In a United Nations sponsored research project at Tokyo University Bikram helped doctors prove that yoga regenerates tissues and cures chronic ailments. Combining Eastern discipline and Western medicine, Bikram perfected his comprehensive system suitable for all ages and levels of fitness. Bikram arrived in the United States in 1973 at the invitation of President Nixon and the urging of Shirley Maclaine. He quickly became the foremost yoga teacher in the West as celebrities, athletes, and others began to flock to him. Since that time he has been healing thousands of students at his school in Los Angeles and traveling the world extensively, bringing the benefits of Bikram Yoga to millions of students worldwide.

Pregnant? You can still practice Bikram Yoga. Click here to see photos.

Pranayama Breathing

Half Moon
• Helps lower back pain, constipation, obesity of stomach, bronchi distress, scoliotic, deformities, frozen shoulders
• Works deltoid, trapezius, pectoralis major and hamstings
• Exercise the colon, pancreas and kidney

Awkward Pose
• Helps to open pelvic area, alleves joint pain and arthritis of the knees, strengthens lower limbs, relieves sciatica, improves flexibility in toes and ankles
• Works quadriceps and deltoids

Eagle
• Strengthens lower extremities, joint mobility for hip girdle and all 12 major joints. By creating pressure in the joints and releasing allows fresh blood supply to flow in.
• Control of sexual energies, improves function of central nervous system

Standing Head to Knee
• Improves concentration, avoids sciatica by improving circulation and flexibility, reduces diabetes, strengthens back muscles and nerves
• Works the muscular, skeletal, reproductive and digestive systems

Standing Bow
• Increases circulation to the heart and lungs
• Improves elasticity of the spine by compressing the spine
• Helps with lower back pain
• Opens diaphram and lungs

Balancing Stick
• Increases blood flow all over the body at the same time
• Clears arteries
• Builds strength in lower extremities
• Works the pancreas, kidney and spleen
• Works muscular, reproductive, nervous, and circulatory system

Separate Leg Stretching
• Helps for constipation, abdominal obesity and hyper-acidity
• Increases circulation to the brain and adrenal glands
• Good for small and large intestines

Triangle
• Good for kidneys
• Helps chemical imbalances in the system
• Helps colitis constipation, hip and back pain, spondilitis, general mobility and menstrual disorders
• Cardiovascular benefits
• Works circulatory, digestive, immune and reproductive systems

Standing Separated Leg Head to Knee
• Helps abdominal obesity, diabetes, thyroid, blood and sugar balance, pancreas and kidneys
• Works endocrine, reproductive, and digestive systems
• Works obliques, iliosoas, quads and deltoids, trapezius, biceps and triceps

Tree Pose
• Creates hip and knee mobility
• Releases abdominal tension
• Helps inflammation of the lower back

Toe Stand
• Creates balance in the body and the mind
• Strengthens stomach muscles
• Helps with arthritis, knee problems and gout pain
• Strengthens weak joints

Wind Removing Pose

The Cobra Series
(Cobra, Locust, Full-Locust and Bow)
• Works to compress and open up the spine
• Each posture works a specific section of the spine
• Creates spinal changes, helps lower back pain, scoliosis and cervical spondylosis

Fixed Firm
• Strengthens and improves flexibility of lower spine, knees and ankle joints
• Helps to cure sciatica, gout and rheumatism in the legs
• Helps varicose veins
• Helps to cure and prevent hernia

Half Tortoise
• Provides maximum relaxation
• Cures indegestion, constipation and flatulence
• Stretches lower part of the lungs – good for emphysema and asthma
• Helps diabetes

Camel
• Strengthens muscles in the back and shoulders
• Produces maximum compression of the spine, stimulating the nervous system
• Improves flexibility of the neck and spine
• Relieves backache
• Helps kypho-scolitic deformities

Rabbit
• Stretches spine, maximum extension – opposite of Camel
• Helps maintain mobility and elasticity of spine and back muscles
• Nurtures the nervous system, brings blood to the brain, helps cure depression
• Helps diabetes
• Helps with colds, sinus problems, chronic tonsillitis, sore throats and strep throat
• Good for thyroid, parathyroid and larynx

Head to Knee with Stretching
• Helps to balance blood sugar level, especially good for diabetes
• Good for the immune system, stimulates the thymus
• Improves kidney function
• Increases circulation to the liver and the spleen, pancreas, thyroid, thymus and intestines

Spine Twisting
• Only posture that twists the spine from top to bottom at the same time
• Improves flexibility of spine and hip joints
• Helps prevent slip discs
• Increases circulation and nutrition to spinal nerves, veins and tissues
• Helps sciatica
• Improves digestion
• Helps tennis elbow

Kapalbhati Breathing
• Helps to rid body of toxins
• Good for emphysema and other respiratory ailments
• Stengthens, massages and increases circulation to the abdominal organs and muscles, including the diaphram
• Good against high blood pressure and good for the heart