Quiz: Can You Guess The Names Of These Weird Yoga Poses?
Yoga—perhaps the fastest growing fitness trend in America—originated more than 5000 years ago and is deeply rooted in Indian tradition and Hindu mythology. And, as such, so are the names of some of our fave Yoga asanas. Some Yoga poses are straightforward, like Seated Forward Fold and Chair. But what about the other—for lack of a better word—weird ones? Most poses are named for mythical Indian heroes and saints (the Western world's version of The Avengers).
As pointed out by Yoga Journal, the reasoning behind these mythic names according to Kausthub Desikachar, the grandson of Indian Yoga master T.K.V. Krishnamacharya is:
"By meditating on these characters, we hope that we might come to embody some of their attributes."
And, while we'd personally get a kick out of striking asanas named for our Western counterparts, like Thor's Hammer or The Ironman, for now, we're left to learn how to embody the ancient spirits of Indian mythology (or their English translations).
In this quiz, test your knowledge of Yoga poses from beginner to intermediate to advanced. Only true Yoga heroes can ace this fitness challenge.