List of yoga postures

This is a list of some common Yoga postures, or asanas. Different names may be given to postures, depending on the school, the origin of the system within that school, or the yogi or guru who developed the system in question. A case in point would be Hanumanasana, the supported version of which is typically called "Runner's Stretch" by Kripalu practitioners. Also, a "Flat Back Forward Bend" in the Shivananda system is referred to as "Preparation for Chair" in both Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and Bikram Yoga.

Sanskrit transliteration Sanskrit English Image Notes
Adho Mukha Śvānāsana अधोमुखश्वानासन Downward-Facing Dog Pose
Adho Mukha Vṛkṣāsana अधोमुखवृक्षासन Handstand (Downward-Facing Tree)
Ākarṇa Dhanurāsana आकर्णधनुरासन Bow posture up to ear
Anantāsana अनन्तासन Posture of Ananta one of the names of Vishnu
Añjali Mudrā अञ्जलिमुद्रा Salutation hand posture
Ardha Candrāsana अर्धचन्द्रासन Half Moon
Ardha Matsyendrāsana अर्धमत्स्येन्द्रासन Half Spinal Twist
Ardha Navāsana अर्धनावासन Half boat posture
Baddha Koṇāsana बद्धकोणसन Bound Angle
Bakāsana बकासन Crane
Bālāsana बालासन Child's Pose
Garbhāsana गर्भासन
Bhekāsana भेकासन Frog
Bharadvājāsana भरद्वाजासन Bharadvaja's Twist
Bhujaṅgāsana भुजङ्गासन Cobra
Bhujapīḍāsana भुजपीडासन Arm-pressing posture
Chakrāsana चक्रासन Wheel
Caturaṅga Daṇḍāsana चतुरङ्गदण्डासन Four-Limbed Staff
Daṇḍāsana दण्डासन Staff pose
Dhanurāsana धनुरासन Bow
Dwi pada sirsasana Both feet behind head
Dvi Pāda Viparīta Daṇḍāsana द्विपदविपरितदन्दसन Two-Legged Inverted Staff Pose
Eka Pāda Rājakapotāsana एकपादरजकपोतसन One-Legged King Pigeon
Ekapādaśīrṣāsana एकपादशीर्षासन Head stand one foot
Head stand by only holding) one foot
Ekapādaprasāraṇa-sarvāṅgatulāsana एकपादप्रसारणसर्वाङ्गतुलासन Balance posture for the whole body, by extending one leg
Eka Pada Sirsasana Foot behind Head
Garbhāsana गर्भासन Fetus
Garuḍāsana गरुडासन Eagle
Gomukhāsana गोमुखासन Cow Face
Halāsana हलासन Plough
Hanumanāsana हनुमनासन Named after Hanuman
Jaṭharaparivartanāsana जठरपरिवर्तनासन Belly-revolving posture
Jānuśīrṣāsana जानुशीर्षासन Head-to-Knee Forward Bend
Kākāsana काकासन Crow
Kapotāsana कपोतासन Pigeon
Karṇapīḍāsana कपोतासन Ear-pressing
Krāuñcāsana क्रौञ्चासन Heron
Kukkuṭāsana कुक्कुटासन Cockerel
Kūrmāsana कूर्मासन Tortoise
Lolāsana लोलासन Pendant
Mahāmudrā महामुद्रा Great hand posture
Makarāsana मकरासन Crocodile
Muktahastaśīrṣāsana मुक्तहस्तशीर्षासन Head stand
Maṇḍalāsana मण्डलासन Circle
Matsyāsana मत्स्यासन Fish
Matsyendrāsana मत्स्येन्द्रासन Lord of the Fishes
Mayūrāsana मयूरासन Peacock
Naṭarājāsana नटराजासन Lord of the Dance or Dancer
Nirālambasarvāṅgāsana निरालम्बसर्वाङ्गासन Posture for the whole body
Pādahastāsana पादहस्तासन Standing Forward Bend
Padmāsana पद्मासन Lotus
Paripūrṇanāvāsana परिपूर्णनावासन Full Boat
Parivṛttapārśvakoṇāsana परिवृत्तपार्श्वकोणासन Revolved Side Angle
Parivṛttatrikoṇāsana परिवृत्तत्रिकोणासन Revolved Triangle
Paryaṅkāsana पर्यङ्कासन Bed
Pāśāsana पाशासन Noose
Paścimottānāsana पश्चिमोत्तानासन Seated Forward Bend
Paccimasana
Paschima tana
Prasāritapādottānāsana प्रसारितपादोत्तानासन Intense Spread Leg Stretch
Rājakapotāsana राजकपोतासन Royal pigeon
Śalabhāsana शलभासन Locust
Grass-hopper
Samakoṇāsana समकोणासन Straight angle
Sarvāṅgāsana सर्वाङ्गासन Shoulder Stand
Śavāsana शवासन Corpse Pose
Shavasana
Sarvasana
Mrtasana
Setubandhasarvāṅgāsana सेतुबन्धसर्वाङ्गासन Bridge
Sethubandasana सेतुबन्धसन Half Wheel
Siddhāsana सिद्धासन Perfect Pose
Muk-tasana मुक्तसन
Guptasana गुप्तसन
Siṁhāsana सिंहासन Lion
Śīrṣāsana शीर्षासन Head Stand
Sukhāsana सुखासन Auspicious Pose
Suptabaddhakoṇāsana सुप्तभदकोणासन Reclining Bound Angle
Suptakoṇāsana सुप्तकोणासन Angle
Suptapādāṅguṣṭhāsana सुप्तपादाङ्गुष्ठासन Reclining Big Toe
Suptavīrāsana सुप्तवीरासन Reclining Hero
Suptavajrāsana सुप्तवज्रासन Thunderbolt
Svastikāsana स्वस्तिकासन Prosperous Pose
Tāḍāsana ताडासन Mountain Pose
Samasthiti
Tiṭṭibhāsana टिट्टिभासन Firefly Pose
Trikoṇāsana त्रिकोणासन Triangle
Tulāsana तुलासन Balance posture
Uḍḍīyānabandha उड्डीयानबन्ध The abdominal lock
Upaviṣṭakoṇāsana उपविष्टकोणासन Open Angle
Ūrdhvadhanurāsana ऊर्ध्वधनुरासन Upward Bow
Backbend
Ūrdhvamukhaśvānāsana ऊर्ध्वमुखश्वानासन Upward-Facing Dog
Ūrdhvadaṇḍāsana ऊर्ध्वदण्डासन Stick
Uṣṭhāsana उष्ठासन Camel
Uttanakūrmāsana उत्तानकूर्मासन Upside-Down Tortoise
Utkaṭāsana उत्कटासन Chair
Uttānāsana उत्तानासन Standing Forward Bend
Utthitahastapādāṅguṣṭhāsana उत्थितहस्तपादाङ्गुष्ठासन Raised Hand to Big Toe
Utthitapārśvakoṇāsana उत्थितपार्श्वकोणासन Extended Side Angle
Utthitatrikoṇāsana उत्थितत्रिकोणासन Extended Triangle
Vasiṣṭhāsana वसिष्ठासन Side Plank
Vātāyanāsana वातायनासन Horse
Viparītakaraṇi विपरीतकरणि Legs-up-the-Wall
Vajrāsana वज्रासन Thunderbolt
Vīrāsana वीरासन Hero
Vīrabhadrāsana वीरभद्रासन Distinguished hero
Vīrabhadrāsana II वीरभद्रासन II Warrior II
Vṛkṣāsana वृक्षासन Corn Tree
Vṛścikāsana वृश्चिकासन scorpion

