Mastering the Bikram Yoga Standing Series: A Teacher's Guide to the Final Postures

The standing series in Bikram yoga, also known as hot yoga, is where most of the heat, balance, and cardiovascular work of a class lives. For anyone training to teach, understanding the mechanics, contraindications, and modifications of each posture is the difference between cueing a sequence and actually guiding a student safely through it. This guide walks through the closing postures of the standing series and the transition into the floor series, drawn from the teaching notes we use in our hot yoga teacher training at Evolation.

If you're newer to the method, it's worth knowing that this 26-and-2 sequence is the foundation of every Evolation program, from the 200-hour certification through advanced study.

Standing Stick Pose (Tuladandasana)

Standing Stick is a traction posture that combines balance with a forward fold. Teach it with energy, and your voice should be fast and dynamic, because the posture itself is quick and demanding.

Cue students to engage the entire palm so they recruit all the different strands of muscle in the arm. They can bend the elbows to squeeze the palms firmly together, or clasp the hands in front of the chest. Shoulder issues and a tight upper back will limit range of motion here, so offer those options openly.

This pose asks for a great deal of core strength, a neutral pelvis, and long traction through the spine. Students with heart concerns, such as high or low blood pressure, or a history of heart surgery, may feel dizzy, so watch them closely. A tight hamstring in the standing leg makes the folding movement challenging; keep the leg straight if possible, because bending it loses the cardiovascular benefit of the fold. For balance issues, a wall or chair works well. In the Evolation variation, students don't step forward, and instead they stretch the leg back.

Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose (Dandayamana Bibhaktapada)

This is a forward fold and a traction posture for the spine. If students bring the hands overhead, they should do so mindfully.

How far a student steps out depends entirely on their individual body, because the relationship between the legs and the spine is what matters. Someone with long legs and a shorter spine needs a wider stance to get the head to the floor. Heels out, toes in: turning the feet out externally rotates the hips and opens the front of the hips while shortening the muscles in the back; turning the toes in allows internal rotation and lengthens the entire backside of the body, including the glutes, lower back, and hamstrings. Cue students to fold from the crease of the hip for maximum length in the spine.

If they can't grab the heels, they can grab the middle of the feet or the big toes. Always come out of the posture mindfully.

Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)

Triangle is the master posture and the peak of the hot yoga standing series, a twisting posture with an element of extension. There's a clear teaching structure to it: set up the stance, bend the leg, move the arms in the correct direction, move the head in the correct direction, continuously stretch in the opposite direction, and emphasize the stretch.

Body proportion determines the length of the step, and the heels should stay in one line. When the hips move, the foot needs to follow to protect the knee, and both halves of the pelvis stay in the same line. Getting the elbow against the knee isn't possible for every body type, so be precise and clear with your verbiage rather than forcing a shape.

Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee (Dandayamana Bibhaktapada Janushirsana)

This is a rounded-spine forward bend. Tissue issues in the belly or chest can make it difficult, and a strong core is essential. The arms can bend, but the palms should stay together.

Set the feet about three feet apart and have students lift the toes when turning. The spine rounds vertebra by vertebra: cervical, then thoracic, then lumbar. Hands can open if needed. The more the forehead touches the knee, the more the spine rounds. Breathing can be challenging, so focus students on their exhales. They go down with both legs straight and come up with both legs straight. Modifications include bending the knee, opening the arms and going halfway, or bringing the hands behind the back in prayer.

Tree Pose and Toe Stand (Padangustasana)

Tree Pose is an extension posture with hip opening and balance. A fixed gaze, or drishti, is important, with weight distributed evenly on the anchor point of the standing leg. Lifting the leg requires core, quad, and thigh strength, so be careful with the knee. Compressing the thighs together with a strong core helps keep the foot in place on the hip. (Note: out of respect for different beliefs, it's often better not to cue "palms together in prayer.")

Toe Stand is a high-risk posture, hard on the knee and spine, and should be done slowly and mindfully. Keep moving through the instructions so students don't hold any one position too long. Cue them to keep lifting the hips away from the heel, abs contracted, crown of the head reaching the ceiling. For modifications, students can stay in Tree Pose; pregnant students should skip Toe Stand entirely, as it demands too much core strength and places too much pressure on the hip. If a student struggles to come out of Toe Stand, they can slide the lifted leg into lotus and lower to the floor.

The Transition from Standing to Floor

Standing and floor postures serve different functions. The standing series builds balance, warms the body, and taps into the body's systems. The floor postures are older and more traditional, with asanas originally meant as a warm-up to help people sit still in meditation.

A few notes worth sharing with students: people are typically more flexible during menstruation because of hormonal shifts. Sweat glands aren't fully developed in children, and since sweat regulates internal body temperature, practicing in a hot room may help with hormonal balance.

Bringing It Together

The standing series is the heart of any Bikram yoga class, and learning to teach it well takes practice, precision, and a deep understanding of the body. If you're ready to take the next step, explore our yoga teacher training programs or learn more about the hot yoga certification path at Evolation.

With gratitude to AnnMarie for these teaching notes.