EXPERIENCE THE HEAT AND HEALING OF BIKRAM BEGINNING YOGA
Bikram Beginning Yoga is a ninety-minute class designed to increase flexibility, strength, endurance, and balance. Using only the body’s natural range of motion, each participant works at his or her own ability level. Taught in a heated room, Bikram Yoga detoxifies the body and warms the muscles for an ultra-safe yoga practice. Students learn two breathing exercises and twenty-six postures designed to promote healing, increase energy and restore the body’s natural immune system. Take this opportunity to quiet your mind and make friends with your body.
Bikram Beginning Yoga: Benefits of Each Posture
Excerpted from Bikram Beginning Yoga Class
By Bikram Choudhury
1. Pranayama Deep Breathing
*expands lungs to full capacity
*increases circulation to whole body
* promotes mental relaxation
*develops sense of ease, well-being, and confidence
* helps maintain optimal blood pressure
*reduces irritability
* reduces / eliminates sleep disorders
2. Ardha Chandrasana: Half Moon with Hands to Feet Pose
*delivers quick energy and vitality
*strengthens every muscle in the central part of the body
*increases flexibility of the spine
*promotes proper kidney function
* strengthens abdominal muscles
*firms and trims waistline, hips, abdomen, and thighs
3.Utkatasana: Awkward Pose
*strengthens and firms upper arms, thighs, calves, hips
*increases blood circulation in the knees and ankles
* relieves sciatica, arthritis, rheumatism, and gout in the legs
*helps to cure slipped disc and lumbago in the lower spine
4. Garurasana: Eagle Pose
*supplies fresh blood to the sexual organs and the kidneys
*increase sexual energy and control
* firms calves, thighs, hips, abdomen, and arms
* improves the flexibility of the hip, knee, and ankle joints
5. Dandayamana–Janushirasana: Standing Head to Knee Pose
*develops concentration, patience, and determination
*tightens abdominal and thigh muscles
* improves flexibility of sciatic nerves
* strengthens the tendons, biceps of the thigh muscles, and hamstrings in the legs
6. Dandayamana–Dhanurasana: Standing Bow Pose
* increases circulation to the heart and lungs
* improves elasticity of the spine
* harmonizes strength and balance
* regulates menstrual cycle
* reduces lower back pain
7. Tuladandasana: Balancing Stick Pose
* promotes cardiovascular health
* increases blood circulation to entire body
*strengthens the heart muscle
*increases lung capacity
*trims the stomach
*improves flexibility, strength, and tone of shoulders, upper arms & spine
8. Dandayamana–Bibhaktapada–Paschimotthanasana:
Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose
* stretches the spine and back of the legs
* increases circulation to the brain and adrenal glands
*promotes strong mental health by reducing anxiety and depression
* improves memory and concentration
*improves functioning of small and large intestines
*increases the flexibility of the last five vertebrae to the lower spine
9. Trikanasana: Triangle Pose
*strengthens every muscle, ligament and tendon
* revitalizes nerves, veins, and tissues
* increases strength and flexibility of the hip joint
* firms torso, upper thighs, hips
*slims the waistline
*strengthens the deltoid, trapezius, scapula and lateral muscles
10. Dandayamana–Bibhaktapada–Janushirasana:
Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee Pose
* helps maintain good blood sugar balance
* compression of the pancreas and kidney balances hormone levels
* marriage between pineal and thyroid
* strengthens immune system -- reducing colds& infections
* benefits muscular, skeletal, endocrine, digestive &reproductive systems
11. Tadasana: Tree Pose
* improves posture and balance
* increase mobility of ankle, knee and hip joints
* strengthens oblique muscles
* releases abdominal tension
12. Padangustasana: Toe Stand
*develops psychological strength—especially patience
* creates balance in body and mind
* strengthens stomach muscles *increases mental concentration
13. Savasana: Dead Body Pose
*teaches complete relaxation
*returns circulation to normal
*prepares body for floor poses
Return to Savasana after each pose in the floor series
14. Pavanamuktasana: Wind Removing Pose
* regulates digestion
* reduces flatulence, low back pain, constipation
* opens the hip joints
* straightens and strengthens the spine
15. Sit-up pose
* strengthens and tightens abdomen
* increases spinal flexibility
16. Bhujangasana: Cobra Pose
*increases spinal strength and flexibility
* helps prevent lower backache
*prevents or reduces lumbago, rheumatism, and arthritis of the spine
* improves functioning of the liver and spleen
*relieves menstrual problems
*corrects bad posture
17. Salabhasana: Locust Pose
*improves circulation to wrists, elbows, shoulders
* prevents or reduces the pain of carpel tunnel, tennis elbow, frozen shoulder, tendonitis
* firms buttocks and hips
*corrects and prevents back and spinal problems
18. Poorna–Salabhasana: Full Locust Pose
* same therapeutic value as Dandayamana–Dhanurasana (Standing Bow) and Salabhasana (Locust)
19. Dhanurasana: Bow Pose
* works entire spine
* helps prevent and reverse back pain
*straightens rounded spines
*opens the rib cage, permitting maximum expansion of the lungs
*improves digestion
20. Supta Vajrasana: Fixed Firm Pose
* stretches and strengthens the psoas muscles
* stretches knee and ankle joints
* relieves lower back pain
*slims thighs, firms abdomen and calves
* helps prevent/reverse sciatica, gout, varicose veins
* helps prevent hernia
21. Ardha–Kurmasana: Half Tortoise Pose
* provides maximum relaxation
* reduces indigestion
* resets the sleep/wake cycle
* increases blood flow to the brain
*promotes mental clarity and stronger memory
*increases flexibility of the hip joints, scapula, deltoids, and triceps
22. Ustrasana: Camel Pose
* opens the chest, rib cage, and lungs
* strengthens muscles of the back & shoulders
* produces maximum compression of the spine
*stimulates the nervous system
* improves flexibility of the neck and spine
*firms and slims the abdomen and waistline
23. Sasangasana: Rabbit Pose
* creates maximum extension of the spine
* helps maintain mobility and elasticity of the spine and back muscles
* allows the nervous system to receive proper nourishment
* brings blood to the brain
24a. Janushirasana: Head to Knee Pose
*balances blood sugar levels
*increases circulation to the liver and spleen
*enhances proper functioning of the kidneys
*expands the solar plexus
24b. Paschimotthanasana: Stretching Pose
*increases circulation of blood to legs & brain
* stretches the back of the legs and last five vertebrae of the spine
* stretches sciatic nerve
*improves digestion
25. Ardha–Matsyendrasana: Spine Twisting Pose
* twists the total spine from top to bottom
*improves spinal elasticity and flexibility
*opens the hip joints
* increases circulation and nutrition to the spinal nerves, veins and tissues * relieves lethargy
* releases tension
* maintains youthfulness by improving flexibility of the spine
26. Kapalbhati in Vajrasana: Blowing in Firm Position
* increases oxygen supply to the body
* helps to rid the body of toxins
* energizes and revitalizes the body
* increases mental clarity