Online Mentorship and Courses in Yoga Anatomy
We aren’t ever really “squaring the hips”. Your two hips are on either side of your pelvis, where the pelvis and upper leg bone (the femur) meet. On the mat, what we mean if we are using the words “square the hips”, is to “square the pelvis“. This more accurate phrase typically means bringing the […]
For many yoga practitioners “alignment” is synonymous with “the best way to practice a pose for injury prevention”. But this perspective is strange for a practice that is considered fundamentally healthy. Why are so many of us so motivated to turn our toes to a certain angle by the fear of injury from yoga? People […]
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Yoga Anatomy Academy (@yogaanatomyacademy) As an avid student of yoga since the mid-90s, I have heard many yoga teachers say that boat pose, also known as navasana or paripurna (full) navasana, was a core pose. This always confused me because, in my own body during navasana, […]
Let’s talk about “tucking the tailbone”. “Tuck your tailbone” is a cue that has circulated in yoga asana classes since forever. (I can confirm it was used in the 1990s.) The cue is intended to reduce the position of anterior pelvic tilt and / or lumbar lordosis. To put it another way, “tuck the tailbone” means […]
Is there such a thing as too much yoga? Thirty day (or other length) yoga challenges have become a thing in the last 15 years…and therefore a staple of the yoga world every January. Typically these challenges involve attending a yoga class (virtually or in person) each and every day for 30 days in a […]
Thoughts on Universal Alignment cues, Ableism, fitness and exclusion on the yoga mat. Something I cherish about being a physical therapist* is the opportunity I’ve had to work with patients of all ages (pediatrics to 99 year olds), and in all sorts of conditions (literally from a cardiac transplant ICU to sports medicine settings). Although […]
There is no such thing as one-size-fits-all yoga. Nor is there one definitive list of qualities that make anatomy-informed yoga. But today we will share what we believe demonstrates respect for the principles of movement and neuroscience (what we like to call “Anatomy-Informed Yoga”) in yoga class. Warning: The list is not short. Modern Postural […]
Yoga is complicated for hypermobile people, who often feel tight, but may be unstable. Understand the problem, the paradox, and the solution.
Reimagining bendy poses for strengthening purposes. What is it about stretchiness that is so intoxicating? I recently responded to a question on Instagram: “Are side splits a worthy goal? Or is that kind of range [of motion] unnecessary?” I’m a physical therapist. One of the foundations of physical therapy is functional movement, movement practices that […]
One of the questions we receive occasionally about the Yoga Anatomy Academy Online Yoga Anatomy mentorship is: “Is this mentorship just about anatomy, or do you also talk about things like biomechanics [or kinesiology, physiology, etc] ?” The answer is we talk about all the things. We do not talk and teach ‘only’ about anatomy. […]