Yoga for Strength and Flexibility When You’re Not a Beginner
It’s easy to find resources on yoga for strength and flexibility when you’re a beginner. They’re everywhere!
It’s just a matter of figuring out which resources are trustworthy or not. (Ahem, we’ve got you covered!)
But what about when you’re an advanced yogi? Or even intermediate? What if you’re already really flexible or strong or athletic or a dancer or a gymnast? How could yoga possibly challenge you when you can literally do almost all the things?
The amazing thing about yoga is that there’s always something new to learn!
That’s one of the reasons why I love teaching my Yoga for Strength and Flexibility class at myYogaTeacher! Because we get students of all levels and it’s my job to challenge them!
If you haven’t tried any classes with myYogaTeacher yet, sign up for your 2-week free trial here! You’ll get access to my class and many others!
In the meantime, here are some ways my co-instructor, Shelly, and I create a dynamic class for everyone from yoga newbs to the born-to-do-yoga yogis!
Start with the basics
No matter what, the simplest moves are the building blocks to bigger moves! And, as an intermediate or advanced yoga practitioner, you should always move through those simple asanas as a part of getting into deeper ones.
For example, to get into headstand, you should first move through downward facing dog or crow pose. To get into wheel pose, you should first move through bridge pose.
Conducting our class and our practice like this allows beginner yogis to experience their own level of strength and flexibility that’s perfect for them while more advanced yogis can move on to harder asanas with more intention and while staying in alignment!
Here’s a list of challenging yoga poses for strength and flexibility:
- Headstand - Begin in downward facing dog or crow pose.
- Crow pose - Begin in yogi squat.
- Bird of paradise - Begin in side angle pose.
- Wheel pose - Begin in bridge pose.
- King Pigeon pose - Begin in pigeon pose.
- Firefly pose
If you are unfamiliar with or inexperienced in these poses, I highly recommend seeking out an instructor who is via a 1:1 class or group class like mine designed to help you progress in these types of asanas!
Focus on mindset and body awareness
I’ve known extremely flexible and strong athletes, dancers, and gymnasts who can not perform many advanced yoga poses. Crazy right?
You’d think that as much as they move their bodies, stretch, strengthen and tone, that they’d be able to perform almost any yoga pose they want. But yoga isn’t just about the asanas. It’s about the mindset.
Yoga of any kind is focused on bringing awareness to the body and mind. Alignment. Breath. Focus.
Sometimes, athletes become so accustomed to their workouts and their sport that they no longer need to think about body awareness, breath, or mindset.
Yoga poses that build strength and flexibility for advanced yogis, athletes, dancers, or gymnasts require the use of muscles they may not normally use and a mental focus they may not have. These are things we particularly work on in my Yoga for Strength and Flexibility class!
The poses I mentioned above are hard. Truly. They’re no joke. And there’s even more challenging ones than those in the yoga world as well!
So there is always room for improvement in yoga, whether you’ve just started your yoga journey or have been on it for a hundred years.
Mental discipline and meditation
When you’re first starting out in yoga, you’re enthusiastic, eager...willing. Showing up on the mat is mostly fun, even if you can’t do all the poses to their fullest extent.
As you progress, the poses that were hard are easy and you move on to more difficult poses. Sometimes these challenges are more frustrating than when you were a beginner doing easy poses.
Why? Because your expectations of yourself changed.
This is a normal part of growing in your yoga practice. It’s also why there is a strong focus on mental discipline and meditation in yoga, particularly with classes on myYogaTeacher, where all the teachers are from India. The birthplace of yoga!
Continuing to build strength and flexibility when you’re already strong and flexible in yoga will truly mess with your mind if you haven’t developed a strong habit of showing up on your mat no matter what and meditating.
Meditation and mental discipline help you approach challenges in stillness and concentration. They help you accept where you are in your practice while also pushing your body to move forward.
These two things are probably the most important aspects of developing strength and flexibility in yoga.
Without them, it is much easier to give up.
No matter where you are in your practice, yoga will continue to help you be strong, toned, and flexible. If you’re unsure of how you can continue to grow in your practice because you’ve reached an advanced level, sign up for your 2-week free trial of myYogaTeacher and try some of the advanced classes there! There’s 35+ different classes to choose from every day!
Or you’re always welcome to try mine and Shelly’s class, Yoga for Strength and Flexibility! We’re more than happy to work with you to help you perform advanced asanas!
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{"slug":"yoga-for-strength-and-flexibility","recentPosts":[{"id":"cl8kb5f23jq1w0ciscs2h2bxw","slug":"benefits-of-yoga-for-pregnancy","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"What are the Benefits of Yoga for Pregnancy?","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"Yoga for Pregnancy is excellent for stress relief, pain relief, and preparation for labor. Read more to understand the benefits of Yoga for Pregnancy","readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-27T14:42:36.767798+00:00","coverUrl":"kvvlqndsbow5dsckhw7i.jpg","content":{"text":"When you get pregnant, people come out of the woodworks with advice, remedies and old wives tales. Everyone’s got an opinion on how you should spend your pregnancy. But the one thing we know for sure is, yoga is great for mom and baby alike. If you’re curious about prenatal yoga, you’re in the right place. Let’s break down why this type of yoga is excellent for moms (and babies).\\nWhat is prenatal yoga?\\nPrenatal yoga was designed for women who are expecting. Rather than taking a regular class and having to worry about modifications or safety, this class is specifically designed for pregnancy. The practice can help women with common pregnancy aches and pains, ease hormonal and emotional stress and help women’s bodies prepare for birth and their postpartum journey. A regular yoga practice when pregnant has tons of amazing benefits!\\nBenefits of Prenatal yoga: \\nWe asked women who’ve done prenatal yoga while pregnant for their reviews, one said “ It’s excellent for stress relief, pain relief, and preparation for labor.” And they all said they’d recommend it to friends! \\nSo let's break down the benefits: \\nRelaxation : \\nPregnancy can be very stressful! But yoga will help you to relax physically, mentally and emotionally and create a safe, relaxing environment for birth. Prenatal helps you with coping and breath techniques for all stages of your pregnancy.\n\\nPreparation for birth : \\nFor first time moms, and even sometimes vets, labor can be scary. This practice will help you to learn birth techniques so you’re relaxed and ready to go!\n\\nYoga can Help with Labor : \\nIn a 2015 study\\n, It was found that a regular yoga practice in the last 10-12 weeks of pregnancy can improve the mother's comfort during labor and help facilitate the labor process. The “yoga group” in this study on average was in labor two hours less than those who didn’t practice. Past your due date? Prenatal Yoga is also known to help induce labor\n\\nCommunity : \\nYoga classes have always been known to help us build community but during pregnancy, it's so important to have a group of women who understand what you’re going through. Taking part in a prenatal class puts you in a group of women who get it. You’ll have a built in support system and maybe even first friends for your baby!\\nFrequently Asked Questions about Prenatal Yoga:\\nIs Yoga for Pregnancy safe?\\nYes. Yoga is generally considered safe during pregnancy. However, you should always consult your doctor & make sure you’re practicing with a teacher who understands the prenatal experience and can keep you safe. Our teachers are experts in yoga and are ready to help you on your journey. If you’d like to check out our offerings, you can get started today with a two week free trial! \\nWhen during pregnancy can you practice yoga?\\nDuring your first trimester, you can stick to your regular practice with some modifications. \\nYour second trimester is a GREAT time to start prenatal yoga! At this point, you’ll be starting to officially come into your “pregnancy body” and you’ll need to be practicing poses more specific to prenatal. The second and third trimester are considered the “prep period” for your body to prepare for labor. So it's a great time to keep moving and stretching in your new skin as you make room for the baby to grow! \\nWhat yoga poses should you avoid doing? \\nFor the most part, yoga is considered safe during pregnancy. You really only need to focus on any poses that put pressure on your abdomen. You should avoid any and all twisting poses, backbends and inversions.. \\nYoga for Pregnancy Poses you can perform at Home :\\nIt’s important to stay active during your pregnancy for both mom and baby! You should try to get in some sort of movement daily for at least 30 minutes. You can stick to low impact workouts or walks but if you want to do some yoga at home, it’s a great way to end your day. Yoga while pregnant can help with pain, help you sleep better and fight tiredness and fatigue. \\nHere are some poses you can practice at home to keep you moving! And as a bonus, most of these poses will also help your body prepare for giving birth!\\n1. Bound angle pose (Baddha Konasana) :\\n\\nBaddha Konasana pose will help you open your hips, releasing any pain in your back. It can also help to reduce swelling\\nHow it helps with labor: Opening the hips will help you to stretch the muscles needed to open the birth canal.\\n2. Cat-cow pose (Marjaryasana Bitilasana) :\\n\\nMarjaryasana Bitilasana pose release back and shoulder pain and also reduce pressure from the belly\\nHow it helps with labor: Back pain is a common occurrence during the birth process. This pose will help to keep your muscles limber and help to avoid muscle spasms and pain in your back during labor. \\n3. Yogi squat (Malasana) :\\n\\nBeen sitting too long? This is a great hip opener and will also release lower back pain. \\nHow it helps with labor: This pose will widen the pelvic floor making the birth easier,which may help to reduce injury during birth.\\nRemember, if you’re practicing at home, it’s always best to consult your doctor and make sure yoga is safe for your pregnancy.\\n\\nOther ways to practice self-care during pregnancy\\nBeing a mom is the hardest job in the world. And there are no days off. Starting with pregnancy, we feel out of control of our body, its growth and the way we feel. Remember to take time during this beautiful process to practice self-care so you can be present, happy and relaxed. \\nBook a prenatal massage :\n\nA prenatal massage is GREAT for mom and baby. It can help reduce stress and swelling without meds, help you to sleep and get your body ready for labor and delivery. \\nTake a bath :\n\nTaking a warm bath while pregnant can also help to reduce stress and lower your blood pressure. It’s a great way to relax and rest your growing body. If you’re feeling pain or swelling, it can be very beneficial to relax in a warm bath. \\n\\nAyurveda for Pregnancy :\\n\n\nThis week, MyYogaTeacher has a special Ayurveda event running where you’ll learn how to align with your best self through nutrition and health changes. This specific class is designed to help you have your most healthy pregnancy with nutrition guidelines for a mom and foods to help with baby's development! \\n\nYou can also choose to work 1 on 1 with an instructor of your choice through your MyYogaTeacher membership! Let us help you have your healthiest pregnancy possible! \\n\\nGet started today!