MILAN - A Bikram yoga session may be held in a room heated to 40 degrees and with 40% humidity, may last up to 90 minutes and participants can expect up to 26 poses. Too challenging? The results, however, are highly respected because the fans are able to feel true concentration and, by sweating, get rid of toxins and bad moods. Combined with intense hydration, this wellness trend increases health benefits.
Who is Bikram?
The inventor of the Bikram method is Yogiraj Bikram Choudhury, founder of the Yoga College of India, with offices worldwide. Born in Calcutta in 1946, Bikram began practicing yoga at age 4 with one of the most renowned body scholars of the time Bishnu Ghosh. Under his supervision, Bikram perfected his system’s 26 positions and 2 breathing techniques demonstrating the ability of yoga to regenerate tissues and heal chronic diseases. His method has spread throughout the world for over 35 years.
The health benefits
Recent research has supported a host of health benefits, including better awareness and stress levels perceived as lower, better cardiorespiratory resistance, better balance, greater strength, greater shoulder flexibility and slight decreases in body fat percentage. Given these benefits, a team of researchers at the University of Wisconsin tested a group of people to test the practice of the Bikram yoga method. Using a body temperature sensor on 20 participants between 28 and 67 years of age (7 men and 13 women), researchers found an increase in average temperature for men up to 39.5 degrees and for women up to 38.8 degrees. And in extreme situations such as these, researchers encouraged frequent and copious hydration to amplify the advantages of this method and to minimize the risks.
by editorial staff
