Challenges

Everyone takes up Bikram Yoga practice for different reasons. Whatever they are, many of you are trying to fit it all in: work, family, life, fitness, health, wellbeing…

Are you able to schedule in a little bit of extra fitness, health and wellbeing so that you can experience for yourself the physical and mental benefits of a daily Bikram Yoga practice?

Studio Group Challenges 7 . Classes . in . 7 . Days & 10 . Classes . in . 10 . Days will be held on dates in advance by notified by YM each year. We will give 1 month prior notice to the start of a studio Bikram Yoga challenge.

You cannot use the 7 DAYS FREE UNLIMITED YOGA PASS towards Challenges folks!

Sorry no Private Challenges in December because of the reduced class schedule.

Photos will be taken at the end of all Challenges and posted on FB as part of the method of celebration of completion 🙂 .

You must read and consider all these guidelines/rules before you register for a Challenge. They are non-negotiable. The instructor may not have time at ‘class/check in/post class care’ times to ‘brief’ enquirers about Challenges and so the instructor on being asked questions about a Challenge will direct you to these rules/guidelines/website rather than answering one question as they will know if you have read all these then you will not have overlooked any important fundamental consideration and you will be in possession of ALL the information you need to enable you to make a decision about undertaking a Challenge.

Bikram Yoga Challenge Guidelines / Rules

These challenges are open to ANYONE who has practiced at YM previously, whatever your stage in practice; you can all have a go at this but be sensible about it; do you have the right attitude and reserves to attempt this where you are at right now in your life?
If Yes; you have to be ready to commit
To commit means reflecting on why you are doing the challenge (you are not required to tell the teacher) and working the Challenge into your life and making sure those close to you know what you are undertaking
So bump your Bikram practice up your priorities list and ensure work is not going to make extra demands on you; pace yourself – plan your social life accordingly and ensure you are eating well and hydrating properly
There are no alternate start or finish dates for participating in these Challenges; you are either available to do them on the set dates or not; so please don’t ask for concessions to be made as this puts YM staff in the uncomfortable position of having to say no. (i.e. Challenges undertaken outside of these dates even if they overlap with the Group Challenge are classed as a Personal Challenge). Participants must be in the first Challenge class and the Last celebratory class of the Challenge
Plan your schedule; there is no point signing up for this and then immediately telling YM you cannot do certain days; there is no room to manipulate the group challenge outside of the usual class schedules and the set dates for Challenge duration
Listen to your body during the Challenge; ensure you get adequate rest time outside of the studio
Within the 7/10 days if you miss a class you will be able to make it up by taking a ‘double’ (i.e. 2 classes in one day) in order to make your goal. Check class schedule to see what days a double option is available. Only 1 double is permitted
This is specifically a ‘Bikram Yoga class’ Challenge i.e. full 90 minutes class i.e. attendance in HOT45 class or any other classes on YM schedule cannot be included as part of Challenge classes
These Challenge classes come at a discounted fee {if a charity class event occurs during a challenge, challengers will be asked to make up the class fee difference between their discounted fee and normal class fee for that charity class}
If you do not complete the Challenge the participation fee will be forfeit
If you want to participate the registration process is simply arriving at reception with your challenge fee in advance; this is the only real way YM has of knowing how many challengers there are so we can prepare ourselves; we would appreciate you helping us by registering in advance and paying when you register so we have accurate numbers
There must be a minimum 7 participants and maximum (limit) of 10 Challengers per group challenge; we will not go over this number so please if you want to do a group Challenge, to avoid disappointment, organise yourself to present your monies well in advance and not leave it to the last minute so that we ALL (you AND us) know if the Challenge is going ahead and can prepare for it accordingly
Cut off for signing up is two (2) clear days prior to start of Challenge
If you advise YM you have decided to do a personal Challenge having done a number of classes in a row already, this will not qualify for the challenge discount fee. challenges MUST be booked and paid for in advance, separately of any credits held. The advance commitment is intrinsic to the undertaking of a challenge run by YM. However, if you finish you will be given the last class of your personal challenge FREE
Only one conversion is allowed and that is at the end of a ‘10 class’ challenge to ‘30 day’ and one must be ready and organised with their fees on the 10th day to make the commitment and conversion (one cannot ‘decide’ on the 11th day)
Registered participants are automatically signed into every class; the participant must advise YM about any class they are NOT attending and anywhere they are doing a double to make up for missing a class
Not open to people who have never attended YM prior to a challenge; at least one class at YM is required to give instructors opportunity to familiarise themselves with practitioner and their practice
Sorry if the dates don’t suit your schedule but if you really want you can do any of these on your own or with a friend at the concession price but there will not be any studio award at the end other than the reward of personal victory
If you plan to do a private Challenge (be it 7, 10, 4×4, 30 or 60) it may not overlap with the studio organised Group Challenge (Group Challenge limit being 10, we will not exceed this number for a private Challenger unless group Challenge has commenced with participants well within the 10 limit)

