Bikram yoga is taught by proponents of Yogiraj Bikram Choudhury, founder of the Yoga College of India. Bikram, who began yoga at age four, is the younger brother of Paramahansa Yogananda, author of the popular book "The Autobiography of a Yogi".
Bikram yoga is done in a room that has been heated to between 90 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit, giving it colloquial name "some like it hot yoga." Each of the 26 yoga poses of Bikram are done twice and held for a certain period of time, and accompanied by the Kapalabhati breath, or "breath of fire." Undertaking the bikram yoga postures in this way allows the body to become more flexible. Hot yoga minimizes risks for injury as well, and the sweating that occurs is meant to release toxins in the body. Another hot yoga benefit is that it reduces stress, and improves blood circulation. Bikram yoga is also used to aid in the loss of weight, and helps to improve muscle tone. It has been estimated that a student will burn between 350 and 600 calories in a typical Bikram yoga class.
There is no special bikram yoga clothes required, and practitioners can wear anything they feel comfortable in. Many Hollywood celebrities have used Bikram yoga to help them reach superior levels of performance, increase energy, and improve their careers. It may well be one of the most important hit songwriting tips you will ever come across.
You will be able to find Bikram yoga retreats, classes and studios, as well as Bikram yoga teacher training, at centers throughout the country, from Los Angeles to Atlanta. There are also Bikram yoga videos and DVDs available to help you get started on your own. Bikram yoga uses the same routines in every session and every class, so whether you're a beginner taking Hot Yoga 101, or a skilled practitioner, you will know what to expect.
Bikram yoga can be done up until the third month of pregnancy, or until the time the student can no longer lie on her abdomen. After that point, yoga can still be a benefit, although special techniques, such as those outlined in Rajashree's Yoga for Pregnancy video, should be used. And assuming a healthy delivery, you can start your yoga as soon as you are out of bed with all of the exercises right away.
Bikram himself was a personal example of the benefits of yoga. At age 17, he injured his knee in a weight lifting accident, and European doctors told him he would never walk again. He was carried back to the school of his teacher, Bishnu Ghosh, and six months later he was completely recovered. Ghosh was one of the first to document the ability to cure physical ailments and heal the body using yoga.
