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Mindfulness Is Having a Moment (And Honestly, We Could All Use It)

By YogaNo Comments

In a world that’s always rushing somewhere, mindfulness feels like a breath of fresh air. Whether it’s a quick moment of silence before your morning coffee or learning how to sit with your thoughts during a chaotic day, people everywhere are finding real value in just… slowing down.

But here’s something cool: mindfulness isn’t just something you practice. It’s something you can share.And if you’ve ever thought, “Could I actually guide others in this?” — the answer is yes, you absolutely can. There are mindful humans just like you learning to turn their personal practice into something they can offer professionally (or just more confidently in everyday life).

Why Mindfulness Is More Than a Buzzword Right Now

Let’s be real: life is a lot. Our screens are full. Our minds are even fuller. And in the middle of all that, mindfulness is giving people a way to hit pause, get present, and feel more like themselves again.

It’s showing up in classrooms, offices, hospitals, yoga studios, and therapy sessions—not because it’s trendy, but because it actually helps.

Things like:

  • Lowering stress (science-backed)
  • Improving focus
  • Helping people feel more grounded, calm, and connected

And yeah, it helps you too.

Can Anyone Learn to Teach Mindfulness?

Short answer: yep.

You don’t need to be a monk or meditation expert. If you’re someone who values being present, knows the impact it’s had in your own life, and wants to deepen that understanding while learning how to share it — you’re already on the path.

Maybe you’re a yoga teacher, therapist, social worker, or coach. Or maybe you’re just the go-to “calm friend” in your group. Either way, learning how to guide mindfulness can open up opportunities—not just for your career, but for connection, growth, and real impact.

So… How Do You Actually Get Started?

There are lots of ways to explore mindfulness more deeply, but getting certified is a solid way to build confidence and learn the tools to guide others safely and effectively.

One option (that people love for its flexibility and vibe) is this

Mindfulness Certification from YogaRenew
. It’s self-paced, fully online, and super approachable—even if you’re just starting out.

It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being present—and learning how to help others do the same.

TL;DR? Here’s the Vibe

  • Mindfulness is growing for a reason.
  • You don’t need to be a guru to guide others.
  • A certification can give you tools, structure, and confidence.
  • If you’re curious, that’s a good enough place to start.

Curious to Explore More?

No pressure, just an open door.

If you want to see what a mindfulness certification looks like (or bookmark it for later), you can check out YogaRenew’s course here.

 

one legged wheel graphic

Eka Pada Urdhva Dhanurasana

By Yoga AsanaNo Comments

Eka Pada Urdhva Dhanurasana (One Legged Wheel) is a great pose for a new beginning and to crack open your heart space. Practicing this pose helps open up the front of the body, the chest, the shoulders as well as engage the legs and find a sense of stability from rooting down to open up.

In this sequence, we’ll explore stretching the shoulders and lengthening and straightening the legs to prepare us for one legged wheel. Regular Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Facing Bow Pose also known as Wheel Pose) is an invigorating and awakening posture that when practiced over time, helps you get more acclimated with backbending poses.

This class will focus on poses that engage the legs, strengthen and open up the shoulders, and allow students to find a sense of strength and mobility. We’ll break it down based on the structure of a YogaRenew class, with the specific sequencing structure that keeps our students happy and returning to their mat. Let’s go!

Puttering/Warm-Up:

  • Child’s Pose
  • Cat/Cow
  • Low Lunge to Runner’s Lunge
  • Prasarita Padottanasana

Sun Salutations:

  • 3-4 Rounds

Standing Poses:

  • Warrior 2
  • Peaceful Warrior
  • Half Moon Pose
  • Side Plank
  • Warrior 1
  • Devotional Warrior (with Hands Clasped and Head Dropped)

Balance:

  • Reverse Table Top
  • Uttitha Hasta Padangusthasana (Both A & B)

Peak Pose & Prep:

  • Urdhva Dhanurasana (Regular Wheel/Upward Facing Bow Pose)
  • Eka Pada Urdhva Dhanurasana (One Legged Wheel)

Wind Down:

  • Legs in the Air
  • Supine Twist
  • Happy Baby

Savasana

Patrick Franco giving a hands-on assist in cobra pose, touching the back of the calves

Hands-On Adjustments in a Post-COVID Yoga World

By Yoga AsanaNo Comments

The first time I brought hands-on adjustments back after COVID, a student said to me after class:

“I didn’t realize how much I missed that.”

