Bikram Choudhury is both an Indian yoga specialist and a marketing guru.
He was cured of a double knee fracture through yoga, then standardized a part of the discipline to create the concept Bikram Yoga, franchised worldwide: ninety minutes, twenty-six postures repeated twice , two breathing exercises, all in a room heated to 40.6 ° C.
A torture chamber? Some people praise his benefits, while others denounce an activity they consider just anti-yoga, even dangerous. Where is the truth?
For: Lucile Woodward, Sports Coach
"It is believed that the Bikram is a fitness discipline that makes you lose weight, because you sweat a lot, but that's wrong! It's primarily yoga, with fairly basic postures, heat is a vector to improve the flexibility of the body. .
The teacher's incantations, the silent atmosphere, the temperature, everything creates an atmosphere that forces one to go beyond one's usual level of concentration. We focus only on ourselves, our breathing, our maintenance: we take responsibility. We adhere ... or not!
Like all yoga, it's about listening to your body, to progressing session by session.
The benefits of Bikram Yoga are real: improved balance, strength in the legs, lower joint pain. What bluffs me is this body introspection that makes it stronger, more centered. "
Against bikram yoga: Lionel Coudron, sports doctor and yoga teacher *
"We must not forget that yoga is not a natural act, nor harmless, it can hurt, so its first foundation is: 'Do no harm.'
For this, it is necessary to be in the conscience, the prudence, to listen to one another ... The problem of hot yoga declensions like the Bikram is that the heat increases the physical and cardiovascular exertion. If one is in good health, in full knowledge of one's body, why not? This can help lower the stress level , breathe better, relieve tension.
But to say that any person, at any age, whatever his physical level, can put it, it is false. What annoys me in this concept is the aspect 'challenge' of some centers: the teacher hammers the postures in his microphone, perched on his platform, facing twenty-five people; he rarely goes down to help or correct a student. There is a mechanized, authoritarian aspect, which for me is contrary to the values of yoga. "
The opinion of the editors
If you have doubts about our abilities, especially cardiovascular, it is better to consult a doctor before starting. If you know your body and its limits and there is no medical contraindication, Bikram Yoga is excellent against stress and fatigue .
For others, caution is required. In any case, you must choose your center: no hot yoga cookie cutters, no precise frame and with anyone. We learn about the teacher, knowing that having a good contact with him is essential.
The rooms must have impeccable hygiene: aeration system designed to maintain a healthy air, anti-allergenic rubber floor and antibacterial. If there is carpet, we fly!
Finally, everything is a question of approach: no, Bikram Yoga is neither a detox discipline nor a way to lose weight . It is a "work" of mental hygiene that is primarily used to reconnect body and mind.
What you need to know before you start
Provide a really light outfit (bra shorts), a towel and a large bottle of water to hydrate during and after.
If the postures are too difficult, it is better not to leave the room, but try to do them in his own way, or just sit and breathe quietly on his carpet for a few minutes.
Do not be discouraged: the goal of a first session is not to succeed the postures to perfection but to get to focus well.
* Author of Yoga-Therapy (Odile Jacob ed.)
