Is Bikram Hot Yoga Good For You?

Bikram yoga, named after Indian founder Bikram Choudhury, guides yogis through 26 different yoga poses, with each pose and stance designed to improve strength, flexibility and balance. One of the main environmental factors that sets Bikram yoga apart from other forms of yoga: it's all conducted in a room that's heated to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Doing Bikram yoga regularly may offer you several distinct health and wellness benefits.

Overall Body Strengthening

Unlike traditional forms of exercise, Bikram yoga's numerous full-body poses work your entire body instead of just single areas like your biceps or abs. It works "every muscle, tendon, ligament and joint," reports "Men's Fitness" magazine. Because all parts of your body grow in sync with each other, you can help limit your risks of overtraining and injury, like what you could experience if you did too many crunches or bench presses.

Reduced Back Pain

A meta analysis published in the "Musculoskeletal Medicine" medical journal in 2008 analyzed 11 different research trials that studied Bikram yoga and other forms of yoga. The researchers concluded that such yoga can help reduce chronic lower back pain. This could be because Bikram yoga's movements help to stretch and decompact strained back muscles and herniated discs.

Better Flexibility

Many of Bikram yoga's poses, such as the camel pose, put a high emphasis on stretching the arms, torso and legs. Regular use of such yoga can help to enhance your overall flexibility and ability to stretch. Better flexibility can help reduce muscle-related injuries and strains.

Reduces Stress

Bikram and all forms of yoga require smooth precision when you're performing various poses. This can help refocus your mind away from the stresses and fears of everyday life, helping you to feel calm and more relaxed. This reduction in stress can carry over to other areas of your personal well-being, such as enhancing your sleep or your ability to cope with road rage.

Burns Fat

The increased room temperature and rigorous poses burn calories -- approximately 636 calories an hour for a 140-lb. person. Because a standard session of Bikram runs for exactly 90 minutes, that means a 140-lb. person can potentially burn more than 950 calories per session. Depending on your daily diet and other forms of exercise, that can lead to enhanced weight control or weight loss.