Rise and shine, yogis! It’s is time to wake up, roll out of bed, and unroll your yoga mat. A morning yoga flow is the perfect way to awaken your mind and body to start your day. There is no reason to shell out thousands of dollars on fancy yoga retreats to reap the benefits […]
It’s no wonder many yogis have a love-hate relationship with boat pose. Known also as navasana, this yoga pose requires you to hold your balance, keep your core engaged, and avoid straining your neck — all while keeping your breath steady and strong. Among other benefits (see below), navasana is one of the best-known yoga poses for abs. […]
If you’ve been seeking a great side stretch, look no further than the extended side angle pose in yoga, also known as utthita parsvakonasana in Sanskrit. Not only does it stretch the side of your torso, but it also stretches the side of your legs, and it even gives you a deep stretch in your groin. […]
Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to find a routine that works and stick with it. That’s fine for your daily coffee order, but when it comes to exercise, doing just one type of workout is a surefire way to shortchange your fitness. There’s no single discipline that can offer everything you need to […]
After building up a good sweat during a long yoga class, I like to put students right into pigeon pose. But this isn’t the only hip-opening option before savasana: The glute stretch from pigeon pose pairs perfectly with the inner thigh stretch of frog pose or frog stretch (mandukasana in Sanskrit). Considering how much time we spend seated, […]
I have a secret: I often get my yoga students through “just one more vinyasa” with the promise that child’s pose (balasana) awaits them. Child’s pose is a relaxing, feel-good pose that’s accessible to yogis of all levels. It’s one of my personal favorites — I swap it for downward-facing dog when my shoulders and legs need a […]
Yogis looking to make a foray into arm balances should try their hand(s) at crow pose (Sanskrit name: kakasana). Often conflated with crane pose (bakasana), crow offers many avenues of approach that make it accessible no matter where you are in your yoga practice. When certain actions are accentuated — for example, engaging your core, firming […]
Based on the English name, you might think that the chair pose in yoga is as easy as sitting down in your favorite recliner. This pose (utkatasana in Sanskrit) mimics the position of sitting in a chair, but since the chair is missing, you have to rely on the strength of your lower body to keep from […]
Although happy baby pose (ananda balasana in Sanskrit) isn’t a traditional posture in the lexicon of challenging yoga poses, it’s one worth doing at the beginning of your practice and/or the end. Anytime you do anything that has you lying on the floor, you have an opportunity to relax, which can help balance the nervous system. […]
Although you might be familiar with doing lunges in your every day workouts, the low lunge or crescent lunge in yoga is slightly more complex. Crescent lunge (or anjaneyasana in Sanskrit) includes both a lunge and a backbend, and as such, it activates your leg muscles, stretches your hips, opens your chest, and challenges your balance. […]