Your lower back does enough. Here's how to move more efficiently in your practice—and in life.

Through yoga, I have learned that I can be balanced and graceful, even with a curved spine.

A modification of Plank Pose, Forearm Plank strengthens and tones the core, thighs, and arms.

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.

A classic standing posture, Vrksasana establishes strength and balance, and helps you feel centered, steady and grounded.

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.

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

A compact arm balance, Crow Pose and Crane Pose tone the abs and the arms, strengthen in the core, and focus the mind.

Named for a legendary warrior, Virabhadrasana 2 strengthens your quads, shoulders, and core—not to mention your stamina and inner resolve.

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

Sometimes called the Sage's Pose, Pose Dedicated to the Sage Marichi III (Marichyasana III) is a wise addition to any practice.

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.

Don't let the name fool you. If you're used to sitting in chairs, Easy Pose (or Sukhasana) can be quite challenging.

Extended Triangle Pose is a quintessential standing pose that stretches and strengthens the whole body.

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

Utkatasana powerfully strengthens the muscles of the arms and legs, but it also stimulates the diaphragm and heart.

It seems so simple as to hardly be a pose. But this basic posture contains the secrets of how to hold yourself in countless other poses.

How to safely do this movement for pain relief.

If you’ve found yourself lying on the floor often over the past year-plus, this practice is for you.

Want to fly? Fire up your core. Firefly pose is an arm balance pose that requires more core strength than arm strength.

Tias Little offers 3 ways to modify Jathara Parivartanasana if needed 
to find safe alignment in your body.

Ray Long, MD, explains the anatomy of twists and how to support the action with proper muscular engagement to prevent low back pain.

Do you practice yoga regularly but still feel “stuck” in certain spots? Senior Yoga Medicine teacher Allison Candelaria created this muscle-and fascia-freeing flow to tune up the lateral sides of your body.

Practicing this twisting sequence is beneficial for anyone who sits for a good portion of the day, suffers from chronic back pain, or loves activities like running, cycling, and hiking.

Do you practice yoga regularly but somehow still feel “stuck” in certain spots? Senior Yoga Medicine teacher Allison Candelaria created this fascia-freeing flow to find more mobility in the backside of your body.

Start to ease lower back discomfort and counteract the effects of too much sitting by swapping some of your standard Surya Namaskars for this core-focused variation.

A tense QL could be lurking behind those aches and pains. Here's how to address it.

Got low back pain? Adopt these three slow, subtle yoga strategies from Tias Little to get more relief out of each practice.

A feeling of youth, even as you age, requires a flexible spine. In order to stay agile, practice forward bends, backbends, and twists regularly.

Release tension and pain by working with your tissue. Bo Forbes shows you how to target hotspots in the shoulders and lower back.

Is SI joint dysfunction causing your back pain? Learn which poses may help, and which poses to avoid.

Free yourself from ordinary back pain by doing these five simple poses each day.

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

Free yourself from ordinary back pain by doing these 5 simple poses each day.

Check out Katherine Griffin's author page.

Stretch your hamstrings without straining your spine. Learn the basics of Supta Padangusthasana.

Find length in front body before forward folding in Ardha Uttanasana.

Check out Julie Gudmestad's author page.

Check out Peggy van Hulsteyn's author page.

Pose Dedicated to the Sage Koundinya II tones the belly and spine, strengthens the arms and wrists, and gives your self-confidence a big boost.

A cross between Child's Pose and Downward-Facing Dog, Extended Puppy Pose lengthens the spine and calms the mind.

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

Eka Pada Koundinyasana I or Pose Dedicated to the Sage Koundinya I has a lot going on—the twist, the legs going their separate ways, oh, and the arm balance. Master it.

In Extended Hand-to-big-toe Pose, maintaining solid grounding through the standing foot helps keep you steady.

An excellent facilitator of good pelvic floor health, Garland Pose, called Malasana in Sanskrit, stretches the ankles, groins, and back while stimulating proper digestion. No worries if your heels don't reach the floor—simply rest them on a folded blanket.

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

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.

Before you go for big backbends, master the basics.

Use these simple, but important, twisting techniques that help elongate the spine and have a host of physical and emotional benefits.

Building strength in the lower back can enhance your performance in daily activities and help you avoid sports injuries.

If your curved back has you twisted, here are some asanas that will help realign your spine.

Salabhasana or Locust Pose effectively preps beginners for deeper backbends, strengthening the back of the torso, legs, and arms.

Oh, your aching back? Or maybe you can't crack those tight hamstrings. Supta Padangusthasana I or Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose I is for you.

Bharadvaja's Twist, or Bharadvajasana in Sanskrit, is a gentle and loving twist that inspires postural and body awareness.

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.

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