Triangle Pose

Tony Parrish in triangle pose. photo: sportsillustrated.com

Trikonasana

“Triangle pose this is the master posture of the series, perfect marriage between the heart and lungs,” says Bikram in many of his classes.

For many practitioners, triangle remains one of the most challenging poses in the Bikram series. The pose involves strength and flexibility and challenges a practitioners concentration with detailed movements that can make or break proper form in the pose.

What is happening in the pose…

Triangle is an intense hip opener that deeply strengthens the muscles of the legs. This greatly improves the stability of the body through strengthening and aligning the legs and hips. Because of this, the organs in the hip area (colon, kidneys, reproductive organs) benefit as do the associated chackras.

The twist through the upper body in combination with the deep opening of the arms helps to create length in the torso which helps provide adequate room for the organs in the chest to function properly. The combination of the twist and opening of the hips also helps to relieve back pain.

Finally, the deep challenge involved helps to build self-awareness, opening of the heart chackra helps to build authenticity and helps to connect you with the things you love.

Strengthens…

Quadriceps

Gluteus Maximus

Abdominal muscles

Muscles in the neck

Works all of the major muscle groups at the same time

Stretches…

Hip flexors

Spine and neck (through spinal twist)

Shoulder joints

Stimulates…

The respiratory system

The cardiovascular system

Reproductive organs

Nervous system

Kidneys

Thyroid

Adrenal Glands

“When you improve your triangle, you improve your life 360 degrees: sexually, mentally, physically, financially, emotionally.” — Bikram

Physical Benefits…

An excellent cardiovascular workout, with very little movement.

Increases stability.

Tones arms, abdomen and thighs.

Builds better overall body alignment through strengthening of the legs.

Intensely stretches each side of the body.

Lengthens the spine, opens the torso and broadens the shoulders which allows proper function of other physiological systems (cardiovascular, digestive etc.)

Reduces saddle bags.

Good for frozen shoulder.

Helps regulate hormone levels.

Helps to build awareness of hunger, helping with eating disorders.

Helps with: constipation, colitis, low blood pressure, appendicitis, spondylitis, menstrual disorders.

Helps to balance adrenal glands and the production of the stress hormone, cotisol.

Energetic Benefits…

Opens Heart chackra.

Strengthens base chackra.

Emotional Benefits…

Helps to ground the practitioner through turning attention and strengthening the legs.

Builds overall body awareness and  self-appreciation.

Builds self-awareness helping to liberate the practitioner from emotional patterns.

Builds concentration.

Relieves stress and anxiety.

“Triangle is the key posture to bring faith back to the spirit,” — Bikram

Posture Tips

Take a BIG step…

Beginners often take too small of a step in Triangle. It would seem that a smaller step would make this pose easier, but truly the 4-5 foot step ensures that the final pose is properly aligned. When proper alignment is reached, a natural dynamic tension will help to suspend the posture.

Allow the hips to open…

In the pose the hips do not face directly forward to the mirror, instead they are slightly angled. The hip of the straight leg should push slightly toward the mirror so that the hips can sink deeper into the pose.

To prevent slipping…

Bikram says you should be able to do this pose on a block of ice, however most of us slip in the beginning. It is important to engage the inner thigh muscles to maintain the pose. Also, try focusing on pushing the outer edge, from the pinky-toe to heel, of your foot into the floor.

About the elbow and touching the toes…

“If I touch my toes, my elbow is not against the knee,” I said to Craig Villani during teacher training. “Point at your elbow,” he replied. I pointed directly at the point part of the joint. Craig pointed out that the elbow is not just the point of the joint but rather the entire area surrounding the point as well. The moral is, that your fingers must touch, don’t worry about perfect elbow alignment.

“Even if the hips are not flexible, you must touch the toes with the hand,” -Bikram.

Head and neck alignment…

The instructions in the dialogue in this pose say to look up to the ceiling, but the movement is more of a turn to the side instead of a look back. Always remember the objective of turning the head is to touch the chin with the shoulder.