Sanskrit terms

Some terms in Sanskrit are repeatedly used in the names of asanas. Generally these are prefixes and can be used on any pose to explain a variation.

English Sanskrit Meaning
Adho अधो downward
Ardha अर्ध half
Eka एक one
single
Dhánus Bow
Parivṛtta परिवृत्त revolved
twisted
Supta सुप्त supine
reclining
tulā तुला balance
Ūrdhva ऊर्ध्व upward
Upaviṣṭha उपविष्ट seated
Utthita उत्थित extended

References

Raja Yoga
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali  · Eight Limbs: (1) Yama (2) Niyama (3) Āsana (4) Pranayama (5) Pratyahara (6) Dhāraṇā (7) Dhyāna (8) Samādhi
Hatha Yoga
Hindu views on monotheism
and reform movements
Asanas
Adho Mukha Svanasana · Anantasana · Ardha Candrasana · Ardha Matsyendrasana · Ardha Navasana · Baddha Konasana · Bakasana · Balasana · Bhujangasana · Chakrasana · Chaturanga Dandasana · Dandasana · Dhanurasana · Garbhasana · Garudasana · Gomukhasana · Halasana · Hanumanasana · Hasta Uttanasana · Janusirsasana · Kakasana · Kapotasana · Kukutasana · Kurmasana · Makarasana · Malasana · Matsyasana · Mayurasana · Natarajasana · Padahastasana · Padmasana · Paripurna Navasana · Parivrtta trikonasana · Paschimottanasana · Pashasana · Pavanamuktasana · Salabhasana · Sarvangasana · Savasana · Siddhasana · Simhasana · Sirsasana · Sukhasana · Supta Virasana · Tadasana · Trikonasana · Tulasana · Urdhva Hastasana · Urdhva Dhanurasana · Ustrasana · Utkatasana · Uttana Shishosana · Uttanasana · Uttanapadasana · Utthita Trikonasana · Vajrasana · Virasana · Vriksasana
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