Monday, August 15, 2011

What is Bikram Yoga?

What is Bikram yoga? It is a relatively new form of yoga and it is not included in the six traditional forms of yoga, but it is becoming so popular it deserves a very special mention.

Bikram yoga was developed by Bikram Choudhury. It takes place in a room that is at 105F with a humidity of about 40%. There are 26 postures and two types of breathing exercises.

Bikram yoga is more about detoxifying the body rather than reaching some sort of spiritual enlightenment. By forcing the body to sweat profusely, toxins are eliminated through the skin.

Additionally, the extra warmth makes the body more flexible, which helps prevent injury, relieves stress, and helps aid in deeper stretching.

Some people oppose Bikram yoga because it defeats the very principles of yoga. It has been heavily commercialized, and its creators protect it by copyright.

Hopefully this helps to answer the question "What is Bikram yoga?"