Get Ready, get set, POSE!

I recently had the opportunity to attend a yoga championship. I know! Isn't that an oxymoron? So, being the curious creature that I am, I felt I had to be there to better understand what a yoga competition is.

So here's the breakdown of the rules:

• They have to complete a set of seven poses (five standard and two optional) in under three minutes.
• They are judged on a scale of 0-10 per posture.
• They can't fall out of the posture or they get marked down.
• They must try to get as close as possible to the standard posture.

In response to many queries about why one would even have a competition for an activity that is considered spiritual and internal, a woman talked about the fact that this competition was more of a challenge to the self. They are all not "really" competing against one another (though there is a winner). Really, they are competing against their limits. Testing how far they can go.

Below are the photos of the coolest frickin' postures I have ever seen in my life! These are the poses I practice when I go to Yoga class but I never look this good doing them.

Finger stand

Hands to Feet Pose

Toe Stand Pose (incidentally, i actually did this pose in class--I know, I find it hard to believe as well)

Bow Pose

Standing Head to Knee Pose

Half Moon Pose



Standing Bow Pulling Pose

Spine Twisting Pose

I believe this is a variation on the standing bow pulling pose.

Camel Pose

Bow Pose

So there you have it! People contorting their bodies in an effort to...contort their bodies. Simply fascinating. I stayed for three hours but eventually even this got boring and left before they announced the winners. But these were my favorite of the contestants. I hope one of them won.

Maybe in a few years I'll compete too.

Que te vaya bien!

C in C