WHAT IS ORIGINAL HOT YOGA?
26 POSTURES AND 2 BREATHING EXERCISES IN A HEATED ROOM
ABOUT BIKRAM YOGA
Bikram yoga is the original “hot yoga”. Practiced in the United States for almost 40 years and with more than 300 studios open all over the world, Bikram yoga is a method of Hatha yoga that focuses on improving your physical health. It is firmly believed in the Bikram yoga community that the most direct way to improve the mind/body connection is to first improve the condition of the body. Bikram yoga is a powerful tool available to people who are interested in improving the quality of their lives by improving the quality of their health.
Bikram Yoga works by systematically exercising the body with its series of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises done in a heated room. The series is specifically designed to safely warm and stretch the muscles, ligaments and tendons in an order which maximizes their use and strength. The postures and deep breathing also promotes the circulation of fresh, oxygenated blood to each organ and muscle fiber. With a consistent practice, students will find themselves in their ideal weight range, with excellent muscle tone, and vibrant good health.
Why is Bikram yoga unique? The practice is one of a kind because of the heated room, and because the series has not changed since its conception over 40 years ago. Each day, in every class, students of all levels practice the same 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises together. The instructor guides classes with detailed explanation as opposed to practicing alongside the students. During class there is no music, incense, or chanting. Finally, Bikram can only be offered at certified Bikram yoga studios and never at gyms, health clubs, or yoga studios offering other forms of yoga.
Bikram Yoga is blind to gender, age, athletic ability, or flexibility. Each class will have a diverse group of individuals who, in a non-competitive environment, are working together to meet one common goal: to improve the long term strength and flexibility of their bodies and minds.
ORIGINAL HOT YOGA 26 POSTURES
#1 Standing Deep Breathing
Expands the lungs to their full capacity. Increases circulation to the whole body. Counteracts emphysema, asthma, and other breathing problems. Helps regulate blood pressure. Exercises the nervous, respiratory and circulatory systems.
#2 Half Moon/Hands to Feet Pose
Revitalizes liver, spleen, pancreas and kidneys. Corrects bad posture. Helps to eleviate lower back pain, bronchial distress, scoliotic deformities, tennis elbow, frozen shoulder. Improves circulation in the legs and to the brain. Increases the flexibility of the spine, sciatic nerves, most of the tendons and ligaments of the legs. Strengthens and firms the abdomen, hips, thighs and buttocks.
#3 Awkward Pose
Increases circulation in the knee, toe and ankle joints. Relieves rheumatism, arthritis and gout in the legs. Helps to cure slipped disc and lumbago in the lower spine. Increases hip joint flexibility. Strengthens and firms upper arms and all muscles of thighs, calves and hips.
#4 Eagle Pose
Relieves tension in neck and shoulders. Improves sexual vitality and control. Improves flexibility of all 12 major joints of the body. Strengthens and firms legs, arms, and abdomen.
#5 Standing Head to Knee Pose
Develops concentration, determination and patience. Increases pancreatic functions. Helps balance blood sugar levels. Improves flexibility of sciatic nerve. Strengthens and firms abdomen, thighs, legs, upper body and arms.
#6 Standing Bow Pulling Pose
Flushes out kidneys helping to eliminate toxins. Increases the size and elasticity of the rib cage and lungs. Helps correct high blood pressure. Helps tennis elbow and frozen shoulder. Improves the flexibility and strength of the lower spine and most of the body's muscles. Improves flexibility of sciatic nerve. Strengthens and firms abdominal wall, upper thighs, upper arms, hips, and buttocks.
#7 Balancing Stick Pose
Strengthens the heart muscle and improves circulation. Increases lung capacity. Helps tennis elbow and varicose veins. Increases the flexibility of the spine, hip, and shoulder joints. Strengthens and firms arms, hips, buttocks and upper thighs.
#8 Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose
Helps functioning of the abdominal organs. Brings blood to the brain. Stretches and strengthens the sciatic nerves and tendons of the legs. Increases flexibility of the pelvis, ankles, hip joints and last 5 vertebrae of spine. Improves the muscle tone and flexibility of thighs and calves.
#9 Triangle Pose
Improves every muscle, joint, tendon and internal organ. Revitalizes nerves, veins, and tissues. Improves crooked spines. Helps correct frozen shoulder and tennis elbow. Increases strength and flexibility of the hip joint and of the muscles of the side of the torso. Strengthens and firms arms, upper thighs, waistline and hips.
#10 Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee Pose
Increases blood circulation to legs and brain (helping with some types of headaches). Massages internal organs. Helps with diabetes and hyperacidity. Helps relieve constipation, dyspepsia, and hemorrhoids. Improves flexibility of the spine, shoulders, hips, sciatic nerve. Strengthens and firms abdomen, waistline, hips, buttocks, upper thighs.
#11 Tree Pose
Improves posture and balance. Improves circulatory disorders. Relieves tension in neck and shoulders. Increases flexibility of ankles, knees, and hip joints. Strengthens internal oblique muscles to prevent hernia.
