Yoga Anatomy

Almost all sports injuries are caused by imbalance in the body, says Sage Rountree. Here she explains how to achieve balance throughout the hips for greater comfort and freedom in your activities.

We all experience flexibility in some areas more so than others. Sage Rountree discusses the importance of balance in and around the hips and offers poses that help to create opening where needed.

You can resolve sacroiliac joint discomfort in the same place it started—on the mat.

The surprising key to soothing sciatica and lower back pain is a muscle you may never have heard of—the piriformis.

Leslie Kaminoff never expected his humble yoga book to make a splash in 2007. But the book, co-authored with Amy Matthews, sold out its first printing in a month and shot to Amazon's Bestsellers...

Leslie Kaminoff never expected his humble yoga book to make a splash in 2007. But the book, co-authored with Amy Matthews, sold out its first printing in a month and shot to Amazon's Bestsellers...

Yes, a toned core is great for bikini season. But, when you learn to access the deepest muscles, you will get benefits that are more than skin deep.

Alignment is essential for the health of the knees. Unfortunately, practicing Triangle Pose too often without its counterpose can create an imbalance in the joint. Lean how to stay safe.

Strengthen your lower back, free yourself from back pain in seated poses, and skillfully deepen your forward bends.

Skillfully incorporating anatomical language into your classes can increase your students' awareness of their bodies and their asanas.

Work the small muscles of your inner thighs—often overlooked in yoga—to find ease in all sorts of poses.

Help even your stiffest students get the most from sidebends.

A toned backside is a beautiful thing, especially when you learn to relax your posterior hip muscles.

Learn how to modify and teach students who tell you about a sprain, strain, or pain.

Check out Julie Gudmestad's author page.

Learn how to keep Trikonasana from being a pain in the neck.

To soar skyward in Shoulderstand, press your arms strongly into the earth.

While neck rolls and stretches can be great for calming stressed students, they're not safe for everyone. Here, discover the two things you should be wary about, and how to teach yoga exercises for the neck safely to your students.

If yoga is such a gentle practice, why are so many people getting hurt? Learn how to honor yourself and your limitations to prevent yoga injuries.

Learn how to guide your students to bear weight on their hands with mindfulness and hand positioning tips so they avoid injury and gain upper-body strength.

Important as it is, stretching is easy to misunderstand or overdo. Help your students—and yourself—learn the basics behind this crucial element of yoga.

A footloose approach isn't always for the best. Teach your students to firm up their feet for strong balance poses.

Check out Julie Gudmestad's author page.

Not an anatomy geek? Learn why it's worth your time as a yoga teacher to study anatomy, especially the actions of flexion and extension.

Good posture is possible even without your mom nagging you. One key is stretching and strengthening the muscles around your shoulder blades.

There are many myths about joint cracking. Here's what you need to know.

Check out Richard Rosen's author page.

If you want your yoga to build strong, stable, balanced legs, it's important to work the feet properly—even when you're not standing on them.

Learn some theories about the origin of SI pain as well as practical ways to help your students prevent or treat problems.

Tight calves can interfere with your practice in ways you might not suspect, but frequent stretching can improve calf flexibility.

If backbends are a struggle for your body, you may try these preparatory shoulder-openers.

Yoga gives us deeper breathing awareness–and brings greater concentration to the parts of the body that allow us to exhale and inhale fully.

Learn how yoga can help you prevent slouching—and the depression, shallow breathing, tension, and headaches that often go with it.

Check out Phil Catalfo's author page.

Understanding the mechanics of your feet in yoga and the patterns in your foot health is the first step to establishing a solid foundation in your practice.

Reconsider how you define healthy abdominal muscles. Think strong, not hard.