Also I had an instructor who I respect greatly and she expressed a little concern about if not done properly with an attentive instructor Hot Yoga can provide a false sense of openness and those practice might dive deeper into poses before they are truly ready to allowing for potential injury.

I agree with this. The increased temperature does make your body more flexible, and it is easier to go further with less awareness.

As a fellow Texan that doesn't appreciate the heated room yoga, I don't the appeal, especially of Bikram (more because of Mr. Bikram than the style of yoga) You've tried Ashtanga and Bapiste - both of which are usually heated to 90-95 degrees, so in a way, you've already tried it - it's just a different set of postures in at a higher temperature - but give it a shot once or twice, you may love it.

btw, all physical yoga (kundalini excepted) is Hatha yoga, but usually it refers to a generic type of class. I'm curious which Iyengar class you took. I know all the Iyengar teachers in our area. Would you message me?

I started bikram yoga on 3/2 for a 30 day challenge and just completed my 19 days so far. My flexibility, core and balancing has improved and water itntake. I drink 20 ounces before, 20 during class (8-10 ounces at a every 30 minute break,) and 20 ounces after class. The instructor are very helpful, the odor and walking barefooted was challenging for me at first and now I have managed to relax and going for the 60 day challenge!

I like hot yoga but I won't go back to Bikram, although I do have a Bikram studio to thank for piquing my interest in yoga in the first place.

See if you can find a yoga studio that offers a "mild heat hot yoga" class for beginners, and then you can decide if it's something that interests you further.

I will say, I spent most of my first hot yoga class simply lying on my mat. It takes a bit to get used to it. Drink oh so much water the day and morning before class!

I feel like my muscles get hot enough and, quite frankly, at age 55 I generate enough heat on my own! Seriously, though, I've always been very susceptible to heat stroke and that sort of thing. When I get too hot I throw up (literally). But I respect people who can do it and I totally get the concept.

Also, you might feel the urge to run out of the room if it gets too hot - I recommend not doing this. Staying in the room and resting allows your body to work through its stress and adjust. Also, the drastic change in temperature can make you sick and dizzy.

Totally agree with this. The goal of class #1 is just to stay in the room the whole time. Leaving will probably make you sick, and you'll probably never go back if that happens!

I tried bikram yoga for about a month and I went to about 15 classes within that month, hoping that it would get better. My feeling about it is that I just didn't get out of it what I got out of other forms of yoga. I got the physical benefit, and felt noticeably trimmer and leaner, especially in my arms and thighs. However, due to the sweltering heat I didn't find myself getting to my mental and spiritual "zen". I usually like to let my mind drift and contemplate things during yoga/exercise, but in bikram I was too busy worrying about not getting sick or passing out. I really just found myself wanting to get out of the room for most of it. Then again, I am from michigan so I am a total wimp about heat.

I don't mean to discourage you at all, and I hope you give it a couple of tries, some people love it. If you eat enough (but not right before class), drink, listen to your body, etc, you have very little risk of anything bad happening. Hopefully you find it more enjoyable than I did!

Aree there any youtube videos for vibnayasa or bikrams yoga? Could not find a good one

I think there are training materials through some of the instructor websites...

The two main concerns with any hot yoga practice is dehydration and injury. You may feel hot and your muscles may seem like they can stretch further, but it can give a false sense of flexibility. I've done it a few times, but prefer variation in my practice. Vinyasa yoga gets me sweating enough as it is. And you can make the poses more challenging if you want more of a workout.

My yoga instructor always tells me to back off a little bit. I like to get my heart rate and respirations up. I like the challenge of trying to hold a strong pose while controlling my breathe and breathing through shaky legs and arms.

Definitely try a few places as different instructors teach differently. Most studios will offer a week or a class free to try.

Also, check out Tara Stiles on youtube. She often posts short videos of how to progress into a pose or a sun salutation.

I miss hot yoga. I started out trying yoga that was Bikram (crazy huh) in Buffalo NY. I typically went to the 75F-90F classes (I was always too scared to try the 105F class). Now that I am living in Toronto, there are so many yoga studios, they are literally like Starbucks. The hot yoga up here is a bit pricier and VERY hot, so I've been going to a regular hatha yoga/cardio class studio. I must say though, the hot yoga helped me get into the poses better; the sweat really helped. And after awhile, I barely would sweat, it was like my body got used to it. My suggestion is take a 75F-80F class (find a studio that has a wide temperature range of classes like when I first tried it) and see if you like it and take it from there. Also, drink plenty before and after class (and even during). Eventually, I would like to go back to Bikram though because I genuinely miss it and found it a tad more relaxing.

I love bikram yoga! my studio adds an aromatherapy component that is marvelous! it is definitely tough but that makes you even more proud of yourself that you got through it. and you feel so good afterward!

I didn't do yoga for a long time because I couldn't find time to get to hot yoga. Then I decided I would give it a shot at home, without the heat, and I haven't missed it at all! I later heard that there were dangers associated with the heat, and the benefits were unproven, so I feel good about going without heat now.

I loved Bikram yoga, however I also love hot weather. I'm the lady wearing a sweater when it's 80 degrees out. If you decide to try it, take water, take your inhaler, and don't be afraid to take it easier than you normally would until you're sure that the heat is ok for you.

I really like Bikram yoga. The only studio where I used to live was a Bikram. I would easily take 4 or 5 classes a week. It used to amaze me, that I could walk out of the studio on a summer day in Orlando, and feel like I was stepping into the A/C!

I like the steady 28 poses. I know a lot of people don't like that type of static class, but it really allowed me to hit a meditative zone that I can't quite do when I'm trying to follow a more dynamic routine.

The one downside is there in the studio I've gone to for Bikram, there is very little personal interaction, no teach assist, no hands on corrections. (who really wants to touch someone who's standing in a kiddy pool of their own sweat lol). There is a certain, "human mugginess" to a bikram studio that takes a bit of getting used to. Especially if there was a class right before yours and the floor is still wet with sweat. It can gross a person out. But you get used to it. I also didn't like having to use a towel on my mat. I found it affected a lot of my balance poses because it just threw me a little off or was more wiggly than just standing on a mat on hard floor.

The main reason I stopped Bikram was between the 20 minute drive to the studio, the 90 minute class, the immediate shower, and the drive home. I was spending my entire night at the studio. So I found a Vinyasa Flow class, which is still fairly warm (about 85 in our class is the norm) and close to home.