Bikram’s Yoga Class Benefits 1. Standing Deep Breathing/ PranayamaBreathing Most people use only ten percent of their lungs never allowing the lungs to reach the maximum expansion capacity that Nature intended. Standing Deep Breathing teaches you to use the other ninety percent of your lungs. This exercise expands the lungs to their full capacity, it increases circulation to the whole body, waking everything up and preparing the muscles for action. 2. Half moon Pose with Hands to Feet Pose/ Ardha-Chandrasana & Pada-Hastasana Improves and strengthens every muscle in the central part of the body, especially in the abdomen: increases the flexibility of the spine: corrects bad posture: promotes proper kidney function, helps to cure enlargement of the liver and spleen, dyspepsia, and constipation. It increases the flexibility and strength of the rectus abdominis latisimus dorsi, oblique, deltoid, and trapezius muscles. The Hands to Feet Pose increases the flexibility of the spine and the sciatic nerves and of the most tendons and ligaments of the legs, and strengthens the biceps of thighs and calves. It also greatly improves blood circulation in the legs and to the brain, and strengthens the rectus abdominis, gluteus maximus, oblique, deltoid and trapezius muscles. Both poses firm and trim waistline, hips, abdomen, buttocks, and thighs. 3. Awkward Pose/ Utkatasana The Awkward Pose strengthens and firms all muscles of thighs, calves, and hips, and makes hip joints flexible. It also firms the upper arms. It increases blood circulation in the knees and ankle joints and relieves rheumatism, arthritis, and gout in the legs, and helps to cure slipped disc and lumbago in the lower spine. 4. Eagle/ Garurasana The eagle supplies fresh blood to the sexual organs and the kidneys, increasing sexual power and control. It helps firm calves, thighs, hips, abdomen, and upper arms. It also improves the flexibility of the hip, knee, and ankle joints and strengthens the latisimus dorsi: trapezius, and deltoid muscles. 5. Standing Head To Knee Pose/ Dandayamana Janushirasana: The Standing Head to Knee helps develop concentration, patience, and determination. Physically, it tightens abdominal and thigh muscles, improves flexibility of the sciatic nerves, and strengthens the tendons, biceps of the thigh muscles, and hamstrings in the legs, in addition to the deltoid, trapezius, latisimus dorsi, scapula, biceps, and triceps. 6. Standing Bow Pulling Pose/ Dandayamana-Dhanurasana The Standing Bow Pulling is a perfect example of the “tourniquet”, or “damming” effect in Yoga, because it transfers the circulation from one side of the body to the other, and then equalizes it- circulation fresh blood to each organ and gland to keep them healthy. Like the Standing Head to Knee, this pose helps develop concentration, patience and determination. Physically, it firms the abdominal wall and upper thighs, and tightens upper arms, hips, and buttocks. It increases the size and elasticity of the rib cage and the lungs and improves the flexibility and strength of the lower spine and of most of the bodies’ muscles. 7. Balancing Stick Pose/ Tuladandasana The Balancing Stick perfects control and balance by improving physical, psychological, and mental powers. In addition, it firms hips, buttocks, and upper thighs, as well as providing the same benefits for the legs as the Standing Head to Knee. It increases the circulation, strengthens the heart muscle, and stretches the capacity of the lungs. It is one of the best exercises for the lungs. It is one of the best exercises for the lungs. It is one of the best exercises for bad posture: strengthens the flexibility of latisimus, deltoid, and trapezius muscles: and improves the flexibility, strength and muscle tone of shoulders, upper arms, spine, and hip joints. 8. Standing Separate Leg Stretching pose/ Dandayamana Bibhaktapada Pashimotthanasana The standing Separate Knee Stretching Cures and prevents sciatica by Stretching the sciatic nerves and the tendons of the legs. It helps the functioning of most of the abdominal organs, especially the small and large intestine, and improves the muscle tone and flexibility of thighs and calves and the flexibility of the pelvis, ankles, and hip joints, and of the last five vertebrae of the spine. 9. Triangle Pose/ Trikanasana The Triangle is the only posture in the world that improves every muscles, joint, tendon, and internal organ in the body. At the same time, it revitalizes nerves, veins, and tissues. It helps cure lumbago and rheumatism of the lower spine by flexing and strengthening the last five vertebrae, and improves crooked spines. This is the most important pose to increase the strength and flexibility of the hip and of the side of the torso. It also firms upper thighs and hips, slims the waistline, and improves the deltoid, trapezius, scapula, and latisimus muscles. 10.Standing Separate Leg head to Knee Pose/ Dandayamana-Bibhaktapada-Janushirasana The benefits of the Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee Pose are the same as those of the Hands to Feet Pose. It also slims abdomen waistline, hips, buttocks, and upper thighs. 