What Is Bikram Yoga?

As yoga grows in popularity throughout the world and becoming more recognizable, yoga lessons are starting to specialize into different kinds of yoga that can be performed and one of them is called Bikram Yoga. Of these different techniques of performing yoga, Bikram Yoga was invented in the United States, instead in India, the place of origin. Let's look at what is Bikram Yoga unique from traditional yoga.

Key features of Bikram Yoga

The key feature of Bikram Yoga is the environment that it is practiced in. It is in a room that is heated to about 105 degrees Fahrenheit and with 50% humidity in the air. This is true to the philosophy of this form of yoga, which is to improve the body's breathing and flexibility and the body's circulation, according to Bikram Choudhury, the creator of Bikram Yoga. The rise in temperature helps to get the blood flowing to meet that objective.

The Poses

Although there are many different poses in yoga, Bikram Yoga is concerned with a series of 26 poses and two specific breathing exercises. These poses are so unique to this particular form of yoga that the creator of has had the specific order of these poses that he applies copyrighted. This has become an important issue, as Bikram has had his copyright for these poses challenged in court, due to claims that you cannnot copyright a series of poses that originated from traditional yoga poses.

Need A Certified Instructor

As the creator of Bikram Yoga strongly recommends, it is better to find for someone that has been certified as a Bikram Yoga instructor. Bikram Choudhury does not permit this form of yoga to be taught without a license from his company so as to control the quality of Bikram Yoga instruction. Therefore, he uses his copyrights to attempt to enforce.

Beyond legal reasoning, it makes logical sense to find someone certified in Bikram Yoga to teach you since they have undergone the training for teaching this form of yoga. This means that they can satisfactorily explain safety concerns when practicing Bikram Yoga and are well-versed in the 26 poses and the correct way to perform them in Bikram yoga. What you will get from giving Bikram yoga a shot is greater flexibility, a strong circulatory system and more controlled breathing, among other health benefits. If you are willing to brave the heat, trying Bikram Yoga might be a good way in improving your well being.