This Common Forward Fold Is an Intense Hamstring Stretch. Here’s How to Approach It.
A flexible mindset is the first step.
Author
Judith Hanson Lasater
Judith Hanson Lasater, PhD, PT is a noted yoga instructor, physical therapist, and leader in the yoga community. She has been teaching since 1971, and was a founder of the San Francisco Iyengar Yoga Institute as well as Yoga Journal, where she wrote the “asana” column for 13 years.
Lasater holds a degree in physical therapy and a doctorate in East-West psychology. She is the author of ten books, including Restore and Rebalance; Yogabody: Anatomy, Kinesiology, and Asana; Living Your Yoga: Finding the Spiritual in Everyday Life; Yoga Myths; and Teaching Yoga with Intention.
Find out more about her live events and digital courses at judithhansonlasater.com.
My Stories
This Challenging Forward Bend Teaches You Simple Lessons About Yoga
Here's how to come into it safely—or find a version that works for your body.
Seeking the Ultimate Hamstring Stretch? You Need This Yoga Pose.
Reclining Big Toe Pose can be a warm-up leg stretch or a cool-down pose—either way, it will stretch your hamstrings.
This Stretch is the Most Underrated Forward Bend in Yoga
Surrender and release.
What It Actually Means to Practice Yoga
Understanding this can change everything for you.
The Secret to Nailing This Arm Balance? Getting Out of Your Own Way.
It's about so much more than the arm balance.
This Standing Forward Bend Variation Can Calm Your Mind
Calm your mind, free your spine.
This Twisting Pose Offers a Deep Stretch—and Calls for an Open Mind
A little softening creates a stronger asana.
This Yoga Pose Is a Gateway to Focus and Balance
Put down your roots.
A Simple Yoga Pose to Help You Through Complicated Times
Here's how to experience the release you need.
Working on Your Handstand? Here’s How to Get There Safely.
It takes practice and patience.
This Strengthening Yoga Pose Isn’t Easy. Here’s How to Nail It.
Balance is an art.
20-Minute Restorative Yoga for When Life Feels Overwhelming
It'll help you understand why these poses are called "restorative" yoga.
Unsteady in Warrior 3? Here’s How to Find Your Balance.
It's not just about strength—but also a key mindset shift.
What’s the Difference Between Breathing and Pranayama?
Breathe into harmony.
Pyramid Pose Is Tricker Than It Looks. Here’s How to Find Your Way Into It.
You might be surprised at what this challenging posture can teach you.
How to Nail This Common Seated Twist in Yoga
In this pose, strength and surrender go hand in hand.
Want Stronger Arms? Try Reversing This Common Yoga Pose.
Flip it and reverse it.
How to Practice Extended Side Angle Pose
A lesson in letting go of rigidity—in body and mind.
What Your Standing Forward Bend Says About You
How you do life on the mat is how you do it off the mat.
What Is Karma Yoga? Here’s Why Your Attitude Around Your Practice Matters.
The way you show up is your yoga.
Hatha Yoga as Meditation
It's more than just the physical.
How to Practice Warrior 3 Pose (Virabhadrasana III)
A pose that's all about staying centered.
The Subtle Art of Standing Well
Your mother was right! "Standing up straight" can have significant physical, psychological, and even spiritual ramifications.
Common Obstacles to Spiritual Growth
How asana can reveal—and help you overcome—emotional obstacles.
How to Find a Yoga Teacher You Love
From their experience level to how you feel in their class, this is your guide to finding the best fit.
Yoga: A Living Philosophy
How ancient Indian teachings viewed the mind, body, and consciousness—and created what we now know as yoga.
Bringing Your Yoga Practice Home
Don't know where to start when you unroll your mat? Here's how to plan a balanced home practice.
The Myth and Magic of Pranayama
We trust our breath to keep us alive, to help us through panic or pain, and support our meditation and yoga practices. But that’s not all it can do. Here's how your body moves with your breath.
Why Inversions Should Be a Part of Your Yoga Practice
Being upside down can shift how we view the world—literally and figuratively.
Understanding Samadhi
Explore the final three limbs of yoga to reclaim the true essence of the practice—enlightenment.
You Might Be Twisting All Wrong. Here’s a Better Way
Many yoga instructors tell students to “anchor the sitting bones” in seated twists. But the key to healthy twisting is moving your pelvis.
Join Our Restorative Retreat
Your 10-day transformational journey starts here.
10-Day Restorative Yoga Retreat
Check out Judith Hanson Lasater's author page.
