Bikram Yoga can be a very advanced form of yoga. It is usually practiced in a room about 105F- very hot. It uses tourniquet effect pressure to cut off some of the blood supply in parts of the body. When the pressure is released it is like a floodgate of blood. The theory is that it flushes the veins. There is some skepticism as to whether this effect does any good. I would not suggest Bikram Yoga to anyone with any blood pressure or other heart/circulatory system related problems. I would suggest trying Hatha Yoga if you are a beginner. These workouts usually include basic introductory yoga poses, and move at a gentle and slow pace. http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=723

I am a Yoga Teacher, taught in a traditional practice, and I cannot recognize this as Yoga. It is aerobics in a steam room, masked, packaged and marketed as 'Yoga'. Yoga is about listening to your body, and relaxing the mind, it is not about sweating, increasing your heart rate, and harming your body. Do not be fooled. This is not a safe practice in the long term. If you want to learn Yoga, seek a real teaching. Look for teachers trained from more traditional organizations. Consider that a certain hot 'yoga' corporation is a for profit money making scheme that feels the need for patents on asanas, and even pushed the idea of Yoga as an Olympic Sport (what a bastardization of Yoga), said corp will tell you anything to make you believe their snake oil is medicine. Medical experts have already chimed in on this. A hot 120 degree environment mixed with increased heart rate and blood pressure does not equal good health it equals heat stroke or worse. City governments put out advisories against doing any activity in high temperatures out doors, why should in doors be any different? In conclusion, yes, stay away. You can find various other styles which are much healthier. A mixture of poses, breathing and meditation is ideal. Yogajournal.com has lists of teachers, or you can just google and your locale.