |
| My friends thought I was crazy starting this “hippie yoga thing” the week before finals. College students don’t process words like stillness, breath, or detoxification too well. Maybe that last one some of us understand...We rely on pizza, coffee and beer to get us through those late night cram sessions and all-night parties. With finals week looming ahead, Bikram was supposed to be another form of procrastination.
I couldn’t believe how immensely focused I was after a yoga class. I found that three hours of writing directly after yoga was more productive than an entire day in front of my computer. I was avoiding those writer’s block snacks, too.
I started the challenge because I wanted to experience the change in my body that I already felt in my mind. Whether the teacher was Darlene, who made it fun, Marit, who made it challenging or Alex, who made it poetic, each class was reassuringly the same, yet inspiringly unique. I had a different relationship with my body each time. The first couple weeks of yoga, I dreaded the cobra series. I couldn’t believe how much my wrists hurt during half-lotus. After a month or so, that pain disappeared. As my back grew stronger, I fell in love with the cobra series.
Sure, I got a little obsessed. My boyfriend had to endure daily exclamations of “Yoga was so amazing today. My triangle reached a whole new level.” Then again, he definitely appreciated my new self in the bedroom. While I didn’t lose weight, I gained muscle and look more toned. My spine and back feel so strong and aligned. Yoga even changed my walk and posture. More amazing—I am almost ¾ inches taller!
These changes were important to me in terms of daily motivation, but it wasn’t until I saw a pregnant woman in class doing the modified poses that I realized I wanted to make yoga a permanent part of my life. She was absolutely ethereal—the sunlight through the window fell gently on her mat, her cheeks, her round tummy. I thought about how lucky that child was to have such a peaceful, focused mother. A yoga mom. At that moment, I knew I was a lifer.
In order to complete my challenge, the last week I had to practice twice a day or “do doubles” as Darlene would say, and so my life became centered around the yoga schedule. I was totally in the zone and felt amazing. Marit said I had that yoga glow, and I loved it. Also, the family-like, comfortable atmosphere the studio has....the personal attention and genuine interest the teachers have in everyone's wellbeing...is so helpful.
It’s now been 8 days since I completed the challenge, 8 days since a yoga class, 8 days since I spent an hour and a half in a 100 degree studio dripping wet, and I truly miss it. My mind misses its clarity; my body misses its strength. I can’t wait to begin again.
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Chim Winichakul
Finished the 30 day challenge in Aug. 2006 |
| My first Bikram Yoga class was a year and a half ago with the one week trial unlimited. I still remember how frustrated I was and didn’t think that I could continue practicing yoga. It was just too hard for me and I didn’t have enough determination. I came back to Bikram Yoga again about 2 months ago, with a new attitude. I was determined and knew what to expect. Since I was here before, I wasn’t be able to do a trial session, so I decided to sign up for 1 month of unlimited yoga to be able to come with my friend (who signed up for the 2 week trial session) and to see how far could I go. For the first 2 weeks, I came almost everyday, but after that, I took about a half week off. During that time off, I tried to practice yoga by myself but I didn’t feel the same as I did in the studio with the instructor and the others. Once I returned, I found out that regular yoga practice helped me so much. It helped me relieve stress and feel pretty healthy, as it forced me to have better eating habits. I used to have back problems and during class my back would sometimes still hurt a bit, but after awhile, I started feeling pretty good and never complained of back pain anymore . The instructor also helped me concentrate on what I was doing by encouraging me to complete each posture. I think the hot temperature also helped my body release tension in my muscles. I still have problems with balancing, but I recently signed up for the posture clinic and I hope it will help me. Recently, I decided to go on for another month of unlimited yoga. This time, I thought I should challenge myself more by doing the 30 days challenge. I kept coming everyday and sometimes double on the days that I was off work. I have just completed my 30 days challenge by coming more than 23 times within 30 days. During this month I felt that coming to Bikram Yoga was part of my daily routine; I just couldn’t miss class. I was gradually losing weight and feeling better every time I came. I’m glad I did the challenge. The yoga classes helped my mind focus and gave me time off from my busy lifestyle. But most importantly, I was able to see what hard work and determination can achieve.
