So, this is what I spent some evenings with. And it is great.
Again, it is Bikram Yoga. 26 postures in 1 1/2 hours in a 38 grade Celsius warm room.
Each pose is done in two sets. And the benefits of the positions are explained.
1. Pranayama – standing deep breathing
- Good for lungs and respiratory system
- Helps with mental relaxation
- Helps high blood pressure
- Relieves irritability
- Good for detoxification
- Exercises nervous, respiratory and circulatory systems
2. Ardha Chandrasana with Pada Hastasana – half moon pose with hands to feet pose
- Works into the whole skeletal and circulatory systems
- Opens shoulder joints
- Good for frozen shoulder
- Reduces or eliminates pain in the lower back
- Good for abdominal obesity
- Improves and strengthens every muscle in the central part of the body. Increases the flexibility of the spine
- Tones the spinal nerves and abdominal organs improving the working of the bowels
- Increases flexibility and strength of rectus abdominis, gluteus maximus, oblique, deltoid and trapezius muscles
- Helps with sciatic problems
- Alleviates anxiety and reduces mental stress
- Stimulates pituitary gland
- Exercises colon, pancreas, kidneys, muscular, skeletal, respiratory and glandular systems
- Firms and trims waistline, hips, abdomen, buttocks and thighs
Ardha Chandrasana – back bend compression of spine
- Stimulates proper function of the pancreas, kidneys and liver
- Stretches and stimulates the thyroid and parathyroid glands
- Regulates hormone production
- Relieves back pain
- Improves and strengthens every muscle in the central part of the body
- Increases the flexibility of the spine
- Corrects bad posture
- Increases flexibility and strength of rectus abdominis, gluteus maximus, oblique, deltoid and trapezius muscles
- Good for frozen shoulders
- Good for abdominal obesity
- Helps with sciatic problems
- Stimulates digestion
- Firms and trims waistline, hips, abdomen, buttocks and thighs
Pada Hastasana – hands to feet pose
- Works into the whole skeletal and circulatory system
- Lengthens the spine making it supple and elastic
- Increases flexibility of the spine and the sciatic nerves
- Improves flexibility of tendons and ligaments of the legs
- Strengthens the biceps of thighs and calves
- Strengthens rectus abdominis, gluteus maximus, oblique, deltoid and trapezius muscles
- Firms and trims waistline, hips, abdomen, buttocks and thighs
- Opens shoulder joints
- Good for frozen shoulders
- Relieves lower back pain
- Good for abdominal obesity
- Greatly enhances concentration
- Helps with sciatic problems
- Stimulates pituitary and pineal glands
- Exercises colon, pancreas, klar systemsidneys, muscular, skeletal, respiratory and glandular systems
3. Utkatasana – awkward pose (in three parts, see pics below)
- Improves overall body strength
- Opens pelvis
- Strengthens and tones leg muscles
- Relieves menstrual cramping
- Reduces fat pocket under buttocks
- Aligns skeletal system
- Good for arthritis conditions
- Good for digestion
- Relieves joint pain
- Relieves sciatica
- Improves flexibility in toes and ankles
- Exercises liver, intestines and pancreas
4. Garurasana – eagle pose
- Works into twelve major joints of the body
- Good for central nervous system
- Facilitates lymphatic function, improving immune system
- Improves mobility of hip joint
- Improves balance
- Strengthens legs
- Good for varicose veins
5. Dandayamana-Janushirasana – standing head to knee pose
- Builds mental strength
- Improves concentration
- Unifies mind and body
- Uses all major muscle groups
- Exercises digestive and reproductive organs
- Good for diabetes
- Strengthens back muscles
6. Dandayamana-Dhanurasana - standing bow pulling pose
- Stimulates cardiovascular system
- Increases circulation to heart and lungs
- Opens diaphragm
- Opens shoulder joint
- Helps frozen shoulder conditions
- Improves spine elasticity
- Improves strength and balance
- Reduces abdominal fat
- Helps regulate ovaries and prostate gland
7. Tuladandasana – balancing stick pose
- Increases cardiovascular circulation, especially to the heart vessels
- May help clear blocked arteries
- May help prevent future cardiac problems
- Creates a total spine stretch. Relieves stress from spine
- Good for varicose veins
- Builds strength in legs
- Exercises pancreas, spleen, liver, nervous and circulatory system
8. Dandayamana-Bibhaktapada Paschimottanasana – standing separate leg stretching pose
- Increases circulation to the brain and adrenal glands
- Centers nervous system
- May be good for depression
- Good for constipation
- Helps reduce abdominal obesity
