Overview
Yoga practiced in hot temperatures is officially named Bikram yoga, but is sometimes known as hot yoga. Bikram yoga was started by Bikram Choudhury, a man who studied yoga in India and started his own system. Choudhury claims to perform the one true type of yoga and states that all other yoga styles practiced in the United States stray from the origins of yoga. However, many yoga practitioners do not agree with this assessment.
Heat
Bikram yoga is practiced in a room heated to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Choudhury intends the extremely high heats to create a more flexible body that can more easily move into poses. He claims the heat has the added benefit of flushing toxins from your body.
Poses
Bikram yoga includes a series of 26 poses that the official Bikram yoga website claims provide all parts of your body with "everything they need to maintain optimum health and maximum function." While these poses are included in other styles of yoga, Choudhury explains that his are performed in a specific order for maximum benefit. As you go through the movements, the poses warm you up and get you ready for the ones to come. However, a Bikram yoga practice is missing inverted poses and arm balances.
Benefits
Choudhury studied yoga in India with the yoga teacher Bishnu Ghosh. Ghosh focused on treating medical conditions through yoga, with a one-on-one system. According to Choudhury, he adapted this system to reach a wider audience by creating a sequence for beginners that would counteract the most common health concerns. However, research is needed to back up these claims. Nonetheless, Bikram yoga has the benefit of providing intense aerobic exercise. You can burn as many as 600 calories during a regular 90-minute session.
Warning
If you have high blood pressure or MS, practicing in such high heats might worsen your condition. Pediatrician Dr. Alanna Levine does not recommend hot yoga for children, as they cannot handle heat as well as adults. Further, Mark Stephens, in his book "Teaching Yoga" warns that yoga in high heat can promote injury by causing you to stretch further than your body is ready to go.
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