Yoga Poses

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.

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.

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.

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.

Dolphin Pose strengthens the core, arms, and legs, while also nicely opening the shoulders.

Kumbhaka is the central practice of traditional Hatha pranayama; there are two types of retention: after an inhale (antara), and after an exhale (bahya)

Through the practice of yoga, you can learn to hear—and follow—your inner guidance.

Kapalabhati is a traditional internal cleansing technique (kriya), and can be used as a simple warm-up for formal pranayama

This four-part meditation clears the heart and quiets the mind.

Learn this traditional hand seal or gesture used for controlled pranayama.

Do happiness and peace sound like worthy goals? You may be surprised how enlightened you'll feel if you just "pretend."

Quiet your racing mind and tune in to the stillness that resides inside you by practicing mantra meditation.

Jalandhara Bandha is one of three important "bonds" for pranayama breath retention, the other two being Mula and Uddiyana.

Check out Timothy McCall MD's author page.

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Check out Hillari Dowdle with asana instruction by Tim Miller's author page.

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Check out Asana Instruction by Tim Miller's author page.

Check out Hillari Dowdle with asana instruction by Tim Miller's author page.

Begin experimenting with how to integrate Mula Bandha into your asana practice.

Check out Andrea Ferretti's author page.

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Check out Timothy McCall MD's author page.

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Just as you can practice heart opening in your thoughts and emotions, you can also experience opening the heart space in your physical body.

Check out Sharon Goldman's author page.

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

Check out Constance Hale's author page.

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Deep, seated twists have the power to transform your spine. Learn how to twist right into Ardha Matsyendrasana.

Check out Melanie Haiken's author page.

Check out Melanie Haiken's author page.

Yoga helps circulate the synovial fluid inside your joints, but too much fluid is a sign of inflammation. Here’s how your yoga practice can both prevent and heal inflamed joints.

Breathing specialist and yoga therapist Leslie Kaminoff offers advice for asthmatic kids.

Check out Lauren Ladoceour's author page.

If you think there's no way to get your mind off of discomfort in your body, try this practice to shift how you experience it.

Check out Andrea Ferretti's author page.

To find your balance in Tree Pose, plant deep roots to get grounded.

Check out Julie Gudmestad's author page.

Check out Julie Gudmestad's author page.

Check out Julie Gudmestad's author page.

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Check out Julie Gudmestad's author page.

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Open your chest and stretch your entire front body in Camel Pose to improve posture and lift your mood.

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Core strength will help you get through those difficult poses. You'll feel easier in your poses and more capable in your life.

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Few yoga poses actually target arm flexibility. Enter these powerful, passive poses, designed to do just that.

Virasana can be deceptively difficult for beginners. Learn how to modify it for your body.

Check out Andrea Ferretti's author page.

Work your way up to Downward-Facing Dog with these prep poses—and build your confidence in the pose.

Try these simple poses to lessen neck pain and feel at ease.

Check out Andrea Ferretti's author page.

Loosen your spinal muscles and tame your tension with these 5 twisting yoga poses.

Check out Rachel Brahinsky'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.

Salamba Sarvangasana's alignment is delicate, complex—and upside down. Practicing it is an exercise in maintaining your attention.

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

Check out Paul Grilley's author page.

Present your knowledge of yoga in a fun and creative way through meditation and children.

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Flexible, strong hamstrings are key to any yoga practice. But they're often stubbornly tight. These five hamstring stretches gently lengthen and strengthen them.

Confronting a stressful situation is hard, but if you go with the flow when dealing with stress, it may become easier.

Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa offers advice for practicing yoga during pregnancy.

Check out Paul Grilley's author page.

Find proper alignment in Pigeon Pose, then practice it often, and those stiff, tight hips will start to feel open again.

Check out Paul Grilley's author page.

Some students struggle to grasp the source of Ujjayi breathing, while others tend to exaggerate it. What's the best way to teach Ujjayi breath?

Check out Cyndi Lee's author page.

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