Get Detailed Guide of 26 Bikram yoga Poses & Benefits

Find out 26 Bikram Yoga posture and their benefits. Explanations of each Bikram Yoga pose, their benefits with high quality photos - http://www.bikramyogaposess.org

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26 Bikram Yoga Postures and Two
Breathing Exercises

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1. Standing Deep Breathing
Pranayama Series
Benefits:
 Teaches you to use 100 percent of your lungs.
 Most people use only a small percentage of their lung capacity, never allowing the
lungs to reach the maximum expansion that nature intended.
 Expands the lungs and increases circulation, elevating your core temperature and
preparing the muscles for exercise.
How to Do:
 Make sure to breath slowly as this will facilitate lung expansion.
 Keep your back straight all the time and do not bend backwards. This will
be easier to achieve if you suck your belly in so that your rib cage
protrudes a bit.
 As you exhale, tilt your head back slightly, while keeping your eyes open.
 Shoulders should be kept in line with hips. Hips should be kept forward
(you’ll achieve this by slightly squeezing your buttocks).
 When exhaling, make sure to breath out completely to get rid of every bit
of CO2 in your lungs.
 Finally, don’t worry if you feel a little dizzy during this pose or if you
feel a slight pinch in the shoulder area – these are completely normal
symptoms and indicate that you are doing things right.
Do the above pose that mention in chart for a few minutes, and then move on to
the remaining Bikram Yoga Postures, outlined below:

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2. Half-Moon Pose with Hands to Feet Pose
Ardha Chandrasana & Pada-Hastasana
Ardha Chandrasana
Half-Moon Pose
Benefits:
 Firms and trims the waistline, hips, abdomen, buttocks, and thighs.
 Improves and strengthens every muscle in the central part of the body,
especially the abdomen.
 Increases flexibility of the spine, corrects bad posture, promotes proper
kidney function, and helps to cure enlargement of the liver and spleen,
dyspepsia, and constipation.
 Increases flexibility and strength of the rectus abdominis, latisimus dorsi,
oblique, deltoid, and trapezius muscles.
Pada-Hastasana
Hands to Feet Pose
Benefits:
 Firms and trims the waistline, hips, abdomen, buttocks, and thighs.
 Increases the flexibility of the spine as well as the glutes, hamstrings,
calves.
 Greatly improves blood circulation to the legs and brain, and strengthens
the rectus abdominis, gluteus maximus, oblique, deltoid and trapezius
muscles.
How to Do:
 Lock arms and fully engage arm muscles
 Straighten body towards ceiling
 While bending backwards, evenly distribute this bend over all of your
spine
 During Hands-to-Feet pose, glue body to legs and move elbows as close
to each other as possible behind calf muscles
 Lift hips up towards ceiling while moving face increasingly further down
your shins

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6. 6

3. Awkward Pose
Utkatasana
Benefits:
 Strengthens and firms all muscles of upper and lower legs, and hips, also
improves hip mobility.
 Strengthens and tones the upper arms, shoulders and abdomen.
 Increases blood circulation in the knees and ankle joints and relieves
rheumatism, arthritis, and gout in the legs.
 Helps to cure slipped disc’s and lumbago in the lower spine.
How to Do:
 Maintain 6-inch gap between knees and hands while keeping them
parallel to floor
 Ensure that shoulders stay down by relaxing them throughout all 3 stages
of this pose
 Ease exhaustion by focusing on stretching arms out
 Keep fingers together
 Breathe at normal pace

7. 7



4. Eagle
Garurasana
Benefits:
 Supplies fresh blood to the sexual organs and the kidneys, increasing
sexual power and control.
 Firms the calves, thighs, hips, abdomen, and upper arms.
 Improves the flexibility of the hip, knee, and ankle joints and strengthens
the latisimus dorsi, trapezius, and deltoid muscles.
How to Do:
 Remember to breathe
 Pull in stomach and keep it away from thighs
 Position fingers below nose
 Keep palms together
 Enter sitting posture and maintain straight spine
 Squeeze knees and thighs together in all areas that you feel contact
between them to increase tourniquet effect
 Focus body weight onto heel of standing foot and eventually eliminate
gap between wrapped foot and back of standing leg