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Joe Paprocki
Finished the 30 day challenge in May 2006 |
| I have been coming into Bikram now for around 3 years. As I recall, my first visit was one of frustration and massive sweating. Everything was new, and most everything was uncomfortable. I remember getting angry at the poses often back in those early days...but eventually learned something that changed my practice for good....breathing into the postures.
After that, I noticed that things got better, both in the studio and in my life. I started coming at least once a week and always looked forward to the challenge. It wasn’t until I attended a posture clinic that I seriously considered doing the 30 day challenge. It started to make sense to me that yoga should be a daily thing instead of a weekly thing.
Now that I am done with the 30 days there is a lot to report. I have always been a believer that a healthy mind lends itself to a healthy body...and visa versa. Well, I really feel that I have better control of my motor skills now than ever...and that mentally I have a lot more clarity. My posture has improved dramatically and so has my attitude about life. Once you start to open your body up, your mind seems to follow suit. I have lost considerable weight and changed my diet quite a bit. I find myself naturally gravitating towards a healthier diet and my energy level has increased because of it. I am definitely looking at everything in my life from a more positive perspective now and I find that I trust my intuition a lot more without asking for someone else’s opinion. Lastly, I feel that I have a much better handle on controlling stress and that I am a lot less fearful of life in general.
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Sharon Lee
Finished 3 month challenge in November 2005 |
| I discovered Bikram Yoga during a very challenging time. Stress defined every aspect of my life, and after awhile, my mind and body began to pay a toll. I was in seek of something that would bring some energy and balance back into my life. I had often heard about the many wonderful benefits of yoga, so I thought I would give it a try.
After attending my first week of introductory classes, I absolutely fell in love with Bikram Yoga. For the first time in several weeks, I was actually able to breathe again. Never had I experienced a workout that connected me mentally, physically, and spiritually all at the same time. I knew at that point that I owed it to myself to participate in the Challenge, so that I could experience the many benefits of a dedicated yoga practice.
The Challenge helped me tap into an inner strength that I did not know existed, and it pushed me to limits that I never thought possible.. The stress that once consumed my body was gone, and my spirit was lifted.
After just a couple of weeks, I noticed visible changes to my body. I had never felt stronger in my life. Every part of my body was toned. Although the physical benefits alone would have been enough for me to continue my practice, it was really the mental well-being that I gained that got me hooked.
From my practice, I was able to gain a sense of clarity that I lost when I allowed “everyday living” to take over. It helped me refocus and reminded me of what is truly important in life. The pain and pleasure that I received from each class gave me confidence and helped me to better understand myself and life in general.
Although I no longer practice as often as I did during the Challenge, there is not a day that goes by that I am not reminded of all that I gained from it. I look forward each day to getting back into my practice. I think everyone owes it to themselves to feel their very best, and I couldn’t think of a better way than yoga to do that.
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Susie Hassert
Practiced more than 450 yoga class at Bikram Yoga Madison |
| Many thanks to Marit for bringing Bikram Yoga to Madison. I appreciate that Bikram Yoga is lineage based, each pose carefully builds on the previous asana and prepares for the next one. A hot room increases flexibility and facilitates detoxification. What more could we ask for? We didn’t have to ask… Marit has added power yoga classes so that we can cross train. Namaste, Susi Hassert
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Mark Cowie
Finished the three month yoga challenge in April 2006 |
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My original reason for starting yoga was to prepare my body for beginning a meditation practice, but yoga has benefited me in many other ways as well. When I first began I had chronic lower back pain from working as a nursing assistant in a nursing home full time. I had this pain for about a year or so of working this kind of job. I saw both a physical therapist and a massage therapist. Both of them told me I either needed to quit my job or work less. A few weeks after I started Bikram my back pain went away completely. I can work as much as I want and it doesn't hurt my back anymore. But the main reason why I go to yoga is the way it makes me feel after. If I've had anything stressing my out during the day, yoga helps me release it. Anything stressful I encounter after yoga, while I'm still relaxed, doesn't bother me as much. Yoga can be difficult and uncomfortable, but through the release of bodily tension causes an overall easier and more comfortable state. Also through constant practice the difficultly and discomfort lessens while the release and relaxation is greater. I'm glad to have a space in my day dedicated pragmatically towards this end.
