Bikram Yoga is a form of Yoga which consists of a series of 26 poses performed in a hot room. When we say Bikram Yoga positions that is the same as calling them postures, poses, asanas or something else. Bikram is also commonly referred to as "Hot Yoga".

Bikram Yoga was created by Bikram Choudhury, a self-styled Yoga entrepreneur who moved from India to the US to teach yoga. He developed his own version of Hatha yoga that consists of a tightly scripted sequence of 26 positions and two breathing exercises. The temperature of a Bikram Yoga studio is usually at 105 degrees or even higher! The idea behind it is that the heat will help to loosen your muscles, improve flexibility, and increase your heart rate. And, although quite to state the obvious, the heat also makes you sweat - a lot!

Bikram's 26 hatha yoga postures are, like most other styles of hatha Yoga, designed to stretch your muscles, compress your cardiopulmonary system and improve your circulation. The practise can be uncomfortable or mildly painful at first and you may get lightheaded or nauseous during the session. These sensations are often symptoms of detoxification taking place in the body, but be caution is appropriate as they may also be signs of dehydration.

The first 60 minutes of a practice session is usually spent doing standing exercises, followed by 30 minutes of floor exercises. The routine includes Bikram Yoga positions such as the Half Moon Pose that strengthens your abdominals and helps with back pain. The Awkward pose that strengthens calves, thighs, and hips. And the Wind Removing Pose that straightens the spine and increases flexibility. The last mentioned one also exerts pressure on your colon, which perhaps is the origin of the name of the position.

The only copyrighted Yoga?!

On an interesting side note, one can mention that the entrepreneur in Choudhury wants to have monopoly on who can teach this form of Yoga. He has made it clear that he thinks Bikram is "his original version of yoga". He claimed copyright protection for this particular set of Yoga positions and even sued some yoga studios that taught Bikram Yoga without paying his franchise fee. His argument was that "just as a sequence of musical notes or dance steps can be copyrighted - so can Yoga". Others claim that this is nothing else than pure greed, stemming from Bikram's want to make a lot of money, and that Yoga has it's firm roots in the public domain.

Be that as it may, if you are considering to take up Bikram Yoga for yourself, there are a few things to keep in mind.

First of all, due to the intense heat, Bikram yoga can be tough to endure for certain people. Those who have low resistance to heat, have high blood pressure, heart problems or any other serious health condition, should check with their doctor before trying this form of exercise.

Even if you are in top shape, you need to mentally prepare yourself for the heat. The room is between 105 F and 110 F degrees Fahrenheit (although some instructors keep it high, but under 100 F) and classes usually last about 90 minutes, so you will be sweating a lot. You need to drink plenty of water throughout the day - both before and after the class. During the class you should only sip small amounts of water though, as gulping it down may cause nausea or other discomforts.

If you attend a class to get some first hand experience with this series of poses, and notice that you start to feel ill - sit down cross legged on your towel (remember to bring one, you will need it anyhow). If that doesn't help you may lie down for a bit until you feel strong enough to continue. You may then take a sip of water and continue doing your Bikram Yoga positions.

By: Michael Hawkins
Michael Hawkins is the author of a guide called No Nonsense Yoga. Read more about this guide as well as about Bikram Yoga positions on his website.

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Relaxation is a big part of fitness and a good way to relax is to laugh. Check out our Humor section where you will find jokes, humor and humorous anecdotes.

Belly Dancing is the oldest dance in the world, deeply embedded in the culture of the Neolithic tribes of Europe, Africa and the Middle East. It began as a goddess ritual where the dancer performed barefoot to be reconnected to Mother Earth.The dance focused on the belly, the site of pregnancy and childbirth. It was popularized in western countries in the late 1890s.

Belly dancing is a valid form of exercise and a respected form of dance. It is suitable for all ages from children , teenagers, pregnant women, middle aged to the elderly. Most belly dancers are women, but it is a form of dance that can be done by men, usually in a more robust form, perhaps using swords and fire!

Benefits

Belly dancing is a good cardio-vascular workout,at the same time increasing flexibility. Like Pilate's, belly dancing focuses on strengthening the abdominal core. The abdominal muscles work hard to isolate the hips from the ribs, resulting in a flatter stomach and more defined waist. It is easy on the knees.

