How long does an athlete have between asanas in the traditional event?
I · Intermediate · The traditional event · 2 of 5An athlete has 60 seconds to move from one asana to the final pose of the next, with a further 10 seconds of buffer after the buzzer. Going beyond 70 seconds costs 0.25 marks on that asana. Leaving out one category of asana costs 5 marks, two cost 10 and three cost 15.
How it works
- Transition time: 60 seconds.
- When it starts: as soon as the asana is relaxed.
- When it stops: when the athlete reaches the final pose of the next asana.
- The clock: a digital watch on display, with a bell or buzzer at 60 seconds.
- Buffer: 10 more seconds.
- Over 70 seconds: 0.25 marks off that asana, given by the time judge, who raises a white flag.
- Missing a category: 5 marks for one, 10 for two and 15 for three, given by the evaluator.
- Changing the order: 2, 4 and 6 marks, then disqualification.
The glossary has the transition time, the category coverage penalty, the sequence change penalty, the time judges, the evaluator and the holding time.
Tricky cases
An athlete reaches the next pose at 65 seconds. Is there a penalty?
No. The buzzer sounds at 60 seconds and the buffer runs to 70. The penalty applies only beyond 70.
Does the transition clock stop when the athlete starts moving into the next asana?
No. It runs until the final pose is reached.
An athlete's seven asanas cover only four of the five categories. What is the penalty?
5 marks, from the evaluator, for not covering one category.
How many missing categories mean disqualification?
It is not clear. The text gives penalties for one, two and three, and disqualifies an athlete for "not covering more than 4 categories". Four missing is not covered, and with five categories in all the wording does not fit. This page does not settle it.
Why the rule exists
A minute is long enough to come out of a hard posture, recover and set the next one safely. A limit is still needed, or an athlete could rest for as long as it takes before a difficult hold. The category penalty makes sure all five kinds of asana are shown.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional event | 60 seconds between asanas, plus 10 | Code of Points, traditional 16 |
| Music events | No transition clock; the whole routine is timed | Code of Points, artistic single 7 |
| Missing categories, traditional | 5, 10, 15 marks | Code of Points, traditional 5 |
| Missing sub-categories, music events | 5, 10, 15 marks; more than three is disqualification | Code of Points, artistic single 8.3 |
From the rule book
Code of Points for yogasana sports, Chapter 5, Guidelines for Yogasana Events (School Games Federation of India copy, edition not stated), traditional points 4, 5 and 16. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the national federation's Code of Points (only Chapter 5 is saved).