Introduction to Bikram Yoga

Bikram Yoga is the twenty-six posture sequence selected and developed by Bikram Choudhury, widely popularized in the early 1970s. Synthesized from traditional Hatha Yoga techniques, this posture sequence systematically moves fresh, oxygenated blood to one hundred percent of the body, to each organ and fiber, restoring all systems to healthy working order, just as nature intended. Proper weight, muscle tone, vibrant good health, and a sense of well being are all benefits of a solid Bikram Yoga practice.

Bikram’s Beginning Yoga Class is exactly ninety minutes and consists of twenty-six asanas designed to scientifically warm and stretch muscles, ligaments and tendons, in an order that is most beneficial. Each component has a unique purpose, yet collaborates synergistically, complimenting and contributing to the success of the collective, producing extended benefits.

Bikram Yoga is practiced in specially designed studios at 105 degree heat, in 40% humidity. Yoga changes the construction of the body from the inside out, from bones to skin and from fingertips to toes. Practicing Bikram Yoga in heated conditions increases the body’s flexibility and reduces possibility of injury.

Benefits of Bikram Yoga:

• Bikram yoga stimulates every organ, muscle, gland and nerve in the whole body– every class!
• Moves freshly oxygenated blood to 100% of the body. Good for circulation and collecting toxins so they can be expelled.
• Tremendous detox by pushing out ~1 to 1.5 liters sweat, which carries toxins, each class.
• Restores all bodily systems to a healthy working order, back to their natural state.
• Bikram can bring vast improvements to: alignment, flexibility, muscle strength, rheumathoid arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, insomnia, asthma, chronic indigestion.
• Promotes weight loss and body toning.
• Reduces stress.
• Increases energy and vitality.
• Increases mental clarity.
• Prevents injury and may prevent chronic illness.
• Teaches you how to breathe deeply and fully. Deep breathing is imperative for a healthy body.
• Improves the healing powers of your body.
• Promotes improvement of the immune system by improving T-cell function.
• Massages the lymph system– cleanses the body!
• Improves digestive system and metabolism by massaging the entire colon and the thyroid gland.
• Improves heart and lung function.
• Improves hormone regulation by stimulating the thyroid gland.
• Bikram yoga is a cardio and strength workout, without the risks and wearing of impact exercises.
• Bikram yoga builds or restores a strong physical and mental foundation.

Bikram Practice Tips:

Your first time

• Don’t let yourself get worked up by horror stories. Yes, it is hot. Yes, some people get nauseous, dizzy, faint, whatever. Others don’t. It varies per person and per class. Especially for your first class, don’t focus on the possibility of not feeling well. I know a lot of people, including myself, who felt just fine!
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day. If you take an AM class, get up earlier so you can hydrate. Don’t guzzle down too much right before class– a full bladder during cobra is not fun.
• Eat nourishing foods that don’t weigh you down. Fruit, juices and smoothies are great, as they are rich in water, sugars, and digest easily. Smoothies and juices can be consumed pretty close to a class, but stop eating solids well before. An empty-ish stomach is best.
• Bring a large water bottle to class with you.
• If you have long-ish hair, make a bun that is neither too high nor too low. Too high and it will get in the way during some of the floor series. Too low and you won’t be able to lie down comfortably.
• Wear a skimpy outfit. Really, nothing that’s covering up whole parts of your body or is loose-fitting. Don’t be shy. No one is focusing on you, let alone your shorts– and you’ll thank me later.
• Lay your mat in a spot where you can see yourself in the mirror. Front and side views are helpful to adjust your form and alignment.
• Don’t compare. Don’t judge. If you feel you need to sit down for a bit, do so. Even hardcore, long-time Bikram yogis do.
• Listen to the dialogue. Don’t figure you sorta know what they mean. Don’t assume the person in front of you is doing it the right way, although peeking is advised. Really closely follow the dialogue. And don’t kick out during standing forehead to knee!
• Afterwards: keep drinking like a camel– preferably some coconut water as well, water after that, and eat some fruit not too long after.
• Get back in for another class as soon as possible!

