| The Bikram school of yoga offers many advantages, | | | | hospital have shown that there are some medical |
| and has been said to be life changing. It can change | | | | benefits to this kind of practice, including the |
| your perspective, and make your body feel a lot | | | | improvement of symptoms in chronic ailments, and |
| different. Bikram Yoga has been referred to as "hot | | | | tissue repair. These findings, which officially stated the |
| yoga". This is because it's performed in a very warm | | | | internal benefits of Bikram Yoga practice, were |
| room. It's meant to improve both physical and mental | | | | presented in 1972 at the International Medical |
| strength, as well as balance and flexibility. It has roots in | | | | Conference. In addition to the benefits stated above, |
| the older practice of Hatha Yoga, a technique intended | | | | these poses are also said to help replenish our cells |
| to heal both mind and body. | | | | and help us flush out toxins and help oxygenate the |
| The founder of Bikram Yoga is Bikram Choudhury, a | | | | blood. |
| yoga practitioner who created this branch of practice | | | | The healing process is most effective when all |
| after becoming injured in a weightlifting accident. He | | | | systems in the body are functioning effectively. If any |
| discovered that certain exercises improved his ability | | | | part of the body is weak, then it will be more difficult to |
| to heal, so he developed them further. Many other | | | | receive healing benefits. |
| people also found that they could benefit from Bikram | | | | Strengthening and conditioning the body is an important |
| Yoga, and the practice has spread ever since. | | | | component of Bikram Yoga, which is made up of |
| There are a number of different reasons for | | | | twenty six postures. These should be practiced on a |
| performing this type of yoga. Some do it for reasons | | | | daily basis. Many of these postures are based on |
| of physical healing, or for physical therapy. Others use | | | | traditional yoga, but they may have other Western |
| it as a spiritual or holistic practice. In one incident, | | | | elements. The postures are connected, and made to |
| involving a man who had recently suffered from an | | | | flow into one another to more effectively help treat |
| injury to his knee, the practitioner began to feel better | | | | the body. |
| after only six weeks of practice. The pain and | | | | There are no age requirements, so anyone who'd like |
| movement difficulty he suffered began to disappear. | | | | to take up doing yoga can use the Bikram method. |
| To get the most out of Bikram Yoga, it's important to | | | | However, if you have a heart condition that can be |
| practice on a regular basis. That way, you'll get the | | | | affected by high heat and exercise, you should talk to |
| best effect, and be able to do more advanced work. | | | | your doctor first. For many people, Bikram Yoga |
| Scientific data tends to back up Bikram Yoga's | | | | offers a solution to many medical problems, as long as |
| beneficial effects. Studies by the University of Tokyo's | | | | it is practiced carefully and on a regular basis. |