Practice Yoga

Every yogi, it seems, has a tale of a bum knee, shoulder, or hip. But getting injured in practice often means something is out of alignment.

Feeling discontent, dissatisfied or down? Heart-opening yoga poses, such as Wheel (Upward Bow) Pose, are the perfect Rx.

Of course yoga benefits athletes in many ways, but the breath is the surprising key to avoiding this increasingly common pitching injury.

YJ's “Master Class” column, featuring intelligent sequences leading to challenging peak poses taught by influential teachers, ran for about a decade. Here, six of our favorites.

Athletes (and non-athletes) tend to have a lot of misconceptions about the hips. Here, the anatomy and function of the joint demystified.

The Dharma Yoga Wheel helps newbies and veterans backbend safely and fearlessly.

Lauren Imparato's detoxifying poses will cleanse, strengthen, and inspire you from the inside out and outside in.

Tight or open, your hips need to be strong for injury-free movement. Learn how to build stability in common yoga poses.

These 3 hand mudras will help you keep yoga, learning, and inspiration at the top of your list. Try them with the following mantra: "Magic takes guts."

Camatkarasana, or Wild Thing, is a pose Bryant Park Yoga teacher Sara Clark can't get enough of. It's both a celebration and representation of the dynamic ways our body can move.

Kathryn Budig wants to introduce you to her new love: Karate. Here, two kicks to get you started, paired with the perfect poses for the flexibility and strength required.

NASA rocket scientist/yoga teacher Scott Lewicki balances a highly technical day job with creativity on the mat. Use this innovative practice to find new space in often forgotten muscles.

Just in time for summer, here are Two Fit Moms' top 8 yoga poses to work the core.

Yoga’s hand expressions, mudras, are said to shift energies from what we might be experiencing to how we want to feel. Learn three you can use today.

Alison McCue, who led the Tuesday class at Bryant Park Yoga this week, offers four poses to build confidence (and your sense of humor).

Begin with 10 minutes of foundational poses to remember why you are perfect exactly as you are.

Begin with 10 minutes of foundational poses, then add complexity to each posture in the 20 minute sequence, allowing yourself to honor your current practice.

Try this 30-minute sequence to allow yourself to honor the perfection of your practice and expand into more-advanced forms.

Try this 10-, 20-, or 30-minute yoga sequence to find deeper personal fulfillment in everyday life.

Shiva Rea offers five hand mudras to cultivate heart consciousness in celebration of the Summer Solstice and the First International Yoga Day.

Western research is now proving what yogis have known all along: Breathwork can deliver powerful mind and body benefits. In this three-part series, learn how and why to take better advantage of it both in practice and in life.

Using an aerial silk or hammock allows gravity to help the back leg relax and the spine to curve naturally. You’ll stop fighting gravity, and allow the support 
of the hammock to help you lengthen.

The way you position your hands on the ground is important. Alexandria Crow breaks down what this commonly used cue misses about doing it safely and how you can do better.

Advanced asana doesn't translate to advanced yoga. A longtime teacher explores both the relevance of advanced poses in practice and the potential risks of a purely physical pursuit.

Find energetic and physical balance 
as you deepen your twist and move 
step by step into Noose Pose (Pasasana).

Ground your legs and open your shoulders and chest to prepare you for Rope Pose.

Modify Parivrtta Utkatasana, Revolved Chair Pose, if needed to find safe alignment for your body.

Strengthen and ground your legs and hips, bring length and lightness to your spine and expand your chest in revolved chair pose.

Arm balances are only partially about the arms. Learn how to really take flight in Bakasana and beyond with Kino MacGregor's core-activating sequence.

According to Ayurvedic theory, it is better to drink warmer water after strenuous exercise. Drinking cold water on a hot day can disturb your digestion.

During class, our bodies will experience muscle shaking in response to hard work in a yoga pose. Be mindful of proper alignment and focus on the breath.

New Hampshire clocks in as the most emotionally healthy US state. It has people that face new experiences, share close moments with loved ones and engages in healthy activities.

Check out YJ Editors's author page.

Think you don't have time for yoga? Add this vinyasa right into your next workout, between sets of any exercise, to keep things interesting.

“Soft,” “relaxed” glutes never had an inspiring ring to Alexandria Crow till she understood the anatomy behind the alignment cue.

Bryant Park Yoga is back for its 12th season in New York City, featuring instructors curated by Yoga Journal. This week: Bethany Lyons.

Master teacher Sianna Sherman created this short sunrise sequence integrating the physical and spiritual to take your practice to another level.

Surfers may be stereotyped as all mellow and relaxed, but the intense demands their sport puts on the body can leave muscles feeling anything but.

