Bikram Choudhury Yoga
Bikram Choudhury, as the name may suggest, is the founder of Bikram Yoga, or better known as Hot Yoga, due to the nature of the environment in which this form of yoga is practiced in. Bikram Yoga consists of 26 signature yoga postures which have been copyrighted by Bikram Choudhury himself, but what makes Bikram Yoga particularly unique is the hot environment in which it is performed. Hence the name, Hot Yoga; the 26 yoga postures are practiced in a room that is set at a temperature of 105 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Though at a first glance, Bikram Yoga may seem a bit odd and out of the ordinary, it is one of the most popular forms of Yoga practiced in today’s society. Because of the exceptionally hot environment that Bikram Yoga is practiced in, the heat allows the muscles of the human body to become relaxed and more loose, enabling the various stretches and twists incorporated in the copyrighted 26 signature postures created by Bikram Choudhury. The heated temperature also works up a good sweat, releasing toxins and cleansing the body through natural methods without any artificial products. Bikram Choudhury is considered a guru and a genius in the yoga world, and his form of yoga has revolutionized how thousands of people all around the globe practice yoga.
Bikram Choudhury was born in Calcutta, India in the year 1946, and since early childhood, Bikram Choudhury was always a yoga enthusiast. The relationship between Bikram Choudhury and his former mentor and first yoga teacher, Bishnu Ghosh, eventually blossomed throughout the years, and this teacher-student relation actually started a revolution of introducing yoga to people of different nations. At Bishnu Ghosh’s request, Bikram Choudhury opened up several yoga school throughout India, which eventually spread out into Japan, and finally landed in the United States, where Bikram Yoga became an instant hit. Due to the strategic placement of his first school situated in San Francisco, California, Bikram Choudhury’s popularity exploded within the first few years after his school’s opening. Bikram Yoga became extremely popular among celebrities, athletes, and almost anybody who wanted to become fit and into better health.
As a teenager, Bikram Choudhury suffered from a weight-lifting accident which crippled his knee. Doctors at the time did not expect Bikram Choudhury to make a full recovery, and were even doubtful about his ability to walk anymore, let alone practice yoga or continue lifting weights. However, a stubborn and determined personality refused to believe that what he loved doing in yoga was going to be stripped away from him, leading him to find his way back to his mentor Bishnu Ghosh. The ingenious and innovative methods of Bishnu Ghosh had allowed Bikram Choudhury to make a full recovery in his knee, and thus began Bishnu Ghosh’s claims that yoga can cure ailments and heal the body to be scientifically proven.
Bikram Choudhury’s main school is now located near Hollywood, California, and continues to enjoy considerable success and exposure. There are also thousands of certified Bikram Yoga instructors located all throughout the nation, and this form of “Hot Yoga” continues to be one of the most popular and practiced exercises today.