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A Cool Tip for Deeper Breathing in Yoga
First, heartfelt thanks for all of your “likes” and comments on our Facebook page. Enjoy the free e-book, Anatomy for Yoga, Tips and Techniques Book 1! We’ve heard from practitioners all over the world...
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Here’s a Tip to Help You Get the Heels Down in Dog Pose
For something to be scientific, it has to be reproducible by another scientist. That’s why I want to express my thanks to all of you who have shared your experiences with these techniques on our...
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The Importance of Theory (and Another Cool Tip for Deeper Breathing)
First, I want to thank Ashtanga instructor Robin Feinberg for her comment in which she states: “…‘when the going gets tough, Ashtangis breathe deeper’; ‘as your control and depth of Ujjayi grows, so...
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How to Balance Opposites in the Foot and Ankle
I think that one of the keys to a unified theory lies in the name Hatha—sun/moon and balancing opposites. Here’s a tip on balancing them for the foot and ankle.First, the Anatomy . . . Peroneus longus...
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Strong Thigh Muscles Benefit People with Knee Osteoarthritis (and a Tip for...
A series of recent articles from opinion leaders in the academic medical community have demonstrated the benefits of quad strength for persons with arthritis of the knee joint. One of these studies,...
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A Benefit of Using the Big Toes in Yoga
Have you ever noticed how the pelvis seems to drift backwards in standing forward bends, especially Uttanasana? Sometimes you get an assist from a teacher who pushes the pelvis forward from the sacrum...
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A Tip for Helping to Correct Alignment in Hyperextended Elbows and Knees in Yoga
Aligning the bones accesses their inherent strength so that yoga poses ultimately require less muscular effort to maintain. For example, in our last post we gave a tip on using the big toes to correct...
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Balancing the Forearms, Wrists, and Hands in Dog Pose
A starting point for combining Western science with yoga lies in the term Ha/Tha. This Sanskrit word means Sun/Moon or Yin/Yang and implies a balancing of energies or forces. Balance creates stillness....
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Satya, Biomechanics, and Yoga
“One who shows a high degree of right communication will not fail in his actions.” (T.K.V. Desikachar’s translation of Yoga Sutra II.36)Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras have much practical wisdom that can be...
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How to Use the Adductor Muscles to Refine Downward Dog
Co-activation in Downward Facing Dog pose.In our blog post, "Strong Thigh Muscles Benefit People with Knee Osteoarthritis,” we gave a tip for activating the tensor fascia lata in Downward Facing Dog....
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Shoulder Kinematics in Yoga, Part I
The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body. It is a combination of several articulations: the glenohumeral, scapulothoracic, sternoclavicular, and acromioclavicular joints (click here to see...
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Shoulder Kinematics in Yoga Part II: The Lower Trapezius and Serratus Anterior
Our last blog post used a video to illustrate shoulder kinematics in 3D and reviewed how to externally rotate the humerus to protect against impingement. This week we look at the scapular motion on the...
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Using the TFL to Refine Utthita Parsvakonasana
Many of the standing poses have a lunge component; that is, the forward hip and knee flex while the back hip and knee extend. It is not unusual in these types of asanas for the forward knee to drift...
View ArticleBalancing Freedom and Restraint in Yoga
The work of legendary furniture designers Charles and Ray Eames has been described as a balance of freedom and restraint. Mr. Eames was once asked: “Have you ever been forced to accept compromises?”...
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Antagonist/Synergist Combinations in Yoga
In this post we explore the relationship between the tensor fascia lata (TFL) and the gluteus maximus. In addition I add a cue for engaging the adductor magnus as a synergist of the gluteus maximus....
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Sitting Up Straight and Expanding the Chest Forward in Sukhasana
Slumping the back and collapsing the chest is a common occurrence in Sukhasana, especially in those who are new to yoga. Factors that can contribute to this posture include fatigue, defeated mental...
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Refining the Pelvis in Twisting Standing Poses
Yoga poses are "kinetic keys" that unlock and open the mind/body connection. Precise and accurate renditions of the asanas are more effective for unlocking the doors to the yoga experience. For examle,...
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Co-activating the Gluts and Abs in Chaturanga Dandasana
In a previous blog post, we discussed the yogic concept of satya, or truthfulness. On this, the sutras say, “When established in truthfulness, one can be sure of the results of action” (Nicolai...
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The Benefits of Engaging the Quads in Forward Bends (and the risks of...
In our last post we mentioned that true caution is based on accurate knowledge and wisdom; practicing it in yoga enhances benefits and minimizes risks. In this post, we talk about misguided caution and...
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Preventative Strategies for Lower Back Strains in Yoga: Part One
In this post we take a look at one of the leading causes for emergency room visits from yoga—lower back strains—and examine preventative strategies that may help in reducing the risk of this injury...
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