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9. 9

5. Standing Head To Knee Pose
Dandayamana – JanuShirasana
Benefits:
 Helps develop concentration, patience, and determination.
 Improves balance.
 Tightens abdominal and thigh muscles.
 Improves hamstring and hip flexibility.
 Strengthens all the leg muscles, in addition to the deltoid, trapezius,
latisimus dorsi, scapula, and
How to Do:
 Evenly distribute weight over 4 points of standing foot
 Lock knee of standing leg
 Maintain tight grip with all 10 fingers
 Keep non-standing leg parallel to floor
 Suck in stomach and contract abdominal muscles
 Move foot toward face and past perpendicular position
 Touch elbows to calf muscle
 Tuck chin to chest, round spine, and touch forehead to knee

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6. Standing Bow Pulling Pose
Dandayamana – Dhanuraiana
Benefits:
 Improves mental determination and develops balance
 Tightens abdominal and thigh muscles
 Tightens arms, hips, and buttocks.
 Improves posture, while increasing elasticity of the rib cage and the lungs
 Improves flexibility and strength. of the spine, legs, hips and shoulders.
How to Do:
 Grab ankle joint and maintain firm grip using all 5 fingers
 Bring knees together
 Raise arm up and stretch it toward ceiling
 Keep knee locked
 Charge body forward
 Kick and then feel spine arching backward
 Visualize foot steadily moving past top of head

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7. Balancing Stick Pose
Tuladandasana
Benefits:
 Perfects control and balance.
 Firms hips, buttocks, and upper thighs, as well as providing many of the
same benefits for the legs as in Standing Head to Knee.
 Increases circulation and strengthens the cardiovascular system, this is an
excellent exercise for poor posture.

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 Improves flexlibility, strength, and muscle tone of shoulders, upper arms,
spine, and hip joints.
How to Do:
 Keep knees locked and stomach in
 Point toes of non-standing foot
 Look for front foot in mirror
 Press arms against ears and remove any arm-to-ear gaps
 Stretch body toward both sides as though playing tug of war



8. Standing sparate Leg Stretching Pose
Dandytamana – Bibhaktaeada – Paschimottanasana
Benefits:
 Improves and helps alleviate sciatica by stretching the sciatic nerves in
the muscles of the back of the legs.
 Helps the functioning of most of the internal organs, especially the small
and large intestine.

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How to Do:
 Take a step (4 feet or more) to your right (wider stance = easier stretch)
 Move feet increasingly closer (NOTE: if touching your forehead to the
floor between your legs is easy, then use small steps; the higher the
difficulty, the larger your steps)
 Keep spine straight for as long as possible
 Grab bottom of heels when they’re within reach, and then use arms to
pull yourself farther down


9. Triangle Pose
Trikanasana
Benefits:
 Works almost every muscles, joint, tendon, and internal organ in the
body.
 Revitalizes nerves, veins, and tissues.
 Helps lumbago and rheumatism of the lower spine by flexing and
strengthening the last five vertebrae.
 Improves posture.

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 Most important pose to increase the strength and flexibility of the hip and
side of the torso.
 Firms the thighs and hips, slims the waistline, and improves the deltoid,
trapezius, scapula, and latisimus muscles.
How to Do:
 Stretch one arm up and other one down
 Touch chin exactly to shoulder
 Keep shoulders down
 Push both hips toward mirror
 Touch lowered fingers between 1
st
toe and 2
nd
toe
 Keep torso flat and in a straight line as you stretch arm toward ceiling
 Avoid letting rib cage stick out
 Remember to breathe while engaging in positive thoughts and emotions
 Keep hips down, sit down, and prevent hips from moving up

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10. Standing Separate Leg head to Knee Pose
Dandayamana – Bibhaktapada – Janushirasana
Benefits:
 Many of the same benefits of bikram yoga poses as Hands to Feet Pose.
 Helps develop concentration, patience, and determination.
 Improves balance.
 Tightens abdominal and thigh muscles.
 Improves hamstring and hip flexibility.
 Strengthens all the leg muscles, in addition to the deltoid, trapezius,
latisimus dorsi, scapula, and biceps.
How to Do:
 Remember to breathe throughout pose
 Bring feet together and raise arms above head
 Form steeple grip with hands and move right leg 4 feet toward right
 Turn right foot out 90 degrees and do same with torso, hips, arms, and
head
 Rotate left foot in about 45 degrees to keep hips squared forward
 Tuck chin into chest and maintain straightened arms and legs
 Round down from hips until forehead touches right knee
 If hamstrings or spine is tight, bend right leg until forehead touches knee
 Keep arms and left leg straight, and if you need balance, separate hands
on floor
 Engage abdominal muscles, round spine by lifting belly, and straighten
right leg
 Align hips by twisting them rightward to square hips to floor
 Keep eyes open and ensure chin is tucked tightly into chest
 End pose by doing these: Keep arms straight and next to ears; Engage
abdominal muscles; Round up slowly