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Rachael Rivard
Finished 30 day yoga challenge in April 2006
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| Yeah! I just completed my 30 Day challenge and I feel great. I wanted to start practicing yoga to strengthen my spine. I have had several major car accidents (not because of my driving) in the last couple of years and at the age of 28 I felt like I was 80! I couldn't do the workouts that I had been doing because my spine had no stability. I had been to the chiropractor and the physical therapist and although they all helped it always seemed like it wasn't enough to make me feel "good". Practicing at the level that I have been has given me so much more than stability, it has given me power and balance. Strength has returned to my spine and I found that my hips were also causing some of the imbalance that we were having trouble correcting. Opening up my body to realignment at all levels has given me a new center that feels powerful. I feel like I shouldn't qualify for the senior discount and it has given me life again. There were other bonus benefits that I didn't expect. My mind tends to travel at a mile a minute and it's always working on something that hasn't happened yet, this practice has allowed me to slow that down. Not to stifle creative flow but to allow myself an hour and a half of time to focus on nothing else other than myself and I tell you that I needed that. I love starting my day with a bikram class I feel so balanced and centered and then I can go out and take on the world. Try it, it won't be easy, but if it was easy it wouldn't be worth it! See you in class.
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Christen Ring
Finished the yoga challenge, 65 yoga classes in 13 weeks
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I am so glad I did the 3 month challenge. It was an awesome way to dive into the Bikram practice and really feel how my body was able to grow and change with a regular practice. Since the birth of our daughter 2 years ago, I had felt very weak in my core muscles. I exercised regulary but still felt weak. I was amazed at how quickly I felt some core strength come back with the Bikram practice. It was awesome to feel the connection through my entire body rather than a few target areas.
I have always been athletic but it has been years since I competed as a member of a team, I have struggled to find "work out" practices that I really enjoyed and looked forward to doing or kept up with much passion. Doing the challenge ingited a new passion! The bikram class is the whole package: Mind,Body and Spirit. It is an awesome way to bring strength and calm to our center! I am now expecting our second baby and excited to have
this practice be a part of this pregnancy.
Although I will not continue at the intensity level of the challenge I am so very grateful that I made the commitment to do it and have the depth of that practice as the foundation from this point on.
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Mayra Cerdes-Gomez
Finished the yoga challenge, 65 yoga classes in 13 weeks |
I took the challenge as a way to find out if I could actually improve my level of energy and get the benefits that were advertised (improve sleeping patterns, immune system strengthener, higher energy level, etc). I had practiced Bikram yoga inconsistently before, and I did not receive these benefits. This was to be my first time committing to the practice. After the first week, I noticed that my sleeping and my mood, in general, improved. As I continued practicing, there were some other benefits showing up: I had more energy and my level of concentration improved. Furthermore, I did not have headaches or migraines, and I could bend my left knee better. I had not been sick at all throughout this time. What I love most about the practice is the sense of well-being after every practice and, of course, I also like that fact that I am not spending money on medication.
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Karen Ball
Finished the yoga challenge,
65 yoga classes in 13 weeks,on 8-12-05
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| Two years ago I began the steps towards a major life style change which would include losing 100 pounds. I began the Bikram Yoga Challenge because I wanted the opportunity to get to know this new body and understand its workngs. I also did not want to be in the majority of people that gain their weight back after a significant weight loss and thought yoga might help. I had never been an athlete and had only begun yoga 7 months ago, but I was intrigued by the challenge and thought I would give it a try.
Now I am sitting here today, having completed the challenge in a new body. The challenge completely transformed how I felt about myself. When I lost my weight I had to transform how I felt about food, when I did the challenge I began to transform how I felt about health and well-being. One of my first hurdles was to become comfortable gazing at myself in the mirror. I spent more time looking in the mirror over the past 13 weeks then I have in my entire life. it was discouraging at first, especially watching all my jiggling loose skin, but over the weeks looking at myself in the mirror became about what I could do instead of what I could not do.
