Bikram Yoga Benefits

Bikram Yoga is also popularly called "hot yoga".



It is said to build physical and mental endurance, balance and flexibility.



Bikram Yoga has its roots in Hatha Yoga and was first developed to heal Bikram Choudhury of a serious knee injury.



A life-long yoga practitioner and Yoga College of India founder, developed Bikram yoga after he was injured in a weightlifting accident. The healing benefits he discovered have attracted many to this style of Yoga and persuaded them to continue practicing it.

One student in Denver, Colorado, started practicing Bikram Yoga as part of physical therapy to heal knee injuries resulting from years of skiing. 6 weeks of dedicated practice proved the "holistic" benefits of Bikram Yoga. His knees started feeling better and other pains he had ascribed to the wear and tear of age started to disappear.

According to him, Bikram's recurring cycle – 90 minutes, 26 poses, twice each – lends itself to clinical testing, while other forms of Yoga are tougher to learn since they’re supposed to be practiced in varying and changing ways. As a matter of fact, Bikram's developed his practice with the assistance of scientists at the University of Tokyo University Hospital, who proved its medical benefits. These include regenerating tissues and helping cure chronic illnesses. Bikram Yoga supposedly affects the body internally – some poses work pressure points and use the tourniquet effect to push fresh, oxygenated blood through the body, thus reloading cells and flushing toxins.

Instructors and Yogis hype Bikram's abundant physical benefits that could include:

• Unwanted toxins eliminated
  
• Lymphatic system flushed
  
• Spinal health, lung capacity, circulation, skeletal posture and nervous system improved
  
• Flexibility, energy, stamina and metabolism increased
  
• Injury recovery
  
• Muscle tone more defined
  
• Muscle tension released
  
• Blood cholesterol regulated
  
• Restful steep
  
• Skin revitalized
  
• Immune system strengthened
  
• Renewed vitality
  
• Weight managed

With the heart working to hold each asana for 10 – 60 seconds, Bikram Yoga also offers cardiovascular benefits. Supplementary lifestyle changes, that include stress reduction, greater body awareness, sense of acceptance and appreciation for relaxation, add to the physical benefits of regular Bikram Yoga practice.