Bikram Yoga are encouraged to develop their teaching skills the longer they teach. This results in varying deliveries and distinct teaching styles. Bikram Choudhury, founder of the Bikram Yoga system, is also the founder of the Yoga College of India. Born in Calcutta in 1944, Choudhury began practicing yoga at age four. He stated that he practiced yoga 4–6 hours every day. At the age of thirteen, he asserts that he won the National India Yoga Championship and was undefeated for the following three years and retired as the undisputed All-India National Yoga Champion. Choudhury later devised the 26 postures sequence and
Ashtanga vinyasa yoga and never taught by Sharath. However most of his teachers who claim to have been taught by him will teach the above methods, exercises, & postures, even though none of what they teach is part of the Ashtanga method of instruction under Sharath. Pattabhi Jois also did not require students to independently drop back and come up from back bending before progressing to the 2nd series. Sharath changed the requirements, and has now made this mandatory. However, it is important to note that Pattabhi Jois was the founder of the system, and taught each of his original students differently, instructing