Bikram yoga is a series made up of 26 poses and 2 breathing exercises. Every posture (minus the final spinal twist) is done twice, so there is always a second chance to improve your alignment and to go deeper. The class is conducted in a heated room in order to warm you up from the inside out, from the bones to the skin. This heat makes it possible to stretch tendons and muscles easier and to help prevent injury or over-strain. Bikram Yoga's twenty-six posture exercises systematically move fresh, oxygenated blood to one hundred percent of your body, to each organ and fiber, restoring all systems to healthy working order promoting proper weight, muscle tone, vibrant good health, and a sense of well-being.

This yoga is designed for you whether you are a beginner or experienced yogi; whether you wish to reduce symptoms of chronic illnesses or wish to do yoga as preventative medicine. Not only does the body improve, but you can begin to focus more, breath more deeply and ultimately learn how to find calm in not so calm situations!

Physically Bikram Yoga :

• Stretches muscles, connective tissues and tendons;
• Helps prevent injuries;
• Increases circulation to tissues and organs;
• De-toxifies all the systems of the body.

Mentally, Bikram Yoga works on the 3 "D's":

• Your determination to get to class and on your mat;
• Your discipline to listen to instructions and be coach-able;
• Your desire to improve your body and your life!

Spiritually, Hatha yoga is like saying your prayers with your body. Furthermore, Bikram states that the mirrors we use in class are like a cosmic mirror in which we begin to see into our souls: how we react to situations, how we perceive ourselves and how we deal with struggle.

Congratulations on being pregnant! If you're an experienced Bikram Yoga practitioner, you can continue practicing during your pregnancy. Click here for pictures showing you how the postures are modified during your pregnancy, but remember to talk to us first, and always consult your doctor about your practice.

During pregnancy, you'll have a hormone called relaxin moving through the body, which softens bones and joints to prepare you for giving birth. This can make you vulnerable to over-stretching because you may feel like you are more open, but not necessarily stronger. Because of this, avoid going further into poses than you are accustomed to. Secondly, make sure you ease off on the abs during pregnancy. Less abdominal support will mean less support for the lower back, so again, go easy.

New to Bikram? If you have never done Bikram Yoga before, we recommend you wait until after giving birth before you join us in the hot room ... we'll be waiting, and so will Sebastian!