Bikram Choudhury began studying yoga at the age of four. At 12, he was the youngest ever national yoga champion of India, holding the title three consecutive years until Bishnu Gosh, his guru, asked him to stop competing for the sake of other participants. Bikram went on to pursue an athletic career of as a marathon runner and a champion weightlifter, setting world record lifts and competing in the 1964 olympics in Tokyo. At age 20, a weight lifting accident severely crippled him. With the guidance of his guru, Bikram created his 26-pose series which restored his health. Quickly, he established himself as a world expert teacher, opening schools throughout the world. Combining Eastern doctrine with three years of working with doctors and scientists at Tokyo University Hospital, Bikram perfected his system.

Bikram lives and teaches at his headquarters in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles. He continues to train new teachers in his method.