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11. Tree Pose
Tadasana
Benefits:
 Improves posture patience and balance.
 Increases the flexibility of the ankles, knees, and hip joints.
 By strengthening the internal oblique muscles, it helps prevent hernia.
How to Do:
 Choose a point for visual focus
 Concentrate and relax by deepening breath
 Balance on left leg
 Use right hand to hold right foot up in front of left upper thigh
 Keep sole of right foot facing toward ceiling
 Tighten buttocks, straighten spine, and ensure the following:
 Tailbone is lengthening down
 Ribs are drawn in
 Shoulders are moving back rather than rounding forward
 Open right hip and work right knee down and back until knees are in 1
line

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 If right foot remains above left thigh, bring hands into prayer in front of
chest
 Prevent right foot from slipping by pushing hips forward and bringing
right knee back
 Hold pose for 10 seconds



12. Toe Stand Pose
Padangustasana
Benefits:
 Develops excellent balance, concentration and patience.
 Helps to cure gout and rheumatism of the knees, ankles, and feet.
 Helps cure hemorrhoid problems.
How to Do:
 Remember to breathe
 Begin in Tree pose and then hinge forward from hips while keeping
standing leg straight

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 Distribute weight evenly through thighs, calves, and all areas of standing
foot before descending
 Reach for floor and transfer body weight to hands so that knees are
protected as standing leg starts to bend
 Keep standing leg locked, bend down to ground, and focus on a point on
floor in front of you
 Once you’re sitting on heel, walk hands back by hips, lift chest, and
straighten spine
 If foot of folded leg slips, hold foot with opposite hand
 Maintain balance by visually focusing on floor about 2 feet away and by
using core strength to straighten spine
 Lengthen spine by pretending to touch top of head to ceiling
 Bring hands into prayer
 Breathe, stay in balance, and gradually lift gaze to meet your eyes in
mirror
 Engage abdominal muscles and inhale deeply through nose

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13. Dead Body Pose
Savasana
Benefits:
 Dead body pose returns blood circulation to normal.
 Teaches complete relaxation.
How to Do:
 Lie back on floor, touch heels together, and let feet fall sideways
 Relax arms by letting them gently fall to both sides with palms facing up
 Keep eyes open and gaze softly at a spot on ceiling
 Ensure that fingers and toes are relaxed and release any restrictions in
throat
 Pull shoulders down and back flatly against floor
 Breathe slowly and deeply, encouraging more tension to leave body with
each exhale
 Focus on breathing, especially if mind wanders

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14. Wind Removing Pose
Pavanamuktasana
Benefits:
 Alleviates and reduces flatulence, the source of most chronic abdominal
discomforts.
 Improves the flexibility of the hip joints and firms the abdomen, thighs,
and hips.
How to Do:
 Fully interlace all 10 fingers and take hold of right leg 2 inches below
knee
 Draw right knee out and down toward chest
 Pull right knee to right shoulder
 Keep elbows in close to body and relax shoulders flatly on floor
 Tuck chin into chest and keep left leg firmly on floor; if left calf muscle
lifts, flex foot
 Hold pose for 10 seconds and remember to breathe
 While holding pose, allow pose to work into right hip
 Lower right leg
 Repeat above steps using left leg and then relax into left hip
 Raise knees toward chest and grab onto opposite elbows, hooking arms
just under knees
 If grabbing elbows isn’t possible, grab forearms, wrists or fingers
 When pulling in knees, look down through diamond shape created
between arms and legs
 Work toward getting every vertebra of spine on floor by doing
these: Tuck chin to chest to lengthen neck; Flatten shoulders against
ground to extend upper spine; Push hips and tailbone down to work lower
spine
 Remember to breathe and hold pose for 20 seconds
 Lower both legs slowly