- Helps with diabetes and hyperacidity
- Releases lower back
- Exercises muscular, adrenal and reproductive systems
9. Trikanasana – triangle pose
- An excellent cardiovascular workout
- Intensely stretches each side of the body
- Opens and increases flexibility of hip joints
- Reduces saddle bags
- Good for kidney, thyroid and adrenal glands
- Opens shoulder joint, good for frozen shoulder
- Strengthens and tones legs and buttocks
- Helps regulate hormone levels
- Works all muscular groups simultaneously
- Helps conditions of constipation, colitis, low blood pressure, appendicitis, spondylitis, menstrual disorders
10. Dandayamana Bibhaktapada Janushirasana – standing separate leg head to kneepose
- May be good for depression and memory loss
- Reduces abdominal obesity
- Good for diabetic conditions
- Balances blood sugar levels
- Assists in regulating pancreas and kidneys
- Works endocrine, digestive and reproductive systems
11. Tadasana – tree pose
- Assists in correcting bad posture
- Increases hip and knee flexibility and mobility
- Stretches spine
- Releases abdominal tension
- Relieves lower back pain
- Tightens gluteal muscles
- Good for circulatory problems, arthritis and rheumatism
12. Padangustasana – toe stand
- Creates balance and focus in body and mind
- Strengthens stomach muscles
- Strengthens joints (hips, knees, ankles, toes)
- Helps relieve arthritis in all leg joints including hips
13. Savasana – corpse pose
- Returns cardiovascular circulation to normal
- Slows heart rate, reduces blood pressure
- Teaches complete relaxation
- Stills and focuses the mind
14. Pavanamuktasana – wind removing pose
- Massages ascending, descending and transverse colon
- Regulates and normalizes hydrochloric acid levels in stomach
- Improves and may cure conditions of constipation, flatulence and hyperacidity
- Relieves lower back pain
- Improves flexibility of the hip joints
- Firms and tones muscles of the abdominal wall, thighs and hips
- Increases peristalsis in the gut
15. Sit-up
- Strengthens and tightens the abdomen
- Open mouth exhalation stimulates diaphragm and eliminates toxins from lungs
16. Bhujangasana – cobra pose
- The arching of the spine increases flexibility and strength
- Rejuvenates spinal nerves enriching them with a rich blood supply
- Improves flexibility and tone of spinal muscles, massages, works and tones back muscles
- Helps relieve and prevent lower backache
- Helps cure or relieve lumbago, rheumatism, arthritis and menstrual problems
- Helps cure loss of appetite
- Stretches the thoracic region and expands the rib cage bringing relief from asthma
- Gentle pressure on the abdomen massages all organs and improves their function
- Strengthens deltoids, trapezius and triceps
- Compresses and opens spine
- Relieves cervical spondylosis
- Improves concentration
- Helps to relieve many utero-ovarine and menstrual problems
17. Salabhasana – locust pose
- Same benefits as cobra pose and even more effective in helping conditions of slipped disc and sciatica
- Firms buttocks and hips
- Increases spinal strength, flexibility and circulation
- Improves flexibility and tone of spinal muscles
- Helps relieve and prevent backache
- Helps cure or relieve lumbago, rheumatism, arthritis and menstrual problems
- Helps cure loss of appetite
- Improves sluggish digestion
- Increases abdominal pressure and regulates intestinal function
- Strengthens the abdominal wall
- Helps correct bad posture
- Improves function of liver and spleen
- Strengthens shoulder, arm and back muscles
- Compresses and opens spine
- Relieves cervical spondylosis and back pain
- Encourages concentration and perseverance
18. Poorna-Salabhasana – full locust pose
- Firms muscles of the abdomen, upper arms, hips and thighs
- Increases spinal strength and flexibility
- Improves flexibility and tone of spinal muscles
- Helps relieve and prevent lower backache
- Helps cure or relieve lumbago, rheumatism, arthritis and menstrual problems. Helps cure loss of appetite
- Helps correct bad posture
- Improves function of liver and spleen
- Strengthens deltoids, trapezius and triceps
- Compresses and opens spine
- Relieves cervical spondylosis
19. Dhanurasana – floor bow pose
- Increases circulation to heart and lungs, improves oxygen intake
- Opens diaphragm and expands the chest region – improves respiratory conditions
- Opens shoulder joint and helps frozen shoulder conditions
- Increases spinal strength and flexibility and tone of spinal muscles
- Revitalizes spinal nerves by increasing circulation to the spine
- Strengthens, compresses and opens lower, mid and upper spine
