A comparison of flexibility after a single-bout of Ashtanga and Bikram Yoga

• Main Author: Gallo, Samantha
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01.01.2009
• Subjects: Health sciences; Kinesiology
• ISBN: 1109175205; 9781109175202

Yoga has become a popular method for increasing flexibility and overall fitness in the West. Additionally, the numerous styles incorporating heat (internal and external) have emerged. There is very little research on yoga and nothing on the differences between styles, particularly Ashtanga and Bikram yoga. The purpose of this study was to compare flexibility after a single session of Bikram and Ashtanga yoga. Sixteen subjects (5 men, 11 women) with at least 6 months yoga experience were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The groups completed one session of Bikram and another of Ashtanga Yoga with a reversed order design separated by one week between yoga sessions. Each subject participated in one Ashtanga and one Bikram yoga session with the order randomly determined and balanced across subjects. This study found increases in trunk flexion and hamstring flexibility across time, but no difference between the yoga styles or gender. No difference was found for trunk lift or left shoulder flexibility. There was an interaction by time and by style for the right shoulder flexibility. Ashtanga and Bikram yoga were equally effective in producing trunk flexion flexibility. Right shoulder flexibility was greater due to the yoga treatment but style differences were measurement error. The heat generated through both styles had been enough to increase muscle flexibility in different areas of the body for this study.