As the weeks progressed so did my understanding of my body. I was beginning to pay attention to my posture and my balance not only in class but outside of class. My breathing became a source of vitality both in my practice and in my life. Stress was dissipating, my health continued to improve, (lowered cholesterol, stabilized thyroid, maintained weight loss, decrease in varicose veins, regulated menstruation) and I just felt great. I even had someone approach me two weeks ago in the airport and asked me if I was a swimmer "because I just had a healthy glow about me."
While I am proud of my weight loss I am even more proud at maintaining it by having the courage to start Bikram. Each class has challenged me in new ways and I look forward to continuing my practice for my health and well-being.
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Beth Schewe
Finished the yoga challenge,
65 yoga classes in 13 weeks, on 7-11-05 |
| I am both a student and a teacher, and I did the Bikram yoga challenge during what was perhaps the most difficult semester of my life, so my experience was a mixture of positive and negative. There were some wonderful things about the challenge. My pratice improved immensely because I was practicing so often. I learned that I was capable of more than I thought. because I was forced to come seven days a week at times and twice a day at others, I found that I could do it. I even discovered that I loved coming to two classes in a row...it gave me a high that I hadn't experienced since I first started Bikram yoga.
There were some negatives, though. Towards the end I began to look at yoga as another obligation instead of an escape from obligation, and I found myself going through the motions in class at times without being mindful. I also found at the end that my muscles were not recovering quickly enough, so I was often tired or sore and I had to temporarily give up all of my other sports to be able to continue the challenge. I think the best parts of the challenge were the very beginning when I was always discovering some new ability I had, and right after it ended, when I once again I was able to think of yoga as optional. One positive aspect was the sense of community it gave me with the instructors and other students at the studio. I'm glad to have done the challenge, but if I could go back in time, I would've chosen to do it during the summer or a lighter semester.
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Rachel Carlson
Testimonial of Bikram Yoga during pregnancy |
Updated testimonial May 2007
I began practicing Bikram yoga in March 2003, and to my surprise, it was the exact exercise that fit my personality and body type. I found that I liked to exercise when I could see and feel the improvement in my body and mind. When I became pregnant with my first child 8 months later, it made complete sense to me to continue with the yoga to keep my body and mind toned for the health of the pregnancy and the impeding delivery.
If you consider labor contractions as being periods of work followed by periods of rest, it’s not hard to see how that correlates with practicing a posture followed by a savasana. My first labor was 16 hours including ~2 hours of pushing during which Jasper and I did really well because we both were accustomed to feeling my body go through cycles of working and relaxing. I was able to conserve energy by only focusing on the muscles which required work and by relaxing the rest of my body completely during the contractions and breaks in between. We had no need for medical intervention other than local anaesthetic to repair a tear.
After my first birthing experience went so well, there was no doubt in my mind to commit myself to my practice during all stages of my life. When we became pregnant with our second child, I remember friends and family asking if I planned to practice yoga throughout the pregnancy again and I could only reply with a big "of course!"
In addition to keeping my body in shape during the pregnancy (relatively minor shortness of breath and no back pain or indigestion), I also needed the mental focus of a yoga practice to help me through a fast delivery of our little girl, Kemaya. Her total labor was a bit over 5 hours...however, we went from a 6-7 cm dilation to holding our baby in about 25 minutes. So it was a very intense delivery at the end and probably the most amazing thing my body has ever done. Though I couldn’t exactly relax through those last minutes, I was able to trust my body and the process. I never felt afraid and I think my yoga practice helped me to keep a level head. Before we knew it, delivery was over and we were holding a happy, healthy, alert little girl. Again, we needed no medical intervention.
As far as recovering from birth, I must say I needed 6 weeks after Jasper’s delivery to get back into yoga...I feel much better after this second delivery, but again it’s not something I want to push. Starting yoga back up was really different because I felt like someone had given me someone else's body that didn’t know how to balance or even twist it’s legs together in Eagle Pose. However, time and practice brought me down to a size smaller than I started out the first pregnancy and I hope to be back there in no time now that I have two little ones to keepp me on my toes.
