Bikram Yoga or hot yoga, a yoga practice at high temperatures

Conscious TV

September 28, 2020

Bikram Yoga is a style of Hatha Yoga characterised by the fact that it is performed in rooms at temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius. As well as encouraging the expulsion of toxins through the sweat produced, the temperature helps the student to stretch much further than they normally do.

The Bikram class is characterised by postures that aim to make students more flexible. The sequence of asanas that are performed is always the same, as their creator Bikram Choudhury explains that they are very beneficial.

Although it is a very demanding class, because in addition to the temperature, the postures are strong, Bikram Yoga practices are not particularly dynamic, but the postures are held for long periods of time and build slowly.

The heat in Bikram classes increases flexibility momentarily: this means that a beginner who when folding towards the legs in Uttanasana reaches with great effort to place his hands on his ankles, in a Bikram class will be able to place his hands comfortably on the floor.

Many scholars claim that this "false flexibility" is dangerous because it leads students to overwork their muscles. In addition, people with high blood pressure or pregnant women should consult their doctors if they can practice this style, because the high temperatures can be harmful to their health. For these reasons it is extremely important to take classes with a teacher accredited by the Bikram Yoga System.

It should be noted that in any exercise, balance is very important: it is important to be flexible and strong. A healthy body needs both. Muscles that are too strong but lack flexibility or too flexible but lack strength are more prone to injury.

If you found this article interesting and continue reading about Bikram Yoga.

By Mónika Cornillac, Conscious Television .