\\n"},"category":[]},{"id":"cl8ka13l4ionz0ck2fe0pme7l","slug":"chronic-neck-pain-relief-yoga-poses","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Are you suffering with Chronic Neck Pain? 10 yoga poses to find relief!","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":null,"readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-27T14:11:15.683866+00:00","coverUrl":"rbh6duxy7hy3y207sg1c.jpg","content":{"text":"Do you suffer from chronic neck pain? Nearly 30-50% of adults suffer from recurring neck pain. \\nNeck pain can be a common occurrence for people who:\\nhave long commutes or sit at a desk all day\\nwho have issues with posture \\nwho have chronic sleep issues\\nOur neck and shoulders can also be a place where we may carry tension or pain due to stress. In any case, the good news is yoga can help you to relieve your neck pain and move on symptom free! \\nDaily changes you can make to avoid neck pain\\nStay in alignment. Keep good posture and try not to carry heavy bags on one side of your body. Also, if you sit at a desk and work on a computer, move your monitor to eye-sight so you’re not looking up or down. Need help finding your center? \\nWe can help here at MyYogaTeacher! \\n\\nStay active! It’s important to stay mobilized. If you sit all day, take breaks to move around and give your body a break from being stuck in one position. Can’t take breaks at work? Try to go for a walk on lunch or maybe before or after your workday. \\nCheck your sleep environment. Make sure your mattress and pillows are still in good shape. Look into the best pillows for your sleep type or body. Getting quality sleep will help you avoid tossing and turning and can be your remedy to wake pain free. \\nIf you’re feeling like you need to move, starting with any slower yoga practice will help! Yin, hatha and restorative classes will all leave your body feeling relaxed, renewed and free of pain. Want to flow on your own? Here are our top ten poses to try! \\n10 Yoga Poses to relieve Chronic Neck Pain :\\n1. Easy seat with ear to shoulder stretch\\nThis pose releases your neck and shoulders and helps relieve tension and stress.\\nStart by sitting with your legs crossed and a straight back. Shoulders down. Bring your ear down to your shoulder. To deepen the stretch, bring your opposite arm overhead. \\n\\n\\n\\n2. Child’s Pose\\nReleases tension in the upper body including the neck and chest.\\nBring your knees as wide as the mat and sit into your heels. You can bring your chest to the mat and extend your arms forward or come to rest on a pillow or bolster. Try to hold this pose for up to 5 breaths. \\n\\n\\n\\n3. Downward facing dog\\nHelps to relieve neck pain by strengthening the upper body and releasing the spine. \\nStart by coming onto all fours. Check your alignment- make sure your shoulders are over your wrist, and your hips over your knees. Without changing the position of your hands and feet, push up and back to bring your heels into the ground. Relax your head, neck and shoulders down. \\n\\n\\n\\n4. Bridge Pose\\nReleases chest, neck, spine and hips.\\nLay down on your mat, bring your feet as close to your glutes as possible. Bring your hands to the sides of your body palms down. Push into the feet and hands while you lift your core and back to the ceiling. Try to relax and breathe here. \\n\\n\\n\\n5. Wide Leg forward fold\\nReleases spine, neck and back. If you’re in pain perform this stretch slowly, and come up one vertebrae at a time. \\nBring your feet as wide as you can, feet facing forward. Hinge at the hips and slowly bend forward and down towards your feet. You can hang here or grab yogi toe lock around your big toe. \\n\\n\\n\\n6. Cow face pose\\nStrengthens core and spine.\\nSit up tall and stack your knees directly over one another. Reach one arm back around your waist and one arm over your shoulder with your palms reaching towards one another. If you can, clasp your hands. If not, rest them on your back, you will still benefit from the pose. \\n\\n\\n\\n7. Sphinx pose\\nThis pose will help to physically open up the shoulders and neck. Looking side to side slowly is a great addition to the pose. \\nLie on your stomach and bring your hands next to your chest facing down. On your inhale press into the ground and lift your upper body. \\n\\n\\n\\n8. Thread the Needle \\nIncreases mobility and releases tension in the upper body. \\nCome on to all fours. Check your alignment, make sure your hips are over your knees, shoulders over your wrist. Reach one arm out to the side and thread it through the opposite side under your ribs. You can stay here or open up the opposite side by reaching the hand to the back or straight up and over. Make sure to do both sides. \\n\\n\\n\\n9. Legs up the wall\\nReleases tension and stress from the upper body by reversing blood flow. \\nFind a wall near your practice space and sit next to the wall as close as possible. Lower your head, neck and shoulders onto your mat, then roll onto your back and stretch your legs up the wall. You can stay in this restorative pose for up to 10 minutes. \\n\\n\\n\\n10. Savasana\\nSavasana releases any stress, lowers heart rate and calms the body. \\nCome onto your back on your mat, and release your body down. This is known as corpse pose because it is a full and final rest at the end of our practice. Release and let go of any and all tension. \\n\\n\\n\\nClasses to help relieve neck pain \\n\\nYoga fusion for joints \\n- This class will help you roll out your joint pain and stretch your tight limbs and joints. \\n\\nYoga for Back Pain\\n - Sometimes, neck pain can be caused by tightness in the spine. Experts say yoga helps soothe muscle pains. Try this class to strengthen and lengthen your neck and back for pain relief! \\n\\nYoga for Neck and Shoulder Pain\\n - Do you sit all day at work? Struggle with your posture? This class will help relieve upper body tension. \\n\nSo if you’re ready to make your neck pain a thing of the past, join us today. Our trial includes two free weeks of group fitness classes, one on one classes and so much more! \\nGet started on your yoga journey now!\\n"},"category":["yoga_poses"]},{"id":"cl8cuq5nnh5860biyek2vhu2w","slug":"reproductive-rights-for-women-yoga-workshop","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop - Supporting Women Through Yoga","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":null,"readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-22T09:28:27.679552+00:00","coverUrl":"dkjwcigamkavxe0yziwq.jpg","content":{"text":"Announcing MyYogaTeacher’s first ever Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop!\\nHere at MyYogaTeacher, we believe in the wisdom of women to make their own choices about their health. \\n\\nThat’s why we’re excited to offer the\\n Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop on October 2 from 9 AM - 11 AM PST (12 PM - 2 PM EST) for only $10!\\nIn the past, our community events have been free. So why are we charging a nominal fee for this one?\\nBecause ALL proceeds from the Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop go to support the \\nCenter for Reproductive Rights\\n charity, a nonprofit organization, the \\nonly\\n global legal advocacy organization dedicated to advancing reproductive rights.\\nIn the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs Wade and on the day before the new term of the Supreme Court begins, we think this workshop is a perfect way to silently protest this new ruling through self-care and donations to an organization like the Center for Reproductive Rights.\\nThis will also be a time of healing and processing with a couple of awesome expert yoga instructors!\\nHow to join the Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop\\nWhether you’re a member or not, \\nJust click this link and register \\nas you would any other group class! Simple as that.\\nIntroducing a very special guest yoga instructor coming just for this event!\n\\nMeet Harpinder Mann, RYT-500!\\n\\n\n\\nHarpinder is a yoga, meditation, mindfulness teacher, and decolonizing activist based in Los Angeles. She works with women of color who want to reclaim their power and intuition through the lens of a spiritual, joyful, and sustainable path. Her studies have spanned from reading the Japji Sahib since she was 3, to over 700 hours of yogic training within the traditions of Raja, Vinyasa, Kundalini, and Prenatal Yoga. \\nWe’re super excited to have her lead the beginning of the workshop. Afterwards, MyYogaTeacher yoga instructor, \\nTrupti Parikh\\n, will lead us in asanas, and a discussion session will follow.\\nAre you ready to experience a workshop where we solely focus on supporting and advocating for women’s health \\nwhile\\n improving our mental, emotional, and physical health?\\n\\nJoin us for the Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop!\\n\\nTogether, we make a difference."},"category":["workshops"]},{"id":"cl8a9804vy5de0biznpg4ai2t","slug":"yoga-benefits-for-runners","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Yoga For Runners : Why Runners Should Incorporate Yoga Into Their Training?","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"Adopting an active yoga practice to complement your running routine can have tons of benefits! Read now to learn more","readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-20T13:50:56.406936+00:00","coverUrl":"tbdacuzob0fuqml8dyjd.jpg","content":{"text":"Training for a big race? Setting some goals you want to crush before the year ends? No matter what your reasons, yoga can be a great way to cross train for running from a 5k to a marathon! Running is great for your heart and body but can also be a huge strain on the muscles. Having an active yoga practice to complement your running routine can have tons of benefits! Let’s dive into how yoga can help!\\n1. Breathing\\nProper breathing and breath stabilization are both incredibly important principles in Yoga and Running. If you can practice proper breathing while running, you can maintain speed longer because you will take long deeper breaths to match your long strides, instead of short breaths which cause instability and speed decline.\\nPracticing Pranayama for runners - \\nAdding a pranayama breath practice before a run can help you to maintain focus as well as speed. Even if running is a release for you, and feels relaxing, Using breathwork to relax and focus can help you clearly see the physical and mental road ahead. Pranayama can also help if things are going off course on your run. If you need to regain control, you can come back to your breath and refocus. With these practices together, your run really can be a religious experience, or a way to relieve stress! \\nTo start a pranayama practice, all you need to do is focus on controlling your inhale and exhale. Start by standing tall and relaxed, or sitting tall and calm if you prefer. Close your eyes and focus inward. Start by breathing in for two and out for two. As you continue to grow your practice, you can build up to breathing in for six and out for six. You can even play with pausing for two to four breaths in between your inhale and exhale. When you finally build a practice you’re confident with, you can start to set intentions and visualize your success. With this practice, you’ll begin to see your running dreams come true!