I had been doing Bikram Yoga for 8 months prior to my pregnancy and just prior to conception I completed the 13-week yoga challenge where I practiced 5 times per week. Literally, I was in the best shape I had ever been in my life. I felt great about myself physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Interestingly enough, my body knew I was pregnant before I did. I immediately decided that I would continue with yoga for the duration. Marit was great help explaining the modified poses to me as well as a modified attitude. She explained that I needed to think of class as being a place to relax, stretch out, and reconnect with myself and body.
There were many benefits to doing yoga such as absence of back pain, indigestion, shortness of breath, and other common complaints of pregnancy. Another benefit of the pregnancy series is that there is a lot of focus on balance and stretching the pelvic region. This kept my body and muscles toned for the birthday.
During childbirth: While I dealt with the pressure and pulling sensations I did a lot of visualization and mental exercises to keep my body focused on its goal. I would imagine the cervix being pulled over the baby’s head like a turtleneck sweater and I often reminded myself to open like a flower (just like Darlene tells us to do). I intently focused on relaxing every muscle of my body not involved with the contraction, I realized that I just needed to let go and allow my body the freedom it needed to dilate. I think yoga really helped me with this part because my body awareness was so strong. I could isolate which muscles were allowed to relax while the others worked to their fullest. After the contraction released I would just remind myself that there was a built in Savasana before the next contraction. During those times I was able to fully relax--the pressure, pain, fear, and other feelings would disappear and I could focus more on my mental imagery. Staying in the moment kept me calm and level headed–like Moira says, "don’t think, just notice." I honestly feel that practicing the release of the pose into Savasana helped me to effectively conserve my energy for the pain management and pushing stages of delivery.
Jasper was born at 8:02am and was 9 lbs and 19 ½ inches. We were able to deliver without any medical intervention other than a little local anesthetic for repairing a tear. He was very strong from the start and loved to nurse. At his 2 week appointment he had already grown 3 inches and 2 pounds! I strongly believe that doing yoga during the pregnancy helped me provide the best environment for him prior to his birth and the best birth for him because I trusted my body, my intuitions, and myself.
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Judy Genin
Finished the yoga challenge,
65 yoga classes in 13 weeks, on 6-21-05
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This past spring, while on vacation in Colorado, I ended up in intensive care for 3 days with chest pain instead of on the ski slopes. The past few years have been stressful and I gained over 30 lbs. to bring me up to 220 lbs, more than I have ever weighed in my life. I believe the incident in Colorado was a huge warning to make some major changes in my life, and committing to Bikram Yoga was one of them.
I found that I was able to feel muscles and move joints that have been neglected for years. I like Darlene’s analogy that our bodies are dirty sponges that we are rinsing and cleaning throughout the class. I started losing weight, just a little each week and am sleeping better and eating healthier than before. I know with my yoga practice I will continue on this new path of life.
The instructors at Bikram Yoga Madison are all knowledgeable, helpful, and gave me lots of encouragement over the past three monts. I have learned so much about my body and mind and now I just crave more.
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Alex Esquivel
Finished the yoga challenge,
65 yoga classes in 13 weeks, on 6-8-05 |
I decided to try Bikram yoga after seeing how it changed my wife’s life for the good. I felt both relaxed and energized after class. I was also pleased with the whole mood in yoga class, being an exercise more for the “inside” rather than for the “outside”. Yoga relieved stress, but I needed something to force me to go to avoid obsessing with work. So I decided to sign up for the Bikram yoga challenge (65 classes in 13 weeks), knowing that either pride or the free month reward would make me do it. I couldn’t have made a better decision, yoga 5 times a week is far better than yoga 5 times a month. After understanding the mechanics of some of the poses one can start to learn much more of the deeper teachings: letting go, not judging, keeping calm, focusing, and meditating. All of which have helped me outside the yoga studio more than I anticipated. I found that the time invested in yoga is well worth it, I am more efficient at work, sleep better, and feel better.
