Bikram yoga

alla24 · January 2011

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if anybody knows how many calories Bikram yoga burns? I'm suspectiong loads but would be good to know the actual number. Also, has anybody tried it?

Thanks,
Alla

XFitMojoMom · January 2011

I've seen one site reporting upward of 1000 calories per 90 m session... myself was 450-500.

I wasn't a big fan of Bikram/26 Asana's in 90 minutes and it's very rigid: they tell you when to drink. I heard "Moksha" is better, has better flow (46 poses in 60 minutes) and you can hydrate at will.
No matter how much I hydrated before class, I would get migraines after and nausea as well.

alla24 · January 2011

Thanks for that Pam, I googled Moksha and looks like it's very similar to Bikram but as you say, not as rigid. Unfortunately, there are no classes in NZ yet.
Burning 450-500 calories is pretty good, I think I'll keep going. I just wonder if it's enough cardio though if I do it 3 times a week. at the gym they tell me I need to do cardio and at Bikram they tell me Bikram is all I need.

workoutqueen628 · January 2011

I don't know how many calories you burn either....here's the story behind that- So the Bikram near my college has a special for new students for like $39 for 2 weeks unlimited yoga, so I signed up for this. My first class I wore my HRM into the yoga room and the teacher (who was nice) told me to please take it off, that they were not allowed. I think this rule is kind of ridiculous, so the 2nd time I went, I tried to sneak it in with me. The teacher (who was a b****) pretty much yelled at me in the crowd and told me to take my watch off. I was reluctant, but I put it down & then she came around and took it from me til the end of class!!! I'm sorry but I have separation anxiety from my HRM and really love to use it to gage how hard I am working...so that's why I was upset!! Needless to say, I don't know how many calories I burned. It is a good workout though, I loved going, but yea, the teachers are my studio weren't very nice.

alla24 · January 2011

Yeah, they're quite strict in the class, the teachers don't allow any drinks other than water in class - no powerade etc. I enjoy the workout as it leaves me feeling like I've given my everything but not sure whether this is all I need cardio-wise.

XFitMojoMom · January 2011

I personally think it's not. The only reason your heart is being taxed is by the heat, and not by any endurance exercise. Of course Bikram will tell you that's all you need because they want to keep you as a customer. How often are you planning on going?

alla24 · January 2011

Hi Pam,

I'm planning on going 3-4 times per week, I've already done 3 times last week and planning on going 4 times this week, I purchased an unlimited class pass for the month so trying to get my money's worth but also have a gym memebership and trying to figure out if I should go twice to Bikram and twice to the gym or should I just go hard out with Bikram? The teacher at Bikram told me if I come 4 times every week for the next 4 weeks I should notice a big difference. What do you think?

XFitMojoMom · January 2011

most people are not able to tolerate more than 2-3 classes of Bikram (unless you are quite advanced). You will really need to hydrate yourself well in you plan on going that often. I'd say if you are doing more than 3 hours of Bikram/wk you should see improvement - but weight loss is 10% exercise and 90% nutrition.

I'm not too sure what you are trying to achieve, but the key is balance. Balance diet, exercise, stress, sleep. I'm sure you'll get the results you want.

sassysusse · January 2011

I've heard 900 per 90 min session, which seems a bit high. I heard spinning runs 300-600 per hr. I wish search would give more yoga options. At least differentiate between Bikram/hot yoga and hatha or ashtanga.

Usernamessuk · January 2011

Hey fitness peeps,
I also need to know. Can't do something that is not worth the burn! Shall we create a new exercise? I like the idea of 900cal per 90mins-he,he. :laugh:

punkrawkcutie · January 2011

That sucks that the place you go says no to HRMs. My place encourages it so we know what type of burn we are getting as well as to ensure we are not being too hard on our bodies. I know for me (159 lbs, 5'2, 29 years) I burn on average 630 a session (the ones I attend are 75 mins) I hope that helps!!!

sassysusse · January 2011

It does help. Thanks! If anyone has been keeping track of the real calorie burn for Bikram please let us know.

HeidiYogi · February 2011

Hello All! I am new to myfitnesspal and excited to use these forums as well - stumbled across this topic and have a few comments. I had searched and searched on how many calories a person will burn in a 90-minute Bikram session and came up empty. Finally, the Aussie "hot yoga doctor" posted a special calorie-burning calculator for Bikram Yogis! You can find it through this link here - http://www.bikram-yoga-noosa-australia.com/weight-loss-and-yoga.htm

And on another note, I asked my teachers at my studio if I could wear my HRM watch that counted calories burned based on age and heart rate, and I took my heart rate often or at least every time I felt my heart rate adjusted, and in one 90-minute session it told me I burned almost 1,200 calories!! I did this a few times to see how accurate it was and each time it was about 1,000 calories burned per session....when I track (and I have added Bikram Yoga to the exercise chart) I go conservative and say it's about 700 calories burned per 90 minute session.....it's a vigorous workout and I love it!!

adiap · February 2011

Hi all -

Well, I don't know what my calorie count during my bikram classes has been, but I have been going 3 times a week for 5 weeks - w/o dieting - and lost 7 lbs and 4% body fat. My arms and back are tightened and my tummy flattened. It WILL produce results, be it from the excess water drinking or calories burned. I believe it can be used as a weight loss tool, although I like it primarily for the gain in flexibility and feeling of well-being it produces.

I just got a HRM and will try to sneak it into class.

janesmith1 · February 2011

I love yoga so much - at one point I wanted to be a yoga instructor. That said, I walked into Bikram one day to see if I could handle it, and they allowed me to go upstairs to the classes (it was in between) and I almost fainted. I was looking up Moksha and am wondering if that might be better for me? I *like* the idea of hot yoga, but maybe just not stifling hot. The principles are sound - lots of heat, sweat, etc, help your body and muscles, it's just the actual thing - I can not breathe in that kind of a class.

pkpzp228 · February 2011

I'm a regular yogi mostly practising what's informally known as power yoga (bit of a mix between bikram and vinyasa, 60 minutes, 95 degrees, 90-95% humidity) and I've read a few things here that are little disturbing in terms and the overall goal of a yoga lifestyle.

First of all, any class/instructor that prohibits or otherwise discourages water breaks at will is absurd and downright dangerous. Typically there are pre-scripted water breaks worked into a yoga routine but you should never be discouraged from taking water and breaks as needed. Anyone that tells you otherwise is wrong.

The same goes for heart rate monitors and non water drinks. It's understandable if an instructor tells you that a beeping watch for example is inappropriate but you shouldn't be discouraged from wearing one based on appearance or conformity alone. As for non water drinks the only reason I would think that this wouldn't be allowed is the potential for spill. If that's the case try something like propel drink powders, etc. Adds carbs, electrolytes but dissolves clear.

Yoga is about practising self exploration, increasing awareness and meeting inflexibility not only on the mat but in your life as a whole with compassion and understanding. If an instructor tries to tell you otherwise, choose a new studio.

Bikram yoga

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