\\n\\n2. Flexibility/Strength\\nIt would be great if in life, we only ever needed to do one thing to get to our goals. But in reality,just like we can’t have cookies for every meal, cross training for runners is essential to maintaining a long term healthy routine. While you could easily just add weight training or stretching a la cart into your week, yoga gives you more by going deeper and getting into those smaller, harder to access ligaments and tendons you might otherwise miss with strength training . Adding yoga into your running routine can reduce the risk of injury and help to maintain your goals. The more flexible your muscles are, the less likely they are to tense up or be stressed during running so you can move with more confidence and ease. Not to mention, it’s always great to look forward to a nice long stretch after a run. \\n\n3. Conditioning \\nWe all know running is GREAT for your cardiovascular health, can add years on to your life and keep your heart pumping at its best! But it doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or a veteran, running can make your body sore. Yoga is great for conditioning those tired and fatigued muscles without having to “take a day off” to rest. In between your runs or on conditioning days, you can take a class focused on your back or knee health, or even a class to open tight hips after a long run. There’s nothing the magic of yoga can’t do! \\n\n4. Balance/Posture\\nEven though running is a “walk in the park” compared to ballet where balance is concerned, you still need to do your best to focus on alignment while you move.\\nYoga can improve your running form by elongating the limbs so you cover more ground in less time. You'll be PR’ing in no time! Proper alignment is also important when running because as you increase your speed, the level of impact (and injury) becomes greater. Maintaining your body's alignment during movement assures you arrive at the finish line aliment free! Love a tree pose? Want to learn to fly into a warrior? Lots of yoga poses force you to balance on one leg, which helps you to build a unilateral movement practice much like the ebbs and flows you take while running. \\n5. Stress and Mental Clarity\\nFeeling stressed before a big run? Worried about your PR? Yoga can help! Focus your breathing and set an intention. You’ve got this!\\nFocus and clarity are so important when running so you can know where you’re headed and stay on track. Add your yoga practice in before training or race days and you’ll feel your worries melt away. According to scientists at \\nHarvard,\\n adding just minutes of yoga to your week can improve your outlook, slow down the body and decrease stress. You’ll find your body will be more relaxed, focused and ready to run for those goals when you release your tension with yoga. \\nGetting started:\\nSo what do you need to get started? Simple! Yourself, a mat, some water and a quiet space are all you need! Are you ready to add yoga into your running routine? \\nGet started with a two week free trial of our classes and one on one sessions!\\n\\nLet’s figure out where your yoga practice would serve you best! \\nDoing yoga BEFORE your run will help you to warm up your muscles and ligaments. By fully warming up your body before you hit the pavement, you decrease the chances of injury, help with an easier recovery and can improve your PR as you continue to train! \\nBest Yoga Poses to practice before a run :\\nHigh Lunge - This pose stretches the legs from top of the thighs down to the ankle\\n\\nWarrior II - Helps with focus and stamina. Great before heading out!\\n\\nSide angle bend - This stretch helps to stretch the side body and release any tension in the shoulders and spine. \\n\\nPrefer to do yoga after your run? That’s a great option too! Yoga is great for recovery after a run! Finishing your running routine with a yoga stretch helps you to rebalance. You can stretch muscles or limbs that became tight during your run and strengthen anything that may have become fatigued. You can also refocus and deepen your breath to reset for the next part of your day. \\nBest Yoga Poses to practice after a run :\\nButterfly Pose - a basic hip opener to ease into your stretch\\n\\nHalf Pigeon - A great pose for multiple alignments! Working through the psoas and hip flexors. Make sure to practice on both sides.\\n\\nHappy Baby - This pose is great for finishing up your hip opener extension while giving a nice massage to the back and stretching the soles of the feet.\\n\\nWant to take a class? Try some of our favorite classes for runners!\\n\\nYoga for Strength and flexibility \\n\\n\\nYoga for Knee Pain\\n\\n\\nYoga for Back health\\n\\nReady to join us for class? \\nGet started with a free trial now! \\n\\nRemember, with a great training plan for your runs, and an ongoing yoga practice you’ll be ready to run to your greatest finish line feeling and looking your best! Just like peanut butter and jelly, yoga and running are great together!"},"category":["fitness","yoga"]},{"id":"cl81n0o6wh1g80ajz2gpco553","slug":"yoga-at-home","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"How to Start Doing Yoga at Home","subTitle":"Everything you need to know for an at-home yoga routine","seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"Get a beginner’s guide to starting yoga at home with tips and suggestions for setting up your own practice, including online yoga classes and private lessons.","readTime":null,"excerpt":"Learn how to perform yoga at home with this quick and easy guide","tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-14T13:07:13.39269+00:00","coverUrl":"cqivxw3vkrcihpumlny7.jpg","content":{"text":"There are lots of reasons for doing yoga at home instead of a yoga studio, some of which include distance, busy schedules, kids, financial concerns, and health issues. The good news is you can set up your own yoga practice at home, and still get all the benefits of a regular yoga routine — without the studio. It can also be a great way to integrate yoga into your life on a regular basis, and it’s easy to do in your own home.\\nCan Anyone do Yoga at Home?\\nAnyone can perform yoga at home, and you don’t have to be an advanced yogi to try. Even beginners can practice yoga in a home environment, all you need is adequate floor space, a few (optional) pieces of equipment, and guidelines for practicing the primary yoga poses. \\nIf you’re a beginner, it’s recommended to first learn from a certified yoga instructor, so you can progress with the proper technique and alignment to avoid injury. Thanks to online learning platforms like\\n MyYogaTeacher\\n, you can still practice yoga at home with the help of a qualified teacher.\\n11 Tips on How to Perform Yoga At Home\\nThe idea of starting a yoga practice in your very own living room can seem daunting or intimidating at first, especially if you’re accustomed to attending classes in a yoga studio. But with a little bit of preparation and creativity, you can set up your own yoga space and develop a mindful yoga routine that can benefit your life.\\nHere are some suggestions to help get you started:\\n1. Make Space in Your Home for Yoga\\nIt’s easy (and fun) to make your own yoga space, and you can design it as a temporary space or a dedicated one, depending on your needs. All you need is enough floor space to move around and stretch out the full length of your body — a little more than the length and width of your yoga mat. This can be your living or bedroom floor, your kitchen, or your backyard. Just make sure there isn’t any furniture or objects lying around that could get in your way or cause injury.\\n2. Decorate With Calming Accessories\\nYou can also create a comfortable and inviting space for yoga by hanging calming or inspiring artwork on the wall, lighting a candle or incense, and keeping a few house plants nearby for a pleasing atmosphere. The more you can tailor and dedicate your space for yoga, the easier it will be to motivate yourself to keep up a steady routine. Hanging a mirror in front of your practice space is also helpful in maintaining the correct alignment while performing postures.\\n3. Be Prepared With the Right Equipment\\n\\nYou’ll want to invest in a yoga mat, and it’s wise to also keep modifying props on hand — like blocks, bolsters, blankets, and a strap. If you’re just starting out and you’d like to improvise for props, you can use pillows, blankets, and other items around the house to suit your needs. Just make sure your props are sturdy, supportive, and nearby for when you need them.\\n4. Practice Regularly\\nThe best part about practicing yoga at home is it can be done any time you want. The challenge lies in your dedication and commitment to the practice even when your couch appears more inviting.\\n \\nAccording to this study\\n, it can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days to create a new habit. It’s important to be patient with yourself and identify guidelines for your practice that you can realistically follow through with. \\n5. Schedule Your Yoga Session\\nSet yourself up for success by committing to your yoga practice at a certain time of day, and for a specified number of days per week. It’s best to start out easy with goals that are achievable and progress as you gain momentum. For instance, if you’ve never been an early riser, don’t expect yourself to suddenly start practicing yoga at dawn. If that’s the case, try scheduling your yoga session for late morning, afternoon or evening, and keep your existing schedule in mind when planning a time that works for you.\\n6. Keep it Simple\\nRegardless of your experience or ability level, practicing yoga at home means watching out for your own safety. Make sure you have props handy for when you need them, and avoid overdoing it with strenuous poses. When it doubt, keep your routine simple. Even if you’re an advanced yogi, those basic, primary yoga poses are still an important part of a holistic yoga practice, and may be less likely to cause injury.\\n7. Listen to Your Body\\nThe best way to avoid getting hurt while practicing yoga at home is to listen to your body. If any posture causes you discomfort or pain, stop practicing it immediately — no matter how easy or difficult the pose. Don’t push yourself too hard, and remember to focus on your alignment. If you are unsure of how to execute a specific pose, try learning it from a certified instructor before performing it on your own at home.\\n8. Take an Online Yoga Class\\n\\nBy far the best way to practice yoga at home is with an online class. This way, you get all the benefits of doing yoga at home in your own time, with the added help of an instructor who can make sure you’re performing poses safely and effectively. You can find\\n \\nonline group classes\\n for every type of yoga at\\n \\nMyYogaTeacher\\n, with over 42 classes offered throughout the day. Private, 1-on-1 instructors are also available for at-home yoga, giving you plenty of options to get the right kind of training while still practicing in the comfort of your own home.