Personal: 4×4 Solo Challenge and **30 Day Solo Challenge

**30 Day Challenge ON HOLD

The usual challenge guidelines/rules apply with some additional considerations:

You may start the challenge on any day/date that you wish but this challenge is subject to bank/public holidays / number limits in Group Challenges / changing class times / studio vacation/close dates i.e. if there are multiple studio closures scheduled this may not accommodate such a challenge
Check these things in advance and discuss possibilities with instructor. So YM needs proper notice and to be allowed 24 hours to consider if it is going to work and revert to the applicant
As usual this is suitable and open to all but YM considers applicants for this one on an individual basis
Common sense must prevail at all times; do at least one Bikram Yoga class before you embark on this challenge
This challenge is not open to groups; it is a solo challenge. Although there may be an other running their solo challenge at the same time as yourself there is a limit to 2 Challengers that may be undertaking this Challenge (including 60 day) at any one time within YM studio; all this will be considered by YM upon request
You may be alone doing the challenge; there will not be any fanfare but support and encouragement will be given to the individual undertaking it by the instructors as the challenge progresses
The Challenger MUST take 2 days off during the 3 Day challenge i.e. this is NOT a 30 classes in 30 days challenge. It is a daily practice challenge with recovery windows built in. These days must be well spaced and are incorporated to give your body a chance to recover. You cannot use them to ‘shave’ a day or two off the end of the Challenge. You must advise YM in advance of your planned date of rest
Within the 30 days if you miss a class you will be able to make it up by taking a ‘double’ (i.e. 2 classes in one day) in order to make your goal. Check class schedule to see what days a double option is available. ONLY 1 DOUBLE A WEEK IS PERMITTED
The 4 x 4 Challenge must be booked in advance and means 4 classes a week consistently for 4 weeks. It is NOT 5 classes one week 3 classes the next. Any extra classes taken in a week will be considered extra classes and deducted from any credits held or paid for separately.
The 4x 4 Challenge may be taken up once in a calendar quarter maximum
If a charity class event occurs during a challenge, challengers will be asked to make up the class fee difference between their discounted fee and normal class fee for that charity
Fee for challenges are paid separately to any credits held
Any existing credits held will have one month validity added to them because of duration of Challenge
Because of space limitations a MAXIMUM of 2 persons may undertake a 30 day /{60 class} Challenge at any one time (first come/paid first served); therefore a third may not overlap if there are already 2 persons undertaking one (save for one or two days). So, Challenges cannot be on a ‘whim’. You must PLAN your challenge and please give us due notice to consider.

Personal: **60 Class Solo Challenge

**ON HOLD

Bikram says “You come to class every day for two months and I will give you new life.”

We are happy to accommodate anyone wanting a new life! However, we must be given advance notice so that we can consider if there are going to be any close/bank/public holidays during the period. This particular challenge is different to the others we run. This means 60 classes in 60 days ! (as opposed to the 30 day challenge which is 28 classes in 30 days).

Practitioners cannot convert from a 30 day challenge into 60 Days. It must be committed to at the outset.

Within the 60 Class Challenge if you miss a class you will be able to make it up by taking a ‘double’ (i.e. 2 classes in one day) in order to make your goal. Check class schedule to see what days a double option is available. ONLY 1 DOUBLE A WEEK IS PERMITTED. Effectively you must be in the studio minimum 52 days of the 60

All other Challenge guidance and rules apply so please consider them. If you are interested and serious please message us your intended start date to consider and then when agreed you sign up by signing the ‘Challenge Commitment Form’ and paying at reception

Challenge Fees

7 Day £65 / 10 Day £85 / 4×4 £125 / 30 Day £165 / 60 Day £295

Reward* for Completion of a YM Bikram Yoga Challenge

Aside from a tremendous personal sense of victory? that inherent reward of undertaking and completing such a challenge? just think of all those camels!! Priceless!!

A certificate! With your name on it! WHO doesn’t like one of those?
Your name on the YM Challenge ‘Achievers’ list
Personal results will be different from person to person
7 Class – for studio official challenge only One free Yoga class
10 Class – for studio official challenge only Two free Yoga classes
4 x 4 classes – victory of completion
30 days – THREE free Yoga classes**
60 Class – FIVE free Yoga classes**
Free classes awarded are used in the same fashion as credits and subject to the same booking/cancellation policies
All prizes/rewards must be used within 1 month of date of completion of challenge and are non-transferable non-refundable for cash

Younger Yogis

Age 16-18 : From the age of 16 minors may attend the full Bikram sequence on their own but must have a parent countersign the disclaimer, prohibitions, precaution waiver document.

