Bikram Yoga Posture Info

Pranayama Breathing

Benefits: Warms the body; promotes mental relaxation; expands lung capacity; reduces high blood pressure; detoxifies the body

Half moon Pose (Arda-Chandrasana with Pada Hastasana)

Benefits: Massages pancreas and kidneys; opens shoulder joints; improves flexibility of the spine; eases bronchial distress; relieves sciatic nerve inflammation; stimulates pituitary gland

Awkward Pose (Utkatasana)

Benefits: Improves overall body strength; opens pelvis & increases flexibility of hip joints; relieves menstrual cramping; tones muscles of the lower body; aligns the skeleton; aids digestion; corrects disorders of the immune system; reduces arthritis in the knees; improves flexibility in toes and ankles; relieves sciatica; massages liver, intestines and pancreas

Eagle (Garurasana)

Benefits: Stimulates the central nervous system; strengthens shoulders and lower body; encourages joint mobility at hip girdle; works all major joints of body; stimulates lymphatic system; improves balance; reduces occurrence of varicose veins

Standing head to knee (Dandayamana-Janushirasana)

Benefits: Strengthens major muscle groups; benefits cardiovascular system; improves circulation and flexibility; improves pancreatic functions

Standing Bow (Dandayamana-Dhanurasana)

Benefits: Excellent cardiovascular workout; opens diaphragm; increases flexibility of the shoulders; improves spine elasticity via compression; stimulates digestive system; tones abdominal and back muscles; reduces prostate problems

Balancing Stick (Tuladandasan)

Benefits: Excellent cardiovascular workout; increases blood flow to entire body; relieves stress from spine; reduces occurrence of varicose veins; strengthens shoulders and neck; stimulates pancreas, liver, spleen, nervous and circulatory systems

Separate Leg Stretching (Dandayamana-Bibhaktapada Paschimotthanasana)

Benefits: Increases circulation to the brain; centres and stretches spine; stimulates nervous system; relieves constipation; increases circulation to adrenal glands; releases tension in lower back; stimulates adrenal and reproductive systems

Triangle (Trikanasana)

Benefits: Excellent cardiovascular and muscular workout; stretches and strengthens abdominal flanks and ribcage; opens the hips; benefits kidneys, thyroid and adrenal glands; reduces the occurrence of low blood pressure, constipation, Colitis, Appendicitis, Spondylitis and menstrual disorders

Standing Separate Leg/Head to Knee (Dandayamana-Bibhaktapada Janushirasana)

Benefits: Stimulates thyroid which regulates the metabolism; balances blood sugar and lessens effects of Diabetes; massages pancreas and kidneys; exercises endocrine, digestive and reproductive systems

Tree (Tadasana)

Benefits: Aligns the skeleton; aids hip and knee mobility; tightens gluteus maximum muscles; releases abdominal tension; alleviates circulatory disorders, arthritis and rheumatism

Toe Stand (Padangustasana)

Benefits: Strengthens stomach and back muscles; strengthens weak joints; reduces arthritis in knees and legs

Wind Removing (Pavanamuktasana)

Benefits: Reduces constipation, flatulence and hyperacidity; relieves lower back pain and tension; strengthens abdominal muscles; Massages ascending, transverse and descending colon thus aiding digestion

Cobra; Locust; Full Locust; Bow (Bhujangasana; Salabhasana; Poona Salabhasana; Dhanurasana)

Benfits: Strengthens lower, mid and upper back; creates greater elasticity in the spine; stimulates circulation of synovial fluid; relieves cervical spondylosis

Fixed Firm (Supta Vajrasana)

Benefits: Strengthens and improves flexibility of lower spine, hips, knees and ankle joints; opens hips; stretches diaphragm; relieves; relieves lower back tension; tones and stretches quadrant muscles, reduces effects of Sciatica, Rheumatism and Gout; eliminates varicose veins; increases circulation to lower limbs

Half Tortoise (Ardha Kurmasana)

Benefits: Relieves migraines, relieves constipation; stretches the spine, hips and shoulder joints; helps normalise sleeping patterns; stretches lower lungs which in turn alleviates asthma; stimulates nervous system; strengthens and stretches back and shoulder muscles; improves flexion of neck, relieving tension; eliminates toxins; strengthens wrist joints

Camel (Ustrasana)

Benefits: Creates maximum compression of spine; stimulates the nervous system; opens rib cage, heart, lungs and digestive system; stretches throat; flushes kidneys with fresh blood, eliminating toxins; improves flexion of neck

Rabbit (Sasangasana)

Benefits: Relieves sinus congestion; Massages and stimulates thyroid gland; balances hormones; relieves tension in the neck, shoulders and back muscles

Separate Leg Stretching Head to Knee (Janushirasana Paschimotthasana)

Benefits: Stimulates thymus, digestive organs and immune system; stretches Achilles tendon, calf muscles and hamstring; stretches and strengthens pelvic girdle, hip joints, shoulder muscles and lower spine; increases circulation to liver, spleen and pancreas; relieves symptoms of Arthritis

Spine Twisting (Ardha Matsyendrasana)

Benefits: Stretches spine, improving elasticity and flexibility; detoxifies the body; opens bronchial muscles and rib cage; strengthens abdominal muscles; realigns the spine and relieves spinal tension; stretches and improves flexibility of hip joints; reduces arthritis of knee and sciatica; massages kidneys, liver, gall bladder, spleen and pancreas

Kapalbhati Breathing

Benefits: detoxifies the body and cleanses the lungs; develops abdominal muscles; normalises bowel movement; energises body; improves oxygenation of the bloodstream; reduces high blood pressure