Yoga is an ancient Indian tradition of meditation and exercise that has gained a lot of interest in the west. To make it more appealing to westerners, yoga was presented in a secular form, completely detached from Hindu religion. There have been numerous styles of yoga popularized in the west, including Bikram yoga and Moksha yoga. Both belong to a distinct category of hot yoga, which can be confusing for many. However, there are differences between the two styles that will be highlighted in this article.
What is Bikram Yoga?
Bikram yoga is a form of hot yoga, named after its founder Bikram Choudhary, who is a living master now settled in the US. He is originally from Calcutta, India, and developed Bikram yoga with his wife, who is also a yoga teacher. His set of exercises and breathing exercises are conducted in a heated room with a temperature of 40 degrees Celsius, and the duration of the class is 90 minutes. Bikram yoga evolved from hatha yoga practiced by monks in India. There are 26 poses that students must perform, along with 2 breathing exercises, all of which are completed in the same 90 minutes. Bikram yoga is the most popular form of hot yoga in the country, with fans including prominent names like Ashton Kutcher, Lady Gaga, David Beckham, Kobe Bryant, and Kareem Abdul Jabbar.
What is Moksha Yoga?
Although hot yoga is mostly associated with Bikram yoga, it is not limited to just this style, as there are many styles followed under the hot yoga umbrella. Moksha yoga is one such style, developed by Ted Grant and Jessica Robertson in Canada in 2004. Within a short time, Moksha yoga has become very popular across the US, with 30 studios teaching this form of yoga to students. This style of yoga consists of 40 exercises performed in a heated room, which has been designed to be environmentally friendly. These low-cost classes have been embraced by a large section of the population for their overall health and fitness.
Key Takeaways
- Bikram yoga is older than Moksha yoga, with its founder Bikram Choudhary establishing it in the late 70s, while Moksha yoga was introduced by Ted Grand of Canada in 2004.
- Although both are forms of hot yoga, there are fixed 26 exercises or Asanas in Bikram yoga, while there is flexibility in Moksha yoga, as there are 40 poses from which instructors and students can choose those that they find easy and efficient.
- Moksha yoga classes are environmentally friendly with specially designed studios, whereas the classes in Bikram yoga are hotter at 110 degrees, and the rooms designed for Bikram yoga often use spongy mats for students.
