Scroll down for more news.

May 12, 2008
MEMORIAL DAY CHANGES: There will be no 5:30 p.m. class on Sunday, May 25 or Monday, May 26. All other classes will be held as scheduled.

May 1, 2008
BIKRAM IS COMING TO PHILLY: Mark your calendars and save this date. On Saturday, October 4 Bikram Choudury is coming to Philadelphia for his first visit in more than a decade! The historic occasion will be an all-day event and will take place at Loew's Philadelphia Hotel at 12th and Market Streets. This day with Bikram will run from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and will include a master class, lecture and posture clinic and will also serve as a re-certification for area teachers. All of this for the low price of $200! Call the hotel directly (215-231-7333) to get a special rate of $199 a night. For more information, contact Mark Drost at yoganowmark AT gmail dot com.

SIXTH ANNUAL BISHNU GOSH CUP ANNOUNCED: This year's event will take place on Sunday, October 5, 2008 at our studios. All skill levels are welcome to take part and there is a $10 registration fee. More information will be abailable soon.

May 1, 2008
COSTA RICA WITH JOEL: Take part in a special one week workshop in Costa Rica with Joel Pier. From June 21 through June 28, Joel will share his many years of experience with Bikram yoga in daily workshops and posture clinics. You will have a chance to practice in the new Bikram studio at Docelunas in the rain forest. This is truly one of the most beautiful, peaceful, and pristine places on earth, along the Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. The trip includes seven nights of lodging at the Docelunas Hotel near Jaco Beach, three meals a day, airport transfers, daily yoga, beach and jungle excursions, and area tours. Cost is $1,270 for double occupancy and $1,770 for single occupancy at the Docelunas Hotel, or $925 for double occupancy or $1,150 for single occupancy in two bedroom condos a short distance from the hotel. Airfare is not included. Call 561-827-8279 or email yoganowmark AT gmail dot com. For more information, check www.bikramdolcelunas.com.

April 30, 2008
NEW PRENATAL YOGA CLASS: We're also very excited to announce a brand new prenatal yoga class, which will be held Mondays at 10 a.m.The first class will be the day after Mother's Day, on Monday, May 12 in the fourth floor studio. This is a special class for pregnant women and women trying to get pregnant.

BROAD STREET CLOSED SUNDAY, MAY 4: The Broad Street Run is Sunday, May 4, and Broad Street and several surrounding streets will be closed. If you are planning to attend class on Sunday, please give yourself more time than usual to get to the studio.

March 19, 2008
SUNDAY COMPETITION CLASS: Interested in taking part in the competition this year? James will be holding a special competition practice on Sundays at 1 p.m. If you are interested in being a part of it, email him for details: james AT bikramphilly dot com.

WHAT'S SO HOT ABOUT BIKRAM: This is an interesting video piece about Bikram yoga and the competition.

ESAK ON YOUTUBE: Esak Garcia at the 2007 Bkram Yoga Championships in Amsterdam. Esak hosted a clinic at our studios in November 2007.

TO STRETCH OR NOT TO STRETCH: The New York Times published an article recently about stretching. Check it out here.

Jan. 26, 2008
LOCKER RENTALS NOW AVAILABLE: The facilities on the fourth floor are now open. There are a limited number of lockers available for rental on a first come/first serve basis. If you are interested, please call the studio or talk to one of the instructors.

The national Bikram yoga championship is quickly approaching, and out competitors will be leaving for Los Angeles in an attempt to win the 2008 Bishnu Charan Ghosh Cup . One of our instructors, James Pfeffer, will be competing this year. James recently extended his consecutive day streak past the 700 mark. Yes, you read that correctly, more than 700 consecutive days of Bikram yoga! Good luck to James and the other competitors who practice regularly at Bikram Philly. Speaking of the competition, the Washington Post ran this piece earlier in the week. It's a short read and interesting.

YOGAHOPE: Check out this New York Times article about a Boston organization that teaches yoga at eight area women’s homeless shelters, substance-abuse treatment programs and domestic-violence safe houses. The focus is on teaching restorative yoga. Read the article here.

Dec. 21, 2007
NEW STUDIO PHOTOS: Happy Holidays from everyone at Bikram Philly. We've updated the studio section of our website to include new photos of our upstairs studio. Take a minute and check them out.

ALL IN YOUR MIND: The New York Times published an article earlier this month about techniques used by long-distance runners to trick their minds into continuing. While it's not about Bkram yoga, we think that many of you will still find it relevant. You may have to register your email address to read it, but it's free to do so, and well worth it. Read the article here.

Dec. 3, 2007
DECEMBER SCHEDULE POSTED, HOLIDAY CLASSES ANNOUNCED: We've posted our December teacher schedule. Please note there are slight changes around the Christmas and New Year's holidays. We're looking for some feedback. On Christmas Eve Day (Monday, Dec. 24) there will be class at 9 and 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. On Christmas Day, there will be class at 9 and 11 a.m. We are considering scheduling an afternoon class if there is enough demand for it. If you would be interested in an afternoon class, please call the studio or speak with James in person.

Dec. 1, 2007
BIKRAM PHILADELPHA GIVES BACK TO UNICEF: Today is World Aids Day, and Bikram Philadelphia took part in a national effort to raise awareness and money for Unicef's Unite for Children, Unite Against AIDS campaign. Donations were collected at our 3:30 class Saturday and the money from the studio could provide six weeks of paediatric antiretroviral therapy to a child, according to organziation officials. Thanks to everyone who donated.

NYE tickets are still available. Read below for more information.

Nov. 23, 2007
NYE CLASS AT BIKRAM PHILADELPHIA: Stretch your way into 2008 with a special NYE class on 12/31/07. Can you think of a better way to ring in the new year? Immediately following class, there will be refreshments and a light vegetarian-style buffet, as well as door prizes and other special events. We will also use this night to hold a medal ceremony for the top three regional finishers in the fifth annual Bishnu Ghosh Cup Regional Yoga Asana Championship (read more below.) Proceeds from this class will be used to help send the winners to Los Angeles for the nationals. Ring in the New Year Bikram style! Only $20!!! RSVP by calling the studio.

BIKRAM IN THE NEWS: The Baltimore Sun recently ran this piece on the Baltimore regionals. Read it here. Bikram Choudhury was recently quoted in The Wall Street Journal in an article questioning whether yoga was a good cardio workout. Anyone who has taken one of his classes knows the answer is YES, but the article seems to claim otherwise. Read it here.

BIKRAM ON YOUTUBE: We hope to upload some of the Philadephia footage in the near future. In the meantime, lots of footage can be found from various regional competions. Here's some footage from New York. And here's some from Amsterdam.

Nov. 21, 2007
REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS: The fifth annual Bishnu Ghosh Cup Regional Yoga Asana Championshipis officially underway. Earlier this month, Bikram Philadelphia hosted the Pennsylvania regional championship. Winners will continue on to Los Angeles for the nationals, which take place in February 2008. Though competitive yoga is a new concept, it is increasing in popularity. Congratulations to this year's top finishers:

1st Place Male: Dan Putnam
2nd Place Male: James Pfeffer
3rd Place Male: Uli Bockhalter

1st Place Female: Alexandra Meer
2nd Place Female: Ester Suh
3rd Place Female: Diane Seyfert

Youth Division: Sophie Coran

Congratulations to the winners. Good luck at nationals!

Nov. 15, 2007
PEOPLE PAPER AWARDS: Bikram Philadelphia was recently honored by the Philadelphia Daily News with a 2007 People Paper Award. It's a great honor to be recognized as one of the top studios in the city. Thanks to everyone who voted!