I tried Bikram yoga asanas 26 Poses. Here’s What Happened.

My Journey into the Torturous (and Amazing) World of Bikram Yoga asanas

Being honest, the very thought of practicing yoga in the room that is heated to 105°F (40.6 °C) with 40 percent humidity feels more like torture than a wellness practice. That is what I believed myself to be until I rolled out my mat in a Bikram yoga asana studio the first time. I needed a change of something that would push my body to a new level, not the repetition of the gym. I had heard the rumors: the mind-blowing Bikram yoga before-and-after posts, the promises of body and mind purification.

So, I signed up. I entered and the heat in the wall struck me as a force. What I have got myself in to? was the only intelligible thought I had in mind during the first ten minutes. But I stuck with it. And during the next few weeks, I found out why there is such a loyal following to this particular, painful strain of 26 poses and two breathing practices.

This is not a scientific article, this is my experience. I will take you through the precise definition of what Bikram yoga is, deconstruct the Bikram yoga poses as a beginner and provide you the facts on the ground assessment of the benefits that I personally experienced.

What, then, is Bikram Yoga?

We cannot discuss the poses before we comprehend the environment. This style was invented in the 1970s by Bikram Choudhury. His formula is rigid, and it is not subject to modification, which is an ingredient of its attractiveness. All the individual classes, everywhere world-over, are identical:

The Heat: The room is always 105°F (40.6°C).

The Humidity: It is humid with a humidity of 40%.

The Duration: This is a 90-minute long class.

The Order: You will do the entire 26 poses (asanas) and the two breathing exercises (pranayamas) in the very same order.

It is strangely reassuring that it is so consistent. There are no surprises. You have no idea of what you are getting into and thus you can concentrate on your progress and not on a new sequence each time.

The heat is not only used to torture, but it is useful. It assists in warming up the muscles and making them less stiff and more vulnerable to injury. It also makes you sweat—a lot. We’re talking buckets. Advocates argue that such excessive sweating helps to expel toxins in the body.

My First Class: Ritual Baptism by Fire (and Sweat).

I will never forget my first class. I carried a huge water bottle, a mat and a towel. What I had not known was that I was going to have to use a second towel to cover my mat since I was sweating and it was going to be a slip-and-slide. Rookie mistake.

It began with a standing deep breathing exercise (Pranayama). I stood still, breathing, and I was dripping already. Then we entered into the postures. The speech of the instructor was focused, almost a chant. They do not show, they explain you every position, and, therefore, you have to listen to your body and the instructions instead of merely imitating a person.

The first class was nothing but to survive. Don’t leave the room. During some of the poses I was forced to sit down. During the backbends my head swiveled. However, after 90 minutes of walking out soaked yet alive, I was able to experience a feeling of accomplishment that I had not experienced in a long time. I was hooked.

Deconstructing the Bikram yoga 26 poses (And What It Did To Me).

The order is brilliantly arranged. It exercises each part of your body systematically in that it includes the internal organs and the ligaments. It is separated into two, a floor series, and a standing series. This is a preview of some of the main Bikram yoga poses that beginner have and my results that I began to feel.

The Standing Series: Strengthening the Core and the Concentration.
This is when the actual work commences. It is meant to develop power, balance and focus.

Awkward Pose (Utkatasana): It is in three parts and this is where my thighs got their initial experience of what burn is all about. It helps to make your legs, knees and ankles strong. In my case, it was a straight workout on my neglected quadriceps.

Eagle Pose (Garurasana): It is a wrapping position that initially was a nightmare to my tight shoulders and hips. However, the Bikram yoga advantages in this case are immense in relation to the health of the joints. It works on the kidneys and enhances the circulation within the joints which I felt as I slowly felt more flexible.

Standing Head-to-Knee Pose (Dandayamana-Janushirasana): This is a challenging pose. It involves flexibility, stability, and stability. I was not even able to straighten my leg weeks later. However, this posture is amazing at creating hamstring flexibility and core strength, which translates directly into improvement of my posture in the real world beyond the studio.

Triangle Pose (Trikonasana): It is a major compression pose. You are making a triangle out of your body and this is in the whole cardiovascular system. I could feel my heart beat and it is known to help treat such ailment as scoliosis through the strengthening of the backbone.

It is a series that you perform on standing and then you hit the floor and this is where the deep and therapeutic work occurs.

Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana): This was a twist to my desk-job pose. It helps to strengthen the spine and may be used to treat lower back pain. I could feel that my back muscles were waking up and getting stronger.

Locust Pose (Salabhasana): Cobra is great with the lower back, Locust is great with the whole back. It is very strenuous, but it is terrific to tighten the mid and upper back. I began to have a lighter daytime posture.

Full Locust Pose (Poorna-Salabhasana): This is a variation of Locust but instead of arching the body, the entire body is arched. This compression is tremendous and this is beneficial to the abdominal organs.

Fixed Firm Pose (Supta-Vajrasana): It is the final knee and ankle strengthener. Being a person with creaking knees, this position was painful, but eventually healed. It also gives a good stretch to the quadriceps and hip flexors.

Half Tortoise Pose (Ardha-Kurmasana): This is a beautiful and soothing exercise for the shoulders and the lower back. Once the intensity of the last poses, this one seems like a relief, and it is very good to soothe the nervous system.

Rabbit Pose (Sasangasana): This is a backbend pose, which is a spine compression in the opposite direction. It is great to stretch the whole back, and the shoulders and is reported to be beneficial to the nervous system. I used to come out of this pose so much relaxed.

This is completed by the series of abdominal poses and lastly breathing pose prior to the last savasana (corpse pose). Trust me, I have never experienced such a deserved savasana.

I chose to do a 60 days challenge, and I am planning to exercise 3-4 times per week. This is what changed to me, but not with flowery words, but with factual observations.

Before (The First Two Weeks):

Physical: I always felt dizzy and nauseous in class. My muscles ached all the time. I had to sit down frequently. My skin broke out and I was informed that this was probably as a result of detox.

Mental: I was only interested in making it through the heat. My head was full of escape ideas. The physical stress was causing me to be irritable after the classes.

During (Weeks 3-6):

Physical: The dizziness had ceased. The heat became acclimated to my body. I could notice that I was sweating more effectively (it began earlier and did not stick to my skin). I was able to maintain the postures throughout the entire time and my balance got better. I lost the weight of about 5 pounds, that I attribute to water gain and high metabolic rate.

Mental: I was able to concentrate on the instructions and not my uncomfortable feeling. I started having periods of clarity of mind in class–a real moving meditation. The quality of my sleep got much better.

After (Weeks 7 and Beyond):

Physical: The benefits of the actual Bikram yoga 26 are reaped here. My body position was also in check. Clothes were not so fitting because my core became smaller and my shoulders were drawn in. I no longer had a chronic tightness in my right hip that I had had over the years. According to my fitness tracker, my heart rate decreased by approximately 8 beats per minute.

Mental: The training of the practice spilled into my everyday life. I was less susceptible to daily stress. The fact that it was possible to remain relaxed in a examining atmosphere of the studio, as well as, of the blazing heat, made the pressure of a time-sensitive work deadline become less stressful. The psychological advantages were the main trigger to go on.

Q: I’m not flexible at all. Can I really do Bikram yoga?
A: Absolutely. This was my biggest fear. It is all about taking advantage of your own, rather than the one who is next you. The fire makes you explore more comfortably. It belongs to people who are inflexible; that is what it benefits most of all.

Q: What should I have in my first class?
A: A yoga mat, a big water bottle and two towels, one to shower and another one to cover your mat to avoid being on your back. Wear light clothing that is moisture wicking.

Q: Do you think it is safe to spend that much heat?
A: It is important to be able to listen to your body. If you feel faint, sit down. Drink plenty of water before, during, and after the classes. Consult your doctor in case you have any underlying health conditions (particularly heart related).

Q: Why does it always happen to be 26 poses? Doesn’t it get boring?
A: It’s the opposite of boring. Since the order never varies, you are able to evaluate your improvement. The challenge is internal. You do not strike to know a new posture, you strike against your own weaknesses and that war is a war you have to fight each and every day.

Q: What was the greatest advantage you got?
A: The mental strength, without any question. The bodily modifications were amazing, but being able to locate composure and focus in such a highly uncomfortable place is a lesson that has come in extremely handy not only in the yoga room.

The Final Word: Is It For You?
Bikram yoga is not a gentle yoga. It is challenging, grueling, and will test you to the end. However, when you want something that provides an actual, quantifiable challenge and provides actual benefits to body and mind, it could be the right fit.

My advice? Ego: Leave your ego at the door and concentrate on hydration and just turn up. The initial course is the most difficult. It is getting better and the rewards in my case are worth the sweat.