A lot of people now believe that holistic health is the only way to ensure continued and true fitness. One of the tenets to alternative and total healing and recovery steadily gaining popularity around the world is Bikram Yoga.



Bikram Yoga's twenty-six posture exercises proposes that it systematically moves fresh, oxygenated blood to one hundred percent to each organ and fiber, restoring all systems to healthy working order for the recovery of the body's natural ideal state.

After constant practice, Bikram says that the proper weight, muscle tone, vibrant good health, and a sense of well-being will automatically follow.

While traditional medicine may be skeptical of Bikram's claims, the principle behind this particular type of yoga is quite straightforward: During practice, muscles are contracted and stretched at a cellular, biochemical level and because of this, lipids and proteins reorganize optimally in such stretching, allowing for better circulation.

Joint mobility and range of motion is increased, and the recovery of strength is built by the use of gravity while muscles and joints are balanced.

Make No Bones About It

Blood and calcium are brought to the bones through the poses. While holding one of the routine 26 poses, one works against gravity which strengthens the bones. The organs of the immune system within the bones (red marrow) are boosted and any damage results in recovery.

Take Out The Trash

Some of the poses entail compression and extension to the thymus, spleen, appendix and intestines. Also, the lungs are stretched and flushed out by increased blood circulation.

The endocrine glands are encouraged to secrete appropriate hormones, and the recovery of communication between hormones and various glands and systems of the body is perfected. Toxins and waste are eliminated.

Stimulation Is Key

The nerves are stimulated by compression and extension poses, which improves and eventually allows full recovery of the proper communication within the systems of the body while supplying fresh blood, oxygen and nutrients throughout.

The brain is stimulated by improved circulation and by varying blood pressure brought about by constant practice.

Speedy Recovery

Bikram's yoga, which consists of 26 challenging poses done in 90 minutes is based on Bikram Choudhury's very own experience of injury and recovery. At seventeen, he injured his knee during a weight-lifting accident and leading European doctors said that he would never walk again.

He then had himself carried back to his yoga teacher's school, and six months later, his knee had a miraculous recovery.

Bikram was then asked by his teacher to start several Yoga schools in India. The schools were so successful that at Bishnu's request Bikram traveled to Japan and opened two more. He has since brought his curative methods of Yoga therapy around the world.

Grey Matter

Bikram's yoga is pretty new in terms of other yoga practices. In fact, not only is Bikram attacked by skeptics in the world of medicine but a lot of hard core yogis think that Bikram is not authentic yoga.

Whatever the case against Bikram and his yoga school, there's no denying the benefits and testimonials of a lot of its practitioners around the world that have experienced recovery from physical ailments.

Perhaps it's all in the mind.