What is bikram yoga?

Bikram Yoga is also known as Hot Yoga in the west, as it involves a set of 26 specific yoga asanas (poses) that should be performed in a particular sequence, only in an environment or a room that has been pre-heated to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The entire exercise takes about 90 minutes and it should be performed every single day. The 26 poses of Bikram Yoga are:

• Pranayama Series: This is used to warm up the body, before practicing the other yoga poses.
• The Ardha Chandrasana & Pada-Hasta asana: Stand straight and join your hands high above your head, tilting your waist to the side, to form a crescent shape.
• Utkatasana: When performed, this position may appear Awkward, because it looks like you are half sitting and half standing.
• Garurasana: This pose imitates the position in which an eagle stands on earth
• Dandayamana Janushirasana: This position requires a lot of flexibility, as you need to clasp a stretched foot with both your hands. It normally requires professional help initially.  
• Dandayamana Dhanurasana: It is a very challenging pose, where you need to stand on one foot and clasp your other leg, bent with one hand.
• Tuladandasana: You need to stand on one foot, with your other leg stretched behind and the hands stretched forward, so that you resemble a balancing stick.
• Dandayamana Bibhaktapada Paschimotthanasana: This is more commonly known as The Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose, as you need to stretch one of your legs deeply.
• Trikanasana (The Triangle Pose): You need to stand with your feet apart, so that your legs form one triangle. Then bend sideways so till your hand touches the side of your foot, forming another triangle.
• Dandayamana Bibhaktapada Janushirasana: This Standing Separate Leg, Head to Knee Pose requires you to stretch, as you bend each knee.
• Tadasana: This is also called The Tree Pose, where you need to stand straight, one leg place on your thigh and your hands joined in front of you.
• Padasana: This is known as The Toe Stand Pose, which requires you to squat as you balance yourself on the toes of one foot.
• Shav asana: In The Corpse Pose, you need to relax your body, completely, so that it resembles a corpse.
• Pavanamuktasana: The Wind Removing Pose helps you in getting rid of the gas from your body.
• Sit Ups: This is the simplest Yoga pose, which requires you to sit up, after the corpse pose.
• Bhujangasana: The Snake Pose requires you to imitate the way in which a cobra stands, just before it gets ready to strike.
• Salabhasana: The Locust Pose requires you to imitate the way a locust stands.
• Poorna Salabhasana: this is also known as The Full Locust Pose.
• Dhanurasana: In this, you need to bend your body to form The Bow Pose
• Supta Vajrasana: This is also known as The Fixed Firm Pose and is one of the easiest poses.
• Ardha Kurmasana: This is known as The Half Tortoise Pose, as it needs to you imitate the way a tortoise looks.
• Ustrasasana: In The Camel Pose, you need to shape your body, to resemble a camel.
• Sasangasana: The Rabbit Pose requires you to bend your back, touching your head to the floor, so that your body, resembles a rabit.
• Janushirasana and Paschimotthanasana: This is also known as The Head to Knee Pose.
• Ardha-Matsyendrasana: The Spine Twisting Pose can be quite complicated and may you require some assistance
• Khapalbhati: The Blowing-in, Firm Pose refers to a relaxing posture.

Submitted by A on July 1, 2010 at 05:36

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