Do you have any questions about your triangle pose?

I’d like to start off this letter with an overdue apology. It has been too long since this site has been updated.

Since creating OMB a year and half ago I have been continually surprised and humbled by the hunger for our content and the support you all have offered OhMyBikram.

Over the past few months, as a result of my personal career pursuits outside of the yoga community, updating OMB was next to impossible. However, in my absence from these pages I continued to watch as site views remained steady (300-400 of you still visit the site daily) and online subscriptions grew to include over 500 people from all over the globe.

I would like to personally thank each of you for continuing to have interest in the work that has gone into this site. Each subscription notification in my inbox felt like an affirmation of OMB’s relevence and a reminder compelling me to write for you all again.

Let me make it official, OMB is back. You can expect new posts, posture clinics, news updates, testimonials and features as of this week. For those of you that have left comments and questions, I will be getting back to you within the week, in the meantime I appreciate your patience.

As always I welcome your submissions, comments, questions and concerns. Feel free to contact us by commenting on our posts, emailing us at ohmybikram@gmail.com, follow us on twitter or like us on Facebook.

Sincerely,

Barbora Simek

OhMyBikram Editor

The February 2011 issue of Details Magazine featured a full article on Bikram Yoga under a gasp-inducing title. The Overheated, Oversexed Cult of Bikram Choudhury, was undoubtably sold to an editor as a racy behind the scenes expose into the culture and sexlives of teacher trainees. Understandably, many of the yogis in the Bikram community have stood up to declare their disappointment and outrage at the content. At OMB we want to know what you think of Bikram’s latest press scandal.

Here is what I think…

The article describes the routine of teacher training from the perspective of an outsider, while exploring the sex lives of male trainees. And to be honest, for any guy going to training in hopes of finding a mate, the odds are stacked in their favor. I know few men who go to training and DON’T take advantage of these odds. Relationships, flings, marriages and more start at training and it is no secret. While the drastic majority of teacher trainees take to heart Bikrams “no kissy kissy…” instructions, the majority of male trainees indulge in the opportunity before them.

Some people on the Details page call for the writer to be barred from his profession as a professor while others lecture that he has missed the point of yoga. I would argue, that many of these people have missed the point of journalism.

More after the jump…

The point of writing like this is to tell a story from a new angle that will grip readers. First person stories can be told, but facts should be told by the experts and this article stays true to that form.

All of the quotes in the article were given to him by Bikram, his trainees and practitioners. Sure, someone said they see erections in class, which is absurd, but it was not the writer who said it. And as a journalist myself, if I was given that quote I most certainly would run it, it’s just too colourful to ignore, it tells a big story in few words.

If anything I think the writer has done a rather impressive job at trying to present as objective a veiw of the yoga as possible. Lets face it, most beginners do not make it past their first regular class, never mind joining in a session at advanced training. Further, Bikram is given the benefit of the doubt through the article countless times and says often that he is at heart an entertainer. Which is gracious considering that the same quotes in the hand of another writer could easily be contextualized derogatory, discriminitive and often misogynistic ( especially quotes like, ”This posture called dirty old bitch! Because not even one more inch can you stretch!”)

Anyone who has been through teacher training or attends one of Bikram’s lectures or seminars knows that he is always to be taken with a grain of salt and a big sense of humor but many people also get offended, hurt and upset by things that are said. Ultimately I think this writer painted a sexy but positive image of training. Sure, yoga is not about sex, but the two certainly go nicely hand in hand.

It is often said that there is no such thing as bad publicity and while many may be outraged about the Bikram and sex comparison, I think content like this will have the readers of Details are lining up for their introductory passes. And that is never a bad thing.

Read the article for yourself here.

Tell us what you think below…

Photographer and yogini Caitlin Hicks joins OMB with her stunning yoga photo essay. Hicks is a fourth-year photography student at the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD). The images below are a part of her final project in which she photographs yogis of Bikram Yoga Toronto.

“In photographing this series, I aimed to get away from the idea of photographing each pose, instead I examined the intense form and focus that is required throughout the 26 postures,” said Hicks.