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15. Sit up
Sit Up
Benefits:
 Strengthens the abdomen and hip flexors.
 Increases flexibility of the spine.
How to Do:
 Start from Corpse pose (#13)
 Flex toes up toward ceiling
 Bring both arms overhead and cross thumbs
 Inhale as you sit up and exhale as you start diving forward to reach for
toes
 Work toward keeping legs on floor
 Grab toes and lay body flat on legs to stretch back of body
 If hamstrings and lower back are too tight, bend knees slightly to grab
toes and touch forehead to knees
 Stay motivated even if you think you have no abdominal strength;
building strength takes time

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16. Cobra Pose
Bhujangasana
Benefits:
 Increases spinal strength and flexibility, helps prevent lower back pain,
and helps cure lumbago, rheumatism and arthritis of the spine.
 Improves menstrual problems (irregularity, cramps, backache)
 Cures loss of appetite
 Helps Improve posture
 Improves the functioning of the liver and spleen.S
 Strengthens the deltoids, trapezius and triceps.
How to Do:
 Lie on belly
 Put palms flatly on floor directly underneath shoulders, fingertips in line
with tops of shoulders
 Keep legs and feet together and keep them stretched down and back
 Draw shoulders down and keep elbows in close to ribs
 For next step, use strength of spine and legs rather than arms (it’s not a
push up)
 Inhale, look up to ceiling, and arch head and torso back until belly button
just touches floor.
 Ensure that arms are “L-shaped” at 90 degrees
 Maintain slightly raised gaze and avoid supporting body weight with
hands
 To prepare for 80-20 breathing, keep elbows tightly to sides of body and
relax face
 Hold pose for 20 seconds while doing 80-20 breathing
 Lower chin to floor

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17. Locust Pose
Salabhasana
Benefits:
 Strengthens the upper back, arms, fingers, hamstrings and calves.
 Helps back or spinal problems such as gout, slipped disc, and sciatica.
 Helps tennis elbow and is also excellent for toning the buttocks and hip
rotators.

How to Do (with 1 leg):
 Lie on belly with chin forward on towel
 Lift hips, turn arms in, and pin arms underneath body
 Move arms underneath body by lifting one hip at a time and rolling to one
side
 Keep palms flatly on floor, spread fingers, and point fingers toward knees
 Relax and keep body firm and steady
 Without lifting hips, raise right leg straight up to 45-degrees, and keep
left leg relaxed on floor
 Maintain tightened muscles in right leg, point toes, and lock knee
 Touch hipbones to forearms and ensure right hip is not twisting out
 Keep stretching right leg back and hold pose for 10 seconds
 Repeat with left leg
How to do (with both legs):
 Protect neck by tilting head down, tucking chin in, and keeping mouth on
towel
 Keep arms underneath body
 Straighten legs, point toes, and lock knees
 Lift legs up away from floor, breathe through nose, and hold pose for 10
seconds
 Strive to lift legs and hips away from floor all the way to belly button
 Use every ounce of strength in legs and abdomen
 Lower both legs without collapsing
 Turn to one side

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18. Full Locust Pose
Poorna – Salabhasana
Benefits:
 Same therapeutic value as the Cobra Pose and the same upper-body
benefits as the Standing Bow Pulling.
 Strengthens the middle back, upper arms, hips, and hamstrings.
How to Do:
 Begin by targeting mid-spine
 Lay belly down on floor
 Turn chin in and stretch arms out to sides in line with shoulders
 Face palms down
 Keep legs, knees, and feet together
 Ensure that calves, thighs, and buttocks remain tightened throughout pose
 Exhale completely, then inhale
 Lift arms, legs, chest, head, and torso away from floor
 Keep gaze lifted to direct whole body to lift
 Remember to breathe; a deep inhale will help you lift
 Draw arms back so fingers are in line with top of shoulders and face
palms toward floor
 To arch body more: Use back muscles, and maintain straightened arms
and legs and keep them engaged. You should also use core strength.
 Set goal to eventually balance body on abdomen
 Hold pose for 10 seconds while doing 80-20 breathing

