Tight, Achy Neck? Melt Away the Discomfort With These 5 Yoga Poses
There’s a reason an especially annoying situation (or person) is called a “pain in the neck.” Neck pain, while common and usually not a cause for concern, can really ruin your day. It’s impossible to ignore; every nod, turn, and head shake offers an instantaneous reminder. Rest doesn’t always help (if you’ve ever woken up […]
The 1 Trick That Can Make These 5 Popular Yoga Poses More Effective
What flipping your calendar to 2025 is all about: encouraging fresh goals and new possibilities in the year ahead. What it’s definitely not about: overhauling your life overnight or beating yourself up over unfinished 2024 resolutions. As the year winds down, try taking some time to reflect (with care!) on what’s behind you, reimagine what’s ahead, and […]
Just Wondering: Does Yoga ‘Count’ as Strength Training or Cardio?
If you’ve ever practiced yoga, there’s a good chance you’ve, at times, felt breathless during a demanding flow or sore the next day from many rounds of Chaturanga. Surely, getting sweaty, breathless, and sore means that yoga “counts” as a cardio and strength workout… right? Not exactly. Yoga is pretty powerful, but for most people, it […]
Grab a Pillow and Get Comfy for This 20-Minute Relaxing Yoga Flow
At some point in time during the COVID lockdown, I found myself lying on my yoga mat with five or six different props—yoga blankets, an eye pillow, yoga strap, two blocks, and of course, my cylindrical navy blue yoga bolster—wedged into every crevice between my body and the floor. This cozy arrangement of props was […]
Channel Your Inner Ariel With Mermaid Pose—Here’s How to Add It to Your Yoga Practice
Mermaid pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana in Sanskrit) is a graceful and challenging yoga posture that beautifully combines flexibility, strength, and balance. It’s a deep hip opener that also targets your spine, chest, and shoulders, making it an all-encompassing pose for building strength and flexibility. But starting from the ground up is key in mermaid pose, according to Heather […]
If You’re Experiencing Incontinence, Consider Swapping Kegels for These 10 Yoga Poses
If you find yourself the butt of irritating “mom always has to pee” jokes, tell those jokers to can it. For one thing, having children is a common cause of those symptoms later in life—frequent urination or incontinence affects more than half of all post-menopausal women. For another, those symptoms are no joke: Incontinence can contribute […]
4 Things Holding You Back From *Still* Not Being Able to Do Cobra Pose—and What to Do About It
Many of us have a yoga pose we actively avoid or dread doing because it feels hard (not in a good way) or even painful to do. Cobra pose (Bhujangasana in Sanskrit) can easily be that pose. Maybe it’s because you’ve never been taught the finer details of how to do the posture and have experienced discomfort each time […]
The Yogi Squat Is the Hip-Opening Yoga Pose You Should Add to Your Practice ASAP
If you sit for extended periods of time during the day—like during your commute or at a desk—chances are you may have tight hip flexors. That’s because sitting reduces your range of hip motion and extension, and over time, tight hip flexors can lead to decreased range of motion, limited flexibility, and pain in the […]
The 6 Best Yoga Poses to Relieve Period Cramps, According to an Instructor
Periods can be a real pain—literally. Cramps, bloating, and mood swings can make you want to curl up and cancel your day. But before you reach for a heating pad or another painkiller, consider this: Yoga might be your secret weapon. A small 2016 study1 in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that just 60 minutes of […]
Yoga Helped Me Build Confidence—Once I Learned How to Make It Work for My Body With These Modifications
I’ll never forget the feeling of deep discomfort during a consultation for breast reduction surgery. The room in the plastic surgeon’s office was cold, and I felt self-conscious in the paper robe as I waited to see the doctor. I was 16 and made the appointment with my mom after a tearful trip to the mall. […]