More after the Jump….

“I felt it was important to get into the yoga environment in order to create images that capture the true idea and emotion of this practice. Perspiration is a main component, cleansing the body of toxins from the inside out. I felt that shooting in the hot room would be the best and most practical way to capture all the components together.”

Dear New Student,

Welcome. Like it or not you are now a part of the Bikram Yoga family. Whether today’s class will become something that is laughed about with friends and never attempted again, a daily routine, an occasional pass time or obsession, your experience today will stay with you forever. This means I have ninety minutes, and ninety minutes only to show you a practice I have dedicated a part of my life, my heart and much of my body to. So listen carefully, because this is important, this can change your life in ways you never thought possible.

I know the room is hot, and the poses are difficult. This is not because we are trying to prove something. This is because these specific elements: the postures, the heat, the mirrors, the style of teaching — are the perfectly combined to heal your body, heart and mind.

I know there are a lot of people. This is not because the studio is interested in a big pay-day. This is because the more we can practice together, the more we can share energy. Your neighbors will help you get through class, inspire you, become your friends and maybe even your future fiance (it’s happened more than once!) So be kind. Be patient. Because the more patient you can be with people here, the more patient you will be with them out there in the world.

I know my voice is loud. This is not because I want to dominate you. My voice is the best tool I have, along with the dialogue (the directions), to help you through your class today. When you feel weak, my voice will be strong to support you. When you are tired my voice will be energetic to help you off the floor. When you are discouraged, I will encourage you. All this is I will do with my volume, my intonation, my words. I want you to hear just how much I care about you and your practice.

Yes, our outfits are small. This is not because we are vain. This is because it is hot and because when you can see your body in the mirror fully, you can more easily make adjustments and learn to appreciate  what you see. Small clothes stay out of our way, so we can focus more on our practice than on adjusting our shorts for triangle. In time, we’ve learned in this room that contrary to what the world says, every body is beautiful and every body should be appreciated. So we wear short shorts and we LOVE them on us and on each other.

No, New Student, you cannot talk. Not because I want to silence you. I want your voice to fill the halls, the change-rooms and lobby. I want your voice to be one of the many threads that builds the ever-expanding web of our Bikram Yoga community. But in the hot room, I want you to listen. First to me, so that you can do the class safely, but more importantly to yourself. I know you try hard and listen to so many other people all day. Today, you start to learn to listen to yourself: your breath, your heart, your true thoughts. Enjoy that opportunity, don’t waste it by chatting.

You must stay still New Student. Not because I want to control you. You must stay still so you can let go of all distractions and connect to the vast benefits of this practice. You work hard in your poses to open your body, and when you stay still your cells recover and begin the process of healing. Give your body the chance to heal.

I know sometimes my jokes are not funny. But we do not call this the “torture chamber” because we enjoy your discomfort. I try to make light of how hard this yoga is because we all know that it is hard. Every teacher you will have, including me, has cried here, hurt here, wanted to leave here. So we joke because we understand how hard this is. The fact that we persevere is the one thing that connects us all in the hot room. I want this experience to be at least a little bit fun.

I am not correcting you because I think badly of your effort, New Student. I know you have taken other yoga classes, or your body is aching from your injuries and you have been through a lot in your life. Knowing all of these things makes me want to help you even more. And the best way I know how to help you, is to teach you how to do the postures to the best of your ability. I promise your best is enough. If today, you simply imagine your posture a different way because of a correction, then you are on your way to an improved practice, body and life.

It’s okay to feel emotional. This is a safe space, we’ve all been there. Remember this is a place of healing and sometimes your body hangs on to your emotions even when the mind has released them. Just cry, everyone will think it is sweat anyway.

Come back New Student. You did well today. Remember the worst class is the one you don’t come to. I can’t wait for you to see how this series can change your life and I am here to help every step of the way.

