About Bikram Yoga
What is Bikram Yoga?
Bikram Yoga, also known in many places as “hot yoga,” “26&2,” and “bikram method,” is the original hot yoga series. This set sequence was designed nearly 50 years ago to make the magical benefits of yoga available and healing to everyone at the same time, no matter whether you are a beginner or yoga aficionado, sick or healthy, sad or smiling. It is intense, challenging, and extremely rewarding.
minutes of class
degrees of the room
%
humidity level
postures
breathing excercies
potential benefits
The Bikram Yoga Sequence
Pranayama Breathing
(Breathing Exercise)
Increases lung capacity and elasticity
Improves flexibility in your neck and shoulders
Half Moon Pose with Hands-to-Feet
Ardha-Chandrasana with Pada-Hastasana
Improves spine flexibility and core strength
Awkward (Parts I, II, III)
Utkatasana
Strengthens legs and arms, improving circulation to the lower joints
Eagle
Garusana
Improving flexibility in the largest joints in the body – scapulae, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, and ankles
Flushing and activating the lymphatic system
Standing Head-to-Knee
Dandayamana-Janurshirasana
Develops concentration, determination, and patience
Great for cardiovascular system
Standing Bow Pulling
Dandayamana-Dhanurasana
Improves cardiovascular function and circulation to the heart and lungs
Develops balance between strength and flexibility
Balancing Stick
Tuladandasana
Strengthens the heart and improves artery function
Standing Separate Leg Stretching
Dandayamana-Bibhaktapada-Paschimotthanasana
Releases tension in the lower back
Combats clinical depression
Tree
Tadasana
Creates hip and knee flexibility
Toe Stand
Padangustasana
Strengthens core muscles and weak joints
Dead Body
Savasana
Returns circulation to normal
Promotes mental clarity and physical relaxation
Wind Removing
Pavanamuktasana
Optimizes function of the digestive system
Sit-Up
(not an asana)
Strengthens abdomen and increases energy
Cobra
Bhujangasana
Increases spine strength and flexibility and relieves back pain, especially in the lower back
Improves function of intestines, liver, kidney, and spleen
Locust
Salabhasana
Increases spine strength and flexibility and relieves back pain, especially in the upper spine
Improves circulation in the arms, combatting tennis elbow and carpal tunnel syndrome
Full Locust
Poorna-Salabhasana
Increases spine strength and flexibility and relieves back pain, especially in the middle spine
Bow
Dhanurasana
Increases strength of entire spine
Fixed Firm
Supta-Vajrasana
Improves circulation to the lower limbs and flexibility of the lower spine, hips, knees, and ankle joints
Half-Tortoise
Ardha-Kurmasana
Increases blood flow to the brain, promoting mental well-being, memory, and clarity
Relieves neck and shoulder tension
Camel
Ustrasana
Stretches the throat, lungs, abdominal organs, shoulders and hips and releases emotional tension
Rabbit
Sasangasana
Creates maximum extension of spine, increasing spine mobility
Reduces tension in neck, shoulders, and back muscles
Head-to-Knee with Stretching
Janushirasana with Paschimotthanasana
Stimulates the immune and lymphatic systems
Helps balance blood sugar levels
Spine-Twisting
Ardha-Matsyendrasana
Increases circulation and nutrition to the spinal nerves, veins, and tissues
Blowing in Firm
(Breathing Exercise) Kapalbhati
Good for internal organs, digestive system, and abdominal muscles
Learn more about the postures, benefits, and technique over on our blog.
Our Yoga Lineage
Our particular style of yoga was developed from the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda, a spiritual leader who dedicated his life to spreading the teachings of Kriya Yoga as a practical and scientific path to Self-Realization. Hatha yoga postures were a part of this system. In the 1920’s he came to the US to make Kriya Yoga available to the West, and in time created the Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF). He is also the author of the famous “Autobiography of a Yogi” – a seminal text that is said to be the only book Steve Jobs had on his personal iPad!
Yogananda’s brother, Bishnu Ghosh then formed a therapeutic yoga school in Kolkata, India, offering a prescription of Hatha Yoga postures for an individual’s specific ailments. He also combined weightlifting and bodybuilding with Hatha yoga practice to promote physical and mental wellness.
In the late 1960s, after studying with Bishnu Ghosh for years, Bikram Choudhury distilled this particularly powerful sequence from the broader teachings of yoga and his personal, practical exploration of the health of the human body and mind. With Bikram Yoga, his vision was to maximize the therapeutic benefits for beginners and beyond, to make this yoga accessible as a healing tool for people all over the world.
And we know from our own practice it works. Even now, the journey of yoga, the lineage continues – one person, one yoga practice at a time. From Parahamansa, to Bishnu, to Bikram, to each BYSJ Teacher, and to every person practicing on their mat.