#12 Toe Stand Pose
Develops psycological and mental powers, especially patience. Helps to cure gout and rheumatism of the knees, ankles and feet. Helps with hemorrhoid problems. Strengthens stomach muscles, weak joints, and feet (which have 1/4 of all the bones in the body).
#13 Dead Body Pose
Returns circulation to normal. Improves concentration. Helps reduce hypertension, nervousness, anxiety, and irritability.
#14 Wind Removing Pose
Massages the colon. Helps and prevents constipation and irritable bowel syndrome. Stimulates the liver, small and large intestine, and spleen. Improves flexibility of the hip joints and relieves lower back pain. Firms the abdomen, thighs and hips.
#15 Sit-up
Strengthens and firms the abdomen. Increases flexibility of the spine, hamstrings, and sciatic nerve.
#16 Cobra pose
Relieves back pain. Increases spinal strength and flexibility. Improves functioning of the large and small intestines, liver, kidney and spleen. Improves pigeon chest by opening rib cage, permitting maximum expansion of the lungs increasing oxygen intake. Improves digestion. Helps relieve lumbago, rheumatism and arthritis of the spine. Helps to cure gout, slipped disc, sciatica, tennis elbow. Helps relieve menstrual problems. Strengthens the immune system and revitalizes the thyroid. Improves flexibility of hip and shoulder joints. Strengthens and firms abdomen, hips, legs, buttocks and arms.
#17 Locust Pose
Relieves back pain. Increases spinal strength and flexibility. Improves functioning of the large and small intestines, liver, kidney and spleen. Improves pigeon chest by opening rib cage, permitting maximum expansion of the lungs increasing oxygen intake. Improves digestion. Helps relieve lumbago, rheumatism and arthritis of the spine. Helps to cure gout, slipped disc, sciatica, tennis elbow. Helps relieve menstrual problems. Strengthens the immune system and revitalizes the thyroid. Improves flexibility of hip and shoulder joints. Strengthens and firms abdomen, hips, legs, buttocks and arms.
#18 Full Locust Pose
Relieves back pain. Increases spinal strength and flexibility. Improves functioning of the large and small intestines, liver, kidney and spleen. Improves pigeon chest by opening rib cage, permitting maximum expansion of the lungs increasing oxygen intake. Improves digestion. Helps relieve lumbago, rheumatism and arthritis of the spine. Helps to cure gout, slipped disc, sciatica, tennis elbow. Helps relieve menstrual problems. Strengthens the immune system and revitalizes the thyroid. Improves flexibility of hip and shoulder joints. Strengthens and firms abdomen, hips, legs, buttocks and arms.
#19 Bow Pose
Relieves back pain. Increases spinal strength and flexibility. Improves functioning of the large and small intestines, liver, kidney and spleen. Improves pigeon chest by opening rib cage, permitting maximum expansion of the lungs increasing oxygen intake. Improves digestion. Helps relieve lumbago, rheumatism and arthritis of the spine. Helps to cure gout, slipped disc, sciatica, tennis elbow. Helps relieve menstrual problems. Strengthens the immune system and revitalizes the thyroid. Improves flexibility of hip and shoulder joints. Strengthens and firms abdomen, hips, legs, buttocks and arms.
#20 Fixed Firm Pose
Helps to cure sciatica, gout and rheumatism in the legs. Helps to prevent hernia. Strengthens and improves flexibility of lower spine, knees, and ankles. Firms thighs, calf muscles and strengthens the abdomen.
#21 Half Tortoise Pose
Provides maximum relaxation. Stretches lower part of the lungs increasing blood circulation to the brain. Good for diabetes and anemia. Massages heart, lungs, and coronary arteries. Increases flexibility of the hip and shoulder joints. Firms abdomen and thighs.
#22 Camel Pose
Stretches abdominal organs and cures constipation. Stretches the throat, thyroid gland and parathyroid. Stimulates the nervous system. Opens rib cage to allow for maximum expansion of the lungs. Maximum compression of spine improving flexibility of the neck and spine. Firms the abdomen and slims the waistline.
#23 Rabbit Pose
Maximum stretch of the spine allowing nervous system to receive proper nutrition. Maintains mobility and elasticity of spine. Nurtures the nervous system, helps with depression. Improves digestion. Helps cure sinus problems, colds and chronic tonsillitis. Strengthens and firms abdomen and back muscles.
#24 Head to Knee with Stretching Pose
Helps balance blood sugar levels. Improves kidney function. Improves digestion. Improves the flexibility of sciatic nerves, ankles and hip joints. Strengthens and firms abdomen and arms.
#25 Spine Twisting Pose
Increases circulation and nutrition to spinal nerves, veins, and tissues. Improves spinal elasticity and flexibility. Helps cure lumbago and rheumatism of the spine. Improves digestion. Firms abdomen, thighs and buttocks.
#26 Blowing in Firm
Increases circulation. Removes toxins. Strengthens all abdominal organs. Trims the waist line.