The seated wide-legged forward fold — commonly referred to as the pancake stretch — is a foundational pose that, when fully expressed, demonstrates serious flexibility. Also known by its Sanskrit name upavishta konasana, this posture provides a deep stretch in your hips, groin, hamstrings, and lower back. Here’s how to perform it with proper form, as […]
As a yoga teacher and naturally flexible person, I’m often told by people that they don’t practice yoga because they’re not flexible. But that’s why you practice yoga! Among my favorite poses to increase flexibility is the seated forward bend, known also by its Sanskrit name paschimottanasana. (Pronounced PAH-she-moh-ton-AHS-uh-nuh.) Seated forward bend may not look like […]
Tree pose is an iconic balancing posture in yoga. Known in Sanskrit as vrksasana (also spelled vriksasana and vrikshasana), tree pose “is one of the first balance poses a practitioner learns in yoga,” says Stephanie Saunders, BODi Vice President of fitness content and a certified yoga instructor. It’s aptly named: Your legs are the trunk of […]
Yoga is truly for every body. But doing yoga the “right” way, with an emphasis on proper breathing, alignment, and form, can help ensure you reap yoga’s benefits while keeping your body safe. “Alignment is very important,” says BODi’s Yoga52 instructor Micki Duran. “Yoga poses should help strengthen the body, not cause injury.” The proper yoga […]
If you spend a large part of your day seated at a desk, you may experience tight hips. “The human body is designed to transfer movement from one joint to the next, so when you have joints that are limited by mobility, stability, or strength, you open yourself up to a higher risk of injury,” […]
Although there are many outstanding stretches in a dynamic-warmup that can prepare you for a workout, only one holds the title of the “world’s greatest stretch.” That’s because this particular move hits multiple muscle groups and improves range of motion, which plays a underrated role in exercise performance and injury prevention. The stretch pairs a […]
Cow face pose (gomukhasana in Sanskrit) is a wonderful posture that opens the shoulders and stretches the glutes. If this seated pose asks more than your knees and hips can fully deliver, the upper-body portion of the pose is still an amazing stretch that can be practiced anywhere from a hot shower (the warm water helps […]
Love the mindful benefits of yoga but crave a more intense workout? Power yoga delivers both in a single practice. “The flows can be more physically demanding on the body (and sometimes mind), and the class moves at a faster pace,” explains Robin Diamond, RYT 200, a Miami-based power yoga instructor. The sequencing and speed […]
Eagle pose (garudasana in Sanskrit) makes you feel like you’re being twisted like a pretzel but in the best possible way. The classic version of garudasana requires focus and balance, which is among the first things to go as we age. Eagle pose is an excellent and playful way to access and strengthen your core muscles, work […]
Bow pose (dhanurasana in Sanskrit) is a very challenging yet satisfying backbend. Its difficulty lies in the amount of strength required of the body’s posterior. Similarly shaped postures like camel pose and bridge pose are often easier to access because of how much leverage the body can exert by pressing down with the limbs. Dhanurasana, on the […]