\\n9. Squeeze in a Short Practice\\nThe beauty of an at-home yoga practice means you can squeeze in a quick session when you just have 20-30 minutes of time. Even short yoga routines are beneficial for your body and mind, and performing a few of the primary yoga poses on a daily basis will change your life for the better. Try incorporating the Sun Salutation flow series into your morning routine when you first get out of bed in the morning, or practicing some relaxing poses like Legs-Up-The-Wall or Savasana in the evening. \\n10. Switch it Up and Make it Fun\\nYoga doesn’t always have to be serious, and you can make your home yoga practice fun and spontaneous for you and your family. Practicing with your kids is a great way to help them learn mindfulness and self-awareness, while stretching and strengthening their growing bodies. You can also take your practice to the backyard to enjoy sunshine and good weather, or invite friends over to share in the experience. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box!\\n11. End Every Practice With Savasana\\nWhen practicing yoga at home, it can be tempting to skip important parts of the journey due to time constraints, distractions, or disinterest. If there is one element of yoga you should never skip, it’s Savasana, or otherwise known as Corpse pose. Always end your practice with 5 minutes of relaxation to help your body integrate the routine. Keep a blanket nearby to warm your body after it has cooled down, and consider an eye pillow to help you relax. Your body and mind will thank you as you move on to the rest of your day, having given yourself the gift of healthy movement to better your life."},"category":["yoga","therapy"]}],"randomPosts":[{"id":"ckwdpa0u0011t0c23kpyjxwa0","slug":"yoga-prevents-spine-problems","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":null},"title":"4 Secrets of How Yoga Prevents Spinal Deterioration As You Age","createdAt":"2021-11-24T15:47:15.123194+00:00","coverUrl":"ngozsw6y1tjnktrz854l.jpg","content":{"text":"It should come as no surprise to you that joints and bones deteriorate as we age. Mainstream media would have us think that we can look and feel eternally youthful until we die. But that simply isn’t true.\n\nAging is natural. Aging \\ngracefully\\n takes work!\\nOne of the biggest struggles many people face as they age is back pain due to spinal deterioration and degenerative disc disease. \\nEven long time practitioners of yoga will, eventually, experience back pain and spine limitations.\\nWe love a good group yoga class as much as the next yogi, but sometimes we need more guidance in our yoga practice to help us navigate the physical changes and challenges that present themselves during our later years of life.\\nThe good news? Yoga helps prevent back pain due to spinal deterioration. As a matter of fact, yoga delays – \\nand can prevent\\n – the onset of spinal degeneration. And we’re going to dish the deets on how!\\nIf you’re on the hunt for more guidance on how to cure back pain and prevent spinal deterioration, or just looking for expert instruction and personalized attention, we invite you to \\ncheck out MyYogaTeacher’s 1:1 classes with your 2-week free trial here! \\n\\nWith MYT’s 1:1 Membership Plans, you get private, personalized sessions with your favorite yoga teachers, unlimited group classes (over 35 different ones), and recordings of your 1:1 sessions \\nand\\n group classes! \\nThis is especially helpful for yogis who are experienced but are ready to up their yoga game and experience even \\nmore\\n benefits from their yoga practice.\\nNow, on to the secret sauce to how yoga helps prevent late-life back pain and problems.\\n\\n\\n 1. Yoga elongates your spine.\\n\nOne of the primary sources of degenerative disc disease is spinal compression. Spinal compression increases inflammation in the spine and causes friction in the discs.\\n\\nStudies show\\n that yoga instructors who have been practicing yoga for 10 years or more have significantly fewer signs, if any, of degenerative disc disease compared to those who don’t practice yoga or those who haven’t practiced yoga long or consistently.\\nWith the number of people in the United States spending more and more time sitting for work or leisure activities, it’s a fair assumption that diseases of the spine may well be on the rise.\\nOf particular note, these same studies discuss the importance of proper alignment when practicing yoga and how inadvertently doing poses wrong can harm your spine. \\nSo if you’re unsure about whether you’re aligned or not during your practice, we encourage you to seek out a yoga teacher or advanced yogi who can help with that!\\n\\n\\n2. Yoga decreases weight-bearing on the spine.\\nYour skeleton literally bears a lot of weight, particularly your spine. Think about how much weight your cervical spine holds – an average of 11 lbs!\\nThat’s right. Your neck is composed of 7 vertebrae and is responsible for holding up (and keeping safe) your head, which averages about 5 kg or 11 lbs. While the rest of your spine is pretty sturdy and capable of holding up to about 1,000 lbs, it is still significantly affected by the weight it carries, especially if there is excess weight around your midsection.\\nReducing the weight on the spine allows for more nutrients to diffuse into the discs. Ever wonder why you feel so light and airy and radiant when you finish your yoga practice? \\nYep, it’s because you gave your body more nutrients and oxygen!\\nSounds simple, right? But sometimes you just don’t know all the right moves for \\nyour\\n body to get the most out of your yoga practice.\\nIf that’s the case, regular 1:1 sessions with an experienced yoga teacher (either virtually or in person) might be exactly what you need!\\n\\n\\n3. Yoga increases muscle strength.\\nIf you’ve been practicing yoga for a while, you already have firsthand experience with how yoga improves your strength and mobility.\\nYoga not only strengthens the tiny muscles surrounding your spine, but a regular yoga practice protects your spine from deterioration by building up your core and improving your posture. Two things that definitely impact your spinal health.\\nDegenerative disc disease and spinal deterioration are considered a “normal” part of aging. By the age of 40, most people have at least one degenerative disc. By the age of eighty, 80% of the American population has severe spinal deterioration.\\nExercise of almost any kind is shown to help reduce signs of aging, particularly in your spine. However, yoga has an even greater positive impact on spinal health because of the multi-faceted benefits it provides!\\nWhile Hatha yoga is the most popular form of yoga because it’s gentle and slower, experienced yogis may practice other forms of yoga that benefit spinal health, such as Ashtanga and Iyengar.\\nHowever, if practiced wrong, those practices may injure instead of heal and prevent spinal disease, causing back pain and limited movement.\\nIf you’re interested in growing in your yoga journey but are not sure about the quality of your form, your alignment, or are trying to cure your back pain, \\nwe encourage you to check out the 1-on-1 plans MyYogaTeacher has available!\\n\\nMaking personalized attention from expert yoga instructors affordable and accessible is important to us because we truly believe in the power of yoga to heal!\\nNot all forms of exercise specifically improve posture and muscle strength around the spine like yoga does.\\n\\n\\n4. Long-term yoga practice reduces inflammation\\nWe’ve talked about how yoga reduces inflammation in the body before. But when we think of inflammation, we don’t tend to think about the spine.\\nStress responses produce systemic inflammation, which means no area of the body is immune. Injuries and surgeries also cause inflammation. Pain, in general, emotional, mental, or physical, increases cortisol levels.\\nWhen the muscles surrounding the spine are inflamed, back pain ensues, even if that inflammation isn’t directly from spinal issues.\\nA regular yoga practice reduces back pain. Yoga cures back pain too!\\nOne of the primary benefits of yoga is reduced inflammation in the body, a result of lower stress levels. Spinal deterioration is often more progressive when there is consistent inflammation in the muscles surrounding the spine.\\nThis means that the more you regularly practice yoga, the less back pain you will experience.\\nNot only are you preventing back issues by strengthening your spinal muscles and core, you're relieving tension with stretches and reducing friction between the vertebrae and discs due to reduced levels of inflammation.\\nMaybe you’re an experienced yogi who knew this already. Maybe you’re not! Or maybe you are at an age where protecting your spine and preventing spinal problems is more challenging than it was a decade or two ago.\n\nWhatever the case, MyYogaTeacher is here to help! When you sign up for a 1:1 membership with us you get:\\n102 expert\\n, highly qualified yoga instructors to choose from\\nThe ability to switch instructors\\n or take classes with only your faves\\nAccess to unlimited group classes\\n, taught \\nlive\\nPersonalized instruction\\n and work out, diet, and lifestyle plans\\nTo be a member of a HUGE community\\n of happy yogis from around the world\\nYoga teachers who become friends\\n, who truly care about you!\\nIf you haven’t checked us out already, \\ngrab TWO FREE 1:1 sessions with your 2-week free trial here\\n!\\n\n\n"}},{"id":"ckton7v4wgvq10d35v148w3zn","slug":"yoga-for-postnasal-drip","author":{"name":"Neelmani","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":null},"title":"5 Yoga Moves For Post Nasal Drip Relief","createdAt":"2021-09-17T17:35:56.307081+00:00","coverUrl":"alulueimz6jojr7vmxrs.jpg","content":{"text":"You’ve probably experienced post nasal drip.\\nEven if you didn’t know what it was, most everyone can relate to the discomfort that comes from excessive sinus drainage and sinus problems. \\nThe sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, the cough. That wooshing sound you may hear in your ears that seems to match the beat of your heart. And of course, who can miss the drippy nose and disrupted sense of smell?\\nYep. That’s post nasal congestion...dripping down post nasal drip into lungs and even stomach.\\nPost nasal drip can be a problem for a number of reasons, which we’ll discuss, but there is something you can do about it without reverting to over-the-counter or prescription medications.\\nYou guessed it! Yoga! Yoga and \\nyogic breathing\\n is great for relief of post nasal drip\n\\nThis is why I really wanted to start my class, \\nTherapeutic Yoga for Asthma and Sinus\\n on My Yoga Teacher! Because sinus drainage and breathing issues are a problem for so many people for so many reasons, and yoga can help.\\n[CTA-NASAL]\\nLet’s talk about how yoga helps with post nasal drip and sinus issues.\\nWhere does post nasal drip come from?\\nBelieve it or not, you don’t have to be sick to have post nasal drip. Sinus drainage is constantly happening in your body. Sometimes, though, your body produces too much mucus and the result of that is post nasal drip that causes problems.\\nIf you’re experiencing issues such as a consistent sore throat (that can be just as painful or more so than Strep throat), swollen and sore lymph nodes under your chin and in your neck, a persistent, nagging cough, constant runny nose, or any combination of these, you probably have post nasal drip.\\nHere are a few reasons your body may be producing too much mucus, resulting in your discomfort.\\n>> Sinus infections\\n>> Allergies\\n>> Common Cold\\n>> Cold temperatures\\n>> Dry air\\n>> Hormonal changes\\n>> Certain foods\\n>> Chemical irritants\\nThese are the most common reasons for excessive sinus drainage. The good news is that yoga for post nasal drainage is an actual thing, and a reality in my class on \\nMy Yoga Teacher\\n!