Bikram yoga acquired the nickname "hot yoga" based on the fact that students practice in studios heated to about 105 degrees Fahrenheit with at least 35 percent humidity. According to founder Bikram Choudhury, who introduced to the 26-posture series to the U.S. in the 1970s, the heat and humidity are meant to replicate the climate in his native India, the birthplace of yoga. Get your doctor's approval before practicing hot yoga.
Theory
Bikram yoga theory holds that the heat loosens the body's joints, helping students move more deeply into postures, and moves toxins out of the body via sweat. On a more esoteric level, the heat of Bikram yoga is supposed to facilitate students' ability to remain "present" in practice and to transcend discomfort using the power of the mind over body. Bikram yoga students usually practice on a yoga mat covered with a towel, but instructors discourage them from wiping away sweat, which wastes energy through unnecessary movement and is ultimately pointless because the sweat immediately reappears.
Acclimatization
The intensity of the heat in a Bikram yoga class can be surprising to beginning practitioners. Instructors encourage first-timers to approach the practice gently and to lie down in Savasana, or Corpse Pose, if they begin to feel overheated or lightheaded. The goal of a first-time practitioner is simply to remain in the studio for the duration of the class. Most students find that over time their bodies adjust and the heat becomes less noticeable.
Controversy
As Bikram yoga gained popularity, some critics decried the high heat as a health risk. In a "New York Times" story published in 2004, Dr. Nieca Goldberg noted that because performing physical activity in high heat places extra demands on the heart and circulatory system, smokers or people suffering from high blood pressure or obesity should not practice hot yoga. Practitioners of Bikram yoga should take care to hydrate themselves before, during and after a session, according to other experts quoted in the article. Bikram instructors encourage students to hydrate themselves thoroughly before and after class, but to sip water only sparingly during class in order to avoid nausea and other unpleasant effects.
Considerations
Although studio operators strive to maintain the temperature at a steady 105 degrees, spikes in both temperature and humidity do happen, sometimes inducing even advanced Bikram yogis to take a breather.
Not all "hot yoga" classes are Bikram yoga classes. Bikram Choudhury secured the U.S. copyright to his 26-posture series in 2002 and has successfully prevented unlicensed operators from teaching it. As a result, some yoga studios have developed their own "hot yoga" classes -- they may not legally use the Bikram name -- which are often variations on the Bikram sequence conducted in studios heated to whatever temperature the operator chooses.
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