Buying a Bikram Yoga DVD

Although there are Bikram yoga DVDs on the market, it is hard to get the full effect of a Bikram yoga class without being in a heated room for the entire class. Most Bikram yoga classes are conducted in rooms that are heated at least up to body temperature, if not up to one hundred five degrees Fahrenheit so that maximum flexibility as well as sweating can be achieved over the course of the class. There are not many things that are needed to participate in a Bikram yoga class, even one held by a Bikram yoga DVD, other than a water bottle, not restrictive clothing, and a Bikram yoga mat.

What to Look for in the DVD

Bikram yoga DVDs should explain the ideas behind Bikram yoga, which are slightly different than other types of yogas. In addition, some DVDs may also give suggestions that will help an individual achieve the hot room feel that is used in Bikram yoga classes without knocking out the power bill due to heating costs, such as leaving the bathroom door open after taking a hot shower but closing the door to the bedroom and then starting the Bikram yoga DVD immediately after the shower so that the body is already warm and a similar effect can be achieved.

Bikram yoga DVDs should also clearly explain the twenty-six poses so that the individual can practice them separately before the actual class begins. It is important for an individual to have proper technique while performing the poses so that he or she does not cause injury to the body. In addition, the Bikram yoga DVD should give the individual alternatives to the poses so that they are modified for beginners yet also showing ways for more experienced yoga practitioners to increase the difficulty of the poses.

A quality Bikram yoga DVD should not only give the instructions for the various poses, but it should also give a couple of different workouts that the individual can choose from depending on the length he or she desires. Since a Bikram yoga class is typically ninety minutes long, the Bikram yoga DVDs usually have a short version of the workout that moves more quickly through the poses and then a longer version that mimics a typical class of Bikram yoga.

In all, it is better for a person to go to a few actual Bikram yoga classes before trying to do it with a Bikram yoga DVD. Since the poses are the same whether it is a class or a DVD version, a class allows the individual to come under the scrutiny of a trained instructor that can ensure that they learn the positions properly before they try to do them on their own at home.