It was a simple directional assist in Downward Dog—nothing dramatic. But for them, it was the difference between hearing the cue and feeling it. And it hit me: plenty of students still want this. They’ve noticed the shift away from adjustments, and for some, it feels like a piece of the practice is missing.

And yet, here’s the truth: hands-on adjustments have almost disappeared in a lot of yoga classes.

And yeah—I get why.

  • Too many teachers crossed boundaries. Some out of ignorance, some out of ego, and some out of flat-out abuse of power. The damage was real. It broke trust between students and teachers.
  • Trauma-informed teaching reshaped the way we think about touch. What feels supportive to one student can feel unsafe or triggering to another.
  • Then COVID hit, and we literally couldn’t touch anyone. For nearly two years, the “no adjustment” rule wasn’t a choice—it was a necessity.

So now, many teachers don’t adjust at all. And I’ll be honest: I get a little worried when I think about that.

Because after 18 years of teaching, I’ve seen firsthand how powerful a well-timed, respectful adjustment can be. And I’ve also heard plenty of students tell me they miss them. Students who found clarity, connection, and support through touch have noticed the shift away from adjustments—and they feel something valuable has been lost.

A Little History

Adjustments have been part of yoga teaching for a long time. But not all traditions emphasize them equally.

In Iyengar yoga, where I’ve spent much of my own training, adjustments (and props) are central to the pedagogy. The teacher’s touch is precise, often technical, and meant to guide students toward alignment and awareness they couldn’t find on their own. It’s about clarity, not correction.

In Ashtanga, adjustments are more about deepening—taking a student further into the pose than they might go on their own, sometimes quite forcefully.

In Vinyasa yoga, adjustments have often been less systematic. Some teachers leaned on them to “fix” poses, others avoided them entirely.

The truth is: adjustments have always been a mixed bag. For some students, they were life-changing; for others, they were confusing, uncomfortable, or even harmful.

But when done well, they’re one of the most powerful teaching tools we have.

Why Hands-On Adjustments Still Matter

Here’s the thing about teaching yoga: words don’t always land.

You can cue “press the thigh back,” “lift the sternum,” or “draw the shoulder blades in” ten different ways—and still watch a student struggle. Then you place a steady hand, a supportive press, or a gentle lift, and suddenly—click. The body gets it.

That’s the power of touch.

  • It brings awareness where the mind can’t quite locate it.
  • It can bypass the noise of words and give the nervous system direct feedback.
  • It offers stability in moments of challenge.
  • It communicates presence, care, and connection when done respectfully.

And let’s not forget—plenty of students want adjustments. For them, touch is one of the ways they learn best. It’s one of the ways they feel seen and supported.

B.K.S. Iyengar once said: “Words cannot convey the total value of yoga. It has to be experienced.” Sometimes, touch is the bridge that takes a student from hearing your words to truly experiencing what you mean.

Why They Disappeared (And Why That Matters)

It would be easy to say, “Well, adjustments are too complicated—let’s just stop doing them.” And honestly, a lot of teachers have.

But here’s what worries me: if we remove touch entirely from the teaching toolkit, we’re taking away a channel of communication that has been part of the teaching of yoga.. And we’re ignoring the many students who still value and appreciate adjustments when they’re offered thoughtfully.

I’m not saying every student needs adjustments. Plenty don’t.
I’m not saying every class requires them. Plenty don’t.

But I am saying that when used skillfully—with consent, respect, and clarity—adjustments can still be one of the most effective ways to help students learn.

Best Practices for Hands-On Adjustments in the Post-COVID Era

So, how do we bring adjustments back into modern teaching—without repeating the mistakes of the past?