Day 10: A Single Minute Can Change Your Life
Here’s why you should meditate one minute when you wake up and one minute before you go to sleep.
Day 9: How Much News Do You Really Need?
Finding the balance between getting sucked into—or ignoring—every headline.
Day 8: Rest and Restore
Bring your mind into the present with a restorative practice.
Day 7: Find Joy in Every Pose
Joy is the antidote to impatience, anxiety, and anger. Here’s how to find more of it in your practice.
Day 6: Plan for Space
Finding just a few moments of silence helps you push the reset button so that you can be radically present.
Day 5: Find Refuge on Your Mat
Make your mat a safe haven—no matter what you do there.
Day 4: The Power of “No”
Find yourself doing too much? Here’s how to create space for a refuge to arise.
Day 3: The Relationship Between Pranayama and Asana
Drink in this 20-minute pranayama practice led by Judith Hanson Lasater.
Day 2: Inhale, Exhale, Repeat
How bringing awareness to the breath can change your energy pattern.
Day 1: A New Way to Think About Restorative Yoga
Yoga teachers Judith Hanson Lasater and Lizzie Lasater explain how restorative yoga can be as much of a mental practice as a physical one.
How to Build a Strong Core Without Sit-Ups
Sit-ups are one of the least effective ways to strengthen the core.
Secrets for a More Comfortable Downward-Facing Dog
Many yoga teachers and students find Down Dog uncomfortable because they hold a fundamentally flawed understanding of how the shoulder joint moves.
Anatomy: Know Your Neck, Plus 4 Stretches to Ease Neck Pain
Nixing neck rolls can actually help you relieve tension in your cervical spine.
Know Your Knees to Help Prevent Pain and Injury
How to protect your knees during your practice.
Find Refuge from an Overwhelming World
Our on-the-go culture places value on striving, but if you don’t accept who you are, you’re cheating yourself out of health, happiness, and feeling whole. Here, learn how to find refuge from judgment. (Hint: It’s closer than you think.)
Rest Your Way to Self-Love
Try this variation of Savasana to give your mind, body, and spirit a break from everyday stress and a view into contentment.
Anatomy of the Spine: What You Need to Know About Your Spinal Curves
How to maintain an optimal (natural!) spinal curve to breathe better, stand taller, and sit longer—on and off your meditation cushion.
Everything You Need to Know About Yoga and Sacroiliac Joint Pain
Is SI joint dysfunction causing your back pain? Learn which poses may help, and which poses to avoid.
How to Deal with SI Joint Discomfort
You can resolve sacroiliac joint discomfort in the same place it started—on the mat.
Embrace Impermanence in Daily Life for Everyday Ease
Impermanence is the truth of life. Embracing it in our most basic daily activities can be the key to everyday ease.
How to Live Life by the Yamas
Living ethically, according to Patanjali's Yoga Sutra, is the first step on the true path of yoga.
Pratyahara: What It Means To “Withdraw”
In a world of information overload, the yoga practice of pratyahara offers us a haven of silence.
The Benefits of Asanas + Cultivating Awareness
There's more to yoga than just the asanas themselves. Judith Lasater talks about the benefits of asanas and how they can create awareness in the body.
Yogi Beware: Make Your Practice Safe
Hidden dangers can lurk within even the most familiar pose. Here's how to play it smart and safe.
Short and Sweet
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Upside Down
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If You Feel Like Coming Home, Go On A Retreat
A retreat at Feathered Pipe Ranch in Montana helps an urban yoga teacher feel like she's coming home.
Find Serenity in Savasana
Reward yourself every day by taking a 15-minute break for real relaxation.
Q&A: Which Asanas Might Help Someone with Emphysema?
Judith Hanson Lasater, PhD, gives advice on asanas for people suffering from emphysema.
Q&A: What If I Prefer Not to Partner Up?
Judith Hanson Lasater, PhD, offers advice for students who feel uncomfortable with partner poses.
Swami Mommy
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Hot Buddha, Cold Buddha
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Start Practicing Satya On and Off Your Mat
The yogic practice of satya (truth) focuses on carefully choosing our words so they do the least harm and most good.
When You Want to Have a Baby…But Can’t
Why many are turning to yoga for a more natural, effective approach to infertility.
Pain-Free Forward Bends to Relieve Tight Hips
If you're having difficulty with forward bends, don't assume it's your hamstrings. Inflexible rotator muscles may be to blame.
Adjust Your Meditation Seat to Prevent Back Pain
If you're having difficulty meditating because of back pain, you could be sitting incorrectly.