Bikram is a yoga style derived from Hatha yoga. If you are curious about Bikram, look for a certified class in your area, or pick up a book or video that can help you begin a Bikram practice at home. By practicing Bikram yoga, you can build strength and flexibility while burning fat and relieving stress.
Founder
Bikram Choudhury was born in India, where he practiced yoga daily until moving to the United States in the 1970s. He began the Yoga College of India in Los Angeles and created his own style of yoga, known as Bikram yoga. Choudhury now travels throughout the world, teaching Bikram yoga to large classes as well as individual celebrities. Choudhury has also written a book on Bikram yoga. His college has more than 400 franchised yoga schools worldwide.
Poses
A Bikram yoga practice consists of working through a 26-posture sequence developed by Choudhury. Choudhury designed this sequence to move the blood flow to each part of the body. The sequence is made of up classic Hatha yoga poses such as eagle pose, triangle pose and tree pose. Choudhury claims that performing these 26 poses in this specific order will warm and stretch your muscles, ligaments and tendons in the best order to improve your muscle tone and overall health.
Heat
In an authentic Bikram yoga practice, the room must be heated to 105 degrees. Choudhury states that this heat helps warm your body before you even begin your yoga practice, allowing your muscles to become softer and more flexible. Bikram practitioners believe that a heated yoga practice helps cleanse your body by allowing you to more easily sweat out toxins as you move. By practicing yoga in a heated room, you may be able to move deeper into postures without injuring yourself, according to the Bikram Hot Yoga Studio of Houston.
Classes
Bikram yoga classes are only taught in studios that are affiliated with the Bikram Yoga College of India. All Bikram yoga teachers must be certified by the college as well. A Bikram yoga class usually lasts for 90 minutes. Bikram classes can be good for beginners as well as regular yoga students, as you can move into the poses going only as deep as your own ability and comfort level allow.
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