Uttanasana is such a familiar pose that we often forget the finer points of the pose as we rush on to the more popular parts of our practice. Today I champion this foundation pose with a closer look at the teaching points and top tips for your students. Forgotten Forward Fold Uttanasana, or intense forward-bending pose, […]
Yoga may be about as good as physiotherapy for treating lower back pain, according to a new study published in a major medical journal. The results of the long-term study, which involved a large and racially diverse group of participants, come as welcome scientific support for using yoga as a therapy for back pain. Whilst
Ché (pronounced Shay) Dyer is a South African creative powerhouse – a blogger, illustrator, yoga teacher and mother-to-be. She’s also a YogaLondon graduate (yay!) who tells us all about her super-romantic engagement story and how falling pregnant in lockdown has changed her whole outlook on her work/life balance. 1. How did you get into yoga?
The curse of modern life. How do you physically exist in the modern world? Hunched over keyboards and steering wheels? Carrying too much weight in our bags, or on our shoulders as we battle to stay connected in this digital age. This equates into a grotesque adult imitation of the foetal position with hips flexed
I wish I had a pound for every time I have told my students to ‘listen to your body’ – it’s just one of those things yoga teachers say, isn’t it? It slips off the tongue so easily, but what does it really mean? Listen through Ahimsa Listening to your body starts with ahimsa –
Our scapula, or shoulder blade, glides around on the chest wall allowing the complex movements that we use in our asana. It plays a vital role in keeping the scapula firmly fixed on the chest wall. Here is how to activate, strengthen and make the most of this important muscle in your classes. The When and
As a physiotherapist, I see a lot of people who have had some form of medical imaging – X-ray, MRI or Ultrasound. These images can be REALLY useful to help diagnose some conditions and plan whether something like surgery is needed. But did you know that 96% of people with no pain or problem with their
Logic tells us that gluteus medius and minimus are to be found somewhere near their larger cousin, gluteus maximus. But how many of us yoga teachers really know where they really are and what they do? Let’s explore how you can target the gluteus medius and minimus in your practice and make the most of these muscles in
Our wrists are truly amazing pieces of bioengineering. Yet we rarely pay them much attention – that is until they hurt. Then we worry that we will have to stop doing those delicious hand weight-bearing poses that love. But with a little care and attention our wrists can be content in cobra (bhujangasana): thoroughly dependable
Forward folds are such an integral part of yoga practice. Some people effortlessly reach their toes while others feel like their toes may as well belong to someone else. Forward folds are iconic yoga poses. They are found in sun salutes, standing and sitting sequences, and they are a major hip opener in the ashtanga