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19. Bow Pose
Dhanurasana
Benefits:
 Improves the functioning of the large and small intestines, the liver,
kidneys, and spleen.
 Helps straighten rounded spines, relieves backaches, and improves
kyphotic upper body posture (rounded shoulders) opening the rib cage
and strengthening the upper back, permitting maximum expansion of the
lungs and increased oxygen intake.
 Revitalizes all spinal nerves by increasing the circulation of the spine.
 Improves digestion and strengthens abdominal muscles, upper arms,
thighs and hips.
How to Do:
 Lie on belly, bend knees, reach back, and grab outside of each foot 2
inches below toes
 Keep feet and knees together as close as possible
 Ensure the following: Wrists have not twisted downward; Wrists remain
straight by grabbing; feet with fingers, not palms; Hips aren’t tilted to 1
side
 Inhale deeply and simultaneously kick back into hands and lift thighs and
upper body away from floor
 For more power, push hips and pelvis into floor before lifting legs up and
back
 Release shoulders back as you lift torso
 Roll body weight forward to balance on middle of belly
 Use inner-thigh strength to keep knees and feet 6 inches apart
 If needed, avoid kicking legs up too high
 Flex or point toes toward mirror, not ceiling
 Work toward these goals: Relax neck and drop head back as much as
possible; Look for toes and use equal strength in both legs to kick
 Hold pose while doing 80-20 breathing for 20 seconds
 Slowly lower torso and legs to floor

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20. Fixed Firm Pose
Supta – Vajrasana
Benefits:
 Helps sciatica, gout and rheumatism in the legs.
 Strengthens and improves flexibility of lower spine, hip flexors,
quadriceps, knees and ankle joints.
How to Do:
(NOTE: Experiencing difficulty sitting on your heels is completely normal.)
 Start by sitting between heels with feet facing up and knees together
 If knees feel sharp pain, separate them a bit, but ensure that feet are
hugging sides of hips
 Keep knees on floor throughout pose by doing these: Spread knees as
much as you need to avoid straining knees; If needed, refrain from
lowering your back all the way; Use hands to support body weight
 Place hands on soles of feet with fingers facing forward
 Lower back 1 elbow at a time, and then look back and let top of head
drop back
 If going all the way down, get back bend by lifting chest up and dropping
head back before touching head to floor
 Slowly put shoulders down onto floor as you slide elbows out
 Rest upper back on floor
 Raise arms overhead and latch onto opposite elbows
 Push arms and shoulders down and then bring them flat against floor
 Tuck chin into chest, press back with arms, and lift ribs up to feel chest
stretch
 Simultaneously ground knees and feel the stretch along stomach, hip
flexors, front thighs and knees
 Relax more deeply into pose by breathing, bringing knees closer together
on floor, and pressing buttocks into floor
 Remember to avoid letting knees lift away from floor
 Hold pose for 20 seconds while breathing
 Exit pose slowly by using 1 elbow at a time and ensure that head is last
thing to move up
 For advanced yogis, walk shoulders down toward hips and touch knees
together

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21. Half Tortoise Pose
Ardha – Kurmasana
Benefits:
 Provides maximum relaxation.
 Helps indigestion and stretches the lower part of the lungs, increasing
blood circulation to the brain.
 Firms the abdomen and thighs.
 Increases the flexibility of hip joints, scapula, deltoids, triceps, and
latisimus dorsi muscles.
How to Do:
(NOTE: If you feel tightness in the hips or lower back, you may need more time
before you can relax in this pose.)
 Enter kneeling position: sit on heels with feet and knees together
 Raise arms above head and bring palms together with thumbs crossed
 Maintain straightened arms and spine throughout pose
 Inhale while stretching up
 Exhale slowly while bending forward in a straight line that spans distance
between tailbone and fingertips
 Stretch forward all the way until forehead and sides of hands touch floor
 Engage arms and straighten elbows so that wrists, elbows, and triceps lift
away from floor
 Keep sliding fingertips forward
 To deeply stretch spine, do these simultaneously: Reach buttocks back
to heels; Keep using abdominal muscles (Eventually, buttocks will touch
heels throughout pose)
 With arms stretching forward and hips reaching back into heels, bring
chin forward and away from chest
 Relax shoulders, breathe, and feel the deep stretch along your back
 Hold pose for 20 seconds
 Exit pose slowly by moving hips back toward heels and by maintaining
straightened arms and spine
 When moving in and out of pose, use abdominal muscles to avoid
rounding and buckling spine

