Bikram Yoga

In the practice of Yoga, there are only a few major styles regularly practiced in the West. The most common form which most people constitute as Yoga is known as Hatha. The other major form is known as Bikram Yoga.

Bikram Yoga is known by those in the practice as a hot style of the art in which one generally practices this form in temperatures greater then 105°F and with humidity levels in excess of 40%. There are a total of 27 different postures used in this style and the average class will last an hour and a half.

It was originally developed by Bikram Choudhury who developed the form in Beverly Hills and has since developed the Bikram’s Yoga College of India which is found in Los Angeles. He was trained in Calcutta at the Bishnu Ghosh School and currently holds two different copyrights on his form of Yoga. Each and every single teacher is required to undergo training and receive certification directly through him.

Today, Bikram Yoga is found in more then 500 studios world wide, most of which are owned exclusively by Bikram himself. Since its opening, his college has trained more then 3,000 instructors which have since made Bikram Yoga available all over the world.

In practicing Bikram Yoga, you must be ready to endure the hotter temperatures and higher humidity associated with the art form. In most cases, they are performed in specially designed heat rooms which allow them to maintain the constant 105°F temperatures as well as the 40% humidity needed to get the most out of this style.

The increased temperatures and humidity help the student to cleanse their body of toxins while they are practicing the postures. This is done in line with the concept of Yoga which is that of purifying both the body as well as the soul. The concept of performing Yoga in warmer conditions is nothing new, as it has been practiced for centuries in India where the average temperatures of some regions can average those levels on a yearly basis.