Here’s how I approach it today:

1. Consent Is Non-Negotiable

  • Ask every time.
  • Use consent cards or verbal check-ins.
  • Recognize that consent isn’t permanent. A student who said “yes” before class might say “no” mid-practice.

2. Less Is More

  • One adjustment, one action. Don’t try to “fix” the whole pose with your hands.
  • Think clarity, not choreography.

3. Stay Professional

  • Your touch should feel like teaching, not intimacy.
  • Stick to bones, joints, and large muscle groups.
  • No lingering. No ambiguity.

4. Respect Personal Space

  • Notice body language. If a student stiffens, pulls away, or looks uneasy—stop.
  • Never force someone deeper into a pose. Adjustment isn’t about making the pose “better,” it’s about helping the student feel direction.

5. Pair It With Words

  • Say what you’re doing as you do it.
  • Use your voice to frame the action so the student can replicate it without your hands next time.

The Bigger Picture

Here’s what I’ve learned after nearly two decades of teaching: adjustments aren’t the centerpiece of yoga teaching. They never were.

The core of great teaching is your presence, your sequencing, your words, your ability to create an environment where students feel safe to explore. That’s what builds trust.

But adjustments are still a tool. One worth keeping in the belt.

Because when words don’t cut it, when a student needs to feel something in order to understand it—touch can bridge the gap.

The point isn’t to bring adjustments back the way they used to be. It’s to bring them back better. With consent. With clarity. With respect for every student’s body and personal space.

Because at the end of the day, yoga is about connection. And sometimes, the quickest way to help a student connect—with their body, with the pose, with the practice—is through the quiet, steady guidance of touch.

Teaching Tips: 3 Adjustments I Still Use Every Week

Here are a few simple, respectful adjustments I return to again and again in my classes:

  1. Downward Dog – Lengthening the Spine
    A drawing back of the thighs helps students feel how to send the legs back and lengthen the spine, without collapsing the shoulders.
  2. Trikonasana – Firming the Outer Hip Inward
    Using your own outer hip as a point of contact, you can give a directional assist into the student’s outer hip. This firming action stabilizes the pelvis and allows the trunk to open more fully.
  3. Janu Sirsasana – Supporting the Hinge
    Placing a steady hand on the bent-leg thigh and guiding it to roll outward allows the spine to extend and hinge more freely over the straight leg.

These are not about “fixing” anyone’s pose—they’re about offering clarity when words alone don’t do the job.

Final Word:
Don’t abandon adjustments.
Refine them.

They’re not the whole toolbox, but they’re still one of the sharpest tools we’ve got—if we use them wisely.

—Patrick Franco

 

Learn Hands-On Assists with Kate & Patrick:

Hands-On Assist Essentials Workshop

Hands-On Assist Essentials
eka pada koundinyasana 1

Weekly Class Theme: Eka Pada Koundinyasana 1

By Yoga Asana

Eka Pada Koundinyasana I, or One-Legged Sage Pose, is a beautiful arm balance that weaves strength, flexibility, and focus into one empowering shape. This pose asks us to trust ourselves—to play at the edge of our balance and truly feel into the body.

But we don’t just leap into this peak pose. We prepare. We soften. We open the hips, twist the spine, engage the core, and connect breath to movement with mindfulness. In this vinyasa sequence, each posture serves as a stepping stone toward Koundinyasana I—guiding the body, breath, and mind into a state of readiness.

Puttering

We begin by turning inward, creating space in the body and mind.

  • Balasana (Child’s Pose): Settle into the earth. Let the breath deepen, tuning in to sensation and the space within.
  • Uttana Pristhasana (Lizard Pose): Opening the hips, we begin to explore the mobility needed for deeper lunges and arm balances.
  • Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Leg Forward Fold): Stretching the hamstrings and inner thighs prepares the legs for movement and balance.
  • Skandasana (Side Lunge): Moving side-to-side, we awaken the adductors and create dynamic hip opening.

Standing, Balance & Twists

Twists and standing poses begin to activate the obliques and build the foundation for Koundinyasana.

  • Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana (Revolved Half Moon): A balancing twist that ignites core stability while challenging focus.
  • Baddha Virabhadrasana (Devotional Warrior): A moment of surrender within strength, stretching the shoulders and grounding the legs.
  • Utthita Parshvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose): Integrating strength and length, this posture deepens the side-body stretch.
  • Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle): One of the key twists in this flow. It challenges balance and flexibility—essential components for Koundinyasana.

From grounding and twisting, we transition into the preparation for flight.

  • Malasana (Yogi Squat): We return to the earth, finding openness in the hips and a steady connection with the ground.
  • Bakasana (Crow Pose): The gateway to arm balances. Here we find the lift, core engagement, and trust needed to fly.

Peak Pose: Eka Pada Koundinyasana 1

Eka Pada Koundinyasana I (One-Legged Sage Pose): Now, we bring it all together. A deep twist, strong arms, lifted hips, and one extended leg. It’s not about perfection—it’s about exploration and courage.

Wind Down

After the peak, we give the body time to unwind and integrate.

  • Supta Dandasana (Legs in the Air / Dead Bug Variation): Gently reversing the blood flow and releasing tension from the hips.
  • Urdhva Dhanurasana (Wheel Pose): A final heart opener to expand the front body and energize the spirit.
  • Supta Matsyendrasana (Reclined Spinal Twist): Soothing the spine and supporting digestion of breath, energy, and experience.
  • Ananda Balasana (Happy Baby Pose): We end where we began—in soft surrender, playfulness, and openness.
  • Savasana (Corpse Pose): Full release. A space to absorb the practice and return to stillness.

The path to Eka Pada Koundinyasana I is not linear. Some days the body feels light and ready to fly; others, it prefers to stay close to the earth. Honor both. This practice is a journey of patience and presence—of learning to trust the process and your own inner wisdom.

So whether your feet leave the ground or not, know that simply showing up to the mat with intention is the real victory.

Keep breathing. Keep exploring. And above all, keep showing up. Happy practicing!

Why Labor Day Weekend Is the Perfect Time to Start Your Yoga Teacher Training Online

By Yoga

Unlock Flexibility & Community With YogaRenew—From Home

If you’ve been waiting for the right time to begin your yoga teacher training, Labor Day weekend might just be it.

With an extra day off, fewer work distractions, and the transition into fall, this is your chance to commit to something that’s not just productive—but truly transformational.

This Labor Day, give yourself the gift of purpose and presence by starting your yoga teacher training journey online with YogaRenew—an accredited, affordable, and globally trusted Yoga Alliance–certified training school.

Students enrolled in YogaRenew’s Teacher Training program.

Use the Long Weekend to Kickstart Your Certification

Labor Day offers what we all need more of—time. With a long weekend and fewer work demands, you can finally dive into your goals and set yourself up for a fulfilling fall.

YogaRenew’s program is:

  • 100% self-paced
  • Designed for working professionals, caregivers, and students
  • Ready for you to start immediately—with no expiration

You can spend this weekend getting grounded in yoga philosophy, learning the foundations of sequencing, or exploring the anatomy behind your favorite poses—all while sipping tea in your favorite spot at home.

Accredited, Affordable, and All Online

YogaRenew’s online teacher training is:

  • Yoga Alliance–certified (200-, 300-, and 500-hour programs)
  • Extremely affordable — starting at just $347
  • Globally respected, with graduates teaching all over the world

Plus, there are payment plans to make starting easier than ever!

Compared to in-person trainings (which can cost upwards of $3,000 and require weeks off), YogaRenew is designed to fit your life—not disrupt it.

Yoga App with Pose Tutorials, Practice Videos & Study Tools

A screenshot of the YogaRenew online yoga app, featuring Alia & Isa Brand of YogaRenew holding prayer hands in the center of the image

Need another reason to start now? YogaRenew gives you access to an amazing free mobile app packed with:

  • Pose breakdowns and tutorials with proper alignment
  • Guided meditations and flows to support your practice
  • Study tools to complement your certification journey
  • Free yoga classes for ongoing practice and inspiration

Even if you’re not quite ready to dive deep, you can download the app today and start exploring—it’s perfect for beginners and seasoned practitioners alike.

