When an Influencer Says These 3 Words, I Stop Listening. Here’s Why.
It's a pink flag that always gives me pause—and should make you proceed with caution, too.
Author
Rachel Land
Rachel Land is a Yoga Medicine therapeutic specialist with a 1,000-hour qualification offering group and one-on-one yoga sessions in Queenstown New Zealand, as well as on-demand classes. She specializes in hip, spine and shoulder anatomy, function, and yoga application as well as myofascial release.
Passionate about the real-world application of her studies in anatomy and alignment, Rachel uses yoga to help her students create strength, stability, and clarity of mind. Rachel also co-hosts the Yoga Medicine Podcast.
Certifications: ERYT-500 | Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider (YACEP)
My Stories
This Is the Most Annoying Thing I See Students Do in Yoga Class
A little awareness, please.
The Worst Yoga Teaching Advice We’ve Ever Heard
Things that you can—and should—ignore.
13 Simple Things You Need to Know Before Your First Yoga Class
Everything you need to know to feel a little (or a lot) more comfortable.
8 Things You Might Hear in Yoga Class That Simply Aren’t True
Here's how to discern what's right for you.
5 Essential Exercises to Strengthen Your Glutes
So simple. So effective.
Neck Sore? You Might Be Making These Common Mistakes in Yoga.
Here's what you need to know.
7 Controversial Yoga Cues You Need to Rethink
Things are rarely all good or bad. It's all about context.
5-Minute Yoga Fix for When You Want to Move But Are Too Tired to Stand
You can have it both ways.
The 10 Essential Stretches You Need for the Most Overlooked Part of Your Body
Your entire self will thank you.
Why Are So Many Yoga Teachers Falling Into These Common Bad Habits?
It can be soooo tricky to keep your balance while you're juggling all the things. This advice can help.
Does Yoga Count as Cardio?
It depends. These sequences help you get the most out of your time on the mat.
5 Confusing Yoga Cues Explained in Plain English
You may have heard them hundreds of times without understanding what you're supposed to do. Here's how to untangle their meanings.
17 Ways to Cue “Breathe Into Your Belly” (Without Saying That)
Sometimes the cue turns heads for being anatomically incorrect. Here's what you can say instead.
Yoga Teachers, Your Cues to Keep Students “Safe” May Be Backfiring
There's a difference between keeping someone safe and instilling fear.
10 Ways to Transition Into Gate Pose That You’ve Probably Never Tried Before
Because change is good.
Having a Challenging Time Making It to Your Mat? Here’s How to Make Yoga a Habit.
With a little help from James Clear's best-selling Atomic Habits.
3 Essential Ankle-Strengthening Exercises You’ve Been Overlooking
Roll your ankles much? Not after practicing these moves.
Shoulders Ache During Yoga? This Could Be the Cause.
Sometimes the source isn't what you'd suspect.
What Exactly Is a “Personal Practice” in Yoga?
It can mean a lot of things. But these are the most essential.
Yoga Teachers, Feeling Stuck in Your Sequencing? This One Trick Will Unleash Your Creativity.
Chances are you've never tried this before.
Are You Pushing Yourself Too Hard (or Too Little) in Yoga?
It’s an inexact algorithm.
Where Many Yoga Teachers Go Wrong When an Older Student Walks Into Their Class
What assumptions would you make?
Yoga Teachers, Here’s How You Know When It’s Time to Break Up With a Class
Sometimes it really is all about you.
6 Things You Might Be Getting Wrong About Yoga
Are these common personality traits tripping up your practice?
Knowing This Can Change the Entire Vibe of Any Yoga Class You Teach
And you probably didn't learn it in YTT.
Yoga Teachers, Sometimes You Need to Call in Sick, Tired, or Heartbroken. Here’s Why.
Sometimes the best thing you can do for your students is NOT teach.
Yoga Teachers, This Simple Fix Will Exponentially Improve Your Cues
What and when to cue during a fast-pace vinyasa.
Are You Making These Common Mistakes in Chaturanga? (And How to Correct Them.)
It's so easy to go on autopilot.
Yoga Teachers, This Savvy Sequencing Method Is a Must
It's simpler than you think.
This One Trick Will Prevent Daylight Saving From Messing With Your Sleep
Here's how to hack your way to feeling better.
The One (Counterintuitive) Cue You Need to Balance in Yoga
It's not so much a secret as it is counterintuitive.
Here’s How Your Bad Posture Also Shows Up In Yoga (And How to Correct It)
And what you can do to correct it.
What I Learned About Cues in Yoga Teacher Training Wasn’t Working. Here’s What I Do Instead.
I knew there had to be a better way to instruct students.
11 Things Many Yoga Teachers Have Stopped Doing in Their Classes
After leading students through thousands of classes, they decided how they were taught to teach wasn't working.
Are the Yoga Poses You Like the Least Actually the Ones You Need the Most?
We explore the common catchphrase and whether it harms or helps.
14 Ways to Practice High Lunge That You’ve Probably Never Tried Before
Each one strengthens, stretches, and otherwise prepares you for other challenging poses.
No, You Don’t Need to “Sit Up Straight.” Here’s What to Do Instead.
Turns out, there is no safe way to sit still all day.
