Low Back Pain or Sacroiliac Joint Pain? How to Tell the Difference and Why It Matters
How do you tell the difference between low back pain and SI joint pain? Low back pain can have many origins, and knowing what’s causing the issue can be an important first step in relieving it. Indeed, sometimes low back
Chaturanga Dandasana to Upward Facing Dog Pose: Tips For Transitioning With Ease
The linking of Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose), Phalakasana (Plank Pose), Urdva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Facing Dog Pose), and Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing-Dog Pose) is a complex series that flow practitioners do hundreds, if not thousands, of times over
What Makes an Effective Yoga Teacher?
Yoga instructors, let’s take a moment for honest self-study (svadhyaya). Do you teach yoga, or are you solely leading poses? What distinguishes yoga instructors from fitness instructors? How do yoga classes and fitness classes differ? What makes an effective yoga
Chillax with These Yummy Supported Yoga Forward Bends
Yoga’s seated forward bends are some of the most common and iconic poses. You can practice forward bends while standing, sitting, or even lying down. Seated forward bends promote the lengthening and relaxing the muscles of the back, hips, and
Prevent Yoga Injuries: Natasha Rizopoulos Video on How to Find Correct Shoulder Alignment in Chaturanga
Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose) is one of yoga's most challenging postures and the most common. Most people lack the arm strength to do Chaturanga properly right off the bat, and alignment issues are all too common. Unfortunately, some of
The Trikonasana Foot and Knee Alignment Secret You Didn’t Learn in Yoga Teacher Training
Your teacher training probably covered Trikonasana foot and knee alignment. You probably learned that weight tends to roll to the outer foot and that you should cue pressing the big toe mound down because a lift of the inner foot
Yoga for the Back: Improving Posture Can Improve Your Long-Term Health
If you want to improve posture, why not make it a fun, pleasant, enjoyable experience? Consider trying corrective posture exercises based on yoga poses and techniques. Studies have shown that yoga exercises help improve bad posture and even reverse hyperkyphosis,
Upward Plank Pose: Wrist-Saving Variations
With my long neck and a body that prefers curling up into a fetal position, the Upward Plank Pose (Purvottanasana) has always been a challenging pose for me. But I’ve also found over the years that the more challenging poses
Tired, Achy Feet? Try These 6 Yoga Poses for Relief
Why is yoga so beneficial for the feet? Whether it’s a night on the town in high heels, a trail run in new running shoes, or an afternoon walking the flea market in flip-flops, our feet take quite the pounding
Relaxation, Yogic Breathing and The Vagus Nerve: It's All About the Exhalation
What is the number one thing anyone is told to do in moments of high intensity or stress? Breathe, of course. But do you know why? It’s not a secret that your breath is the most accessible and powerful tool
7 Ways to Create a Sustainable Yoga Practice
In the hustle of daily life, maintaining a consistent yoga practice can sometimes feel like a daunting task. Yet, cultivating a sustainable yoga practice is not only achievable but also essential for long-term physical, mental, and emotional well-being. In this
What Stops You From Going Deeper in Yin Yoga?
When we look at different people from the outside, we recognize our many differences—differences in hair color, eye color, skin color, body shapes, hip sizes, and broadness of the shoulders. We know that each person has a unique fingerprint and
Yoga Research: Is Yoga Helpful for Fertility?
What does the research say about yoga for fertility? This article explores the latest research on the topic and outlines a grounding fertility yoga sequence. How common is infertility? It’s more widespread than you may imagine. According to the Centers for
Yoga Backbends: 6 Keys to Healthy Alignment in Ustrasana (Camel Pose)
Yoga backbends are like a magic trick. If you keep your eyes on the spine, you miss out on what the rest of the body is doing. Seeing a beautiful spinal curve in Camel Pose (Ustrasana) is mesmerizing. However, in
How to Use Yoga Props: 4 Easy Ways to Use a Sandbag in Your Yoga Practice
B.K.S. Iyengar is credited with introducing props into modern yoga as a means of support within the asanas or yoga poses. Some yoga students may see using a prop as cheating. But a prop is nothing more than a tool