\\n5 Yoga poses to relieve post nasal drainage\\nWe cover all of these in my class, but I want you to have some yoga poses in your holistic “medicine cabinet” to help you when you’re in a crunch and can’t take a full yoga class! \\nYoga poses that help with sinus drainage are typically like the ones below. They give you a gentle inversion, increase lung capacity, and help drain the lymphatic system.\\n1. Downward Facing Dog\\nPoses that require you to be upside down help release built-up sinus pressure and improve the flow of lymphatic fluid. \\n\\n\\n\n2. Bridge Pose\\nBridge pose opens up your chest and throat and helps relieve sinus pressure and allergies. If needed, you can place a block under your hips.\\n\\n\\n\n3. Fish Pose\\nThis is an extension of bridge pose, as it increases that stretch in the chest, opens the throat even more, and releases that fluid build up in your sinuses.\\n\\n\\n\n4. Camel Pose\\nThis is another pose you can practice to get relief from nasal congestion due to any number of things. Camel pose, similar to bridge and fish pose, is a bit chest opener. With the gentle backward drop of your head, it also relieves sinus congestion.\\n\\n\\n\\n5. Child's Pose\\nThe importance of child’s pose for this article is to stress that the forehead make it to the floor or ground. This is a very gentle inversion and gently rocking your forehead side to side on the floor will release pressure and fluid build up.\\n\\n\nWhile yoga for sinus drainage discomfort is helpful, yoga isn’t the only way to help cure post nasal drip swollen lymph nodes and sinus problems.\\n\\nYogic breathing for post nasal drip and sinus issues\\nThis may sound counterintuitive, but breath work helps alleviate post nasal drip swollen lymph nodes and sinus drainage.\\nIf you’re all stuffed up, I get that the last thing you want to think about is trying to take a deep breath through your nose, but \\nalternate nostril breathing\\n is the best thing for you!\\nWe’ve talked about \\nalternate nostril breathing\\n (also called Nadi Shodhana) before in \\nHow Yogic Breathing Helps Asthmatics\\n, but I definitely want to mention it again since this specific form of yogic breathing helps relieve sinus congestion and post nasal drip!\\nIf you need a refresher on how it works, here are some simple steps. Have a tissue handy though! You’ll need it.\\n>> Sit comfortably and fully upright. Place your first and second fingers of your dominant hand on your forehead.\\n>> Gently place your thumb on your right nostril and your ring finger on your left nostril (if you’re right handed, the opposite if you’re left handed)\\n>> Close the nostril that your thumb is on and inhale slowly and deeply through the opposite nostril.\\n>> Hold your breath for a count of 10 and close the nostril your ring finger is resting on and release the one your thumb is closing to slowly release the breath.\\n>> Inhale through the nostril you just released your last breath from and repeat this process.\\nBe sure to breathe into your belly, also known as belly breathing. Repeat this for as long as you can, preferably 5 minutes or longer. When you’re finished, release both nostrils and take a few deep breaths before returning to normal breathing.\\nThis yogic breathing for sinus drainage takes some patience and some practice, but stick with it and you’ll be breathing better in no time!\\nIf you need some guidance on how to use yoga to help relieve post nasal congestion and sinus pressure, we’d love to have you in my class, \\nTherapeutic Yoga for Asthma and Sinus\\n! We practice breathing and poses, including the ones above, that help strengthen the lungs, cleanse your lymphatic system, and reduce or eliminate sinus pressure and congestion!\\nMy Yoga Teacher is the perfect platform for busy people. A large variety of classes are available to our members, taught live at various times of day and night by expert yoga instructors from the birthplace of yoga, India! "}},{"id":"ckja323oo99s50965h541d4n4","slug":"how-yoga-helps-in-trying-times","author":{"name":"My Yoga Teacher","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":null},"title":"How Yoga Helps You Handle Trying Times in the New Year","createdAt":"2020-12-29T14:25:45.875724+00:00","coverUrl":"omid-armin-a5EbQpl-IHw-unsplash.jpg","content":{"text":"It’s inevitable. Whether it’s a global pandemic or a flat tire on your way to an important meeting, tough times happen.\\n\\nAnxiety is real.\\n\\nAnd with stress and anxiety come bad decisions, terrible focus, high blood pressure, and increased cortisol levels. None of which are good. That’s why we wanted to talk to you about how yoga can help when times are just plain tough.\\n\\nSince the chaos of COVID erupted, many yoga studios across America have closed and been replaced with yoga classes online. Some are free yoga classes. Some are not.\\n\\nWith \\nmyYogaTeacher\\n, you can try our classes and awesome yoga instructors for two weeks free! We give you the opportunity to learn yoga live. None of that pre-recorded nonsense.\\n\\nAnd we can’t stress enough the benefits of yoga during all of life’s trials and tribulations.\\n\\nDitch the flight or fight response to stress this New Year\n\\nYou’ve felt it before. That gut reaction to a quick onset of stress. \\n\\nSomething crazy happened in your life and you’re either ready for battle or running for the hills. A regular yoga practice encourages a reduction in the naturally exaggerated responses to stress. \\n\\nIn this day and age, just the thought of being around a group of people at the grocery store is enough to make your heart race and your palms sweat. That’s exactly why so many yoga studios are offering online yoga classes like myYogaTeacher.\\n\\nBecause we want you to experience the benefits of yoga in a space that you feel safe. A space where we can focus on you. Not the rest of the world.\\n\\n Less stress and anxiety means:\\nLower blood pressure\\nMore and better mental focus and clarity\\nBetter immunity\\nReduced cortisol levels\\nLess sensitive to physical pain\\n\\nThe pandemic isn’t the only crisis in America. There are many. But one of the most important is mental health. \\n\\nDepression, anxiety, and stress contribute to extremely poor mental health. And with all the current pandemic restrictions, depression and anxiety are at an all time high, country-wide.\\n\\nFor many people with mental health issues and high levels of stress, learning yoga live from their home may be an appealing way to manage their symptoms. \\n\\nThere is growing evidence that a regular yoga practice is a low-risk, high reward approach to overall health. And isn’t that what everyone strives for in the New Year? Better health?\\n\\nWe think so.\\n\\nSpeaking of better health…\\n\\nHard times call for healthier bodies\\n\\n\\n\\n\\nMany gyms are still closed. Or if they’re not, they have limited capacity and many restrictions. Equipment that people relied on for gentle, yet effective exercise is either inaccessible or germy. Classes that people flocked to are no longer allowed.\\n\\nThere are plenty of free online yoga classes available nowadays. Heck, YouTube is chock full of all kinds of different types of exercise routines. Virtual yoga classes allow you to continue or start a yoga practice in the comfort of your own home or safe space and are an excellent outlet for stress relief during challenging times.\\n\\nIt’s always important to keep the endorphins going and your immune system boosted, especially when times are tough. \\n\\nYoga is one of the best ways to do just that. A gentle way to safely strengthen, tone, and stretch your body. \\n\\nIf trying times are getting the best of you, you might want to hit the mat and give yoga a try, if you haven’t already. MyYogaTeacher offers free online yoga classes for all levels of yogis with a \\ntwo week trial\\n! Novice to advanced.\\n\\nWhether weight loss is your goal in the New Year or you’ve just got to land that super hard asana that you were working on pre-pandemic, we’ve got a live yoga class for that.\\n\\nEnjoy the physical benefits of yoga such as:\\n\\nIncreased muscle strength\\nReduced back, knee, and joint pain\\nBetter balance and coordination\\nIncreased flexibility\\nMore energy and focus\\nBetter digestion\\nIncreased circulation\\n\\nAnd yoga \\njust feels good\\n. You’ll notice a difference in your mind and body after just one class! We promise!\\n\\nBut we can’t talk about the benefits of yoga without at least mentioning ...ahem, spirituality.\\n\\nGet in touch with your spiritual side during times of trial\\n\\n\\n\\nNow we’re not here to get all woo woo with you. \\nYoga is for everyone, spiritual or religious or not.\\n\\nBut one of the primary goals of yoga is to maintain harmony between your inner and outer self! \\n\\nBreathing through hard asanas (poses) can help you breathe your way through difficult times. Pushing yourself to do stretches without comparing yourself to someone else can help you let go of situations that you can’t control. Becoming more physically flexible and strong helps you to be more flexible and strong mentally.\\n\\nWorking on yourself by yourself through yoga classes online is empowering.\\n\\nYoga helps you live more in the moment and become self aware. A better connection with yourself will help you respond better to stressful situations.\\n\\nA crazy, chaotic mind becomes calmer.\\n\\nInner peace shines outward.\\n\\nSelf-compassion turns into empathy and compassion for others. And that’s always a good thing.\\n\\n\\n\\nAre you starting your New Year out in a struggle?\\n It’s understandable. Just because the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve doesn’t mean all your problems and worries disappear. \\n\\nBut you can handle tough situations with more ease, grace, and better health than you did last year.\\n MyYogaTeacher offers free yoga online as well as a paid membership with perks like 1:1 and unlimited group class all taught by highly experienced and expert yoga instructors from the birthplace of yoga, India. We even have specialized workshops that address unique health issues! Go ahead and scoop up your FREE two-week trial and try out our multitude of live yoga classes!\\n\\nWhat do you have to lose (besides stress and anxiety)?\\n"}}],"relatedPosts":[],"blogContent":{"id":"cknksgsm8rq6u0a81k5d6manu","slug":"yoga-for-strength-and-flexibility","author":{"name":"Archana","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":null},"title":"Yoga for Strength and Flexibility When You’re Not a Beginner","createdAt":"2021-04-16T20:53:32.240709+00:00","updatedAt":"2022-04-11T13:58:45.350518+00:00","coverUrl":"pg22fjuqdf7dauppehmw.jpg","seoDescription":"Need more strength and flexibility? Yoga improves strength, flexibility, and so much more! Check out how in this article.","content":{"text":"It’s easy to find resources on yoga for strength and flexibility when you’re a beginner. They’re everywhere!\\n\\nIt’s just a matter of figuring out which resources are trustworthy or not. (Ahem, we’ve got you covered!)\\n\\nBut what about when you’re an advanced yogi? Or even intermediate? What if you’re already really flexible or strong or athletic or a dancer or a gymnast? How could yoga possibly challenge you when you can literally do almost all the things?\\n\\nThe amazing thing about yoga is that there’s always something new to learn!\\n\\nThat’s one of the reasons why I love teaching my \\nYoga for Strength and Flexibility class at myYogaTeacher!\\n Because we get students of all levels and it’s my job to challenge them!\\n\\nIf you haven’t tried any classes with myYogaTeacher yet,\\n sign up for your 2-week free trial here!\\n You’ll get access to my class and many others!