Pro Yogi Tip: Use this weekend to explore the app’s content and start building a consistent home practice!

Grow Your Practice. Build a Career. Teach with Confidence.

Kate Lombardo, Yoga Director of YogaRenew, assisting a student along their ytt journey!

Whether you want to teach or just deepen your understanding of yoga, YogaRenew empowers you with:

  • A complete understanding of asana, pranayama, meditation, philosophy, and anatomy
  • A full toolkit of resources: cue cards, playlists, class planning templates, waivers, client forms, and more
  • A certificate that allows you to teach globally, online or in person

And with lifetime access, you’ll always have a reference for your teaching or personal practice—even years after you complete the course.

Start With Support—You’re Not Alone

YogaRenew combines the freedom of self-paced learning with the structure and community most students need:

  • Weekly live Zoom sessions with experienced instructors
  • Access to a private Facebook group of 24,000+ students worldwide
  • 24/7 access to a comprehensive learning portal + app

This long weekend, you can start your journey and connect with a supportive global community—people just like you starting something meaningful.

This Labor Day, Make a Move That Matters

Labor Day represents more than a break—it’s a reset.

It’s the moment between summer chaos and fall focus—a perfect time to:

  • Create new habits
  • Deepen your practice
  • Prepare for a meaningful, purpose-driven career path

Thousands of YogaRenew students have used holiday weekends just like this to take the first step. Will you?

What YogaRenew Students Are Saying:

“Love love love. Yoga classes, series, courses, workshops, meditation, yes please.”
— A, Online App Yogi

“Wonderful. My favorite app for yoga and meditation! Tons of classes and courses offered.”

— Tess Marie, Online App Yogi

“Absolutely life changing course! The content is presented in videos in very engaging ways with multiple teachers and then all written for summary. I love the fact that I now have lifetime access too!”

— Nicola Anna Jurkiewicz, Enrolled in Online Course

Start Your Yoga Journey This Labor Day

Make this long weekend count. Enroll now in YogaRenew’s online yoga teacher training and get:

  • A Yoga Alliance–certified education
  • Lifetime access to materials
  • Bonus resources + business tools

Free access to the YogaRenew app with pose tutorials, meditations & more!

📲 Download the app and preview free content now

🧘‍♀️ Enroll in one of YogaRenew’s Online YTTs

yoga for athletes yoga sequence

Weekly Class Theme: Yoga for Athletes Yoga Sequence

By Yoga

Theme: Strength, Balance & Recovery
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Props: Optional block and strap
Focus: Hips, hamstrings, spine, shoulders, core

Opening – Centering & Warm-Up (5–10 min)

  • Tadasana (Mountain Pose) – 5 breaths: Ground through feet, lengthen spine, steady the breath.
  • Uttanasana with Clasped Hands – 5–8 breaths: Interlace hands behind back, fold forward, open chest and shoulders.
  • Balancing Table (Bird-Dog) – 3x each side: Inhale reach, exhale elbow to knee, core control.
  • Thread the Needle – Hold 5 breaths each side: Stretches shoulders and upper back.

Flow – Strength & Stability (15–20 min)

  • Vinyasa Flow (Repeat 2–3x)
  • Plank Pose – 3–5 breaths: Engage core, full-body activation.
  • Chaturanga Dandasana: Lower with control.
  • Cobra or Upward-Facing Dog – Open chest, strong legs.
  • Downward-Facing Dog – 5 breaths: Pedal feet, warm up hamstrings.
  • Low Lunge with Arms Reaching Behind – 5 breaths each side: Interlace fingers behind back, open the chest.
  • Lunge Twist – Hold 5 breaths: Twist towards front leg, option to lift back knee.
  • High Lunge to Revolved Side Angle – 5–6 breaths: Balance + twist = core engagement and hip strength.
  • Peaceful Warrior – 5 breaths: Side body stretch and stability.
  • Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Leg Forward Fold) – 5–8 breaths: Optional shoulder stretch with clasped hands.