Love,

Your Bikram Yoga Teacher

The Bikram Yoga Forest Hill Challengers

Each time director Janice Guertin throws up a 30 Day Challenge, her students rush to sign up. This past November, over 65 yogis signed their name to take part in BYFH’s bi-annual challenge. Some of them chose to sign up because they wanted to see a change in their lives, bodies or well being, others wanted to step up and challenge themselves, but all were looking forward to the wonderful sense of community and excitement that fills the studio each time Janice throws the event.

OMB went to their fun and exciting 30 Day Challenge Party to see what all the buzz was about and to chat with some of the students who made it through their 30 Days.

Beth

For most of use, doing a 30 Challenge once in a year is enough, but regular BYFH student Beth  couldn’t resist putting her name up for a second time this year. “I just had to put my name up. I knew I would be at the studio, everyone would be talking about it and I wanted to join that buzz that energy.”

Beth

Even though this was Beth’s second challenge doesn’t mean it was an easier endeavor. “You think you’ll know what to expect the second time around but you really don’t because you are in a different stage of life,” said Beth.

Her second challenge wasn’t an easy one, stomach problems that arose half-way through meant that Beth showed up to class with less than three hours of sleep, in pain and uncomfortable. But she decided nothing would stop her from showing up at the studio, which she calls her ‘safe space.’

“There is no cell phone, there is no email, no one can find me. For 90 minutes it’s an escape, from whatever is going on in the rest of your day and your world,” says Beth.”You’re a mom, you’re a daughter, you’re a wife, but for those 90 minutes, you’re not on call, it’s your 90 minutes and that’s special.”

Edward and Anna

Bikram says that the couple who does yoga together stays together, so we couldn’t resist asking Edward and Anna, a married couple doing the challenge together what they thought of this adage.

Edward + Anna

Edward had never done a Bikram Yoga class before signing his name up on the board, and signed up to spend time with his wife and challenge himself. Anna and Edward did every single one of their 30 classes together. Here’s what the couple had to say about their experience:

OMB: What was that first class like, Edward?

Edward: I was nervous. I hadn’t been working out, I was getting into a 30 day exercise routine and I didn’t know if I could make it.

Anna: He thought that yoga wasnt a workout, and I wanted to show him that it is challenging and it is a work out.

OMB: Do you think it’s a workout now?
Edward : Oh yeah, I was sore for a month.

What was it like practicing together everyday?

Edward: It was easier to share the responsibility, because you know you’re busy throughout the day and that and at least we were coming together.

Anna: We would push each other if one of us didn’t feel like coming so it was good to have a partner. He would make me come when I didn’t want to and vice versa.

OMB: Bikram says the couple that practices together stays together, what do you think of that ?

Anna: It is good to have something in common that we could do outside the daily routine of work and chores. My favorite part is that it is something healthy. Everyone can go out for a drink and get hammered and party, but this is something that is actually good for your body.
Edward: I hear men say in the change room that they wish their wives would like the yoga, I feel lucky that Anna likes it and we can do it together.

OMB: And advice to other yogi couples wanting to practice together?

Edward: Do it, you get to the end and you think, “Oh, that was easy.”

Anna: It’s really great to do it as a couple, it’s more reason to spend time together.

Shaquille and Agatha

Agatha + Shaquille

This mother and daughter duo signed up for the challenge together. While Shaquille’s schooling commitments left her unable to finish the challenge, her mom Agatha persevered through the 30 Days. Shaquille managed to do more classes than she ever thought she could do, and mom managed to surprise herself during her journey. Here’s what Agatha had to say about her 30 Days:

OMB: Why did you sign up for the challenge?

Agatha: I signed up for it to see if I could do it, I didn’t know if I would be able to make it because of time restrictions and work. I worked around it and even snuck out work. I made do, I made sure I woke up earlier in the morning to get dinner ready so that I didn’t have to do it in the evening

What was the most challenging and rewarding part of the 30 days?
Agatha: For me it was some of the poses: bow pose, tree and toe-stand. My muscles just didn’t want to stretch the way that postures are.