5 Most Common Sequencing Mistakes That (Even Experienced) Yoga Teachers Make
This is what most YTTs don't teach.
Have You Been Approaching Tech Neck All Wrong? Here’s How to Banish It for Good.
The answer isn't stretching, it's strengthening. Here's how.
Yoga Teachers, Here’s How to Get 5 Completely Different Classes Out of the Same Exact Sequence of Poses
Counteract the madness of creating a different sequence for each class with this method.
This Little-Known Muscle Can Help Prevent Big Back Pain. Here’s How.
Its effects are subtle yet profound.
No, Your Body Can’t Necessarily Come Into All Yoga Backbends. So Which Ones Are Right for You?
A complete list of pros and cons for all types of backbends. (And yes, permission granted to ignore Wheel Pose.)
No, Stretching Alone Won’t Relieve Your Tight Psoas. Here’s What Will.
Your aching hip flexors need more than a quick lunge.
The One Strengthening and Stretching Exercise Every Cyclist (Desperately) Needs
It's the most efficient strengthening and stretching move you can do after a long ride.
Essential Après-Ski Stretches for Your Aching Lower Legs
The relief that you'll experience after just five minutes is going to astound you.
If You’re a Runner and Find Yoga Frustrating, Here’s What You Need to Know
You don't need to avoid the poses that are frustrating for you. You simply need to change how you practice them.
20 Ways to Change Up Your Down Dog
Because sometimes you need more stretching or strengthening than usual.
5 Alternatives to Pigeon Pose (That Still Deliver Hip-Opening)
Same stretch. Less discomfort.
The One Cue I Never Use When I Teach Yoga
Why it's not only unhelpful but unkind.
17 Plank Variations to Build Strength and Stability
Because change is good.
2 Essential Cues for Chaturanga, According to an Anatomy Expert
And how they make this challenging pose easier.
Confused About Whether to Squeeze Your Glutes in Backbends?
The answer is…complicated.
I’m a Yoga Teacher and I Gave Up Stretching. Here’s Why.
These days, my asana practice focuses on mobility, range of motion, and tension relief, instead.
10 Basic Yoga Poses That Benefit Everyone (Including You)
No matter where you are in your practice, these fundamentals provide you with what you need.
44 Cues to Help You Strengthen Your Core in Any Yoga Pose
Because different poses ask you to use your core in different ways.
35 Yoga Poses No One Ever Told You Are Core Work
You've been strengthening your core all along.
3 Common Misconceptions About Core Strength
A friendly reminder that there’s much more to a strong core than visible abs
How Long Should You Hold a Yoga Pose?
The answer, as with so many things in yoga and in life, depends.
Is it Safe to Transition From Warrior 3 to Half Moon?
There’s a lot of controversy in yoga around whether you can safely move from “closed hip” to “open hip” transitions. The answer? It’s complicated.
The Surprising Reason Why You Have a Hard Time Coming Into Handstand (And No, It Has Nothing to Do With Core Strength)
Here's what you can do to overcome it.
The Hidden Benefits of Stretching (That You’ve Definitely Never Heard of Before)
Not stretching as much as you know you should? What's revealed by this research will change that.
How to Create Better Balance
3 ways to train your body for steadiness—in yoga and in life
The One Cue That Can Transform Your Downward-Facing Dog
Your wrists will thank you.
This Is the Secret to Preventing Low Back Pain
Your lower back does enough. Here's how to move more efficiently in your practice—and in life.
Yoga Teachers, Are You Making This Common Mistake With Your Cues?
This language misstep can have a tremendous effect on your students' practice.
What Does It Mean When Your Teacher Cues “Breathe Into Your Belly”?
An exploration of the intention behind an anatomically incorrect instruction.
When Yoga Doesn’t “Work”
Four reasons you might not be seeing the results you expected—and why that might not be such a bad thing.
4 Underrated Yoga Poses You’re Overlooking In Your Practice
Because there's more to life than hip openers.
How a Wall Can Revolutionize Your Revolved Half Moon
This is the prop you didn't know you needed.
10 Ways to Use Blocks to Advance Your Yoga Practice
Props aren’t just for beginners; they can be used to develop and even deepen dimensions of asana practice. The humble yoga block, for example, gives us countless ways to vary our practice—highlighting sensations that help us experience a pose in a new way. Here are 10 to try.
Yoga for Flexibility Challenge Week 5: Strength Work
There’s a myth that a strong muscle is a tight one, and a flexible muscle is weak. It seems counterintuitive, but identifying and strengthening weak areas can actually help tight areas release their grip. Your challenge for this week is to address one or two of your dormant areas with targeted strength work. Share your progress on social media with #YJflexichallenge for a chance to be featured on our @YogaJournal Instagram page!
The Anatomy of Fascia—& What It Can Tell Us About How to Practice
Senior Yoga Medicine teacher Rachel Land breaks down the anatomy of fascia and four effective ways to keep it fit through yoga practice.
How “Fit” Is Your Fascia?
Senior Yoga Medicine teacher Rachel Land says don’t worry if you’ve never considered the health of your fascia before. As a yogi, you may already be taking good care of it anyway. Here, she outlines what it takes.