Bikram Yoga is a series of 26 classic hatha yoga postures practiced in a heated room.
Each Bikram Yoga class lasts for 90 minutes, and is exactly the same each time.
We start with a simple breathing exercise. Each posture is repeated twice, with the emphasis on just trying the right way. The class ends with another breathing exercise.
All students from beginners up practice together, only working as far as each one's body will allow on that day.
The room is heated to approximately 42-45C:
To allow your muscles to stretch safely
To make your heart work harder, increasing your cardiovascular capacity
So the blood becomes thinner, improving your circulation
So you sweat, flushing toxins from the body.
During these first few classes your body will be challenged; you need to get used to the heat, start to sweat and become familiar enough with the postures to just follow the rest of the class.
This process occurs even before you start to enjoy the benefits, so it's not possible to make a clear judgement about Bikram Yoga from just one class.