\\n\\nIn the meantime, here are some ways my co-instructor, Shelly, and I create a dynamic class for everyone from yoga newbs to the born-to-do-yoga yogis!\\n\\n\\nStart with the basics\\n\\nNo matter what, the simplest moves are the building blocks to bigger moves! And, as an intermediate or advanced yoga practitioner, you should always move through those simple asanas as a part of getting into deeper ones.\\n\\nFor example, to get into headstand, you should first move through downward facing dog or crow pose. To get into wheel pose, you should first move through bridge pose.\\n\\nConducting our class and our practice like this allows beginner yogis to experience their own level of strength and flexibility that’s perfect for them while more advanced yogis can move on to harder asanas with more intention and while staying in alignment!\\n\\nHere’s a list of challenging yoga poses for strength and flexibility:\\n\\nHeadstand \\n- Begin in downward facing dog or crow pose.\\nCrow pose\\n - Begin in yogi squat.\\nBird of paradise\\n - Begin in side angle pose.\\nWheel pose\\n - Begin in bridge pose.\\nKing Pigeon pose\\n - Begin in pigeon pose.\\nFirefly pose\\n\\nIf you are unfamiliar with or inexperienced in these poses, I highly recommend seeking out an instructor who is via a 1:1 class or group class like mine designed to help you progress in these types of asanas!\\n\\nFocus on mindset and body awareness\\n\\nI’ve known extremely flexible and strong athletes, dancers, and gymnasts who can not perform many advanced yoga poses. Crazy right?\\n\\nYou’d think that as much as they move their bodies, stretch, strengthen and tone, that they’d be able to perform almost any yoga pose they want. But yoga isn’t just about the asanas. It’s about the mindset.\\n\\nYoga of any kind is focused on bringing awareness to the body and mind. Alignment. Breath. Focus.\\n\\nSometimes, athletes become so accustomed to their workouts and their sport that they no longer need to think about body awareness, breath, or mindset.\\n\\nYoga poses that build strength and flexibility for advanced yogis, athletes, dancers, or gymnasts require the use of muscles they may not normally use and a mental focus they may not have. These are things we particularly work on in my Yoga for Strength and Flexibility class!\\n\\nThe poses I mentioned above are hard. Truly. They’re no joke. And there’s even more challenging ones than those in the yoga world as well!\\n\\nSo there is always room for improvement in yoga, whether you’ve just started your yoga journey or have been on it for a hundred years.\\n\\nMental discipline and meditation\\n\\nWhen you’re first starting out in yoga, you’re enthusiastic, eager...willing. Showing up on the mat is mostly fun, even if you can’t do all the poses to their fullest extent.\\n\\nAs you progress, the poses that were hard are easy and you move on to more difficult poses. Sometimes these challenges are more frustrating than when you were a beginner doing easy poses.\\n\\nWhy? Because your expectations of yourself changed.\\n\\nThis is a normal part of growing in your yoga practice. It’s also why there is a strong focus on mental discipline and meditation in yoga, particularly with classes on myYogaTeacher, where all the teachers are from India. The birthplace of yoga!\\n\\nContinuing to build strength and flexibility when you’re already strong and flexible in yoga will truly mess with your mind if you haven’t developed a strong habit of showing up on your mat no matter what and meditating.\\n\\nMeditation and mental discipline help you approach challenges in stillness and concentration. They help you accept where you are in your practice while also pushing your body to move forward.\\n\\nThese two things are probably the most important aspects of developing strength and flexibility in yoga.\\n\\nWithout them, it is much easier to give up.\\n\\n\\nNo matter where you are in your practice, yoga will continue to help you be strong, toned, and flexible. If you’re unsure of how you can continue to grow in your practice because you’ve reached an advanced level, \\nsign up for your 2-week free trial of myYogaTeacher\\n and try some of the advanced classes there! There’s 35+ different classes to choose from every day!\\n\\nOr you’re always welcome to try mine and Shelly’s class, \\nYoga for Strength and Flexibility!\\n We’re more than happy to work with you to help you perform advanced asanas!","html":"<p>It’s easy to find resources on yoga for strength and flexibility when you’re a beginner. They’re everywhere!</p><p></p><p>It’s just a matter of figuring out which resources are trustworthy or not. (Ahem, we’ve got you covered!)</p><p></p><p>But what about when you’re an advanced yogi? Or even intermediate? What if you’re already really flexible or strong or athletic or a dancer or a gymnast? How could yoga possibly challenge you when you can literally do almost all the things?</p><p></p><p>The amazing thing about yoga is that there’s always something new to learn!</p><p></p><p>That’s one of the reasons why I love teaching my <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-for-strength-and-flexibility-by-archana-and-shelly\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-for-strength-and-flexibility-by-archana-and-shelly\">Yoga for Strength and Flexibility class at myYogaTeacher!</a> Because we get students of all levels and it’s my job to challenge them!</p><p></p><p>If you haven’t tried any classes with myYogaTeacher yet,<a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/dashboard\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/dashboard\"> sign up for your 2-week free trial here!</a> You’ll get access to my class and many others!</p><p></p><p>In the meantime, here are some ways my co-instructor, Shelly, and I create a dynamic class for everyone from yoga newbs to the born-to-do-yoga yogis!</p><p></p><p></p><h2>Start with the basics</h2><p></p><p>No matter what, the simplest moves are the building blocks to bigger moves! And, as an intermediate or advanced yoga practitioner, you should always move through those simple asanas as a part of getting into deeper ones.</p><p></p><p>For example, to get into headstand, you should first move through downward facing dog or crow pose. To get into wheel pose, you should first move through bridge pose.</p><p></p><p>Conducting our class and our practice like this allows beginner yogis to experience their own level of strength and flexibility that’s perfect for them while more advanced yogis can move on to harder asanas with more intention and while staying in alignment!</p><p></p><p>Here’s a list of challenging yoga poses for strength and flexibility:</p><p></p><ol><li><div><strong>Headstand </strong>- Begin in downward facing dog or crow pose.</div></li><li><div><strong>Crow pose</strong> - Begin in yogi squat.</div></li><li><div><strong>Bird of paradise</strong> - Begin in side angle pose.</div></li><li><div><strong>Wheel pose</strong> - Begin in bridge pose.</div></li><li><div><strong>King Pigeon pose</strong> - Begin in pigeon pose.</div></li><li><div><strong>Firefly pose</strong></div></li><p></p></ol><p>If you are unfamiliar with or inexperienced in these poses, I highly recommend seeking out an instructor who is via a 1:1 class or group class like mine designed to help you progress in these types of asanas!</p><p></p><h2>Focus on mindset and body awareness</h2><p></p><p>I’ve known extremely flexible and strong athletes, dancers, and gymnasts who can not perform many advanced yoga poses. Crazy right?</p><p></p><p>You’d think that as much as they move their bodies, stretch, strengthen and tone, that they’d be able to perform almost any yoga pose they want. But yoga isn’t just about the asanas. It’s about the mindset.</p><p></p><p>Yoga of any kind is focused on bringing awareness to the body and mind. Alignment. Breath. Focus.</p><p></p><p>Sometimes, athletes become so accustomed to their workouts and their sport that they no longer need to think about body awareness, breath, or mindset.</p><p></p><p>Yoga poses that build strength and flexibility for advanced yogis, athletes, dancers, or gymnasts require the use of muscles they may not normally use and a mental focus they may not have. These are things we particularly work on in my Yoga for Strength and Flexibility class!</p><p></p><p>The poses I mentioned above are hard. Truly. They’re no joke. And there’s even more challenging ones than those in the yoga world as well!</p><p></p><p>So there is always room for improvement in yoga, whether you’ve just started your yoga journey or have been on it for a hundred years.</p><p></p><h2>Mental discipline and meditation</h2><p></p><p>When you’re first starting out in yoga, you’re enthusiastic, eager...willing. Showing up on the mat is mostly fun, even if you can’t do all the poses to their fullest extent.</p><p></p><p>As you progress, the poses that were hard are easy and you move on to more difficult poses. Sometimes these challenges are more frustrating than when you were a beginner doing easy poses.</p><p></p><p>Why? Because your expectations of yourself changed.</p><p></p><p>This is a normal part of growing in your yoga practice. It’s also why there is a strong focus on mental discipline and meditation in yoga, particularly with classes on myYogaTeacher, where all the teachers are from India. The birthplace of yoga!</p><p></p><p>Continuing to build strength and flexibility when you’re already strong and flexible in yoga will truly mess with your mind if you haven’t developed a strong habit of showing up on your mat no matter what and meditating.</p><p></p><p>Meditation and mental discipline help you approach challenges in stillness and concentration. They help you accept where you are in your practice while also pushing your body to move forward.</p><p></p><p>These two things are probably the most important aspects of developing strength and flexibility in yoga.</p><p></p><p>Without them, it is much easier to give up.</p><p></p><p></p><p>No matter where you are in your practice, yoga will continue to help you be strong, toned, and flexible. If you’re unsure of how you can continue to grow in your practice because you’ve reached an advanced level, <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\">sign up for your 2-week free trial of myYogaTeacher</a> and try some of the advanced classes there! There’s 35+ different classes to choose from every day!</p><p></p><p>Or you’re always welcome to try mine and Shelly’s class, <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-for-strength-and-flexibility-by-archana-and-shelly\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-for-strength-and-flexibility-by-archana-and-shelly\">Yoga for Strength and Flexibility!</a> We’re more than happy to work with you to help you perform advanced asanas!</p>"},"category":["fitness"],"utmCampaign":null,"utmMedium":null,"utmContent":null,"utmSource":null,"utmTerm":null,"utmSearchString":null,"imageHyperlink":[]},"loading":false,"blog_content":[{"type":"HTML","value":"<p>It’s easy to find resources on yoga for strength and flexibility when you’re a beginner. They’re everywhere!</p><p></p><p>It’s just a matter of figuring out which resources are trustworthy or not. (Ahem, we’ve got you covered!)</p><p></p><p>But what about when you’re an advanced yogi? Or even intermediate? What if you’re already really flexible or strong or athletic or a dancer or a gymnast? How could yoga possibly challenge you when you can literally do almost all the things?</p><p></p><p>The amazing thing about yoga is that there’s always something new to learn!