The poses look difficult so it was almost like I was restricting myself but I just kept trying and trying but with all the instructors helping me I finally got to toes stand. I could actually put my fingers to the floor.

I thought, ‘Oh my god, I don’t believe I did it. I looked at myself in the mirror and thought, no I couldn’t have done it! Then Gloria, the instructor, said to me, ‘Agatha you did it!’’ I was really excited.

I finally felt a part of the class.

OMB: What advice do you have to other people doubting whether they can do the challenge?

Agatha: Just do it put your mind to it. I’ve always been one of those people who has been stressed, running everywhere, worried and now i just tell my daughter, It doesn’t matter. It changed my whole frame of mind, if I can do it then anyone can do it, I know they can do it.

Anne

Arriving everyday on her blue electric scooter, Anne is one of BYFH’s most devout yogis showing up everyday to do her yoga, challenge or no challenge.

OMB: What has been your favorite part of the challenge?

Anne: It was a good camaraderie, seeing the same faces every day. Its become a real community.

Anne

OMB: What was the biggest challenge?
Anne: Finishing it, because I had to do some doubles.

OMB: What compels you to practice everyday?

What I like about Bikram Yoga is that somedays you can have a really great class but the next day you have a whole different experience. So it is exciting to go into each class and see how you perform on each day, I find that both challenging and exciting. Although you are doing the same 26 postures every day, every day is different which keeps it very lively and invigorating.

OMB: What advice do you have to new yogis?

Anne: You have to push through it becomes addictive. If you don’t do it you feel like you are missing something. It becomes rewarding.

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Sasangasana

Rabbit Pose photo: Bikram Yoga San Antonio

The progression between Camel Pose and Rabbit Pose is one of the most stimulating and beneficial parts of the Bikram Yoga series. Both poses open the spine deeply, helping to stretch and stimulate the inter-vertebral disks. This helps to not only ensure proper spinal alignment but helps to maintain the spongy nature of the disks which helps them absorb shock from daily movement to prevent back pain. Highly theraputing for the nervous, skeletal, digestive and glandular systems this is pose that is difficult to master but well worth the effort.

Strengthens:
Abdomen

Stretches:
Muscles of the back
Shoulders
Scapula
Medulla Oblongata

Stimulates:
Thyroid
Parathyroid

Physical Benefits:
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.

Helps balance and regulate metabolism.

Balances hormones.

Improves digestion.

Helps relieve glandular problems.

Helps improve conditions of the sinus, common cold and chronic tonsillitis.

Emotional Benefits:

Helps with depression.

Helps with insomnia.

Releases issues with taking on responsibility for the happiness of others.

Energetic Benefits

Opens the back of the heart chackra.

Posture Tips

Rabbit pose is one of the most challenging postures to master in the Bikram Yoga series. This is a posture where it is especially important to pay attention to the dialogue.

Always start with the right grip in the pose. The thumbs should be included with the rest of the fingers, thumbs on the outside, fingers on the inside.

Once you are in the posture, do not move to correct it. Fix the posture in the set up, not when you are in it. – Bikram

The biggest misconception beginners have about rabbit is that there should be no weight or pressure on the head. In fact, about 15% of the body weight should be in the head.

The dialogue will always encourage to lift the hips up, which is important to the pose. But it is important to never sacrifice the grip to get the hips higher. Remember,it is the grip and pull that create the force to stretch the spine.

If there is too much pressure on head, grab lower on the foot – Craig Villani

The harder you pull on the feet the better of a compression you will create benefiting the organs.

Try to eliminate any gap under the ankles and work to have the heels together through the pose.

While pulling on the heels, lift the shoulders away from the ears.

Alexandra Evans opened the doors of Bikram Yoga Hamilton/Dundas early this November. This beautiful facility has been designed by a feng-shui designer for good flow and energy, features green appliances, an ionized-alkaline-PH balanced water filter, full shower rooms with lockers and the first headset microphone in Ontario. Such a beautiful space should not be missed, take a trip to visit Alex today!

The AMAZING ionized, alkeline water filter.