Poses for Your Kidneys

How to avoid falling into autopilot while practicing this basic—but beneficial—stretch.

Bitilasana is an easy, gentle way to warm up the spine before a more vigorous practice.

Purvottanasana counteracts the effects of Chaturanga by stretching the pectoralis major, pectoralis minor, and anterior deltoids.

The key to Parsva Bakasana is twisting enough to place the outer edge of one upper arm far around the outside of the opposite thigh.

Bound Angle Pose, or Baddha Konasana, opens the deepest part of the hip muscles.

Open wide into Prasarita Padottanasana to increase flexibility by leaps and bounds.

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, a well-known backbend, will challenge you to lift and open your chest.

It might look straightforward, but there's more to Dandasana than meets the eye.

A simple pose that's anything but easy.

Standing on your head in Salamba Sirsasana strengthens the whole body and calms the brain.

One of yoga's most widely recognized poses, Adho Mukha Svanasana strengthens the core and improves circulation, while providing a delicious, full-body stretch.

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana can be whatever you need—energizing, rejuvenating, or luxuriously restorative.

Uttanasana will wake up your hamstrings and soothe your mind.

Revolved Head-to-Knee Pose, or Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana, offers a deep, vivid stretch to the side body paired with loving and heart-opening movement.

Folding into Marichyasana I or Pose Dedicated to the Sage Marichi I calms your mind, extends your spine, and gives your internal organs a healthy squeeze.

Long day? Feeling sluggish? Try these poses from YJ Influencer Meredith Cameron to create space in your upper body to soften, flush, and balance your organ system.

When you practice Standing Splits focus on the stretch in your quad and hamstring, not how high you can lift your leg.

Can you practice Wheel with straight arms and Headstand without strain? Then, you're ready.

Kapotasana invigorates your body and gives your spirits a lift. This extremely deep backbend is appropriate for advanced practitioners only.

Sphinx Pose is the infant of backbends. It can be practiced with either an active or passive approach.

This pose gently lengthens and strengthens even stubbornly tight hamstrings.

Ease up into Half Frog Pose, called Ardha Bhekasana in Sanskrit. This pose strengthens the back while gently opening up the shoulders, chest, and thighs—a loving treat for the entire body.

In this challenging version of a twist, your arms wrap around your legs so your hands can clasp behind the back, almost like a lasso or a snare.

Dance with cosmic energy in this challenging yet graceful balancing pose that relies on equal parts effort and ease.

Upavistha Konasana is good preparation for most of the seated forward bends, twists, and the wide-leg standing poses.

A classic restorative posture, Supta Baddha Konasana or Reclining Bound Angle Pose can be modified for any level of hip and groin resistance.

Also called Seated Twist Pose or Ardha Matsyendrasana in Sanskrit, this pose energizes the spine and stimulate proper digestion while improving postural and body awareness.

This version of Shoulderstand is performed with blanket support under the shoulders.

Janu Sirsasana, or Head-to-Knee Pose, is appropriate for students of any level and melds a forward bend with a spinal twist.

Need an energy boost? Urdhva Dhanurasana can help—and strengthen your arms, legs, abdomen, and spine in the process.

By providing a conscious opening in the chest and stretch in the shoulders, Cobra Pose, called Bhujangasana in Sanskrit, fights fatigue and relieves lower back pain, boosting both the energetic and the physical body.