HOT Yoga...
Return to DiscussionsI love Bikram. The 1st time i tried, I had to take a break from the class for a while. I did not get great sleep the night before and thought i was going to pass out. Practicing nude would be wonderful but haven't found such a class other than pure yoga classes. I wonder why that is
That was my experience as well. The instructor gave me some electrolyte tabs and I drank tons of coconut water to recover because I had not taken enough water before class. But like you I was still hooked and love a Bikram practice to this day.
There is only one British yoga studio I know of that has occasional bare Bikram classes. There is an inflatable hot studio that makes is possible for an individual maybe two to practice bare.
https://www.amazon.com/Hot-Yoga-Dome-Lightweight-Inflatable/dp/B09DDHS2RK
In regards to the comments from EarlD Editor of Clothesfreelife. Ive been to Bikram Yoga classes where the teacher had certificates on the wall or in the office. In general, there is no interaction between students and the prof. However, on occasions, the teacher will approach and adjust us both verbally and physically. We are thus effectively paired up. I have also been asked to pair up with another student at the Bikram Yoga teacher's request. This was for short periods and it was beneficial for both of us. I dont know why you are being so nasty to VerTigeRRR. Shes credible and has undoubted provenance. She has given positive input to this group and to me. To accuse her of being a "faker" and to criticize her for no valid reason is a bit wild and unjustified really - arguably unreasonable and without foundation. Maybe you should take your issues elsewhere. IMO TN is not a platform for bashing other persons. You may have issues I dont know. I can confirm she is not a "faker" and regularly meets up with other group nudists including myself and that she is a very friendly person. She has a framed Bikram's Yoga College of India certificate on the wall. If I remember correctly, it is for the training she received in Mexico. Bikram Choudhury trained there after his issues in Los Angeles. The attached pic shows pairing with a student.
To You are not that knowledgeable on Hot Yoga or you would not be making such claims. In Hot Yoga, (in general) anyone can teach it without certification and you can do whatever you wish. It is simply different yoga styles that take place in warm and heated studios for a more intense workout. Each instructor is free to adapt to the class and their needs. To say "Unless a class is specifically designated as a couples class hot yoga does not include pairing up." is nonsense. First of all, a class specifically for couples is irrelevant to the subject. One can go to a yoga class as an individual and be paired up on occasion by the instructor. It does not mean that everyone is permanently paired up. Adjustments and interaction are used when needed.Bikram is only one style of Hot Yoga. People trained in other styles can also facilitate hot yoga. Bikram-trained teachers can only conduct Bikram yoga. As you mentioned, many studios now call it a hot yoga studio and have removed the name Bikram due to the founder receiving bad press. As such they can instruct in whatever way they wish and if they feel the need to pair up the students on occasion or interact with them, they can do it.The list goes on and on but here are other examples of Hot Yoga:Vinyasa yogaMoksha yoga or Modo yogaCorePower yogaForrest yogaHot yoga barreHot Yin yogaHot Power yogaHot Fusion yoga etc.Read and learn ...
You can insult my intelligence and yoga knowledge but I cant question yours. You will be shocked to know that I have been a yoga instructor with multiple certifications and don't need to show any certificate on my wall to validate for 20+ years of teaching and decade of practice beyond that. Anyone can print a certificate with a little bit of effort so that proves nothing. So I call your certificate raise you some since in additional to my multiple certification I have studiEd with world renowned yoga instructors like Doug (Vini inspired) and David Swenson, (Ashtanga) John Friend,(Anusara) Bryan Kest (the originator of power yoga) and senior Iyengar, Yin and Forrest yoga instructors in master classes. In addition I teach yoga philosophy for yoga teacher training.
Lets not forget the OP asked specifically about Bikram yoga aka hot yoga and not generic or derivative style of hot yoga.
So you can throw all those types of hot "yoga" that anyone can get off the internet at me but I am not impressed. Several of the items you list are yoga barre is not yoga. Vinyasa is just a yoga flow and can be hot or not as in slow flow. Yin is not done hot because that defeats the purpose of loosening the facia without engaging muscles, unless it is done in a fusion class. I have taughtpure yin and yin fusion for over a decade.
You cite all these derivative modern forms of hot yoga to prove your case without acknowledging instructors pairing students for support in a challenging pose like headstand or handstand may be an occasional thing but is by no means normal. It may happen more in teacher training than any other yoga setting. Furthermore pairing up students is completely different from an instructor giving an adjustment or interacting with a participant in a class to help them find a expression of a pose that suits them.
You talk a bout the many types of hot yoga you know of but fail to cite the original hot yoga style Ashtanga which calls me to question your knowledge and credibility. Ashtanga's strict form and disciplines series often includes adjustments since students of that style are not allowed to move through the poses in the Ashtanga sequence until or unless the teacher says they have mastered the pose. If you were as knowledgable as you say you would also know that from a liability point of view having students give each other adjustments is asking for a lawsuit and definitely something that in a nude yoga setting could lead to unintended situations unless the stated purpose of the class as I have said if for that. This is the case with some men yoga classes and tantra yoga classes. It is rarely done outside of the TT setting for that reason.
