Bulding abs and biceps

[Stefan]

#1064

I don’t seem to build any visible abs or biceps.

Do I need to add push ups and sit ups every or every other day? Bikram do write in his book those exersices are no good for you body… but well, he used to be a weightlifter…

As you know from my other posts I skateboard also, and no time to do a full class 4 times a week. Mostly a half class 1 day a week and 2 full classes + pick-me-up set + 5 minyte sun salutations before and after I skateboard.

[edgehH20]

#2991

When you are in Awkward pose and you holding your arms firm? really stretching them toward the mirror?
I have found results from this posture.

For abs I would say tightening the area during all postures.

Namate, EdgeH20

[Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)]

#2992

Hi Stefan

What the yoga does is help you find a balance between strength and flexibility. So although you build your muscle you are also stretching them out at the same time and creating length. So what you should find is that you are developing well toned and sculpted muscles without the bulk. Generally speaking, bulk comes from shortened muscles.

You ARE building strength! And the lengthening process is helping you build safety into a wider range of movements (helping you prevent muscle injury in your own sport for example). In other words you have a healthier more resilient body.

I guess the question is whether you feel you are lacking strength or whether you feel you would like to look a little more pumped.

What are your aims Stefan? There are other kinds of yogas that provide more of a workout for your arms and shoulders (Ashtanga yoga, other styles of Hot Yoga). Bikram Yoga doesn’t have a whole lot of the weight bearing poses that can build muscles more significantly.

Let us know if you think you are needing to build more strength or if the desired result is more aesthetic!

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

[Stefan]

#2993

Hi Stefan
Let us know if you think you are needing to build more strength or if the desired result is more aesthetic!

It is purely aesthetic. It is for the showbusiness I am involved in… some acting stuff.

I do see some bikram Yogis that have visible muscles and looking extremely fit, but also Bikram Yoga teachers have hardly any visible muscles, and “flabs”. I guess daily full classes is required to build visible muscle.

The thing is, I don’t have time for full classes a few times a week. Maybe just 1 or 2 a week. + the pick-me-up set before and after my skateboarding (3-4 times a week), and 1 half class. All at home as there is no studio close by.

Adding push-ups, situps, abroller extesices etc, would only require 5-10 minutes a day, like taking a break before lunc. Not as fun as Yoga but…

On the other hand, I get concerned when you write that those exersices will build hard muscles. As a freestyle skateboarder I want to skate smooth, and maybe then “yoga muscles” are the the best…?

Here is a clip from a recent skate demo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kFyOY3Y96A

[Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)]

#3025

Hi Stefan

I told you by PM system that a friend and student of mine who is a competition body builder and yogini extraordinaire is going to write you a response to your question about building and preserving muscle mass while practicing yoga. She is a little slow to get to you, but it is coming. It is school holidays here so kids are her priority. :cheese:

In the meantime, you mentioned you had asked some questions of a pro, yourself. I would love to hear your findings.

Thanks for the youtube clip, very entertaining!

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

[Stefan]

#3026

I wrote the headquarters and Biram wrote back I should call him. But I haven’r managed to get a hold of him.

I have not not bodybuilding in mind, but was thinking about adding pushups, sit.ups, crunches, pull ups etc.

Now, by experimenting with tighten my arms and fingers I do feel my arm muscles get more of a woek out. BUT, will Bikram Yoga be enough to get more visible muscles? And by tighten the abs, will that alsogive falt abs and maybe visible muscles.

Due to my skateboariding and meditation and yoga I don’t really have time for bodybulding or strengttraining, but hope Bikram Yoga a few times a week will give me a more visible strong body. And keep my stomach falt, en make it flatter.

Thankd for the nice word a about my videoclip. Iwish to skate very smooth, and maybe bulky muscles will prevent that…

[Stefan]

#3579

Looking at videos on You tube, i see all these Bikram Yogis with six packs. Like this Garcia. Did they got those abs from Bikram Yoga itself?

[Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)]

#3582

Hi Stefan

Don’t dismay! Not everyone has six-packs. It is possible to get it from just the yoga (personal experience 😉 ) but don’t get hung up on it! Some of these people you have seen do many, many classes per week, some train for the yoga competition, and every ‘body’ has a different metabolism.

It is not as important to look a certain way as it is to feel GREAT IN YOUR SKIN!!! And although looking good can do great things for your self-esteem, your self-esteem should not be dependent on it. Nothing beats feeling fantastic – something for which practicing hot yoga is deservedly renowned. And generally, when you feel great, it has the side effect of making you look great. The reverse is not necessarily true.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

[Stefan]

#3584

Maybe some of these yogis “cheat”? I did see some dumbells in the dressing room at the Bikram headquarters…

For some actors, needing quickly look more muscular for a specific role, maybe going to the gym or do situps and stuff is faster and more effective than the Bikram Yoga? (Most likely not very good for the body to change it so drastically some charactar actors do).

[Robert Scanlon (Webmaster)]

#3617

Hi Stefan,

Sorry it’s taken me so long to get to this – but now I’ve got a good reason with Gabrielle’s latest “core strength video”.

Re: Bikram Instructors “cheating” – 😀 – that may be so – I tell you this funny story though (Gabrielle refuses to tell it herself!).

When she went to Bikram training, she became notorious for her abs … some very fit MEN refused to stand behind her because apparently the sight of her six-pack in the mirror was putting them off!

I can vouch for this because I met up with her in San Francisco shortly after training and I started calling her “Iron Woman”. Her body was “cut” … and it’s tue, she did have a six-pack to envy.

So I know it is possible from yoga only as that is all she did … BUT … it was 11 classes per week! Holy Karma!

I think you are correct – actors and others such as yourself who need “the look” for commercial reasons probably need some specific supplement as there is no way they’ve got time for 11 90-minute classes per week. I imagine you don’t either.

One thing you CAN do that I know makes a difference for me is the quick technique Gabrielle shows on her latest video:

https://www.hotyogadoctor.com/index.php/site/comments/flatten-your-tummy-and-strengthen-your-back/

You could also try the no-back-strain “stomach crunch” that I’ve attached here https://www.hotyogadoctor.com/Stomach-crunch.pdf (Gabrielle doesn’t recommend too many crunches due to the shortening of the muscles and back rounding – but if you are keeping up your yoga that should be fine).

Thought you’d enjoy that story about Gabrielle’s six-pack – by the way there were 265 people at her training and only a few who did develop ripped abs …

😉

Robert

[Wassernixe]

#5763

I am sorry for answering this quite old thread, but am new here and just read through everything. As I am doing strength training as well I would be very much interested in what Gabrielle`s friend thinks about muscle-building avtivity and yoga. I guess the answer was posted to the initial poster via PN? Is it possible to make the answer public here – this would be very helpful! Thank you very much! :kiss:

[jtcb]

#5765

I am starting to do cardio resistance training for 30 mins Mon-Fri at 5am. Get back to sleep for an hour or so then wake up for work. That is all I am doing for now trying to lose weight and inches. On Sat I do a 90min session of bikram yoga. Is this enough? I am doing the Circuit Training DVD that came with the package as shown on the bottom of the component page.

http://www.bodylastics.com/components.html

http://www.bodylastics.com/

PS. I will have to try the reverse curl that Robert post above.

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