Belly dancing can bring about an improved sense of well being, elevated body image and self-esteem as well as a generally positive outlook on life.

How to get started

Look in the phone book or surf the internet to try to find a teacher in your area. If none are available, there are many DVDs out there to get you started. Books can also be helpful.

A Sample Workout

Put on some music. If you don’t have eastern music, any up tempo cd will do. Jazz is particularly good.

Hip Circles

Stand tall with feet a few inches apart, hands hovering beside hips. While keeping abs tight and rib cage still, slide both hips to left, back, right, and then front, making a circle. Continue for 2-3 minutes, contracting abs tightly at end of each circle. Repeat, circling to the right.

Twisting Shimmy

Stand tall with feet a few inches apart and knees slightly bent. Hold arms straight out from the shoulders, palms facing outward. Relax shoulders. Rotate right hip forward and up and left hip back. Then rotate left hip forward and right hip back. Contract abs while doing this. It is a bump and grind motion, kind of like a washing machine motion. Do for 2-3 minutes.

Sliding Snake Arms

Stand tall with feet almost hip width apart, arms lifted out to sides. While keeping abs contracted and hips still, reach left arm to side, rolling shoulder up, and slide rib cage to left, letting right arm and shoulder dip. As you slide to right, roll left shoulder back and down, and reach right arm to side, rolling right shoulder up. Then slide rib cage back to left, rolling right shoulder back and down. Continue side to side, making one smooth movement. Do for 2-3 minutes.

GRAPEVINE

Stand tall, buttocks tucked under, abdomen flat, arms lifted out to sides, feet a few inches apart. Step on right foot, step behind with left foot, step right with right foot, step in front with left foot, point right toe to the side. With the same right foot, step behind the left foot, step left with left foot, right foot in front, point left toe to side. Continue for 10 minutes.

As you master this movement you can start adding snakey arms to the movement, and a hip bump with the toe point.

By: Dalene Krkosska
http://www.food-addicts-weight-loss.com.

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As you may have already discovered Winsor Pilates is one of the most popular and growing fitness trends of today. With this growth Winsor Pilates has achieved substantial base of people looking for a healthier lifestyle.

The goal of this article will be to review the Winsor Pilates advantages of the lifestyle Pilates for life.

One of the key advantages of the lifestyle of Pilates for life is that it introduces a -D Training and the Win-in-10-Meal Plan and is devised to allow for a 20 minute workout for those who are Pilate’s junkies.

The Winsor Pilates 20-Minute workout is actually a key focal point in the fitness videos produced by the Pilate’s fitness program and introduces low impact high result exercises and kinesics.

Pilates for life junkies the Winsor Pilates 20 minute workout is perfect, but it can be a little difficult for newbie’s of Pilates. The workout is totally for beginners but getting use to it can take some time.

You will find as a beginner the more you work with Pilates the more you will lean to Pilate for life lifestyle. The main workout can start out hard, but it is critical for building the body control or the “core” of the body which is commonly known as abdominal muscles.

Most people who start the Winsor Pilates 20 minute workout find it is easier if done in a full length mirror. Having a mirror in front of you will help you hold your abs in place without becoming unsteady on your legs. It is definitely challenging.

Furthermore, the Winsor Pilates 20 minute workout is where most Pilates for life junkies started with Pilates. It is critical to reshape their bodies with great speed with primordial Pilate’s exercises.

In reshaping the body the Winsor Pilates 20 minute workout is made up of about seven basic movements which include: Pilates 100, Roll-Up, Single Leg Circles, Rolling Like a Ball, Single Leg Stretch, Double Leg Stretch, and Spine Stretch Forward.

In addition to these seven major Winsor Pilates exercises, the Winsor Pilates 20-Minute workout also is made up of workout exercises like Single Straight Leg, Double Straight Leg, Criss Cross, Saw, Side Kick Series, Leg Lifts, and Seal. But before you get full force into these various exercises you must start with breathing which is a key foundation to Pilates.

In the end the key to a Winsor Pilates 20 Minute workout, is the challenge and that is what keep junkies coming back. You will find yourself becoming a Pilates for life junkie focusing on spotting every portion in your body with monitored and orchestrated kinesics.

By: Jack Harmon
For further information on Pilates, visit Jack's comprehensive website on Winsor Pilates Review.

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