36. 36

37. 37

22. Camel Pose
Ustrasana
Benefits:
 Stretches the abdominal organs to the maximum and helps constipation.
 Stretches the throat, thyroid gland, and parathyroid.
 It opens a narrow rib cage to give more space to the lungs.
 Because it produces maximum compression of the spine, it improves the
flexibility of the neck and spine and relieves backache.
 Firms and slims the abdomen and the waistline.
How to Do:
(NOTE: If you feel dizzy during this pose, keep pushing your hips forward and
remember to breathe. The backward bend causes a change in blood pressure,
which can result in dizziness.)
 Start with knees on floor and maintain 6 inches of space between knees
and feet
 Support spine by placing hands on back of hips with fingers pointing
down
 Keep elbows drawing in towards one another and let shoulders roll back
 Inhale while lifting chest, and exhale while dropping head back
 Inhale again while lifting chest, use hands to support spine, and exhale
while arching torso back farther
 Keep chest lifted throughout pose to minimize compression in lower back
 Ensure that hips are forward and lined up above knees by doing
these: Bring right hand down to grab right heel and left hand down to
grab left heel; Put thumbs on outside of feet and place fingers on soles
 Maintain tight grip on feet so you can push hips forward
 If hips collapse back and you sink into spine as you grab heels, keep
hands on hips and keep lifting chest
 Keep arching spine back and work hips forward while lengthening
tailbone down toward floor
 Continue lifting chest to ensure that body weight hasn’t sunk back into
heels and hands
 If you’re feeling anxiety/fear, relax and breathe; breathing can also help
you go more deeply into pose
 (NOTE: If you have high blood pressure or any heart condition, please do
the next step, which is holding the pose, for only 5 seconds. With more
practice, you can gradually ease into the hold and increase the time.)

38. 38

 Breathe deeply as you hold pose for 20 seconds, and allow heart to open
and lift
 Reverse out of pose by bringing right hand to right hip, and then bring
left hand to left hip
 Press knees down and use abdominal strength to lift and straighten up
spine

39. 39

23. Rabbit Pose
Sasangasana
Benefits:
 Produces the opposite effect of the Camel; as a result, it stretches the
spine to permit the nervous system to receive proper nutrition.
 Maintains the mobility and elasticity of the spine and back muscles.
 Improves digestion and helps sinus problems, and chronic tonsillitis
 Wonderful effect on thyroid and parathyroid glands.
 Improves the flexibility of the scapula and the trapezius muscles.
How to Do:
 Kneel on a towel that extends back past toes
 Reach back and fold edges of towel over heels
 Grab heels and towel together
 Maintain firm grip with thumbs outside feet and with fingers on soles
 Keep chin tucked into chest
 While exhaling, begin curling torso slowly and tightly forward and
inward until forehead touches knees and top of head touches floor
 If you notice a gap between forehead and knees, walk knees forward to
meet forehead
 As you curl inward, lift hips into air, firmly pull on heels, and roll body
forward like wheel
 Push feet firmly into floor and pull on heels with all your power to
maintain about 25% of body weight on head
 Tuck chin securely into chest, engage belly to lift hips, and stretch more
deeply into lower back
 Work toward these goals: Completely straighten arms; Reach upward
using hips so that thighs are perpendicular to floor
 Remember to breathe normally
 Hold pose for 20 seconds
 To reverse out of pose, lower hips back toward heel, uncurl slowly, and
lift chin last

