Every part of our anatomy affects not only if we can do a yoga position, but also what the purpose of doing the pose actually is.
Ask not if you can do it, but why you are doing it
Feet together or apart?
Do you stand with your feet together or apart in yoga? It does make a difference, particularly on movement in the hip joints among other parts of the body!
Connecting breath to movement
Yoga can influence your body by combining breathing patterns with movement. Connecting breathing with movement in yoga can help with breath and body awareness, help with micro-movements and help you understand and influence the muscles of breathing.
Side plank 101
Here are the step by step instructions for a gentle version and full version of side plank (vasisthasana). If you find this pose difficult, try lifting your hips up and down as you breath in and out, instead of holding
Utthita parsvakonasana or extended side angle pose 101
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
Alignment of knees, hips and feet in lunges [video]
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 to stretch buttocks and glutes [video]
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
Getting a better hamstring stretch by moving your tailbone
I often talk about tipping your tailbone up or down in my weekly yoga classes. As I’ve written before, this cue is a way of helping you think about how to move your pelvis. For this post I’m focusing on
Other options for yoga poses not on the hands (strengthen the shoulders too)
These past few weeks many of the tips have focused on stretching the wrists and how to put pressure on them safely in yoga. It’s also good to give your wrists a rest. Sometimes not working the joints can allow
How to put weight or pressure on your hands [video]
There are many poses in yoga where we put pressure or body weight on our hands. Depending on how you do this, different muscles are used or not used. This will affect what muscles get stronger and weaker. And if