Back in the 1970s, Bikram Choudhury (a four-time Yoga Champion of India) created a series of poses for amateur yogis. Since Bikram developed his practice, hundreds of Bikram yoga centers have cropped up around the world, from Serbia to San Francisco. Regardless of location, each sweaty 90-minute class features the same series of postures, such as the half moon and the standing bow. According to the Bikram official website, the heat helps sweat out toxins, stretch muscles, and improve circulation throughout the body.
The heat definitely gets the heart pumping, but the jury’s still out on whether or not it counts as a cardiovascular workout. The evenly paced moves are super low-impact, making Bikram a good option for runners or anyone with sore joints. Research also shows that this form of yoga can boost strength, flexibility, and even aid weight loss .