Though it’s relatively new to Savannah, Bikram Yoga is the original hot yoga. Each Bikram class, designed for beginners, lasts 90 minutes and consists of 26 postures practiced in a room heated to 105 degrees, promoting detoxification and allowing the muscles to stretch more easily. A regular practice results in weight loss, stress relief and the rehabilitation and prevention of injuries. Bikram Yoga Savannah is the only Bikram-certified studio in Savannah. While it’s most beneficial to take a class, many of the postures can be done anywhere.
Today I’m going to show you Balancing Stick Pose. Next week we will work on Half Moon Pose.
In Balancing Stick Pose, you lower your heart below your hips, which sends large amounts of blood rushing into the heart. Yoga guru and founder of Bikram Yoga, Bikram Choudhury, likes to say you give yourself an intentional heart attack in this posture, so you never have one in real life.
How To Perform Posture
Step 1. Stand with your feet together. Stretch your arms up over your head and interlock the fingers, release the index fingers and point straight up. Your arms should be touching your ears, if flexibility allows. Stretch your upper body backward, so that the chest is out and forward. Take a big step forward with your right leg, bring your body weight forward, and come up on the toes of your back foot. Look straight ahead.
Step 2. With your body in one solid piece from fingers to toes, elbows and knees locked; pivot directly forward on your hip joint while simultaneously raising your left leg behind you, toes pointed. Your outstretched arms, abdomen and extended back leg should be exactly parallel to the floor, one straight line. Both knees should be locked. Hold the posture for 10 seconds. Come back to center position, keeping the arms stretched over your head, and repeat on the other side. Return to center, lower the arms and take a few deep breaths. Repeat posture on both sides.
It may be hard to get the body into a perfect T-shape at first. Go as far as you can and stay there for a full 10 seconds. Stretching while you are in the posture is key. This helps you balance and also creates a stretch in the spine from the coccyx to the neck. Imagine a tug of war – someone is pulling your back foot toward the wall behind you and someone else is pulling your outstretched hands in the opposite direction.
Benefits
The forward tilt of your torso sends high-speed blood into the heart, flushing the veins and arteries and strengthening the heart muscle. The same rejuvenating blood rushes into the brain as well. With consistent practice, this posture will also help you develop balance and concentration.
Leslie Carey is owner and certified instructor of Bikram Yoga Savannah. She can be contacted at Bikram Yoga Savannah, 4505 Habersham St., 912-356-8280 orinfo@bikramyogasavannah.com.