After spending 24 years teaching Les Mills exercise classes I was forced to give up due to injury. The major issue being tennis elbows (a very common complaint for a lot of people). I spent three years having physio, chiropractic treatments and cortisone injections, all with little or no affect.
I also had lower back issues caused by an auto immune disease I was unlucky enough to contract 20 years prior which attacked the spinal cord rendering me paralysed for a short time from the waist down. I did recover from this but I was left with some residual issues with lower back pain and nerve damage. I then happened to see an advertisement for Hot Bikram Yoga so thought I would give it a go.
From the very first class I was hooked. Here was this amazing sequence of 26 yoga moves that worked every part of the body, each move preparing you for the next. The most amazing part of Bikram Yoga, however, was the fact that it covered three exercise disciplines, being strength, flexibility and cardiovascular. Previously, I had weight trained for strength, lay on the floor and stretched for flexibility and ran for my cardiovascular. Here was this one amazing package, Bikram yoga, which covered it all.
Within two months of doing regular Bikram classes, (3-4 times a week) I know longer had any pain in my elbows, pretty amazing after three years of struggling to heal them. My lower back has improved immensely and continues to be a work in progress. The Bikram series works systematically through the spine and my flexibility through the back has increased dramatically and continues to do so.
You don’t have to be fit, flexible or strong to do Bikram Yoga – you just go to where your body can take you. All the moves are simple and straightforward and improvement comes over time by simply going deeper into the moves. A combination of the heat (which can take a little time adjusting to) and the sequence of moves allows your body to go deeper than you would normally go continuing to improve flexibility. Experienced teachers are watching and talking you through your alignment and keeping you safe at all times.
I’ve been attending Bikram classes for over two years now. With 52 years of habitual bad habits I continue to make small improvements which greatly impact on my everyday life. I continue to reap the benefits and with the aid of Bikram Yoga plan to go into my old age actively and as pain free as possible.
This is a wonderful program suited to all ages and fitness levels. Give it a go – what do you have to lose!!
Sheree
