Book description
Hell-Bent
explores the fascinating, often surreal world of Bikram Yoga, a style
taught to millions by a very living guru, Bikram Choudhury. Bikram Yoga
is distinguished from more 'conventional' forms by the extreme heat it
is practised in, an overt, almost masochistic focus on pain, and the
rabid materialism of its founder. It is also distinguished by impressive
results - sport stars such as David Beckham and Andy Murray swear by it,
while body-conscious supermodels rave about its benefits, and even
Prince Harry is rumoured to be a fan.
Benjamin Lorr walked into his first yoga studio on a whim, overweight
and curious, and quickly found the yoga reinventing his life. He was
content to slim down and tone up until a run-in with a competitive yoga
champion convinced him to take his practice to the next level: to train
for the national championship.
So begins a journey into the strange, amazing world of competitive
yoga. Populated by athletic prodigies, wide-eyed celebrities, medical
miracles, and predatory hucksters, Hell-Bent
follows Lorr as he grapples with his new obsession: researching the
health claims and history, humanising its maniacal guru, and eventually
stepping on stage at the National Asana Championship to compete for
glory.
The culmination of two years of research, featuring hundreds of
interviews with yogis, scientists, doctors and scholars, Hell-Bent
is a wild exploration. A look at the science behind a controversial
practice, a story of greed and corruption, and a mind-bending tale of
personal transformation, it is a book that will not only challenge your
conception of yoga, but change the way you view the fragile,
inspirational potential of the human body. Didn t get into barefoot
running after reading Christopher McDougall s best-selling Born to Run
? You ll be inspired to strip down into your intimates for hot yoga
after devouring this read Benjamin Lorr graduated from Columbia
University with a degree in creative writing. He is certified to teach
Bikram Yoga and lives in New York.
