How Many Calories Does Bikram Yoga Burn? Find Out How to Boost Your Metabolism With This Form of Yoga
Which Method is Best?
Apart from any hubris and nit-picking that might be apparent under the surface, the Bikram method is extremely sound, effective, and innovative. That is why there are so many copy-cats trying to ride his coat tails and it’s also why Bikram’s method is so popular with yoga practitioners around the world. You’re going to sweat profusely, cleanse yourself of toxins, and hopefully have classmates who believe strongly in deodorant and personal hygiene.
Bikram Yoga: Hot Yoga by Another Name
Some people may wonder what the difference is between Bikram and hot yoga? Well, the main difference is that master Bikram Choudhury developed his method with very specific parameters and has sued people for tacking his name on to a hot yoga class that wan’t carried out to exact specifications (both the number and sequence of poses) right down to the way the room should be decorated.
Bikram Yoga involves two sets of 26 yoga postures in sequence. The back-to-back sets are to be performed in one ninety minute class.
Essentially, the yogi Bikram doesn’t want anybody slapping his name on the class unless they were trained at his Yoga College of India in Beverly Hills, use the texts he approves, and decorate their studios exactly how he sees fit. He believes the sequence is the optimum manner in which to stretch the muscles, ligaments, and joints of the human body.
Hot yoga is a more generic brand of basically the same thing with variations of poses, time, sequence, and the temperature of the practice room.
Calories Burned During Different Yoga Workouts
With all that effort, the bottom line for most people is in the results; specifically in how many calories Bikram yoga burns during the ninety minute class. Like anything in life, the more you put into it, the more you’ll get out of it. And so many variables are at play here that I’m talking in approximations with these calorie-crunching calculations.
The easiest way to get an answer here is to use a free online calorie counter that you can find online like the one at https://www.bikram-yoga-noosa-australia.com/weight-loss-and-yoga.htm. Weight and time are all they need there. I’m 185 pounds and in a 90 minute class I’d burn 1259 calories (although technically there shouldn’t be an option for time since 90 minutes is proscribed).
So, 1259 calories burned during an hour and a half class is what was calculated. That’s a very high number considering I know the length of time and intense effort I need to put in on something like an elliptic machine to achieve results like that. But I’m willing to believe it and eat more cookies after class, too. This website has a useful B.R.E.A.T.H.E attitude adjusting acronym to help in assisting you perform this practice with the goal of losing weight.
That estimation is too high; however, and I’d be remiss to leave you that overly optimistic, even if I believe that the placebo affect can be more helpful than reality sometimes. Another calculator at https://www.healthstatus.com/cgi-bin/calc/calculator.cgi figured I’d burn 858 in that same hour and a half period (this calculator is relatively accurate). Self Magazine is a bit more conservative and lawyerly sounding saying that based on gender, size, weight, body type, and the condition you’re in you can burn between 550 and 1000 calories per class.
If you do a little more research you will find that most estimations average around 600 calories per class. With the room between 95 - 105 degrees and about 60% humidity you’re going to feel like you’re getting results and that is always good. Another benefit is the heat on your joints and if you peruse the official Bikram site you’ll see some pretty amazing testimonies on ailments and injuries overcome by dedicated practitioners.
To find official classes near you and more about it by visiting the official Bikram site at bikramyoga.com. And there are also devices you can buy to measure yourself while you’re practicing if you really want to go that far and have an electronic device strapped to your body during a session.
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