For everyone

• Get there early so you can spend 10-15 minutes relaxing or meditating on your mat before class.
• Don’t fidget. Exercise stillness between postures, and instead focus on your breathing. Don’t play with your outfit, correct your hair or wipe away your sweat. Just don’t.
• Even if you have been coming for weeks, months, years perhaps, keep listening to the dialogue! You may discover something new every class. Something you hadn’t paid attention to before, but that will help you with your alignment. Also, every teacher brings something of his or her own to the dialogue, so look for hidden treasures.
• This also means actually staying with the dialogue. Don’t move to and from postures too fast or too slow. Only if you feel you will die if you don’t, change before that magical everything-is-going-to-be-ok-now ‘change’ command.
• Suck in your stomach and contract your abs, always. Seriously, flexing your core will not only give you nicely defined abs after some time, it also helps in many ways with your postures. It strengthens your core, which helps you with stability. It also protects your lower back from injury.
• During the floor series, make it a sport to get into savasana, dead body pose, as soon as possible every time. Don’t drink, fidget or stall, just turn around and lay down in savasana. You will gain a lot of extra rest by doing so.
• Stay in final savasana. Take this time to get your heart rate down, slow down your breath, and let your body cleanse. Your blood is pumping though your body at an accelerated pace, meaning it can pick up far more toxins than under normal circumstances. It’s also a perfect time to practice stillness of the body and mind.
• Add a little lemon juice and/or salt (himalayan or celtic sea salt; no dead, processed salt please) to your post-Bikram water. This will help with getting your electrolytes back in balance.
• If you practice Bikram multiple times a week, always stay on top of your water intake, even if you don’t feel thirsty. Also, you might want to look into either upgrading your diet by eating more fruit, whole grains, juices & smoothies, or adding a B-vitamin complex. You are sweating out a lot of potassium and B vitamins, and it is vital that these get adequately replaced. A vitamin B deficiency will rob you of energy.

26 Bikram Yoga Postures

Posture #1: Standing Deep Breathing – Pranayama Series
Posture #2: Half Moon Pose with Hands to Feet Pose – Ardha-Chandrasana with
Pada-Hastasana
Posture #3: Awkward Pose – Utkatasana
Posture #4: Eagle Pose – Garurasana
Posture #5: Standing Head to Knee Pose – Dandayamana-Janushirasana
Posture #6: Standing Bow Pulling Pose – Dandayamana-Dhanurasana
Posture #7: Balancing Stick Pose – Tuladandasana
Posture #8: Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose – Dandayamana Bibhaktapada
Paschimotthanasana
Posture #9: Triangle Pose – Trikanasana
Posture #10: Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee Pose – Dandayamana-Bibhaktapada-Janushirasana
Posture #11: Tree Pose – Tadasana
Posture #12: Toe Stand Pose – Padangustasana
Posture #13: Dead Body Pose – Savasana
Posture #14: Wind Removing Pose – Pavanamuktasana
Posture #15: Sit-Up
Posture #16: Cobra Pose – Bhujangasana
Posture #17: Locust Pose – Salabhasana
Posture #18: Full Locust Pose – Poorna-Salabhasana
Posture #19: Bow Pose – Dhanurasana
Posture #20: Fixed Firm Pose – Supta-Vajrasana
Posture #21: Half Tortoise Pose – Ardha-Kurmasana
Posture #22: Camel Pose – Ustrasana
Posture #23: Rabbit Pose – Sasangasana
Posture #24: Head to Knee with Stretching Pose – Janushirasana with
Paschimotthanasana
Posture #25: Spine Twisting Pose – Ardha-Matsyendrasana
Posture #26: Blowing in Firm Pose – Kapalbhati in Vajrasana

This article is the introduction to a series dedicated to each of the twenty-six Beginning Bikram Yoga postures. Images, videos, descriptions, outline of benefits, practice tips, insights and the revised version of the instructor’s dialogue for each pose of Bikram’s Beginning Yoga Class are included in these articles. Enjoy!

Namaste!

Credit: bikramyoga.com, Bikram Yoga by Bikram Choudhury, wikipedia.org, some-like-it-raw.com

Please click here to enjoy the thoroughly entertaining, informative, colorful, first-hand account of Geoffrey Hale’s First Bikram Yoga Class!