Sequence · 90 minutes · 26 poses
Bikram yoga poses: the 26 postures in order
The Bikram sequence is a fixed series of 26 postures, 24 poses and two breathing exercises, practised in the same order in a 90-minute class in a room heated to about 41°C with around 40% humidity. It opens with Standing Deep Breathing, moves through a standing series and a floor series, and ends with Blowing in Firm.
The sequence
| # | Pose | Hold | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Standing deep breathing | 10 breaths, 2 sets | Fingers interlaced under the chin, elbows lift on the in-breath and lower on the out-breath. |
| 02 | Half moon side bend with hands to feet | 2 sets each side, then the fold | Arms overhead, bend to each side and back, then fold forward with soft knees to hold the heels. |
| 03 | Chair Pose Utkatasana | 3 parts, 2 sets | Awkward Pose: three versions, sitting back with flat feet, on the toes, then lowering with knees together. |
| 04 | Eagle Pose Garudasana | 2 sets each side | Sit low first, then wrap the legs and arms. Wrap only as far as the knees allow. |
| 05 | Standing head to knee | 2 sets each side | Hold the lifted foot with both hands, standing knee firm but not forced. Many people stay with the knee bent. |
| 06 | Dancer Pose Natarajasana | 2 sets each side | Standing Bow: hold the back foot from the inside, kick it into the hand and tip forward slowly. |
| 07 | Warrior Poses Virabhadrasana I, II and III | 2 sets each side | Balancing Stick: the shape of Warrior III with the arms reaching forward. Hold briefly, come up slowly. |
| 08 | Wide Legged Forward Bend Prasarita Padottanasana | 2 sets | Standing Separate Leg Stretching: feet wide and parallel, fold from the hips, knees soft if needed. |
| 09 | Triangle Pose Trikonasana | 2 sets each side | In this sequence the front knee bends to a right angle, closer to Extended Side Angle. Knee over the ankle. |
| 10 | Pyramid Pose Parsvottanasana | 2 sets each side | Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee: hips square, fold over the front leg, front knee soft. |
| 11 | Tree Pose Vrksasana | 1 set each side | Foot on the inner thigh, or in half lotus only if the knee is comfortable. Never press on the knee. |
| 12 | Toe stand | 1 set each side | From Tree, fold and lower onto the ball of the standing foot. Skip it if knees or ankles object. |
| 13 | Corpse Pose Savasana | About 2 minutes | Lie still on your back before the floor series. Breathe normally and let the heart rate settle. |
| 14 | Wind removing pose | 3 sets | Pavanamuktasana: on your back, hug the right knee, the left, then both, shoulders resting down. |
| 15 | Sit up | 2 sets | Arms overhead, sit up with a breath out and touch the toes. Bend the knees if the back strains. |
| 16 | Cobra Pose Bhujangasana | 2 sets | Hands under the shoulders, lift with the back muscles, elbows close and bent. |
| 17 | Locust Pose Salabhasana | 2 sets each variation | On your front, arms under the body, lift one leg, then the other, then both. |
| 18 | Full locust | 2 sets | Arms out to the sides, lift the chest, arms and legs together. Keep the neck long. |
| 19 | Bow Pose Dhanurasana | 2 sets | Hold the ankles from the outside and kick the feet back into the hands to lift. |
| 20 | Saddle Pose Supta Vajrasana | 2 sets | Fixed Firm: sit between the feet and lie back only as far as the knees allow. Stop at the elbows if needed. |
| 21 | Half tortoise | 2 sets | Kneel and fold forward, arms overhead and palms together, forehead to the floor. |
| 22 | Camel Pose Ustrasana | 2 sets | Hands to the lower back first, heels only if it is easy. Lift the chest, do not drop the head hard. |
| 23 | Rabbit pose | 2 sets | Hold the heels and roll forward onto the crown with the forehead close to the knees. Little weight on the head. |
| 24 | Seated Forward Bend Paschimottanasana | 2 sets each | Head to Knee with Stretching: one leg first, then both legs, folding from the hips with bent knees if needed. |
| 25 | Seated Twist Ardha Matsyendrasana | 1 set each side | Spine Twisting: sit tall, cross one knee over and turn from the ribs. Never crank with the arm. |
| 26 | Blowing in firm | 2 sets | Kapalbhati in Thunderbolt: sharp out-breaths through the nose, passive in-breaths. Stop if light-headed. |
Bikram yoga is a single set sequence, often called the Beginning Series, put together by Bikram Choudhury and taught in heated rooms since the 1970s. Every class follows the same order: Standing Deep Breathing, a standing series of eleven postures, a short Savasana, a floor series, and a final breathing exercise called Blowing in Firm. Many studios now teach the same sequence under names like hot 26 or 26 and 2.
Most postures are done twice: a first set, then a shorter second set. In the floor series, a brief Savasana comes between postures. Several shapes are versions of poses taught in other styles under the same Sanskrit name but with different alignment, so the cues in the table describe the version used in this sequence. Where a pose has its own page here, follow its easier options if the full shape is not yet right for your body.
The heat is part of the method, and it is also the main risk. Drink water before class rather than only during it, sit or lie down whenever you feel dizzy or sick, and leave the room if the feeling does not pass. If you have heart or blood pressure problems, have had heat illness or are pregnant, check with your doctor before a heated class. The guide to hot yoga in Manila explains what to expect, and the best hot yoga studios in Manila lists places that run it.
The heat makes muscles feel looser than they are, so stay well inside your range, especially in the deep back bends of Camel and Fixed Firm and the forward folds. For how a held-posture class like this compares with others, see hatha yoga poses and their texts.
Questions
Why does the Bikram sequence never change?
Repetition is the method. The same 26 postures in the same order let you measure your practice against itself from class to class, and teachers learn one set dialogue for it.
Can you do the Bikram 26 poses at home without heat?
Yes, as a sequence of held postures. Without the heated room it is simply a long hatha practice. Warm up a little more first, and leave out any pose that hurts.