What is Hot Yoga/Bikram’s Yoga?
Bikram’s Yoga (sometimes referred to as Hot Yoga) is a type of yoga developed by Bikram Choudhury, in California. It is a series of 26 yoga postures practiced in a hot and humid room. The temperature of the class is normally 40.5°C (105°F) with 40% humidity and classes are usually 90 minutes long.
The 26 Bikram Asanas (Postures)
1 Standing Deep Breathing
2 Half Moon Pose with Hands To Feet Pose
3 Awkward Pose
4 Eagle Pose
5 Standing Head To Knee Pose
6 Standing Bow Pulling Pose
7 Balancing Stick Pose
8 Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose
9 Triangle Pose
10 Standing Separate Leg Head To Knee Pose
11 Tree Pose
12 Toe Stand Pose
13 Dead Body Pose
14 Wind Removing Pose
15 Sit up 16 Cobra Pose
17 Locust Pose
18 Full Locust Pose
19 Bow Pose
20 Fixed Firm Pose
21 Half Tortoise Pose
22 Camel Pose
23 Rabbit Pose
24 Head To Knee Pose with Stretching Pose
25 Spine Twisting Pose
26 Blowing In Firm
In Vancouver, companies such a YYoga and West Coast Hot Yoga, and the newly opened Moksha Yoga, have developed their own unique hot yoga classes like “Power Vinyasa” and “Hot Flow” – which are practiced in moderately heated rooms: around 30°C- 32°C (86°F – 89.6°F).
Power Vinyasa integrates the breath with movement and builds strength, flexibility and core stability. Sequences include standing, balancing, seated, twisting and inverted postures that keeps the class fresh and lively.
Hot Flow includes basic sun salutations, standing and balancing postures, yoga-core specific postures, introduction to arm balancing, and hip and spinal awakening postures.
So while Bikram’s Yoga is always hot yoga, not all Hot Yoga is Bikram’s style!
Have you tried hot yoga? What do you think about this intense style of yoga?
