Yogasana – An Indian art that captured the world's attention

Yoga is the ancient practice of mind and body that combines physical postures, breathing techniques and meditation.

The practice finds its origins in India, dating back to 3000 BC and is believed to have been developed by the sages of the Indus Saraswati Valley civilization.

While yoga turned into a global practice in the 21st century, with millions of people using it as a fitness regime, it has also become a competitive sport called yogasana.

What is yogasana?

The word yogasana is derived from two Sanskrit words, Yuj meaning unite and Asana meaning body postures.

Yogasana is a sport that focuses on the physical aspect of yoga, where players have to perform yogic postures and are judged on their difficulty, balance, control, flexibility and endurance.

The difference between yoga and yogasana is that yogasana only lays emphasis on the physical side of the discipline while yoga also gives importance to the mental and spiritual aspects.

While yogasana competitions have been around for centuries, the modern-day format of the sport first came into existence in 1989 with the first Yogasana World Championship, held in Pondicherry, India.

Yogasana was formally recognised as a sport in 2020, with the National Yoga Sports Federation being the official governing body for the sport in India.

With an emphasis on promoting indigenous sports, yogasana was included in the Khelo India Youth Games 2021, along with kalaripayattu, gatka and mallakhamb.

Yogasana rules and events

The rules of yogasana are different for every event. Competitions are generally held in three major events – artistic, rhythmic and traditional.

Artistic yogasana is similar to artistic gymnastics. Athletes have to perform postures for three minutes while synchronising their performance to music.

Athletes must include 10 asanas in their routine from a predetermined list, which includes leg balance, hand balance, back bend, forward bend and body twisting. Artistic yogasana is held in individual as well as pair categories.

Meanwhile, the traditional yogasana event requires participants to hold their postures for 15 seconds or 30 seconds, depending on the asana, with emphasis being laid on balance and stability.

The third event category, rhythmic yogasana, is conducted in pairs and groups of five. Players are required to perform asanas in sync with each other and maintain each posture for five to seven seconds. Points are also awarded for smooth transition between two postures.

Popular Yoga asanas

There are dozens of asanas in yoga, which are divided according to the position of the body - standing, sitting, supine and prone. Here are some of the most popular ones.

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Popularly known as the downward-facing dog, Adho Mukha Svanasana involves touching both palms and feet to the ground while lifting your hips. This pose is said to help relieve back pain and strengthen shoulders.

Parsva Upavista Konasana

One of the most basic poses while sitting, Parsva Upavista Konasana stretches the entire body and is often used for warmups. It involves sitting with a straight back while the legs are extended and wide open. It also involves stretching the left arm over the right side of the body and vice versa.

Eka Pada Bakasana

Also called the one-legged crane pose, Eka Pada Bakasana is one of the most difficult asanas and demands enormous upper body strength. It also requires high levels of balancing skills to stand on both hands while resting one knee on the elbow of the same side while stretching the other leg upwards.

Urdhva Dhanurasana

Urdhva Dhanurasana, also called the wheel pose, strengthens the arms, legs, spine and hips. This asana involves lying on the back with palms facing down near the shoulders and lifting the entire body upwards in a bridge position.