Former yoga teacher in Wellington New Zealand
Throughout these tips I occasionally focus on the basic steps or how to of a common yoga pose. Utthita parsvaokonasana or extended side angle pose is regular in my classes. As you might guess it helps stretch the side of
If you have wrists injuries, you may want to avoid some of the repetitive positions in a yoga class that put weight on the hands – particularly the sun salutation sequence that includes down dog and plank. This brief video
Sometimes in a yoga class, you may choose to skip sun saluations, or the sequence that includes down dog, plank and press ups. I will often suggest that people take a rest in child’s pose, but that doesn’t mean you
Update: I wrote the post below in September 2018. Since then I’ve learned that saying namaste at the end of a yoga class is not a yoga tradition. It is both a misuse of the word and cultural appropriation. I’ve
To get ready for Te Wiki o te Reo Māori | Māori Language Week 2018 which kicks off on 10th September, I thought I would share a calming breathing exercise that uses Te Reo Māori and draws on Te Ao
This breathing practice or pranayama is helpful for relaxing. It involves matching the length of your inhale to your exhale. I’ve previously described how to do this breathing practice but it can be easier listening to someone rather than reading
Restorative yoga is different from other styles of yoga. It’s focused on supporting your body in resting postures to slowly release tension and stress. You can use bolsters or pillows, and blankets to support your body in different positions for
Lunges are an excellent stretch for the muscles of the hips, legs and even the feet. It is a stretch or position that is possible for many people despite having tight muscles or limited flexibility. Because it’s quite easy to
Firelog pose can be an excellent stretch for the glutes (buttocks) and outer hips. I find it particularly useful after a lot of cycling. The full version of the pose isn’t physically possible for many people because it requires that
After my first multi-day mountain biking trip, my glutes (or buttocks) were in agony. They became tight both from working hard and also being pulled at the same time by my back muscles as I leaned forward on the bike.