1) heat 105°F (40.5°C) thus, sweat
2) clapping
3) sandwich analogies
4) mirrors
5) 26 postures which never change and are always given in the same sequence.
To read more about the founder of Bikram's who tried to trademark his style of yoga go here.
Thankfully Bikram teachers must train for almost two months with Bikram himself before becoming certified. So they are aware of the different modifications of postures for different body types and articulate well about how a pose may feel.
Bikram North York is close to my house. In the dead of Canadian winter is my favorite time to embrace the hour and a half class' sweltering heat.
The studio is functional, enough space in the change room for all the ladies.
This is the only studio I have ever been to in my life where a teacher has urged us to "hurry up" and rush through the postures. Bikrams has been critisized for their endorsement of competitiveness in yoga on the grounds that it deviates from yoga's true nature and purpose and it shows.
The mirrors are another way of making the focus more physical.
I enjoy that the heat and the teachers encourge me to go deeper in the postures and I am prepared for the postures, there are never new variations with poor instructions.
I do not enjoy the slightly military undertone: this is the way you do it--we have no props here to help you, no Baron Baptiste variations to help you align your spine (and scolliosis).
The sweat created in a Bikram's class leaves me feeling deeply cleansed and is slightly addictive. Bikram's is like Burning Man, I think everyone should try it atleast once.