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Joan Christensen
Finished the yoga challenge,
65 yoga classes in 13 weeks, on 6-19-04 |
| I lost eight pounds while doing the challenge. I gained a lot more. I gained perseverance, the ability to overcome self doubt and to keep calm during difficult moments. I love this yoga because even though the poses are the same each time, each class is different. Poses I hate, I learned to love. Poses I think are easy become difficult. Sometimes, almost every time, I think I will not get through the class. I love it when I have a class I can barely get through, because in the next class I will be in the yoga zone!
I plan on making Bikram Yoga a part of my life for a long time. I have practiced different types of yoga for the past four years, but Bikram gives me something I need...the challenge and the focus. All of the teachers here are phenomenal.
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Jen Weaver
Finished the yoga challenge,
65 yoga classes in 13 weeks, on 5-14-04 |
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In doing yoga I’d hoped to manage my weight better and to become more flexible. I also hoped to stop feeling so stiff all the time. I think the effects have far exceeded my expectations. Stretching gives me a sense of the power and ability of my body. My clothes fit better and clothes that I had trouble wearing before, I wear comfortably now. In addition, I think that standing in front of a mirror for 90 minutes, for thirteen weeks, has really been a positive thing, I'm actively looking at myself without criticizing. I think that yoga has had a really dramatic effect on the way that I look at my body even if it hasn’t dramatically changed the way my body looks.
I can't thank you enough Marit for the impact yoga has had on me. I know that I'm the one that does yoga and all that, but I never would have kept coming back if I didn't get such wonderful instruction from you and the other teachers. I shopped around at other studios and I never got the right mix of push and relaxation that I got at your studio. I feel so much better than I did three years ago and the yoga that comes out of your studio has made all the difference.
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Colleen Cleary
Finished the yoga challenge,
65 yoga classes in 13 weeks, on 5-9-04 |
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The practice is about discovery. I learn about my physical body and mental state. It’s also about awareness – keeping me in the present in all that I do throughout my day and for all that I don’t do – which is also important! I feel better both physically and mentally.
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Nicole Vittoz
Finished the yoga challenge,
65 yoga classes in 13 weeks, on 5-3-04 |
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I have somewhat severe scoliosis, or curvature of the spine. This condition causes fairly consistent back pain. Since I started Bikram three months ago, not only has that pain disappeared, but the condition has begun to improve. I have also lost excess fat and one pant size! Bikram includes not only incredible back stretching and strengthening poses, but also strengthens every postural muscle. Some stretches actually can “reset” the spine, and I find that I stand and sit straighter all day long.
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Meg Schmitt
Finished the yoga challenge,
65 yoga classes in 13 weeks, on 4-4-04 |
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I feel awesome now that I’ve completed my yoga challenge. I’ve lost weight and I am generally a happier person. I have trouble with other types of exercise (like aerobics) because they all aggravate a knee injury and leave me in severe pain for days on end. Even practicing the yoga 5-6 days/week for those 13 weeks did not upset the injury! It helped my knee get stronger and less prone to re-injury.
Other exercise routines I’ve tried don’t occupy all of me as completely as Bikram yoga does – when I practice, both my body and my mind get a great workout. I’ve tried some other forms of yoga and I never really felt like I was working out.
For me the positive effects of the yoga practice keep multiplying as I increase the number of times I practice each week.
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Emily Payne
Finished the yoga challenge,
65 yoga classes in 13 weeks, on 4-4-04 |
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My practice has changed so much as a result of completing the challenge, and I see that carrying over into other parts of my life. Most importantly, I have learned to listen to my body. I’m more patient with myself on the days that I don’t feel one hundred percent. And on the days when I feel great, I’m learning to try to push my edges. I’ve quit being so critical of myself when I fall or feel like I can’t do something the way I think I ought to be able to.
That last lesson alone has had a tremendous impact in other parts of my life. I have learned to relax a bit and be less judgmental towards myself. As a result, I’m so much happier: I sleep better and feel less stressed and more in control.
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Lynn Gladstone
1-5-04
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| I consider myself pretty continually physically fit. Since wrapping up with school however, work presents challenges with finding the time and energy to exercise. Bikram has helped me set aside a quiet time for myself and maintaining my health.
Yoga has helped me become more aware of my body, its condition, and when ailments are beginning. It has also connected my mind to physical activity.
