Most students come to yoga with preexisting musculoskeletal imbalances, which can become an obstacle in their yoga practice and predispose them to injury. Whether you are a yoga teacher or simply interested in deepening your practice it is important to understand these musculoskeletal imbalances, how they impact your practice, and how to create greater balance … Continued
Learn the Details of Dr. Fishman and Ellen Saltonstall’s Unique Yoga Therapy Approach for Rotator Cuff Injuries. As a doctor specializing in Rehabilitation Medicine, Dr. Fishman has developed a unique yoga therapy approach to working with rotator cuff. Dr. Fishman has used it successfully to help more than 725 people avoid expensive and debilitating rotator … Continued
Informal surveys indicate that the highest percentage of yoga injuries come from forward bending postures. One likely reason is that numerous biomechanical factors impact the safety of forward bends. These include not just tight hamstrings, but many other interactive anatomical and kinesiological factors, which most yoga teachers have not been trained to observe or correct. … Continued
The core muscles are our physical, structural, and energetic center. A strong core is essential to healthy and functional movement throughout life. It forms the foundation for proper posture, ease and grace of movement, and even creates greater emotional balance and strength. For many people, core work is associated with tedious and unpleasant exercises, like … Continued
While millions of Americans suffer from pain in the low back and pelvis, many back and hip issues are actually the result of sacroiliac instability (SI), i.e. an imbalance in the sacroiliac joint, which often goes undiagnosed or is improperly treated. Alarmingly, yoga practitioners appear to experience S.I. problems at a significantly higher rate than … Continued
Most yoga teachers and practitioners are familiar with the profound paradigm shift taking place in the world of anatomy and physiology today, as researchers increasingly recognize the critical role the fascia—the body’s connective tissue—plays in bodily functioning. In this course, Anatomy Trains author Tom Myers discusses this paradigm shift, and shares his insights into what … Continued
Sirsasana (Headstand) and Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand) are often called the King and Queen of the Asana. They are beautiful and transformative postures that build strength and flexibility in the musculoskeletal body, have myriad benefits to the nervous and circulatory systems, and cultivate eka grata, the single-pointed focus that prepares the mind for meditation. And yet with great … Continued
Do you or someone you know suffer from depression or anxiety? You’re not alone. Depression affects 121 million people worldwide. And 80% of people who struggle with depression also suffer from anxiety. Antidepressants are now one of the most commonly prescribed drugs in the U.S., but are we getting any better? Yoga teaches us that … Continued
How does yoga help regulate mood? What do we know by now about the pathways through which yoga enhances well-being and makes us feel like a million dollars? And which are some of the timeless strategies that we can use in our own life, even when we’re not on the mat? In this two-part online … Continued
Everyone loses muscle strength as they get older, and because our daily activities (and fitness programs) don’t usually strengthen the pelvic floor, this part of the body is particularly vulnerable to problems. As a result, many women develop pelvic issues as they get older, including incontinence, prolapse, sexual dysfunction, and other issues rooted in the … Continued
Everything that we do in our everyday lives is dependent on our posture. Our ability to lie down, sit, stand, and walk in comfort is directly related to the template of centered body posture. Every Yoga posture or athletic activity is an expression of the clarity and refinement of this most basic relationship of our body … Continued
For many students proper body alignment in yoga poses doesn’t come naturally. Beginners come to yoga classes with the “baggage” of habitual movement patterns, physical restrictions, poor body awareness and lack of understanding of the purpose and form of postures. More experienced practitioners might have improper training or excessive mobility that causes them to “collapse” … Continued