I am equally familiar the issues that the founder of Bikram yoga had which caused him to leave the U.S. and only offer his certification in Mexico and elsewhere. This has caused most though not all Bikram trained yoga studios that used to the name to change it to things like Hot 26 etc. None of that changes the fact that traditional Bikram was taught to be instructed in a very rigid format that does not feature any pairing up.
All that to say, I am glad you are convinced of your yoga knowledge and seem to have convinced others of the same but know you knowledge is still limited and not precise. What you cite are all modern styles derived from Hatha yoga which includes yoga asana as only one of its limbs. Yoga the Union as the Hatha Yoga Pradipka says is the cessation of the mind that is achieved through more than just asana. There are many forms of yoga like Jnana, Raja, Bhakti, Dharma, Karma and Tantra that are actual forms of yoga that are not just kinds of one style of yoga like the stuff you cited.
Pranayama and Ayurveda are also limbs of yoga. But I am gratified to see you know that meditational bliss whish is the goal of Hatha yoga I.e the cessation of the mind is a part of yoga.
I will stop there because I trust those are enough receipts for you. But buy all means let me know if you need more prove of my yoga knowledge experience and practice. Happy to oblige.
She has given positive input to this group and to me. To accuse her of being a "faker" and to criticize her for no valid reason is a bit wild and unjustified really - arguably unreasonable and without foundation. Maybe you should take your issues elsewhere. IMO TN is not a platform for bashing other persons. You may have issues I dont know. I can confirm she is not a "faker" and regularly meets up with other group nudists including myself and that she is a very friendly person. She has a framed Bikram's Yoga College of India certificate on the wall. If I remember correctly, it is for the training she received in Mexico. Bikram Choudhury trained there after his issues in Los Angeles. The attached pic shows pairing with a student.
Good for you and I am glad you have gotten someone "friendly" you find useful. Before you come at me to her defense you should probably make sure you understand the subject being discussed. FYI a student in a yoga teacher training being adjusted is not the same a students pairing up in a class to do poses. There are probably hundreds of pictures of Bikram "adjusting" his students something that got him and others in trouble and was alleged by some to grooming for his alleged sexual assault. Not gonna address the certificate you may or may not remember hanging on her wall.
I am mindful of one thing just because and individual has a driver's license doesnt make them a good driver.
As one of the original 25 people who came to this site when it just started left and came back as a lifetime member 30 year yoga practioner and 20+ year yoga instructor I dont need to take my opinion anywhere else since I have all receipts I need to back up my opinions even if you prefer to align with the opinions of another.
Mister Earl DYes, I am Bikram-trained and you are not. You are not qualified so please stop persecuting me.
If giving my opinion on something is insulting someone then so be it. I am not persecuting you in any way shape of form. But it suits you and your acolyte to suggest that all while accusing me as not be knowledgeable as you are about yoga and you try to convince everyone one with your words that you are victim. BTW part of an editor's job is to make sure facts are correct and words that are written a relevant to the topic or subject. I am sure you have friends who can explain that to you bettethan I can.
The inconsistency and irony of your principles are staggering. I have every right to my opinion as you do. You can say whatever you want about my site that yes accepts donations and deride it and threaten and question the credibility while frequenting this site which takes payments for access to premium features and you recognize no irony in that. Many naturist sites receive donations to support the work they do btw and the amount of resources put into the site personally far outweighs any donations received. We have a shop as well that has yoga gear and item promoting naked yoga. Is there a problem you have with that too?
Did you even bother to notice that several yogi and yoga instructors and yoga studios are featured and agreed to share their practice.
You say the OP doesnt understand hot yoga, accuse me of not knowing as much as you a trained Bikram instructor. The you suggest you are being persecuted without reflecting on all the knowledge I shared with you. You show a posed picture of an instructor providing an individualized instruction or adjustment it is hard to know since it is likely a promotional image, and call it pairing up. The caliber of master teachers and fellow instructors that I connect with would not be so imprecise as we know our words when articulating the yoga practice are important. But since anyone can teach hot yoga without certification I should chalk it up to that. Like I said having a drivers license doesn't automatically make one a good driver.
If I wanted to be petty as you interpreted I would call out your use of the work asana in your most recent reply. But unlike you I have not spoken to anything personal but rather focused on the fact of you replies and responses. I suppose your next step will be to try and get retribution against me with your friends for my opinion because I dared to questioned the veracity and accuracy of your comments. I have noticed the uptick in cyber attacks since your accusations.
As Alexander Dumas said in the Count of Monte Cristo "Do your worst" Sat Nam
I suggest that for 2024 you quit holding onto grudges and resentments, quit identifying with fixed beliefs and ideologies; remain open to new possibilities, quit resisting change and embrace the impermanence of life and flow with it.
This is so ironic since yoga is a system and has many beliefs ex Yamas and niyamas. The movement by some to move yoga away from its origins is a big subject in the community right now.But you say I dont know anything about yoga. I guess that I am making that up too. Sat Nam
Practice what you preach.