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John Bielecki
Finished the yoga challenge,
65 yoga classes in 13 weeks, on 1-04 |
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Bikram allows me to feel stronger and to work out tensions in certain areas – neck and lower back mainly. I have been working on reducing tension/anxiety levels for years. I feel just generally improved by Bikram – mentally and physically.
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Wayne Au
Finished the yoga challenge,
65 yoga classes in 13 weeks, on 11-26-04 |
| I had never had any interaction with any type of yoga previous to attending BYM. Mainly I played basketball, volleyball, lifted weights and did cardio training. I approached class like an athlete would: really concentrating and trying to improve with every posture and every class. My competitiveness with myself wouldn’t let me be lazy in class.
After completing the yoga challenge I lost 25 pounds! I’ve worked out very hard and very regularly with more traditional/accepted practices at the gym, but have never lost this much weight.
I noticed changes in my sleeping habits in the first 4 or 5 weeks, but don’t feel a huge difference now. I do not feel totally wiped out after class anymore either – in fact I do feel more energized in general. I did take at least the first two months to get to that point though.
My wife and I feel weird when we take a day off…
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Mira Shimbukuro
Finished the yoga challenge,
65 yoga classes in 13 weeks, on 11-21-03 |
| I did not really start becoming a regularly active person until about five years ago when I started going to a gym to do some cardio and weights. But it was always a psychological struggle to get to the gym. I had also tried an Iyengar class once a week for a year, and had very much loved it, but it was expensive and somehow I couldn’t wrap my head around spending the money necessary to go more than once a week.
In the meantime, I had started to develop pain down the side and back of my left leg which I thought was sciatica. I was eventually diagnosed as having a minor scoliosis. Ever since I was diagnosed, I have known what I have to do – stretch. Every day. A relatively simple, non-intrusive, and inexpensive treatment. But I admit. I can be quite lazy.
Since I started the challenge, I have lost 15 pounds, I sleep deeper, I am calmer and yet more alert, and I am, as of right now, pain free in my legs.
I was also able to psychologically struggle through the pain of a pulled shoulder during the challenge, continue coming to class with slight modifications suggested by Marit and Maira. This was one of the biggest victories for me. New pains hurt and they can be quite frightening – nobody wants to make matters worse. But because of the challenge, I kept coming and eventually “healed myself.”
It took the first two months of being completely wiped out after every single class, but then, suddenly, one day after class, I felt more alive than I ever had before and to this day, that feeling continues after every class.
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Bess
Finished the yoga challenge,
65 yoga classes in 13 weeks, on 9-20-03 |
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When I began practicing Bikram Yoga my two main objectives were to reduce stress and to lose weight. After three months I have lost 15 pounds, and I have noticed a significant increase in happiness and serenity. In addition to being about 25 pounds overweight, I also suffered from chronic muscle pain in my shoulders and neck and in my left IT band and hip. Muscle spasms and aching have plagued me for the last nine years, and while Bikram Yoga has not entirely eliminated the pain, my condition has improved a great deal. I have not returned to my massage therapist or my doctor since I started doing yoga.
I believe Bikram Yoga has improved my condition for several reasons. The first and most important is that I am not stressed out and hysterical over my work all the time. Just knowing I can come to yoga to clear my mind and focus on the practice soothes me during the day. The second reason I believe Bikram has helped me is that the practice realigns my body and builds spine strength to preserve the proper alignment. The third reason that Bikram Yoga heals me is that I have a better awareness of my body and I tend to its tightness and its little irritations on a daily basis rather than ignoring the issue until it becomes crippling pain.
Yoga has changed my life, because now I feel like I have the ability to change my body and heal my mind and spirit. Practicing yoga is incredibly empowering – I feel like I have the strength and courage to say and do things that previously terrified and paralyzed me. Yoga strengthens my spirit and connects me to both my body and my spirituality at the same time.
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Rachel Carlson
Finished the yoga challenge,
65 yoga classes in 13 weeks, on 9-17-03 |
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I’ve been overweight since I was a teenager and I feel like my body has really transformed and rearranged itself since I’ve started practicing yoga. Also in general I feel like my entire body is functioning more efficiently – I may not have realized how weak my back and stomach were if I never had started Bikram.
