I took a Bikram yoga class this morning! The pain in my shoulder is practically unbearable, and I need to find a way to strengthen my back (which has it's own issues) without hurting my shoulder. I have a Pilates reformer to target my problem areas, and I like going to the gym once or twice a week for more intense cardio and weight training. I love yoga and the flexibility it provides, but there's a problem. The more traditional yoga classes use a lot of downward facing dog, which really aggravates my shoulder.
Bikram yoga is different. It consists of 26 specific asanas (postures) which are done two time each and in a very specific order, and none of the postures are downward facing dog. It also needs to be done in a room heated to 105 degrees with 40% humidity. Actually, the way in which the practice is put together supposedly heals the body. I so hope that's true.