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24 & 25. Head to Knee Pose with Stretching Pose
Janushirasana with Paschimottanasana
Benefits:
 Helps to balance blood sugar levels.
 Improves the flexibility of the sciatic nerves, ankles, knees, and hip
joints.
 Improves digestion.
 Enhances the proper function of the kidneys.
 Expands the solar plexus.
 Relieves chronic diarrhea by improving digestion.
 Increases the flexibility of the trapezius, deltoid, rectus femoris, and
biceps muscles, as well as the sciatic nerves, tendons, hip joints, and last
five major vertebrae of the spine.
How to Do:
 Face mirror and start by doing these: Extend right leg out 45
degrees; Bend left leg until left sole pushes against right inner
thigh; Bring left heel up to crotch (Legs form 90 degree angle)
 Inhale, raise arms overhead, twist toward right, and stretch down over
right leg
 Hold right foot with hands tightly interlaced; bend right knee if needed
 Pull toes back toward face until toes are flexed
 Tuck chin into chest and round your back until forehead touches right
knee
 If needed, bend right knee to touch forehead to knee
 Otherwise, if right leg is straight, flex right foot until its heel lifts away
from floor
 Begin bending elbows straight down toward floor
 Keep spine evenly aligned over right leg by rolling left shoulder and
elbow down farther
 Let eyes stay open, remember to breathe, and hold pose for 10 seconds
 Repeat pose on left side by doing these: Keep left quadriceps engaged
to safely extend hamstring; Engage abdominals to safely stretch lower
spine;
 Extend legs out in front, and in 1 fluid movement, lie back and
immediately sit up while inhaling
 Wiggle hips back, and pull back flesh of buttocks to prepare to bend torso
forward with lengthened spine

42. 42

 Hold big toes with first 2 fingers of each hand, and flex feet by pulling
toes back
 Inhale while lifting and lengthening spine
 Exhale while stretching forward and work toward lifting heels up away
from floor
 Touch forehead to toes
 Bend elbows to floor, draw in stomach, and point chest and face toward
legs
 (Spine must be straight and not rounded; bend knees slightly if needed)
 If hamstrings burn and lower back feels stiff, breathe and exhale to relax
muscles into deeper stretch
 Hold pose for 20 seconds

43. 43

44. 44

26. Spine Twisting Pose
Ardha – Matsyendrasana
Benefits:
 The only exercise that twists the spine from top to bottom at the same
time.
 As a result, it increases circulation and nutrition to spinal nerves, veins,
and tissues, and improves spinal elasticity and flexibility of the hip joints.
 Helps lumbago and rheumatism of the spine.
 Improves digestion, removes flatulence from the intestines.
 Firms the abdomen, thighs and buttocks.
How to Do:
 Set up for pose by doing these: Bend left leg on floor until left heel
meets side of right buttock; Bend right knee to bring right leg up and over
left leg; Line right heel up to touch left knee
 Ensure that left knee and both buttocks stay on floor throughout pose
 Line right hand up behind back near tailbone to keep body weight
forward and lifted throughout pose
 Inhale while stretching left arm up alongside left ear
 Exhale while drawing left arm over right knee to firmly hold left kneecap
 Inhale while lifting spine
 Exhale while turning head over right shoulder, and twist shoulders and
torso toward right
 Deepen twist by doing these: Press left elbow into right knee; Reach
right hand behind your back all the way around to hold left thigh or hip
 Breathe normally and work toward twisting more deeply, specifically
during an exhale
 (NOTE: Keep abdominal muscles engaged to support spine, and use core
strength to avoid twisting from a rounded, unsupported spine.)
 As you twist, think of lifting up
 Lift abdomen out of pelvis, and lift upper body up toward ceiling
 Work shoulders down and away from ears
 Breathe, hold pose for 20 seconds, and unwind out of pose
 Repeat this pose on your left side by twisting to your left

45. 45

Once you are finished doing all the poses (or whichever you choose
to do), you should finish off with the Blowing in Firm pose, which is
the final breathing exercise, also known as Kapalbhati-in-Vajrasana.
You’ll do this to clear your mind, remove any stale air from your
lungs, improve bowel movement and oxygen flow to the body, and
even help normalize your blood pressure.

46. 46

47. 47

Blowing in Firm – Final Breathing Exercise:
Kapalbhati in Vajrasana
Benefits:
 The last breathing exercise strengthens all the abdominal organs and trims
the waistline.
 Exhales unexpelled toxings from the body.
 Cools the body.
 Completes the practice.
 Increases circulation.
How to Do:
 Do not underestimate this pose; focus on it as you would on any other
pose.
 Keep your body firm and do not move anything at all except for your
stomach.
 At the same time, make sure that your belly is relaxed and not tensed.
 During the second set of this pose, increase your breathing speed.

Summary
We hope you’ve learned everything you need to properly perform all 26
bikram yoga poses. If you still need more information & detailed instructions
of each posture Please Visit Our Site..
www.BikramYogaPosess.org
Namaste!!