… It’s motivating because the improvement happens so quickly. It has made me want to commit to a healthier lifestyle.
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Ruddy
Finished the yoga challenge,
65 yoga classes in 13 weeks, on 8/25/03
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| A few years ago I was involved in an auto-vehicle accident that left the lumbar section of my back deeply fractured... I had to be put in a body brace for the next six months to heal naturally. It was only after five weeks of wearing the brace that I could actually learn to walk again.
I started practicing Bikram yoga to help strengthen my back again. What took me by surprise was that yoga would help me far beyond that. From a physical standpoint, I was all too pleased to notice that my back is actually in much greater health and shape now than it has ever been (even including the time before the injury). I have also been experiencing less and less of any residual post-traumatic stress that stemmed from the accident thanks to my newfound discipline in the practice. I regained my positive outlook on life and my sunny disposition, which I had lost for years following the accident. Bikram yoga went from being an alternative method of exercise to a whole new lifestyle for me.
Before Bikram yoga, I had a difficult time committing to any form of exercise because of the difficulty in engaging my mind fully to them. Yoga compels me to be fully aware and mindful of my body, mind and spirit when carrying out each of the 26 poses. Whenever I practice yoga, I also learn the virtue of struggle; the struggle to gain physical strength and endurance, the struggle for a quiet and focused mind, and so on. On one level, the struggles only serve to encourage me to push (but never abuse) the limit of my strength and flexibility. On another level, the struggles help to ground me as a person and gear me towards being more loving and compassionate towards others since struggling is such an inevitable and inherent part of life. Lastly, through every small progress in yoga I learn not to take anything in my life for granted.
My sense of well-being has increased many folds during the course of my yoga practice and overtime it has become a self-sustaining habit. Doing yoga is now as natural to me as brushing my teeth…
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Karen Chapman |
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Four years ago a therapist told me that yoga would help my anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Bikram yoga taught me how to listen to my breath, led me into my own yoga and meditation practice. helped me maintain my 50 pound weight loss, and to stop smoking and drinking.
Here is the story of my first Yoga class – as soon as I opened the door to the studio I thought “What am I getting myself into.” Halfway through the class, I didn’t care that the instructor had to help me with every pose. I was so hot, so off came my huge t-shirt. I felt very clumsy and awkward – but by the time we finished the class in savasana, my body felt so good. Since, looking at myself in the mirror was so hard for me, I felt entirely drained but I still felt awesome, like I had found something in myself that had not been there before, I knew I was going to do yoga for the rest of my life, and I knew it was going to help me overcome my problems.
The asanas stay the same, but sometimes they make me feel like laughing or like crying – and they always remind me to be in my body and to live the kindness I feel in it and find that same kindness in other people. Yoga is like breathing, sleeping, and eating, if I didn’t do it, I wouldn’t survive.
Namasté
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Beri Golding |
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I tore my knee jumping on a trampoline when I was 15. I never got surgery because I didn’t think it was necessary. My knee was wobbly especially when I danced. After practicing yoga for a number of months my knee feels stronger and rarely pops out like it used to.
I like yoga because not only is it a great work out for my body but my practice of it has helped me to feel stronger and more confident about myself. I have become more mindful, appreciative, and understanding. I feel much better, stronger, wiser, calmer on days when I do yoga.
I honestly cannot imagine my life without Bikram yoga.
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Ling |
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I have been suffering from neck/back pain since 2001. My doctor said my stomach as well as back pain are partly due to the stresses from study and he recommended me to practice yoga. Since I practice yoga I found out the symptoms have been greatly improved.
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Bruce Stroebe |
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Lost weight – 25 pounds in three months. Better eating habits – want to eat less. Better focus on tasks and conversations.
I dislocated my ankle and the stiffness has gone away. I had high cholesterol and it has come down.
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Sara Roark |
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All conditions (several years low back pain, 2 years foot pain, general weakness & fatigue, frequent colds & flu since childhood, frequent stomach aches) have greatly improved. Foot pain is gone completely. Colds & flu have been greatly reduced!
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