To EarlD Editor of Clothesfreelife: I say again to you fella / buddie that I was merely stating my own experiences with the lady you are knocking. I say again also that I dont feel TN is the place for baiting or bashing like minded nudies who also share a common interest in yoga whatever derivatives it may take. The lady is correct, I have an excellent standing amongst UK naturists and I wont be having you (or anybody else) with I assume zero experience of the UK, to be making comments about my experience or pedigree. You can say what you want about yoga and its variety of forms - in that regard I dont care what you say provided fella, its accurate. You should have respect for her as she is a lady. Its arguable that you are trying to bully her and Im sorry but I wont be having that either. Im not particularly interested in the origins of yoga but I suggest you maybe read the point shes making. May I politely suggest you apologise to her and refrain from wrongly accusing her. As far as Im aware she has zero idea how to go about hacking a website, let alone achieving it. Its arguable you are harassing her and casing damage to her reputation. At this stage I am not going to suggest that moderators either suspend or ban you. Best wishes to you bud from the UK. Maybe take a chill pill mate.
To Tony the Hampshire UKMan As said to your best comrade practice what you preach sir.Best wishes to you bud from the UK. Maybe take a chill pill mate.
Best wishes to you as well since you seem to believe that expressing an opinion is akin to bullying. I never questioned your standing among UK naturists because I dont know you or anything about you. Though you questioned my knowledge and have suggested several times that I should be banned or deprived of my ability to share my opinion on this platform. The thought that I should muzzle my opinion and apologize because as you state you are of "standing in the UK" is the height of the kind of colonialist mindset in naturism I have written about for many years. The flippant disregard for the accuracy of my opinions in favor of you high standing opinion in as an UK naturist expresses that quite well.
The fact that you deem yourself with your standing capable of making such a determination and suggesting that you know what and who should be allowed on this after a ten month tenure on this site suggests a level of privilege that is beyond the pale. That sense of privilege haughtiness and self righteousness with which you injected yourself into the conversation without regard for context or perspective is not something I have seen from any of the UK naturists I am acquainted with. But then again I may not be acquainted with any who have your high "standing"
You will likely ignore this fact as irrelevant but know this, there are several female naturists in the UK that I have interacted and worked with over many years and I have never once been accused of bullying them. But rather the opposite, and have had respectful long-standing connections. But you presume that you can make derisive statements about me make threats of retribution and "chill pill" me just because you have some affinity with/for this person you aren't even certain has the credentials you tout them having. I suppose that you as a white man from the UK with high standing among UK naturists have every right to hat those actions to bully me suppress my opinion to protect your friend and falsely accuse me a black man and label with any manner of things without speaking to the facts of this matter, all the while dismissing my knowledge, impugning my character and deriding my opinion.
I hardly expected anyone to dare to be so brazen and openly racist in their attitude on this platform sir. Nor have experienced that kind of overt racial privilege in my interactions with UK naturists. And as to you threats of retribution for sharing my opinion read my quote from the previous post and thank for not referring to me in such casual terms of acquaintance am not your fella, buddie or mate nor would I ever hope to be. I sir am am a highly trained yoga instructor, highly educated black professional and member of several naturist organizations in the US and should be addressed as such, if you please.
To the user VerTigerrOnce again you have attempted to distract from your harassment towards me:- You called me a "faker"- You said, "You definitely havent ever done Bikram Yoga"- You expressed doubt about my Bikram certification by stating "Anyone can print a certificate with a little bit of effort"- You suggested I am the cause of your website's "cyber attacks"!You have harassed me since I first posted here.
Again please explain how is expressing an opinion about any of those things is harassment. Based on you response those are my opinions. Is it inaccurate to say that anyone can print a certificate with today's technology. The fact that you say my doubts about your certification is harassment is specious at best. You said I am not knowledgable. Is that harassment? You would be well within your right to call me opinionated if you choose but to suggest my opinion about your comments on the topic at hand is harassment is creating the kind of volatile, inflammatory, vitriolic response that fuels potential retributive behavior that I have experienced as a person of color in the nudist community online. Take a look at what your white UK comrade said in response. As a person of color I know what harassment looks like and have experienced it up close online and in person.
While you cast these wild accusations you impugn my intelligence and dismiss my knowledge and trained and not directly responded to the facts I provided. Instead you have tried to villainize me as a person, suggested I cannot should not be an editor, suggested my reputation and that of my site should be damaged because I shared my opinion about your responses. These accusations are dangerous as exhibited by the response of your UK comrade.
I reiterate my previous comments practice what you preach before making such inflammatory statements.
It's too bad that the forest has gotten in front of the trees in a group dedicated to mind & body & soul connectivity. Feelings are riled up and some for good reason, feathers quite understandably ruffled. We as a group need to put this anger and the verbal punches away, remembering that we all may have strong, valid opinions, but when it is all done, we are on the same page, one dedicated to the betterment of overall health.
Please look inward and recall that peace comes from that space and moves outward; calm the breath, let the strength of your heart and soul envelop this upsettedness, sending it away where it belongs, washing it downstream in a gentle, warm river, out and away from your settling mind. Be mindful of any residual anger, it is one thing that undermines tranquility. Peace be with you; we're all creatures of the same universe.