Athletes balancing their mind, body, and soul with yoga can facilitate the transition from competition to surrender with adaptable gear.

Turn to this pranayama practice in times of transformation to invoke Kali and free yourself from anything that's holding you back.

Masumi Goldman reveals the trick to mastering the overhand grip in Dancer and One-Legged King Pigeon Poses is often in (surprise!) the psoas.

For stability when your feet leave the ground, Kathryn Budig steals tricks from martial arts.

The breath is just as essential for athletes as it is for yogis. Spend a few minutes with your breath to rebalance after exercise.

Use these five practices invoking Lakshmi to ignite your inner spark, find your radiant power of grace, and feel the ocean of abundance within you.

Worried you're not getting enough cardio? Research has found yoga has just as many heart-healthy benefits.

Relieve pain and increase mobility through these self-myofascial release tips from Tiffany Cruikshank, at Yoga Journal LIVE!

Try these three pre-and post-workout yoga practices from Sage Rountree’s new book to balance strength and fitness daily.

Recover from your workout with these six restorative poses from Sage Rountree’s new book that marry hip release and inversion to sweetly calm your nervous system.

Use this post-workout sequence from Sage Rountree’s book to build core strength that balances the abs and back muscles.

Use these mat-free poses from Sage Rountree’s new book to wake up your whole body and mind for better performance.

Only have 10, 20 or 30 minutes? Try this at home practice to recharge during your busy day with yoga teacher Chelsea Jackson.

Try this floor-based Viniyoga Sun Salutation 
that takes weight-bearing out of the picture and pressure off your joints.

Try the Ashtanga sun salutation for a physically demanding practice that involves synchronizing the breath with near-constant movement in a series of postures.

This Kundalini Sun Salutation is tied to reverence and prayer and likely looks more like the Sun Salutation the rishis of old might have practiced.

Celebrate summer solstice with three 
innovative and inspiring Sun Salutation practices.

Find safety in numbers. Kathryn Budig walks you through partner work to help you get comfortable balancing in the middle of the room.

Seated meditative poses support you as you drink in and recharge, and Warrior Poses, inversions, and backbends help you find strength as you pour out offerings to the world.

This balancing, restorative sequence encourages you to “drink” as you “pour.” Seated meditative poses support you as you drink in and recharge.

Refresh on the basics with Upward Salute, a pose that teaches extension from the ground up, lengthens the side waist, strengthens arms and shoulders.

Lengthen the hamstrings, hone midline awareness, and cultivate balance with these prep poses for Adho Mukha Vrksasana.

Find your edge and shift your weight into your hands as you move step by step into Adho Mukha Vrksasana.

Spinning and outdoor cycling are high-octane cardio workouts that require powerful legs and knees, and a strong back and core. Use yoga to regain balance.

Want to strengthen your relationship? These four simple partner poses will help you get close and connected within minutes.

In honor of Mother's Day, practice yoga with a special mom in your life. Two Fit Moms created a shareable sequence suitable for all levels.

It's normal to freeze up right before a stressful event but eating chocolate can help with controlling stress hormones.

Here's how to protect yourself in backbending yoga poses to avoid pain and injury, but still reap the asana benefits.

Removing meat from your diet can improve your health but you must replenish what you eliminate. Vegetarians can takes a B12 supplement to support health.

You should protect your skin from the sun, but beware of harmful ingredients in sunscreen. Try mineral sunscreens to avoid toxins.

Master this deep hip opener and backbend to help stretch and release tension. Use these five poses to safely warm up for One-Legged King Pigeon Pose.

Try these variation-mixes of Sun Salute A, B, and C to spice up your yoga practice.

Sianna Sherman introduces you to Durga and teaches you how to summon her strength in practice and in life.

Ever try a yoga pose and feel like your body just doesn’t make that shape? Erin Motz (a.k.a. the Bad Yogi) has three ideas to help you rock Fire Log Pose (Agnistambhasana).

Yoga teacher Alexandria Crow delves into what your teacher really wants you to do when you hear this cue—and it’s “not navel to spine.”

Kathryn Budig demonstrates how to use a blanket to tap the core strength needed to soar into Parsva Bakasana.

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

Connect with the earth and then defy its gravity with this grounding and exhilarating sequence.

Practice tuning in to your breath and body before a workout to focus and commit to nurturing and strengthening your body.

Prana Vinyasa founder Shiva Rea has an Earth Day eco-challenge for you: 10 body mudras and eco-actions to help you connect to the Earth.

Are you struggling with your lift off into Bakasana? Kathryn Budig uses a blanket to unlock the secret source of strength (hint: core) you need to soar.