Hot yoga can refer to any yoga class done in a heated room. The room is usually maintained at a temperature of 95-100 degrees. Most often, hot yoga tends to be a flowing, vinyasa style of practice in which the teacher instructs a series of linked poses. As you can imagine, a vigorous yoga session at high temperature promotes profuse sweating and makes the body very warm.
What is Bikram Yoga?
Living yoga master Bikram Choudhury is a hot yoga innovator. His method of hot yoga is a set series of 26 yoga postures, including two pranayama exercises, each of which is performed twice in a single 90-minute class. Choudhury, who was born in Calcutta, India in 1946, founded the Yoga College of India in Beverly Hills in 1974. He and his wife Rajashree were both yoga champions while growing up in India. Choudhury has been involved in several lawsuits over his attempt to copyright his series of 26 poses done in a hot room. At the heart of the controversy is Choudhury's desire to prevent anyone teaching yoga in a heated room from calling their class "Bikram Yoga." He would like to reserve this title only for those teachers who are certified by his Yoga College of India and who stick to his prescribed method exactly (including not only the temperature of the room and order of poses, but also the carpet and mirrors in the room and his approved text).
In 2003, Choudhury successfully sued a Los Angeles yoga studio for copyright infringement. Choudhury became the defendant in 2004, when he was sued by a San Francisco-based collective of hot yoga teachers who had received cease-and-and desist letters over their unauthorized use of the Bikram method. The plaintiffs argued that yoga cannot be copyrighted, but reached a settlement in 2005 in which Choudhury agreed not to sue them and they agreed not to use the Bikram name. Choudhury filed another high-profile suit in 2011, this time against the New York-based donation studio Yoga to the People. Bikram remains a very controversial figure in the yoga world.
Hot Yoga Tips and Cautions
Wondering if you can "sweat out toxins" doing hot yoga? Read this: Sweating Out the Toxins: Myth or Reality?
It is essential to have your own yoga mat and towel when doing Hot Yoga since you will be sweating so much. Students tend to wear very little clothing for the same reason.
Make sure to drink plenty of water before and after class so you don't get dehydrated. It is not advisable to eat during the two hours before class.
If you want to try Bikram's method, make sure the Hot Yoga studio you choose has been certified to teach Bikram Yoga.
Hot Yoga is not advised for pregnant women, since it can raise the core body temperature.
