There are many poses that are staples of yoga class, like the standing pose Triangle. It's such a dynamic pose and stretches your hamstrings while lengthening your spine, which makes it perfect for after a run. While Triangle is one of my favorite poses, the twisted variation, Rotated Triangle, was once my nemesis. The variation involves rotating your chest to the opposite side, increasing the Read more

I love hip opening poses and Double Pigeon might just top my list of faves. This pose allows the hips to open like Pigeon pose, but also simultaneously stretches both glute muscles and the lower back. This pose is great for yoga beginners, runners, bikers, and expectant mothers preparing for labor. Start seated in butterfly, then move your right foot slightly away from you (essentially to Read more

If you're looking for a pose that will strengthen your shoulders and core, and increase flexibility in your spine then give Extended Tabletop a try. I like to move into this pose from a variation of Three-Legged Dog with your knee bent (see the photo after the break). This is a pose I've only seen in Vinyasa Yoga classes, so it's a newer pose that will help prepare you for doing Wheel. Read more

We're finally up to the last wide-legged forward bend pose in Ashtanga Yoga, Wide-Legged Forward Bend D. If you do all four in a row, A, B, C, and D, your hamstrings, hips, and lower back will feel amazingly stretched and open. It's a great series of stretches to do after a run if your lower body gets really tight. Sanskrit Name: Prasarita Padottanasana D English Translation: Feet Read more

If you love stretching your hamstrings and lower back in Wide-Legged Forward Bend A, then you're going to love this pose. You can do A for five breaths, come to stand up, and then go right into five breaths of this pose. It's great to do as a warm-up before a run or bike ride. Sanskrit Name: Prasarita Padottanasana B English Translation: Feet Spread Intense Stretch Pose B Also Called: Read more

Wide Squat is a great pose that opens your hips, but if you want to open your shoulders, chest, and increase flexibility in your spine as well, then you're going to love doing Bound Wide Squat. The prep for this pose makes you feel an incredible sense of openness in your heart and lungs. Since you put weight in your bottom hand, it also gives you a great wrist stretch which allows you to shift Read more

If you've been to a few yoga classes, I'm sure you've discovered that there are poses you absolutely love to do. They're usually the ones we're more familiar with, or the ones we're really good at. Then of course there are the poses that you secretly hope the instructor won't do during class, the ones that maybe you're scared of (for fear of falling or making a fool of yourself), or the ones Read more

Recently, I posted about vinyasas - the 5-movement sequence that links poses together. In order to be able to lift your body back from seated and get back to Chaturanga (this is called a "jump back"), you need to have some serious core muscle strength. This pose called Boat is great to practice if you want to tone and build up your abdominals. The increased strength and control you gain will Read more

Since I'm a runner, I love yoga poses that stretch out my tight hamstrings, quads, and lower back. This pose stretches them all at the same time. If you love Hero pose and Seated Forward Bend, you're going to love this one. Sanskrit Name: Trianga Mukha Eka Pada Paschimottanasana English Translation: 3 Limbs Facing 1 Foot Western Intense Stretch Posture Also Called: Half Hero Forward Read more