Balance & Core Work (10–15 min)

  • Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana) – 3–5 breaths each side: Use a block under lower hand if needed.
  • Chair Pose (Utkatasana) – 5–8 breaths: Activate glutes and thighs, arms overhead.
  • Boat Pose (Navasana) – 3 rounds of 3–5 breaths: Optional: hold block between thighs for control.
  • Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose) – Hold 5–8 breaths each side: Deep hip and shoulder opener.

Peak Pose – L-Shape Handstand at Wall (5–10 min)

  1. Start in Down Dog, place the ball of one of your feet against the wall
  2. Lift the other foot to the wall
  3. Straighten your legs by pressing the soles of your feet into the wall
  4. Let everything stack: Stack shoulders over wrists and lengthen through your legs pressing into the wall
  5. Practice L-shape (hips at 90 degrees) or play with lifting both legs.

*Option: Hold for 5–10 seconds, repeat 3 times.

Tip: Remind students to press firmly into hands, hug ribs in, and breathe deeply.

Cool Down & Closing (5–10 min)

  • Seated Spinal Twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana) – 5 breaths each side: Lengthen spine on inhale, twist deeper on exhale.
  • Supine Twist or Happy Baby (optional) – Relax and reset.
  • Savasana – 3–5 minutes: Let the body integrate the work.

Closing Words:

“Balance strength with softness. Let yoga be your recovery and your edge.”

Yoga for Athletes: Why It’s So Popular

By Yoga

For years, my vinyasa yoga practice was a complement to my athletic work, primarily long distance running- running strengthened my muscles and yoga lengthened them. But in 2013, I tore both of my hamstrings during the NYC Marathon, and my relationship with my body, and how I stay healthy and active, changed.

Before that though, I want to bring us back to what the yoga world was like back in the heyday of vinyasa yoga in New York City in the 2010s- with vinyasa yoga studios on seemingly every corner, and massive yoga companies churning out vinyasa yoga teachers. The breath-to-movement style of the yoga practice was a popular and energetic way to lengthen and sweat, and vinyasa exploded in popularity in New York City, and across the country, in the early 2010s. By 2017, according to the New York Times, there were at least 85 yoga studios across the city.[1] Classes were packed, and prime time classes at popular studios in Chelsea, Brooklyn Heights and Park Slope were often sold out. Vinyasa yoga was IT.

The Vinyasa Yoga Explosion

I started taking yoga in 2002, and became a yoga teacher in 2014. I, like many other practitioners, saw the meteoric rise of yoga, particularly vinyasa, and was grateful that in my neighborhood in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, we went from one yoga studio to at least five from 2005 to 2010.

I started teaching at a vinyasa yoga studio in Chelsea and the population of teachers were primarily willowy and flexible, rather traditional Western yoga teachers, who could fold themselves into all types of complicated yoga shapes, and look fantastic on social media while doing it. As an athletically-built, muscular, not particularly-bendy person, my yoga practice looked and felt different than them. As my teaching career progressed, my teaching style, although vinyasa-focused, began to shift to slower, more alignment-based classes. Rather than teach a class around showy, body-bending poses, I tended to teach more “simplistic” poses in ways that broke down the fundamentals of alignment.

I had two poignant interactions with students that shifted my practice and narrowed my focus to alignment-based teaching. First, after a class focusing mostly on triangle pose, a woman came up to me and complained that the class wasn’t “hard enough”, that she wanted more “challenging poses”. Interestingly though, throughout the class, she struggled to maintain alignment and balance in the foundational poses, like Warrior 2 and low lunge. Later that year, a different woman came up to me after a class where we moved slowly and focused on split-stance poses, like low and high lunges, and balancing on one leg, Warrior 3 and Ardha Chandrasana. She told me she felt like her body was put back together. THAT was what I wanted people to feel after my classes, not like I had pulled their bodies apart, but like we had actively put their bodies back together. From then on, my classes were much more alignment-based, focused on foundational poses to support functional movement. The classes I taught still flowed, connecting breath-to-movement, but alignment was purposeful and the poses tended to be more foundational and simplified.