</p><p></p><p>That’s one of the reasons why I love teaching my <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-for-strength-and-flexibility-by-archana-and-shelly\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-for-strength-and-flexibility-by-archana-and-shelly\">Yoga for Strength and Flexibility class at myYogaTeacher!</a> Because we get students of all levels and it’s my job to challenge them!</p><p></p><p>If you haven’t tried any classes with myYogaTeacher yet,<a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/dashboard\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/dashboard\"> sign up for your 2-week free trial here!</a> You’ll get access to my class and many others!</p><p></p><p>In the meantime, here are some ways my co-instructor, Shelly, and I create a dynamic class for everyone from yoga newbs to the born-to-do-yoga yogis!</p><p></p><p></p><h2>Start with the basics</h2><p></p><p>No matter what, the simplest moves are the building blocks to bigger moves! And, as an intermediate or advanced yoga practitioner, you should always move through those simple asanas as a part of getting into deeper ones.</p><p></p><p>For example, to get into headstand, you should first move through downward facing dog or crow pose. To get into wheel pose, you should first move through bridge pose.</p><p></p><p>Conducting our class and our practice like this allows beginner yogis to experience their own level of strength and flexibility that’s perfect for them while more advanced yogis can move on to harder asanas with more intention and while staying in alignment!</p><p></p><p>Here’s a list of challenging yoga poses for strength and flexibility:</p><p></p><ol><li><div><strong>Headstand </strong>- Begin in downward facing dog or crow pose.</div></li><li><div><strong>Crow pose</strong> - Begin in yogi squat.</div></li><li><div><strong>Bird of paradise</strong> - Begin in side angle pose.</div></li><li><div><strong>Wheel pose</strong> - Begin in bridge pose.</div></li><li><div><strong>King Pigeon pose</strong> - Begin in pigeon pose.</div></li><li><div><strong>Firefly pose</strong></div></li><p></p></ol><p>If you are unfamiliar with or inexperienced in these poses, I highly recommend seeking out an instructor who is via a 1:1 class or group class like mine designed to help you progress in these types of asanas!</p><p></p><h2>Focus on mindset and body awareness</h2><p></p><p>I’ve known extremely flexible and strong athletes, dancers, and gymnasts who can not perform many advanced yoga poses. Crazy right?</p><p></p><p>You’d think that as much as they move their bodies, stretch, strengthen and tone, that they’d be able to perform almost any yoga pose they want. But yoga isn’t just about the asanas. It’s about the mindset.</p><p></p><p>Yoga of any kind is focused on bringing awareness to the body and mind. Alignment. Breath. Focus.</p><p></p><p>Sometimes, athletes become so accustomed to their workouts and their sport that they no longer need to think about body awareness, breath, or mindset.</p><p></p><p>Yoga poses that build strength and flexibility for advanced yogis, athletes, dancers, or gymnasts require the use of muscles they may not normally use and a mental focus they may not have. These are things we particularly work on in my Yoga for Strength and Flexibility class!</p><p></p><p>The poses I mentioned above are hard. Truly. They’re no joke. And there’s even more challenging ones than those in the yoga world as well!</p><p></p><p>So there is always room for improvement in yoga, whether you’ve just started your yoga journey or have been on it for a hundred years.</p><p></p><h2>Mental discipline and meditation</h2><p></p><p>When you’re first starting out in yoga, you’re enthusiastic, eager...willing. Showing up on the mat is mostly fun, even if you can’t do all the poses to their fullest extent.</p><p></p><p>As you progress, the poses that were hard are easy and you move on to more difficult poses. Sometimes these challenges are more frustrating than when you were a beginner doing easy poses.</p><p></p><p>Why? Because your expectations of yourself changed.</p><p></p><p>This is a normal part of growing in your yoga practice. It’s also why there is a strong focus on mental discipline and meditation in yoga, particularly with classes on myYogaTeacher, where all the teachers are from India. The birthplace of yoga!</p><p></p><p>Continuing to build strength and flexibility when you’re already strong and flexible in yoga will truly mess with your mind if you haven’t developed a strong habit of showing up on your mat no matter what and meditating.</p><p></p><p>Meditation and mental discipline help you approach challenges in stillness and concentration. They help you accept where you are in your practice while also pushing your body to move forward.</p><p></p><p>These two things are probably the most important aspects of developing strength and flexibility in yoga.</p><p></p><p>Without them, it is much easier to give up.</p><p></p><p></p><p>No matter where you are in your practice, yoga will continue to help you be strong, toned, and flexible. If you’re unsure of how you can continue to grow in your practice because you’ve reached an advanced level, <a\n class=\"inline-cta\"\n id=4194d3ee-87c2-460d-87f5-b5419a8fb0ff\n href=\"/free-trial-o?utm_source=MYT__article&utm_medium=cknksgsm8rq6u0a81k5d6manu&utm_campaign=inline_cta&utm_content=CTA-INLINE&entity_name=Yoga for Strength and Flexibility When You’re Not a Beginner&entity_slug=yoga-for-strength-and-flexibility&page_or_popup=/articles/yoga-for-strength-and-flexibility&entity_location=hyperlink_midst_of_article&article_cta=CTA-INLINE&from_article_page=true\"\n onclick=trigger_mixpanel_sign_up_cta(\"4194d3ee-87c2-460d-87f5-b5419a8fb0ff\")\n title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\" \n data-title=\"Yoga for Strength and Flexibility When You’re Not a Beginner\"\n data-slug=\"yoga-for-strength-and-flexibility\"\n <u>sign up for your 2-week free trial of myYogaTeacher</a></u> \n </a> and try some of the advanced classes there! There’s 35+ different classes to choose from every day!</p><p></p><p>Or you’re always welcome to try mine and Shelly’s class, <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-for-strength-and-flexibility-by-archana-and-shelly\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-for-strength-and-flexibility-by-archana-and-shelly\">Yoga for Strength and Flexibility!</a> We’re more than happy to work with you to help you perform advanced asanas!</p>"},{"type":"CTA","value":"[CTA-DEFAULT]"}],"isSlugACategory":false,"searchCategory":"yoga-for-strength-and-flexibility","showPopUp":false,"popUpType":null,"showedPopup":false,"windowWidth":null,"ctaPath":"free-trial-o","redirectURL":"#","ctaContent":[{"id":"ckxrz2i14tov40c25g1dpicsg","name":"[CTA-DEFAULT]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions and 2 weeks of unlimited group classes</strong> with authentic yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Classes – </strong><u><strong>Live & Interactive</strong></u></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckxrz37hsu0cj0a76mgb4594m","name":"[CTA-FREECLASS]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions and 2 weeks of unlimited group classes</strong> with authentic yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Classes – </strong><u><strong>Live & Interactive</strong></u></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckxrz4d5stsye0b75dtlx1w0n","name":"[CTA-TRENDS]","description":{"html":"<p>Get ahead of the next trend and practice with authentic Indian yoga teachers! Sign up today and <strong>get 2 free private yoga sessions PLUS 2 weeks of unlimited group classes</strong>. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live & Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>Practice with Authentic Indian Yoga Teachers</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckxrz6nq0tqdr0c258titvagg","name":"[CTA-REVIEWS]","description":{"html":"<p>Find out what all the hype is about! <strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions and 2 weeks of unlimited group classes</strong> with authentic yoga teachers. 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No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Hatha Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live & Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>with Authentic Indian Teachers</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"cky90p88g3zgc0d23yz6taont","name":"[CTA-NASAL]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private sessions </strong>to relieve post nasal drip and clear out your sinus. </p><p><strong>PLUS, 2 weeks of unlimited group classes </strong>with authentic Indian yoga teachers. 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No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live & Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>Learn Trataka (Candle Gazing) Meditation Today!</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckyisqh482ck60b79rp1r1jcg","name":"[CTA-YIN]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions</strong>, work with an experienced yoga therapist to reduce (and even eliminate) your back pain. <strong>PLUS 2 weeks of unlimited group classes </strong>(like ‘Yoga for Back Pain’) with authentic yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Therapy – </strong><u><strong>Live & Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>Relieve Back Pain Safely & Effectively Today!</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckyitki4w2liz0b30tqpzhy4i","name":"[CTA-KRIYA]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions </strong>for Kriya Yoga, Pranayama, and Meditation <strong>and 2 weeks of unlimited group classes </strong>with authentic yoga teachers. 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No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live & Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong> Learn Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Pranayama!</strong></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckykb6i2o1o7f0b368s1m7qow","name":"[CTA-LYMPHATIC]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions</strong> for lymphatic drainage & immunity enhancement. <strong>PLUS 2 weeks of unlimited group yoga classes</strong> (including daily yin-yoga) when you sign up today! No credit card required to sign up.</p><p></p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live & Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>for Lymphatic Drainage & Boosting Your Immune System!</strong></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"cl2vqlpyfe3yh0biohgxyx2hg","name":"[CTA-LEAD]","description":{"html":"<p>Lead Form</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p>Lead Form</p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"cl4gnwnrlga640ck37gutx7sn","name":"[CTA-GC]","description":{"html":"<p>CTA-GC</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p>CTA-GC</p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"}],"post":{"id":"cknksgsm8rq6u0a81k5d6manu","slug":"yoga-for-strength-and-flexibility","author":{"name":"Archana","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":null},"title":"Yoga for Strength and Flexibility When You’re Not a Beginner","createdAt":"2021-04-16T20:53:32.240709+00:00","updatedAt":"2022-04-11T13:58:45.350518+00:00","coverUrl":"pg22fjuqdf7dauppehmw.jpg","seoDescription":"Need more strength and flexibility? Yoga improves strength, flexibility, and so much more! Check out how in this article.","content":{"text":"It’s easy to find resources on yoga for strength and flexibility when you’re a beginner. They’re everywhere!\\n\\nIt’s just a matter of figuring out which resources are trustworthy or not. (Ahem, we’ve got you covered!)