Again, if this age group (16-18) attends with a parent, if the instructor gets a sense that the teenager has been coerced into coming, YM/the instructor reserves the right to defer admittance to class until such time as they are satisfied that the person is attending of their own volition.

Ours is an adult’s Yoga class. Our focus is adult and the challenge is certainly adult. That said:

Age 14/15: Enquiries about attendance in a full on Bikram class for ages 14 / 15 do crop up. Our policy is to judge such requests on an individual basis. They must not have been coerced into attending. This is a ‘parent/guardian’ decision not an aunt/uncle/godparent/sibling decision so if you are enquiring about having a younger sibling etc attend with you the answer will be no. The enquiring parent must have previously attended a class at Yoga Matters before submitting such a request. IF we accept this age group into the class a parent must always be present in class with them and vouch for their hydration. Depending on the individual they may or may not be permitted to do 2 sets of everything, they may be told to rest out of some poses or take it easy; they should introduce themselves gradually to the practice. Anyone in this age group may attend only quieter classes as can be ascertained from discussion with the instructor in advance. If the instructor deems it necessary to tell them to take a break at any time during the class then they must comply.

Having a younger yogi in the class will have an effect on the ambience of the class and there are many different considerations/subtle modifications taking place for the responsible instructor and how they manage the environment with/for the younger yogi there so assistance from the parent may be required. The accompanying parent will take full responsibility for ensuring their young person is mentally and physically prepared for the rigors of the class i.e. the younger yogi knows what the class entails and is properly hydrated in the days prior to attendance. If the younger yogi has any pre-diagnosed conditions this is probably not the time to bring them into such a challenging environment; they may require more bespoke attention from a healthcare specialist and whilst we can modify our sequence for many conditions for adults, a younger person’s body is still developing and that is a whole other level of consideration and responsibility that has to take place.

Younger: At present we are unable to accommodate younger children in our hot Yoga room. They don’t need the heat; we save that for us older folks who need help getting a good stretch 🙂 . We did try to establish classes for children (unheated) but unfortunately they never got off the ground due to lack of demand.

Pregnant Yogi

Q: Can I practice Bikram Yoga When I am Pregnant?

A: YES. Unless you are in a ‘high risk pregnancy’ category then yes, indeed you can practice Rajashree’s Pregnancy Yoga (modified Bikram) when you are pregnant. Please click on this link to understand more about our POLICY and our pregnancy yoga: Rajashree’s Pregnancy Yoga

Teams/Groups

As a group or team you may be interested in an activity that is not a sport but a system of improving fitness, health and wellbeing; Bikram Yoga is a fantastic way to bring your staff or team together and challenge them in a safe, friendly environment. It may be just what your group or team needs to give them an edge.

Yoga can help with conditioning and a regular practice may help the individual stay ‘on top of their game’. It is holistic and therefore all the body systems will receive due kind attention. It is a challenging discipline in which asanas (postures) are practiced. The asanas are not ballistic, but are practiced whilst grounded, in a methodical way in a heated environment incorporating the breath and full concentration.

Yoga Matters has classes every day and individuals are always welcome to come to any of the public classes should they wish, subject to available space. However, we would be happy to lay on a class outside the usual schedule to accommodate your group or team on the basis of a minimum of 10 persons attending.

Remove any disconnect by placing the team members or executives, juniors, managers, administrators, trainees in a room practicing this challenging sequence together and they will embark on a journey of discovery breaking down barriers, whilst creating a common ground for connecting with each other and building solidarity.

Discretion would of course be paramount as it is for all our practitioners and the only pre-requisite to practice is proper hydration; Bikram Yoga is not exclusive or reserved for those beings seeking enlightenment J. One of the biggest mis-conceptions I hear repeated is that you have to be flexible to practice. This is not so; nor is flexibility the goal; it is just a nice little ‘side effect’ that comes from a regular practice. So far as flexibility is concerned in any normal public class I would say some of the practitioners are working to maintain their normal range of motion and some are working to get their normal range of motion back such is the world we live in. Nobody is seeking to go over the normal limits of range of motion for their body. Anybody can try this Yoga; there are no advanced postures.

Some of the benefits of a regular Bikram Yoga practice that can be enjoyed:

great mental hygiene
reduce stress
improved concentration
ever growing sense of well being
helps a person to know and accept who they are
more keenness for life and what it has to offer
restored confidence and hope
better decision making
improved personal productivity
better all round mental and physical health
explore and know their flexible side
maintain full spinal flexibility
improve flexibility and range of motion in tighter joints
assist with lengthening of muscles that have become tight/short
can help prevent and reduce sports injury
help with recovery from injury
counter the keyboard slump (gardening, study, cooking, general labour slump)
improved strength and endurance
perhaps achieve a longer playing life as strength and vitality is sustained for longer
decrease illness and absenteeism
a more cohesive team and improved relationships
increase happiness

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