11. Tree Pose/ Tadasana: The Tree Pose improves posture and balance and increases the flexibility of the ankles, knees, and hip joints. By strengthening the internal oblique muscles, it prevents hernia. (This pose and the Toe Stand, which follows, are preparatory postures for the more advanced Locus Pose). 12. Toe Stand Pose/ Padangustasana The Toe Stand develops psychological and mental powers- especially patience Physical, it helps to cure gout and rheumatism of the knees, ankles, and feet. It also helps cure hemorrhoid problems. 13. Dead Body Pose/ Savasana The dead body pose returns blood circulation to normal. It also teaches complete relaxation. 14. Wind Removing Pose/Pavanamuktasana The Wind Removing Pose cures and prevents flatulence, which is the source of most chronic abdominal discomforts. It also improves the flexibility of the hip joints and firms the abdomen, thighs, and hips. 15. Sit-Up Sit-ups strengthen and tighten the abdomen and increase the flexibility of the spine. 16. Cobra Pose/ Bhujangasana The Cobra is one of the best ways to maintain the body in perfect condition. It increases spinal strength and flexibility, helps prevent lower back ache, and helps cure lumbago, rheumatism and arthritis of the spine. It also relieves menstrual problems (irregularity, cramps, backache), cures loss of appetite, helps correct bad posture, and improves the functioning of the liver and spleen. The Cobra strengthens the deltoids, trapezius and triceps. 17. Locust Pose/Salabhasana The locust Pose has the same benefits as the Cobra but it is even more potent in the cure of any back or spinal problems such as gout, slipped disc, and sciatica. It cures tennis elbow and is also excellent for firming buttocks and hips. 18. Full Locust Pose/ Poorna-Salabhasana The full Locust Pose has the same therapeutic value as the Cobra Pose and the same upper-body benefits as the Standing bow Pulling. It also firms abdominal muscles, upper arms, hips, and thighs. 19. Bow Pose/Dhanurasana The Bow improves the functioning of the large and small intestines, the liver, kidneys, and spleen. It helps straighten rounded spines, relieves backaches, and improves pigeon chest by opening the rib cage, permitting maximum expansion of the lungs and increased oxygen intake. The Bow also revitalizes all spinal nerves by increasing the circulation of the spine. It improves digestion and strengthens abdominal muscles, upper arms, thighs and hips (it is especially good for increasing the flexibility of dancers’ hip joints). It also improves the flexibility of the scapula, latisimus, deltoid, and trapezius muscles. 20. Fixed Firm Pose/Supta-Vajrasana The Fixed Firm Pose helps cure sciatica, gout and rheumatism in the legs. It slims thighs, firm’s calves’ muscles, and strengthens the abdomen. It also strengthens and improves flexibility of lower spine, knees and ankle joints. 21. Half Tortoise Pose/ Ardha-Kurmasana The Half Tortoise provides maximum relaxation. It cures indigestion and stretches the lower part of the lungs, increasing blood circulation to the brain. It firms the abdomen and thighs. And it increases the flexibility of hip joints, scapula deltoids, triceps, and latisimus dorsi muscles. 22. Camel Pose/Ustrasana The Camel stretches the abdominal organs to the maximum and cures constipation. It also stretches the throat, thyroid gland, and parathyroid. Like the Bow Pose, it opens a narrow rib cage to give more space to the lungs. And because it produces maximum compression of the spine, it improves the flexibility of the neck and spine and relieves backache. It also firms and slims the abdomen and the waistline. 23. Rabbit Pose/ Sasangasana The rabbit produces the opposite effect of the Camel, giving maximum longitudinal extension of the spine. As a result, it stretches the spine to permit the nervous system to receive proper nutrition. It also maintains the mobility and elasticity of the spine and back muscles. The Rabbit improves digestion and helps cure colds, sinus problems, and chronic tonsillitis. And it has a wonderful effect on thyroid and parathyroid glands. The pose improves the flexibility of the scapula and the trapezius muscles and helps children reach their full potent ional. 24. Head To Knee Pose With Stretching Pose/ Janushirasana with Pashimotthanasana The Head to Knee Pose helps balance the blood sugar level. It improves the flexibility of the sciatic nerves, ankles, knees, and hip joints: improves digestion; enhances the proper function of the kidneys; and expands the solar plexus. The stretching pose relieves chronic diarrhea by improving digestion; It increases the flexibility of the trapezius, deltoid, erectus femoris, and biceps muscles, sciatic nerves, tendons, hip joints, and the last five major vertebrae of the spine. 25. Spine Twisting Pose/ Ardha-Matsyendrasana The Spine Twisting Pose is 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. It helps cure lumbago and rheumatism of the spine, improves digestion, removes flatulence from the intestines, and firms the abdomen, thighs and buttocks. 26. Blowing in Fixed Firm Pose/ Kapalbhati in Vajrasana The last breathing exercise strengthens all the abdominal organs and increases circulation. It also makes the abdominal organs and increases circulation. It also makes the abdominal wall strong and trims the waistline.