\\n\\nBut what about when you’re an advanced yogi? Or even intermediate? What if you’re already really flexible or strong or athletic or a dancer or a gymnast? How could yoga possibly challenge you when you can literally do almost all the things?\\n\\nThe amazing thing about yoga is that there’s always something new to learn!\\n\\nThat’s one of the reasons why I love teaching my \\nYoga for Strength and Flexibility class at myYogaTeacher!\\n Because we get students of all levels and it’s my job to challenge them!\\n\\nIf you haven’t tried any classes with myYogaTeacher yet,\\n sign up for your 2-week free trial here!\\n You’ll get access to my class and many others!\\n\\nIn the meantime, here are some ways my co-instructor, Shelly, and I create a dynamic class for everyone from yoga newbs to the born-to-do-yoga yogis!\\n\\n\\nStart with the basics\\n\\nNo matter what, the simplest moves are the building blocks to bigger moves! And, as an intermediate or advanced yoga practitioner, you should always move through those simple asanas as a part of getting into deeper ones.\\n\\nFor example, to get into headstand, you should first move through downward facing dog or crow pose. To get into wheel pose, you should first move through bridge pose.\\n\\nConducting our class and our practice like this allows beginner yogis to experience their own level of strength and flexibility that’s perfect for them while more advanced yogis can move on to harder asanas with more intention and while staying in alignment!\\n\\nHere’s a list of challenging yoga poses for strength and flexibility:\\n\\nHeadstand \\n- Begin in downward facing dog or crow pose.\\nCrow pose\\n - Begin in yogi squat.\\nBird of paradise\\n - Begin in side angle pose.\\nWheel pose\\n - Begin in bridge pose.\\nKing Pigeon pose\\n - Begin in pigeon pose.\\nFirefly pose\\n\\nIf you are unfamiliar with or inexperienced in these poses, I highly recommend seeking out an instructor who is via a 1:1 class or group class like mine designed to help you progress in these types of asanas!\\n\\nFocus on mindset and body awareness\\n\\nI’ve known extremely flexible and strong athletes, dancers, and gymnasts who can not perform many advanced yoga poses. Crazy right?\\n\\nYou’d think that as much as they move their bodies, stretch, strengthen and tone, that they’d be able to perform almost any yoga pose they want. But yoga isn’t just about the asanas. It’s about the mindset.\\n\\nYoga of any kind is focused on bringing awareness to the body and mind. Alignment. Breath. Focus.\\n\\nSometimes, athletes become so accustomed to their workouts and their sport that they no longer need to think about body awareness, breath, or mindset.\\n\\nYoga poses that build strength and flexibility for advanced yogis, athletes, dancers, or gymnasts require the use of muscles they may not normally use and a mental focus they may not have. These are things we particularly work on in my Yoga for Strength and Flexibility class!\\n\\nThe poses I mentioned above are hard. Truly. They’re no joke. And there’s even more challenging ones than those in the yoga world as well!\\n\\nSo there is always room for improvement in yoga, whether you’ve just started your yoga journey or have been on it for a hundred years.\\n\\nMental discipline and meditation\\n\\nWhen you’re first starting out in yoga, you’re enthusiastic, eager...willing. Showing up on the mat is mostly fun, even if you can’t do all the poses to their fullest extent.\\n\\nAs you progress, the poses that were hard are easy and you move on to more difficult poses. Sometimes these challenges are more frustrating than when you were a beginner doing easy poses.\\n\\nWhy? Because your expectations of yourself changed.\\n\\nThis is a normal part of growing in your yoga practice. It’s also why there is a strong focus on mental discipline and meditation in yoga, particularly with classes on myYogaTeacher, where all the teachers are from India. The birthplace of yoga!\\n\\nContinuing to build strength and flexibility when you’re already strong and flexible in yoga will truly mess with your mind if you haven’t developed a strong habit of showing up on your mat no matter what and meditating.\\n\\nMeditation and mental discipline help you approach challenges in stillness and concentration. They help you accept where you are in your practice while also pushing your body to move forward.\\n\\nThese two things are probably the most important aspects of developing strength and flexibility in yoga.\\n\\nWithout them, it is much easier to give up.\\n\\n\\nNo matter where you are in your practice, yoga will continue to help you be strong, toned, and flexible. If you’re unsure of how you can continue to grow in your practice because you’ve reached an advanced level, \\nsign up for your 2-week free trial of myYogaTeacher\\n and try some of the advanced classes there! There’s 35+ different classes to choose from every day!\\n\\nOr you’re always welcome to try mine and Shelly’s class, \\nYoga for Strength and Flexibility!\\n We’re more than happy to work with you to help you perform advanced asanas!","html":"<p>It’s easy to find resources on yoga for strength and flexibility when you’re a beginner. They’re everywhere!</p><p></p><p>It’s just a matter of figuring out which resources are trustworthy or not. (Ahem, we’ve got you covered!)</p><p></p><p>But what about when you’re an advanced yogi? Or even intermediate? What if you’re already really flexible or strong or athletic or a dancer or a gymnast? How could yoga possibly challenge you when you can literally do almost all the things?</p><p></p><p>The amazing thing about yoga is that there’s always something new to learn!</p><p></p><p>That’s one of the reasons why I love teaching my <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-for-strength-and-flexibility-by-archana-and-shelly\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-for-strength-and-flexibility-by-archana-and-shelly\">Yoga for Strength and Flexibility class at myYogaTeacher!</a> Because we get students of all levels and it’s my job to challenge them!</p><p></p><p>If you haven’t tried any classes with myYogaTeacher yet,<a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/dashboard\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/dashboard\"> sign up for your 2-week free trial here!</a> You’ll get access to my class and many others!</p><p></p><p>In the meantime, here are some ways my co-instructor, Shelly, and I create a dynamic class for everyone from yoga newbs to the born-to-do-yoga yogis!</p><p></p><p></p><h2>Start with the basics</h2><p></p><p>No matter what, the simplest moves are the building blocks to bigger moves! And, as an intermediate or advanced yoga practitioner, you should always move through those simple asanas as a part of getting into deeper ones.</p><p></p><p>For example, to get into headstand, you should first move through downward facing dog or crow pose. To get into wheel pose, you should first move through bridge pose.</p><p></p><p>Conducting our class and our practice like this allows beginner yogis to experience their own level of strength and flexibility that’s perfect for them while more advanced yogis can move on to harder asanas with more intention and while staying in alignment!</p><p></p><p>Here’s a list of challenging yoga poses for strength and flexibility:</p><p></p><ol><li><div><strong>Headstand </strong>- Begin in downward facing dog or crow pose.</div></li><li><div><strong>Crow pose</strong> - Begin in yogi squat.</div></li><li><div><strong>Bird of paradise</strong> - Begin in side angle pose.</div></li><li><div><strong>Wheel pose</strong> - Begin in bridge pose.</div></li><li><div><strong>King Pigeon pose</strong> - Begin in pigeon pose.</div></li><li><div><strong>Firefly pose</strong></div></li><p></p></ol><p>If you are unfamiliar with or inexperienced in these poses, I highly recommend seeking out an instructor who is via a 1:1 class or group class like mine designed to help you progress in these types of asanas!</p><p></p><h2>Focus on mindset and body awareness</h2><p></p><p>I’ve known extremely flexible and strong athletes, dancers, and gymnasts who can not perform many advanced yoga poses. Crazy right?</p><p></p><p>You’d think that as much as they move their bodies, stretch, strengthen and tone, that they’d be able to perform almost any yoga pose they want. But yoga isn’t just about the asanas. It’s about the mindset.</p><p></p><p>Yoga of any kind is focused on bringing awareness to the body and mind. Alignment. Breath. Focus.</p><p></p><p>Sometimes, athletes become so accustomed to their workouts and their sport that they no longer need to think about body awareness, breath, or mindset.</p><p></p><p>Yoga poses that build strength and flexibility for advanced yogis, athletes, dancers, or gymnasts require the use of muscles they may not normally use and a mental focus they may not have. These are things we particularly work on in my Yoga for Strength and Flexibility class!</p><p></p><p>The poses I mentioned above are hard. Truly. They’re no joke. And there’s even more challenging ones than those in the yoga world as well!</p><p></p><p>So there is always room for improvement in yoga, whether you’ve just started your yoga journey or have been on it for a hundred years.</p><p></p><h2>Mental discipline and meditation</h2><p></p><p>When you’re first starting out in yoga, you’re enthusiastic, eager...willing. Showing up on the mat is mostly fun, even if you can’t do all the poses to their fullest extent.</p><p></p><p>As you progress, the poses that were hard are easy and you move on to more difficult poses. Sometimes these challenges are more frustrating than when you were a beginner doing easy poses.</p><p></p><p>Why? Because your expectations of yourself changed.</p><p></p><p>This is a normal part of growing in your yoga practice. It’s also why there is a strong focus on mental discipline and meditation in yoga, particularly with classes on myYogaTeacher, where all the teachers are from India. The birthplace of yoga!</p><p></p><p>Continuing to build strength and flexibility when you’re already strong and flexible in yoga will truly mess with your mind if you haven’t developed a strong habit of showing up on your mat no matter what and meditating.</p><p></p><p>Meditation and mental discipline help you approach challenges in stillness and concentration. They help you accept where you are in your practice while also pushing your body to move forward.</p><p></p><p>These two things are probably the most important aspects of developing strength and flexibility in yoga.</p><p></p><p>Without them, it is much easier to give up.</p><p></p><p></p><p>No matter where you are in your practice, yoga will continue to help you be strong, toned, and flexible. If you’re unsure of how you can continue to grow in your practice because you’ve reached an advanced level, <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\">sign up for your 2-week free trial of myYogaTeacher</a> and try some of the advanced classes there! There’s 35+ different classes to choose from every day!</p><p></p><p>Or you’re always welcome to try mine and Shelly’s class, <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-for-strength-and-flexibility-by-archana-and-shelly\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-for-strength-and-flexibility-by-archana-and-shelly\">Yoga for Strength and Flexibility!</a> We’re more than happy to work with you to help you perform advanced asanas!</p>"},"category":["fitness"],"utmCampaign":null,"utmMedium":null,"utmContent":null,"utmSource":null,"utmTerm":null,"utmSearchString":null,"imageHyperlink":[]},"recommendations_group_class":null}© Copyright 2020 MyYogaTeacher Inc