An Introduction to Bikram Yoga

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Yoga is a traditional art of bodywork that originated in the ancient Indian subcontinent around 5000 years ago. Since then, yoga has stood the test of time throughout the ages, surviving to help yoga enthusiasts all around the world. Working with restoring the balance of the body, yoga has great benefits for the body that applies to the mind as well. Bikram yoga is a popular variation of the classical yoga that has taken the world by a storm in the past few decades, and is considered the most popular variation of yoga there is. Everything about Yoga, from the exercises to the Bikram Yoga clothes- is held with great reverence among yogis and yoginis.

Bikram yoga is named after the founder of the discipline, Bikram Choudhury. A native of Kolkata in India, Bikram was a prodigy of sorts, starting with the primary basics of Pilates at the age of the four. He was also the four times running champion of the country, who then took to hardcore sports like marathon and weight lifting. This is where Bikram injured his knees, and went back to his mentor, Bishnu Ghosh for rehabilitation.

The two worked on the injured knees for six tiring months according to the Hatha yoga technique. As the news of his amazing healing broke out among the mass, thousands flocked his training center to learn the secrets. It was the demand of the mass that pushed Bikram to teach yoga to them, and since then Bikram yoga has gained more and more popularity worldwide. And as far as Bikram himself is concerned, he is associated with almost everything in Bikram yoga, from the exercises to the Bikram yoga clothes.

So with all the hype, what exactly is Bikram yoga? To put it in simple words, Bikram yoga is an exercise regime that consists of 26 exercises and 2 breathing exercises. The typical Bikram yoga class lasts for 90 minutes and the same set of exercises are repeated every time the classes are conducted. However, what separates Bikram yoga from other forms of yoga is its attention to the ambience of the room it is being practiced in. In Bikram yoga, the temperature of the room is always kept at 105F or 40C, which is higher than the average temperature, thus making way for a moist environment.

Due to this extreme heat in the Bikram yoga classroom, it becomes somewhat of a challenge to keep up with the exercises that it offers. Due to this difficulty, Bikram yoga is often preferred by men as they are allowed to show their strength in this version of yoga. And Bikram yoga requires special clothes as well for the practitioners as well, which are commonly referred to as Bikram yoga clothes.

The Bikram yoga clothes are designed in a way that helps you with adjusting to the temperature of the room. The Bikram yoga clothes are generally loose fitting, and allows for ventilation to quite an extent. For this reason, new enthusiasts of Bikram yoga are often suggested to consult with an expert before choosing the perfect Bikram yoga clothes for them, thus providing with the perfect fits.

So what are the benefits of the Bikram yoga? The primary thing that differ Bikram yoga from the classical and other modifications of yoga is that it focuses more on the development of the body than the mind. The traditional yoga deals with balance of the body and the mind at the same time, developing both. On the other hand, Bikram yoga focuses more on the development of the body than the mind, as the room temperature rarely leaves any opportunity for the client to concentrate or to focus on peace of mind. Rather, the heat helps with developing the endurance, strength and healing power of the body, which is pretty much what Bikram yoga targets.

In conclusion, it can be said without a shadow of doubt that Bikram yoga is a variation of yoga that is greatly effective on the body. Due to its effectiveness on the body, it has become one of the most popular versions of yoga worldwide, especially among the male followers of the yoga exercise regime.

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