Poses for Your Pelvis

Because a healthy pelvic floor is, well, essential.

How not to fall 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.

Padmasana creates an essential foundation for meditation practice, while stretching the front of the thighs and ankles.

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.

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

Use these poses to access this deep muscle, which is key for freedom and ease in the hips.

Let love in by practicing these self-compassion postures first.

Pain and discomfort can be gone with these therapeutic asana sequences from pelvic-floor expert and yoga teacher Leslie Howard.

When yogis talk hips, it's generally about opening them. But your hips CAN be too open... Learn why balancing strength and flexibility in the hips is so important.

Most women know they should be strengthening their pelvic floors, but what about lengthening? Try this 10-step practice for strong and supple muscles to support childbirth, your vital organs, and even your love life.

Think of the word “core,” and terms like “hard" and “tight” likely come to mind. But the secret 
to a strong middle is actually to soften in your practice. This sequence shows you how.

Twisting poses are a top cause of SI joint injury. Learn how 
to safely anchor yourself before moving into your next twist.

Healthy movement in your tailbone may 
influence your whole spine.

Looking to boost your confidence? Try this sequence from yoga teacher Claire Missingham to open your hips and balance your lower energy centers.

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

Use this sequence of yoga poses to open and stretch your groins.

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

Strong and supple pelvic floor muscles help you stay high and dry.

Keeping your hip points squared straight ahead may not always be best in twists.

This side-reclining pose stretches the backs of the legs, the sides of the torso, and tones the belly.

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

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.

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.

This pose gently lengthens and strengthens even stubbornly tight hamstrings.

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

Check out Roger Cole's author page.

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.

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