- Improves strength and balance. Reduces abdominal fat and strengthens abdominal muscles
- Helps regulate ovaries and prostate gland
- Helps cure or relieve lumbago, rheumatism, arthritis and menstrual problems
- Improves digestion
- Helps correct bad posture
- Strengthens concentration and mental determination
- Develops internal balance and harmony
- Improves function of kidneys, liver and spleen
- Strengthens deltoids, trapezius, rhomboids, latissimus dorsi and triceps
- Relieves cervical spondylosis
20. Supta-Vajrasana – fixed firm pose
- Helps conditions of sciatica, gout, varicose veins and rheumatism in the legs
- Slims and tones thighs, firms calf muscles and strengthens the abdomen
- Strengthens and improves flexibility of lower spine, knees and ankle joints
- Lubricates and increases circulation to joints
- Strengthens and lengthens abdominal muscles
- Creates a great stretch into hip joints and diaphragm
- Relieves lower back pain
21. Ardha-Kurmasana – half tortoise pose
- A rejuvenation pose providing maximum relaxation
- Assists in relieving digestion problems and constipation
- Stretches lower part of the lungs, increases lung capacity
- Excellent for respiratory conditions
- Increases circulation to the brain
- Firms the abdomen and thighs
- Increases flexibility of hip joints
- Improves mobility of shoulder girdle and associated muscles (scapula, deltoids, triceps, latissimus dorsi)
- Relieves stress and migraines
- Helps with insomnia
- Increases flexibility in hips
22. Ustrasana – camel pose
- Compresses spine, relieving back problems
- Opens rib cage, lungs and digestive system
- Stimulates nervous system
- Great for lungs and many bronchial problems
- Strengthens back and shoulder muscles
- Improves flexion of neck
- Stretches throat
- Flushes fresh blood through kidneys
- Helps eliminate toxins
23. Sasangasana – rabbit pose
- Provides maximum longitudinal extension of the spine
- Stretches the spine to increase proper nutrition to the nervous system
- Improves the mobility and elasticity of the spine and back muscles
- Stimulates thyroid and parathyroid glands through compression, helps balance and regulate metabolism
- Balances hormones
- Improves flexibility of scapula and trapezius
- Improves digestion, glandular problems and helps improve conditions of the sinus, common cold and chronic tonsillitis
- Helps insomnia, depression
24. Janushirasana with Paschimottanasana – head to knee pose with intense stretching posture
- Head to knee pose helps balance blood sugar levels and the metabolism
- Improves flexibility of sciatic nerve and ankle, knee and hip joints
- Enhances kidney function
- The intense stretching pose increases circulation to liver, spleen and pancreas
- Stimulates thymus gland, digestion and immune system
- Increases flexibility of the trapezius, deltoid, erectus femoris and biceps muscles, sciatic nerve and last five vertebrae of the spine
- Stretches and strengthens pelvic girdle, hip joints, shoulder joints and spine
- Powerfully massages all the abdominal organs
- Stimulates and tones the digestive organs, increases peristalsis, relieves constipation and other problems
- Regulates function of the pancreas, assisting those with diabetes or hypoglycemia
- Mobilizes joints and increases elasticity in the lumbar spine
- Relieves compression of the spine and sciatica
- Strengthens and stretches the hamstrings
- Improves concentration and mental endurance
25. Ardha Matsyendrasana – spine twisting pose
- Compresses and stretches spine from the bottom to the top
- Increases hip and back flexibility
- Improves digestion
- Firms the buttocks, thighs and abdomen
- Improves elasticity, flexibility, circulation and nutrition to spinal nerves, vessels and tissues
- Increases synovial fluid of the joints
- Removes adhesions in the joints caused by rheumatism
- Tones the roots of the spinal nerves and sympathetic nervous system
- Detoxifying
- Opens bronchial muscles and rib cage
- Helps prevent slipped disc
- Relieves lower back pain
- Helps sciatica and arthritis of the knee
- Massages kidneys, liver, gall bladder, spleen and bowels
26. Kapalbhati in Vajrasana – blowing in firm pose
- Detoxifies and cleanses body by removing stale air and toxins from lungs
- Brings mental clarity
- Strengthens abdominal organs and wall
- Normalizes bowels
- Energizes body
- Improves oxygenation to the body
- Improves cardiovascular and respiratory systems
- Good for high blood pressure
Tags: bikram yoga, borreliose, borreliosis, hot yoga, lyme disease, postures, yoga
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