Who here practices Bikram Yoga? A question

Persevere230

I practice Bikram Yoga about 2-3 tmes a week and I have read and re read various opinions on what you ACTUALLY burn. First Ive heard the heat and sweat dont matter and it should be calculated as a regular hatha yoga 90 minute class. THEN I read that its in the 800-1000 calorie range. Does anyone freaking know? :explode:

starscreensiren

I practice as well. When I did a 100 day challenge (where you go every day) I lost about 20lbs without changing anything in my diet. I also toned up considerably. I have also heard of people wearing heart rate monitors in class that show they did burn a significant amount of calories.

Right now I track mine as 90 mins of reg yoga using MFP. For me Bikram has become more about challenging myself in the poses in lieu of how many calories I actually burn. I also use it mostly as a supplement to my running and circuit training. Really helps my body stay healthy so that I can continue to push it using other methods.

I can also tell now when I have actually pushed myself hard in a class, and when I have not - I think all of that would def factor into how many cals you burn. If I had to take a guess though, on the average day with average intensity, I would say you burn prob close to 400-500 for the 90mins.

Jennerith

My very qualified trainer says at 148 I burn about 1000 calories per class (90m).

namaste62

I have worn a hrm for Bikram and registered anywhere from 500-900 cals/class. Alot seems to be with the heat of the room (some are actually far hotter than others, I have found) and how hard I am efforting.

Regardless, I believe in Hot Yoga (and all other forms: Vinyasa, Yoga Sculpt, Anusara and Ashtanga) as a wonderful way to develop integrated strength and a great physique, as well!

After all, look at the bodies on yogis and tell me it is not one you envy?!

Persevere230

My very qualified trainer says at 148 I burn about 1000 calories per class (90m).

So how do I calculate with my weight?

starscreensiren

My very qualified trainer says at 148 I burn about 1000 calories per class (90m).

So how do I calculate with my weight?

I did some math - 1000 cals divded by 148 lbs equals 6.8 cals per lb per class. So just multiply 6.8 with your weight and that should give you the number you are looking for in theory.

Azdak

I practice Bikram Yoga about 2-3 tmes a week and I have read and re read various opinions on what you ACTUALLY burn. First Ive heard the heat and sweat dont matter and it should be calculated as a regular hatha yoga 90 minute class. THEN I read that its in the 800-1000 calorie range. Does anyone freaking know? :explode:

The first "opinion" (actually, it's fact)--that the heat and sweat don't matter--is correct.

Most estimates of the calorie burn for bikram et al are wildly overstated. That's primarily due to the misuse of HRM data. Under conditions of thermal stress, HRM are useless and the "calorie counts" they provide are nonsense numbers. When heart rate increases due to thermal stress, calorie burn does not. The HRM doesn't know the difference, so it just spits out the same number as if you were running or doing some type of steady-state aerobic exercise for the same amount of time.

rybo

While not specifically bikram, I do a heated vinyasa class, and there is NO way I am burning 1000 cals. Those real high burns seem greatly over estimated.
When I expend lots of calories from exercise I know it because I get rather hungry. I don't get hungry at all from heated yoga.

yoginimary

Have to agree with Azdak here. You don't burn that many more calories if you exercise outside when it's 100 degrees than when it's 70 degrees - yoga cannot be different. Mostly you just sweat more.

Yoga doesn't burn that many calories. However, if you went from doing nothing, to going to yoga 5x a week, you'll probably lose some weight. Don't get me wrong, I love yoga.

A side note about "yoga bodies". The people you see in Yoga Journal are just a small portion of the many teachers out there. There are many amazing practitioners of yoga that do not fit the ideal of Yoga Journal.

godblessourhome

i use the 'stretching, hatha yoga' from the database. for my size (120), it says i burn 206 calories for 90 minutes. i find that much more believable than the 500-800 calories bikram yoga websites claim that i burn. as soon as class is over, i drink 16 ounces of coconut water to replenish electrolytes = no extra exercise calories for me to munch through.

Persevere230

I practice Bikram Yoga about 2-3 tmes a week and I have read and re read various opinions on what you ACTUALLY burn. First Ive heard the heat and sweat dont matter and it should be calculated as a regular hatha yoga 90 minute class. THEN I read that its in the 800-1000 calorie range. Does anyone freaking know? :explode:

The first "opinion" (actually, it's fact)--that the heat and sweat don't matter--is correct.

Most estimates of the calorie burn for bikram et al are wildly overstated. That's primarily due to the misuse of HRM data. Under conditions of thermal stress, HRM are useless and the "calorie counts" they provide are nonsense numbers. When heart rate increases due to thermal stress, calorie burn does not. The HRM doesn't know the difference, so it just spits out the same number as if you were running or doing some type of steady-state aerobic exercise for the same amount of time.

Thank you sir.

Persevere230

While not specifically bikram, I do a heated vinyasa class, and there is NO way I am burning 1000 cals. Those real high burns seem greatly over estimated.
When I expend lots of calories from exercise I know it because I get rather hungry. I don't get hungry at all from heated yoga.

Agreed.

Persevere230

I practice as well. When I did a 100 day challenge (where you go every day) I lost about 20lbs without changing anything in my diet. I also toned up considerably. I have also heard of people wearing heart rate monitors in class that show they did burn a significant amount of calories.

Right now I track mine as 90 mins of reg yoga using MFP. For me Bikram has become more about challenging myself in the poses in lieu of how many calories I actually burn. I also use it mostly as a supplement to my running and circuit training. Really helps my body stay healthy so that I can continue to push it using other methods.

I can also tell now when I have actually pushed myself hard in a class, and when I have not - I think all of that would def factor into how many cals you burn. If I had to take a guess though, on the average day with average intensity, I would say you burn prob close to 400-500 for the 90mins.

400-500 sounds way more accurate than 1000 or more.

stubsy1968

I take regular Bikram Yoga classes and I can tell you I ensure to push myself as much as possible and find the classes are a great aerobic workout and are very strenuous. Very often I find myself out of breath, red faced and wishing they would get to the floor work!

I am am 153cm (5' nothing), 51.8kg (currently) and am going to work on 500 calories/90 minute class.

Hope this is helpful to someone

Kathy

jhodge2010

this website
http://www.bikram-yoga-noosa-australia.com/weight-loss-and-yoga.htm
wikll calculate how much you actually burn accrding to your weight and the length of the class
I am 177 pounds and burned 1,204 cals in 90 minutes
Comared to a regular hatha Yoga class which would be about 300 cals for the same time frame