A. It takes more than a hot room and a list of postures to make your Bikram Method Yoga practice a safe, rewarding experience. Bikram Method Yoga is a specialized form of yoga, requiring appropriate training and knowledge to teach it effectively.

Bikram Choudhury, the creator of Bikram Method Yoga, personally trains and certifies his instructors to ensure that his methods and philosophy are preserved and properly taught. To be certified as an instructor in the Bikram Method of Yoga, an instructor must complete an intensive nine-week training requiring over 500 hours of study. A studio guided by a Certified Instructor provides the best possible instruction in the Bikram Method. Certified Instructors have a continuing connection to Bikram Choudhury and his training staff, allowing the Certified Studio to draw from all of the resources Bikram's training center has to offer. This includes special seminars, posture clinics, guest instructors, and answers to questions which may arise in a particular student's practice.

Anyone can claim they teach "Bikram Yoga," but unless there is a Certified Instructor supervising how and what is taught at that studio, you are not getting true Bikram Method Yoga.                        credit--Bonnie Kuykendall

If this is completely impossible to arrange, then move more slowly and carefully, and breathe more deeply into the postures.

Some of my best classes were when I walked into class feeling weak, tired, unbalanced, and just deciding to treat myself gently and lovingly no matter how I did.  You'll be amazed and surprised at the results! A whole new dimension to your practice!

80-20: Start your posture with a deep breath, and with lifted ribs and firmed, stretched abdominals, hold the breath in as if you were about to dive into a pool.  Then as you're in the posture, breathe normally keeping your lungs 80% full.  Exhale only the upper 20% of the breath and inhale into that upper 20%.  This method of breathing is used in Half Moon, awkward pose, Eagle, standing head to knee, Standing bow pulling, Balancing stick,  and Triangle.

Exhalation: For the forward bending postures, such as Pada-hastasana and standing separate leg forehead to knee, simply exhale as you go into the posture, and then breathe normally while in the pose.

The standing pranayama breathing in the beginning of the series teaches you how to use your abdominals correctly to support the breath and the body in the postures.  The feeling should be that your abdominals stay stretched and toned during the whole posture, both for the inhale and exhale. When your abdominals support the posture, your ribs can expand properly to allow the breath to fill the lungs.  This trains all the muscles and organs involved in respiration; it regulates all the processes around respiration.

The room is kept at this temperature to keep the body from overheating (contrary to popular belief), protect muscles to allow for deeper stretching, detoxify the body (open pores to let toxins out), thin the blood to clear the circulatory system, increase heart rate for better cardiovascular workout, improve strength by putting muscle tissue in optimal state for reorganization, and reorganize lipids (fat) in the muscular structure.

I am used to weights and gym work and am a very devoted exerciser but I've never had legs pains from gym work. What do you suggest?

Muscle imbalance creates a lot of problems. Check to make sure there is good alignment with the left and right side of the quads.  Balance with the foot in alignment and the weight in alignment. Remember, the body follows the eyes. Be careful to do the postures correctly, because you are creating an imprint that is hard to undo.

Breath is the only way to affect the involuntary systems. Oxygen deprivation is a major cause of spasms, other muscle pains, and sciatica. Use breath to break through fear of pain-- sigh a relaxed sigh. Deep diaphragmatic breathing is best when dealing with lots of resistance. Send the breath there--breathe through the nose.

And finally, honor your boundaries, but expect them to expand. Have faith!

Blood and calcium are brought to the bones. Working against gravity strengthens the bones. The organs of the immune system within the bones (red marrow) are boosted.

The lymph nodes are massaged, lymph is pumped throughout the body, and white blood cells are distributed throughout the body as the lymphatic system works more efficiently.

There is compression and extension to the thymus, spleen, appendix and intestines; lungs are stretched and flushed out by increased blood circulation. The endocrine glands are encouraged to secrete appropriate hormones, and the communication between hormones and various glands and systems of the body is perfected. Toxins and waste are eliminated through the organs of elimination.

The nerves are stimulated by compression and extension, improving communication within the systems of the body and  supplying fresh blood, oxygen and nutrients throughout. The brain is stimulated by improved circulation and by varying blood pressure.

• Half moon
• Eagle
• Standing Bow and Bow
• Standing separate leg stretching, and standing separate leg stretching forehead to knee
• Triangle
• Wind Removing Pose
• Half Tortoise
• Camel
• Rabbit
• Seated Head to Knee with Stretching Pose
• Spinal Twist

A. For pregnancies that are not high risk, practicing yoga during pregnancy decreases pain of the lower back and joints, strengthens the mind, helps digestion and clear toxins via moderate heat. Improved breathing, fluid and hormone balance, prevention of varicose veins are among the specific benefits you will receive for your pregnancy.

Regular practitioners can continue to practice without modification from the start of pregnancy up until the beginning of the second trimester. First timers, the out-of-practice, and artificially inseminated should wait until the beginning of the second trimester

For the last two trimesters, a specific pregnancy routine, as outlined by a certified Bikram Yoga Instructor and by "Rajashree's Yoga for Pregnancy" video, should guide the practitioner.

If your delivery was healthy and normal, Bikram recommends that you start your yoga the moment you are out of bed. Post-partum, continue the pregnancy routine for another 6 months.


Avoid compression on diaphragm/heart:
Because pregnancy naturally imposes pressure on the diaphragm and heart, pregnant yoginis should avoid poses which increase such pressure. As indicated in Rajashree's video, the practitioner avoids diaphragm and heart pressure by:

• Modifying or substituting Bikram poses.
• Eliminating 3 poses: Standing head to knee, Standing separate leg forehead to knee, and Rabbit.
• Ignoring regular Bikram commands to "push hips forward" and "suck in the stomach."
• Breathing normally and never holding breath.

If cleared by one's doctor, Pregnant Yoginis may stand in the cooler part of the room. 

You can derive these benefits from practicing Bikram yoga. Use this formula to find your target heart rate.

220   your age X 60% and X 90%

For example, a 30-year old would calculate his target zone using the above formula: 220-30=190. 190x.60=114 and 190x.90=171.

This individual would try to keep his heartrate between 114 (low end) and 171 (high end) beats per minute.
You can take your pulse during class and see that due to the nature of the asanas, your heart rate and respiration become elevated to your target level. This can help you determine how intensely to work during class.

Bikram yoga works on the digestive system to clean out the stomach and intestines, balance pH in the stomach, and normalize blood sugar. Since bikram yoga balances the  nervous system, endocrine and immune defense systems, they begin to work together more efficiently. Improved circulation to all cells ensures proper metabolism of all nutrients, including stored fats.

Bikram does recommend chewing food carefully, and eating smaller, more frequent meals rather than three monstrous ones. The stomach should never be left empty, for then the powerful stomach juices have nothing to eat except the stomach lining.   

Then begin by teaching yourself one new posture each day, starting with the first pose, and adding the next one the second day, and so on.  This will build your strength and help you to remember the postures in order.

Some tips: Set aside a special time of the day to create a regular daily practice.   Set aside a regular practice area in your home, and if possible, equip it with a mirror and an extra heater or two. Wear clothing that does not restrict your movement. Do not eat within 2-3 hours of practice.

If you get discouraged, be patient, keep trying with "bulldog determination" and don't give up! When you see yourself progressing, you will become encouraged, and want to continue practicing all the more.