Sweating it out with Bikram yoga

When bartender Paul O’Halloran was told that Bikram yoga was about to change his life, he scoffed.

“I just thought, ‘Oh, God,’ like it was so new age-y,” says O’Halloran. “I’m an Irish Catholic gay guy from the Bronx, so really, no one is more cynical than me.”

But O’Halloran began to notice a change in himself as he continued the practice for a few months. After a steady habit of drinking heavily five nights a week, O’Halloran made the decision to get sober. He credits Bikram as being integral to his recovery.

“As far as getting over alcohol, I don’t know if I could’ve done it without [Bikram],” he says. “I know that I wouldn’t have done it as soon as I’ve done it.”

Bikram yoga consists of 24 poses done in a hot room, with the temperature set around 95 to 105 degrees. Though this form of yoga does have its share of critics who believe it is too extreme and potentially dangerous, it has an equal number of fervent fans.

Because the practice forces the body to sweat profusely, a healthy lifestyle becomes a necessity in order to take the classes —coming to a session with a hangover just isn’t an option. Those who truly devote themselves to Bikram can often count on the desire for vices diminishing over time.

“Your stomach just doesn’t want to eat bad stuff. You just don’t feel like it,” says Donna Rubin, co-owner of Bikram Yoga NYC, about the long-term effects of Bikram yoga practice. “People who have tried to quit smoking, they’ve said that they just didn’t feel like it anymore. It sort of assists any program that they’re already on. You’re more tuned in, and your body just starts to tell you what’s good and what’s bad.”



http://www.metro.us/us/article/2010/03/30/01/0744-82/index.xml