What is Bikram Yoga?

The following information was gathered from various internet sources including Wikipedia, The Official Bikram Yoga Website, and others.

Bikram Yoga is a system of yoga that Bikram Choudhury synthesized from traditional yoga techniques and popularized beginning in the early 1970s. Bikram Yoga's goal is toward general healthiness. Classes run exactly 90 minutes and consist of a set series of 26 postues and 2 breathing exercises. Bikram Yoga is ideally practiced in a room heated to 105F (40.6C) with a humidity of 40%.

Why So Hot?

Yoga changes the construction of the body from the inside out, from bones to skin and from fingertips to toes. So before you change it, you have to heat it up to soften it, because a warm body is a flexible body. Then you can reshape it the body any way you want.

The heated studio facilities deeper stretching and injury prevention, while reducing stress and tension. Bikram claims that his system stimulates and restores health to every muscle, joint, and organ of the body. The yoga increases circulation to all organs in the body, which helps prevent heart disease and organ failure. According to Choudhury, many people only use up to 50 percent of their lung capacity and thus the lungs must be stretched in order to withstand holding more oxygen.

Bikram is a sweaty sweaty yoga. For beginners, it can be quite scary. It's normal to feel nauseous or dizzy and to want to constantly wipe your face and hands with a towel. But over time you learn to love the sweat.

The 26 Postures in Sanskrit and English. I've posted them in both languages because you hear both languages in the class. It's not important for beginners to remember the order or the names as teachers tell you exactly what to do for each posture each and every time. The postures are always followed like this; no one posture is ever skipped or changed. Each posture helps prepare the body for the next.

1. Pranayama Series: Standing Deep Breathing
2. Ardha Chandrasana with Prada-Hastasana: Half Moon Pose with Hands to Feet Pose
3. Utkatasana: Awkward Pose
4. Garudasana: Eagle Pose
5. Dandayamana - JanuShirasana: Standing Head to Knee Pose
6. Dandayamana - Dhanurasana: Standing Bow Pulling Pose
7. Tuladandasana: Balancing Stick Pose
8. Dandayamana - Bibhaktapada - Paschimottanasana: Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose
9. Trikonasana: Triangle Pose
10. Dandayamana - Bibhaktapada - Janushirasana: Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee Pose
11. Tadasana: Tree Pose
12. Padangustasana: Toe Stand Pose
13. Shavasana (Savasana): Corpse Pose (Dead Body Pose)
14. Pavanamuktasana: Wind Removing Pose
15. Bhujangasana: Cobra Pose
16. Salabhasana: Locust Pose
17. Poorna - Salabhasana: Full Locust Pose
18. Dhanurasana: Bow Pose
19. Supta - Vajrasana: Fixed Firm Pose
20. Ardha - Kurmasana: Half Tortoise Pose
21. Ustrasana: Camel Pose
22. Sasangasana: Rabbit Pose
23. Janushirasana with Paschimottanasana:
24. Head to Knee Pose with Stretching Pose
25. Ardha - Matsyendrasana: Spine Twisting Pose
26. Khapalbhati: Blowing In Firm

Throughout my journey, I will be going through the series in more depth by writing about each posture/breathing exercise separately. I am in no way trained so I will just be getting information from various sources and posting them accordingly.

Peace, Love, Yoga :)