Bikram or hot yoga is one of the sweatiest workouts done during the supply of heat. This kind of workout was designed by Yogi Bikram Choudhury, hence the name ‘bikram’.

Bikram goes beyond flexibility, requiring coordination, focus and stamina through the core posturing balance and resistance. The body builds up strength around flexibility, and not the other way around. Like all other physical exercise, the benefits gained from Bikram Yoga will be heightened for those living a healthy, balanced life in parallel.

Bikram Yoga is a selected series of 26 hatha yoga postures carried out in a heated room of up to 40C. The motive was to trigger sweating; ultimately the body’s most natural and effective way of ridding itself of toxins and impurities.

Although exercising at such high temperature is challenging, there are many advantages. Oram, who teaches Bikram Yoga in London, explains how both the heat and sweating cause the blood to thin, clearing the circulation system. Oram says 40 degrees is a safe temperature to stretch and work out in as the muscles stretch more easily in the heat and the joints work well.

He explains that Heat is a catalyst to sweating, making the body detoxify and cleanse the skin.  One will experience an all-round improvement, to the circulation of blood around the body over to kidney function.  The heat also removes some of the lactic acid reducing feelings of stiffness or pain.

The challenging nature of Bikram Yoga forces to focus on mind and whatever the limits are, to face and assess them. Letting the attention switch to body and senses, from healing into feeling stretching and breathing will help one feel more balanced and calm.

In Bikram, breathing comes first in the form of pranayama and this particular breathing technique is aimed at improving the circulatory and respiratory system and opening up the chest and the lungs

The extreme heat in which Bikram Yoga is carried out can have drawbacks if one is not careful.