• Heavy sweating helps detoxify the body
• As the blood thins, the circulatory system is cleared.
• The output of cells which fight infection is increased
• The heart rate is elevated
• In Bikram yoga, weight loss is made easier because your muscles are warmed and can burn fat more easily.
• The heated environment is initially very challenging, helping to increase will power and mental strength.

As in all of the Bikram Yoga postures, learning how to breathe normally, with a steady flow of breath in and out of your nose is the key to making progress in your yoga practice. When you struggle with your breath you will struggle with your postures. In this posture, proper breathing, your ability to relax and your strength will allow you to make progress.  Begin by standing to the left side of your mat, feet together and stagger your position with your neighbor to avoid collisions. If you are using a big towel now is a good time to fold the towel in so that it is even with your mat width. Raise your arms over your head and step your right leg to the right a minimum of four feet. The wider your stance the easier it will be to stretch downwards. Bring both arms down so they are parallel to the floor, palms facing down. Make sure your heels are in the same line and turn both feet in so that they are slightly pigeon-toed. Suck your stomach in nice and tightly, and bend your upper body down slowly.  Keep your knees locked and your chin looking forward into the mirror the entire time as you go down. This will ensure that your spine stays nice and straight. Remember, as soon as you drop your gaze to the back wall or tuck your chin, your spine will no longer be straight. Setting up the posture properly and keeping good form ensures that you will be doing the posture correctly. Now grab the outside of your heels with all five fingers of each hand gluing your thumbs right next to your index fingers. If you cannot grab your heels then grab the outside of your feet, but try for your heels first. You are still getting a good stretch and are receiving all of the benefits of the posture by trying the right way. Trying the right way each and every time is the key to making progress. If your knees are bending, place both of your hands on the floor, palms down, and keep your legs straight and your knees locked.  Once you can grab your heels, pull on them as hard as possible to stretch your body down from your lower spine towards the floor. Double check that your knees are still locked, then shift your weight forward to your toes.  Try to touch your forehead to the floor.  It is perfectly ok to open your legs more in order to reach your forehead to your towel, but keep your chin forward towards your towel to keep your spine straight. You need to pull hard on your heels while at the same time relaxing your upper body downwards.  Use your head as a weight to get closer to the floor.  Learn to relax by using your breath.  This will help you to get your forehead closer to the floor. Once you are there, forehead touching the floor, you can start to bring your feet closer together to maximize your stretch and bring your forehead back closer towards your heels. Your goal is to keep your knees locked, legs straight while maintaining a straight spine. Remember the more you "struggle", the harder this will be. Quit struggling. Relax and enjoy, you will get there. Have faith in yourself.  Standing Separate Leg Stretching cures and prevents sciatica because it stretches and strengthens your sciatic nerves and the tendons of your legs. It gives your internal abdominal organs a good massage, including your small and large intestines.  It will also improve the muscle tone of your thighs and calves and give you improved flexibility in your pelvis, ankles, hips, joints and especially the last five vertebrae of your spine.  Additionally, it works as a mini facial sending all of that wonderful oxygenated blood into your face to clear and purify your skin.