I really appreciate the meditative nature of this seated pose. Not only does it calm my mind, but my hips crave the internal rotation offered by the position of the bent leg; moving the hip joint in this way makes for healthy hips and knees. This variation of Gate offers benefits to the joints by moving them in a direction we don't often do, similar to Hero pose, but this beginner Gate is easier Read more

The cold, wet, snowy Winter months can definitely make running on a treadmill much more appealing than the great outdoors. There are advantages to both running locations, but one disadvantage of using a treadmill is the belt. The backward motion of the belt assists you by pulling your feet back underneath your body, which means you are exerting less energy to move your feet and legs than when Read more

After a long run or a good leg workout, my hamstrings always feel tight. This is one of my favorite stretches for hamstrings called the Lying Hamstring Stretch. Here's how to do it: Lie on your back and lift your right knee up. Grasp behind your thigh near your knee with both hands and pull knee close to chest. Slowly extend your knee as you straighten your legs (get as straight as possible, Read more

Got a tight back? Here's a fun way to open your spine and stretch your hamstrings too. I call this Backpack. Get Flash to see this player. var so844024 = new SWFObject('http://media2.onsugar.com/static/flash/mediaplayer.swf','mpl','400','300','7'); so844024.addParam('allowfullscreen','true'); so844024.addVariable("file",'844024.flv'); so844024.addVariable('height', Read more

If you work at a desk all day and your lower back is not too happy about all that sitting, here's a great stretch to get you on your feet and relieve some of that tightness. Place your right foot up on your chair, or all the way up on your desk if you're a little bit more flexible. Place your hands on the chair or desk, or somewhere on your leg. Keep both legs straight, lengthen your spine, and Read more

Now that you've had a chance to practice Beginner's Gate, you're hopefully ready to try the full expression of the pose. Not only does this posture loosen tight hamstrings, but it also works on stretching the sides of your torso as well. Sanskrit Name: Parighasana English Translation: Cross Beam of a Gate Pose Also Called: Gate To hear the description of how to get yourself into Read more

Biking is a great way to work your legs without taking a toll on your knees. To work the separate muscle groups in your legs it pays to pedal with clips, or straps, that secure your foot to the pedal. Emphasize the downstroke: If you push on the downstroke you will work your quads - the muscle in the front of the thigh. This is also considered the most efficient stroke. Emphasize the upstroke: 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

The word Cadillac conjures up big convertible cars with fins, electric windows and fancy hub caps. That is why this piece of Pilates equipment is named the Cadillac — it has all the bells and whistles you could possibly want. There are so many elements to the machine: leg springs, arm springs, fuzzy loops to hang from, a push-through bar to stretch you out, and even a trapeze. The trapeze Read more