[Morlich]

I went into TST to get my Bikram yoga fix today to find to my shock and horror that Bikram Yoga does not exist anymore in HK.

It has instead been taken over and renamed to Planet Yoga Hot. Not a Bikram sign or Bikram instructor in sight.

I'm not 100% sure what happened as yet, but it seems things changed on the 5th June and all the instructors were fired!

The management there said that it changed for the better as results from market research said that members were getting bored of the same 26 postures and the classes were too long so they replaced it with Planet Yoga classes to give members more choice and variety. Which I believe is total BS!

If I wanted Planet Yoga I would of joined Planet Yoga, I joined Bikram Yoga and am mega dissapointed and pissed off that there is no more.

Being a member I would of liked to have a "choice" to choose another type of yoga instead of it being forced upon me. I paid for Bikram and I WANT to practice Bikram!

When I walked into the class I knew something just wasn't right, there was some weird "harry krishna" music going on and a new instructor at the front. It appears I had walked into a "Static Hot" class .. there were supposed to be 28 postures, but I doubt there was even 20 with the guy talking about yoga most of the time. Majority of the postures were different with some similarities and some were complex, even for long time Bikram students.

I felt the class was far too slow and I wanted to leave to see when the Bikram class would be on, but I stayed and finished it. I saw 1 girl leave after 30 mins and a lot of confused faces. I never got the workout I had wanted and hoped for and my muscles were definately not all worked out as with Bikram's 26 postures.

As expected there were many complaints from members including me and apparently some have contacted the press which will publish a story on Sunday 10th June in the Oriental Daily and The Sun newspapers. Be sure to read and get the whole story of what happened.

Hopefully we can get Bikram back in HK soon cos I miss it sooo much!

[discobay]

I know some of the members have complained and got the police involved. Eventually, the "management" - if you can call them that - gave in and allowed them to terminate their membership. Refunds have been credited to their credit card accounts. I suggest you do the same.
The holder of the Bikram franchise is trying to pull a fast one.
Bikram HQ in the US are looking at re-employing the instructors and opening a new branch.
This is so Hong Kong.

[Krad]

The founder of Bikram yoga is notorious for going after groups and companies that offer Bikram classes without pay ing him. He's patented the 26 postures for Bikram, and he will ruthlessly shut down anybody who offers to teach those classes without going through him. Probably, Bikram Yoga wasn't paying, and he caught wind of it.

[Morlich]

Dear Krad,

This isn't the case this time. Bikram was at the club during Xmas for the Yoga competition and even taught a class. I doubt he would come over hold a competition, teach at the club then shut it down.

I think it's more the fault of the owner of the Hong Kong club. i think he made a heap of money upgrading members to Tejas then sold the club to PY and ran after making a small fortune

I'm hoping the truth will come out and a new Bikram yoga club will open!!!

[Morlich]

If you are a Bikram member and wonder what you can do please join the Google Group below set up by one of the instructors Benz.

http://groups.google.com/group/bikram-hongkong

Also one of the members, Nickie, has dedicated her Blog towards fighting back for Bikram.

http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/nickie_butterfly

Please visit and show us your support for this injustice or if you are just curious what happened.

So far the Consumer Council, Police and the Press have been involved and Bikram himself and his team are working out a way to bring his Yoga back to HK, so there maybe some good news soon.

Take care all and keep up the Bikram Spirit.

Namaste

[Lammarite]

Originally Posted by Krad

The founder of Bikram yoga is notorious for going after groups and companies that offer Bikram classes without pay ing him. He's patented the 26 postures for Bikram, and he will ruthlessly shut down anybody who offers to teach those classes without going through him. Probably, Bikram Yoga wasn't paying, and he caught wind of it.

How very zen.

[jgl]

Originally Posted by Lammarite

How very zen.

Yeah, the founder is a right scumbag. He's made large amounts of money 'patenting' moves that have been part of the history of Yoga for centuries.

[Morlich]

I would definately not call him a "scumbag" as in your post. You obviously have not tried Bikram before nor know of the benefits of practicing Bikram Yoga. Just do a search on Google and you'll find heaps of stories of how people have recovered from injuries caused by sports or accidents, ailments and such where their only option according to western medicine was to pop a whole load of painkillers.

By practising Bikram Yoga and the specific postures, stimulating and repairing the cause of the injury, many people have continued to live happy normal drug-free lives instead of suffering from pain each day and depending on pills and potions.

Other benefits because it flushes out the toxins in ones body, it is known to fight off diseases and help in the recovery of cancer patients.

FYI, it is not Bikram's fault that this has happened, it is the franchee that has done a runner with the money. Please kindly get your facts right.

Originally Posted by jgl

Yeah, the founder is a right scumbag. He's made large amounts of money 'patenting' moves that have been part of the history of Yoga for centuries.

[Alby]

I don't think that patenting yoga moves that have been a part of history for hundred of years makes some one a 'scumbag'.

In fact I would argue the patenting the moves ensures preservation of the moves and that they are done correctly.

Also, the guy is innovative and a true capitalist - theese combined are not a bad thing.

[jgl]

Originally Posted by Morlich

I would definately not call him a "scumbag" as in your post. You obviously have not tried Bikram before nor know of the benefits of practicing Bikram Yoga. Just do a search on Google and you'll find heaps of stories of how people have recovered from injuries caused by sports or accidents, ailments and such where their only option according to western medicine was to pop a whole load of painkillers.

By practising Bikram Yoga and the specific postures, stimulating and repairing the cause of the injury, many people have continued to live happy normal drug-free lives instead of suffering from pain each day and depending on pills and potions.

Other benefits because it flushes out the toxins in ones body, it is known to fight off diseases and help in the recovery of cancer patients.

FYI, it is not Bikram's fault that this has happened, it is the franchee that has done a runner with the money. Please kindly get your facts right.

You've missed my point entirely. I wasn't commenting on whether yoga is healthy, or whether the guy behind Bikram is responsible for the HK club.

The form of yoga is probably great. The idea of patenting and profiting from a series of moves that has existed for hundreds or thousands of years in another culture is reprehensible.

It's just an example of how intellectual property law can be taken to ludicrous extremes.