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Are all Bikram teachers fully qualified?

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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 2,546 ✭✭✭siochain


    purethick wrote: »
    +1

    Let's stay away from ad hominem territory please - rational discourse only

    Fully agree that posts shouldn't contain BS, let's continue in the other tread


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,712 ✭✭✭BabysCoffee


    To answer the OP, my understanding is that if it is a Bikram Studio proper than all teachers are fully certified. If it is a Hot Yoga Studio teaching Bikram Yoga or Hot Yoga the teachers may be uncertified.


  • Registered Users Posts: 380 ✭✭yoginindublin


    There's nothing better than asking either the owner or teacher about their training and certification.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,435 ✭✭✭christeb


    purethick wrote: »
    Maybe it was their first couple classes after certification and they were nervous?


    Yes....actually it seems they've branched out to other locations now The Fall 2014 Teacher Training will be in Phuket, THAILAND


    Well given that they regularly get 40+ people in a class and I've been in classes with 60+ and the average cost per class is say €16; therefore the studio is regularly taking in (40*16) €640 for a single class, I imagine they have to pay the instructors something decent (€80-€100 per class?).

    <mild rant>
    I've no idea why anyone would want to be a bikram instructor though, you might as well get a tape recorder and hit play for each class - you just end up being a parrot -> "ONLY Bikram's Beginning Yoga Class dialogue used".
    In fact here's is the mandatory dialogue. You'd just go insane having to come out with that by rote each class.

    Also how on earth can an instructor keep an eye on a class with that many students in it, I've regularly seen people in class with really bad form and not being corrected. If the ethos was about quality instruction then they would put a limit on class sizes...but it seems that it's profit before people.

    As you may be able to tell I used to be a bikram belieber but no longer. I think it's only safe for people who are reasonably fit, injury free and are very clear on correct form and the consequences of bad form. If you tick all those boxes then I reckon it is relatively safe to do - I still do the occasional class myself.
    I do have a major issue with their one size fits all approach; people are different...and have do regularly have various temporary or permanent ailments. Bikram classes takes none of this into account.

    Also Bikram Choudhury's greed and vice like grip on the franchise is just plain ugly; e.g. trying for years to trademark yoga poses - wtf??
    </mild rant>

    I'm probably setting myself up here for an interesting backlash here :-)

    I doubt that the average student pays €16, as most are on some sort of monthly plan. Assuming your calculations are correct, however, I wonder how much a yoga teacher gets paid?

    I agree it may have been one of the teacher's first classes, but there were some students doing horrific poses. A new teacher would tend to be a little more hands on with corrections, I would've thought. Maybe not.
    Hi! I have been wanting to try it out Bikram a few times. I am an ashtanga practitioner myself. Can you tell me which studio you went to?

    Uhmmm, I forget ;) I don't want to discuss or mention my particular studio, but rather have some general discourse.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,435 ✭✭✭christeb


    To answer the OP, my understanding is that if it is a Bikram Studio proper than all teachers are fully certified. If it is a Hot Yoga Studio teaching Bikram Yoga or Hot Yoga the teachers may be uncertified.

    Well that's what I'd like to think, but there's obviously nothing to say that can't throw a few non-cert'ed teachers in for some of the quieter classes.


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  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,078 ✭✭✭Muff Richardson


    christeb wrote: »
    Well that's what I'd like to think, but there's obviously nothing to say that can't throw a few non-cert'ed teachers in for some of the quieter classes.

    As mentioned in one of my posts, there was a fella giving a class who was clearly standing in for someone and had not a clue what he was at. I've heard of the bikram training schedule which is something like twice a day for 6 weeks, can't remember exactly but when I heard it was extremely demanding. This guy was about 3 or 4 stone overweight I'd estimate, I seriously doubt he'd trained even once a fortnight for a five a side pub football team.

    The studio is an absolute sh*thole which has dressing rooms with an odor that turns your stomach. Packed to the brim when I was there, looks like it is turning over a fair few euro.


  • Registered Users Posts: 111 ✭✭mugwumpjism


    Hi Muff,

    Can you PM me the studio in question as I am going to take up bikram and want to avoid this one. Also I am riddled with injuries, bad knees, rheumatoid arthritis in me spine, dodgy shoulder etc. So I'll let you know how I get on...I like stretching in the sauna and find it really helps...but obviously only try and so this when it is empty as you don't want to be that weird bloke that stretches in the sauna in front of everyone! I have done other forms of yoga in the past and know the need for correct alignment but if it is only 26 poses I can practice in the mirror at home also to get aligned properly.


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