Vinyasa Yogi to Alignment Teacher

My teaching methods changing coincided with how my practice shifted, and it was around this time I started actively recovering from a series of injuries, two torn hamstrings during a marathon, and a few years later, a torn labrum. My doctors and physical therapists all highlighted the imbalances in my body as part of the reason for my injuries, my right hip was a little lower than my left. With this knowledge, my personal practice merged with my teaching methods- foundational, alignment-based movements.

Many of the yoga classes I took focused on “advanced” poses, and I struggled with the designation of “advanced” as only meaning bendy or upside-down or pretzel-twisted. For me, advanced also meant being able to balance in proper alignment in Warrior 3, slowly transitioning from one pose to another in control, or maintaining a strong Ardha Chandrasana, it didn’t always mean pushing myself into poses that were in the back of Light on Yoga.

There is this unique difference between challenging ourselves as athletes or yoga practitioners, and pushing ourselves beyond our realistic limits, and part of this connects to how I taught the yoga for athletes classes and the Yoga for Athletes workshop with Yoga Renew. For some of us, our mobility prevents us from bending our bodies in certain ways. It simply doesn’t matter how much we “practice”, our joints, and the tendons and ligaments within them, may not bend in specific ways. For example, my knees and ankles do not bend comfortably into a Lotus pose, because my knee and hip joints do not have that specific mobility.

To clarify, I am not saying we should not push ourselves! I have run multiple half and full-marathons, hiked Mt. Kilimanjaro three times and hiked to Everest Base Camp three times. Pushing our physiological limits is incredible, and if we want to achieve something like a summit, road race, climb or a challenging yoga pose, we should work towards those goals! My frustration with the vinyasa yoga scene was that it seemed like the only goal was bendy, instagram-worthy yoga poses that pushed our bodies into mind-melding, and often back-hurting, knee-popping ways. It is healthy to recognize what does and does not work for our individual bodies, and it is a testament to one’s practice to be able to say, “This does not serve me.”

As my teaching, yoga practice and running converged, I realized that there were poses that did not and would not be good for my body. Certain poses would not challenge me, they would simply hurt me because of how my body is put together. I also started to see that some teachers did not ascribe to that thinking. For me though, rather than pushing my students’ bodies into poses that made their backs, knees and necks hurt later in the day, I wanted people to leave my classes feeling good! To quote Brittany Policastro in the Huffington Post in 2015, “[Vinyasa yoga became] more about giving a cool and challenging class than making sure students [were] first and foremost, safe in their bodies.”[2] I saw that more and more as vinyasa yoga became more popular. I never wanted to be the kind of teacher who pushed a student to do something that they knew would be harmful to them. There is a clear delineation between discomfort and pain. Discomfort can challenge us, pain is our body telling us something is wrong.

As a long-distance runner, I wanted to teach yoga for athletes. When I pitched it to the owners of the Chelsea yoga studio, they were skeptical. They gave me a challenging time slot (Wednesday, 9:30am), and although it took time, the class grew in popularity. There was no vinyasa in this class. The focus was alignment, strength-building, mobility and flexibility. When we started an athletes class on Saturday afternoons, the classes increased in popularity and the student population was increasingly diverse.

Alignment-based, focused on functional movement and repetitive stress motions, we had practitioners of different ages and abilities, a competitive Jiu Jitsu athlete, an aspiring NFL player, personal trainers, fellow yoga instructors and athletes recovering from injuries. It was exciting to see people challenged in new and often simple ways, such as low lunge twist.

Yogi to Yogi-Athlete

As athletes, we are often active in ways that make us better at something else, strength training to become a faster runner, agility work to become better at basketball, mobility work to become a better tennis player, and all of those practices are valuable to our overall physical health. Yoga for athletes, and what you’ll see in the Yoga for Athletes workshop with YogaRenew, is more foundational than that. I teach classes that improve functional movement, movements based on real-world situational biomechanics.[4] I often said in my athletes classes, I want these classes to improve functional movement so we can get up and do whatever it is we love to do – walk, run, hike, surf, jump rope, climb, lift… in a healthy way, for the long term.

Triangle Pose: A fundamental pose to lengthen the arms and legs and open the chest.

Of course we all have more individualized, specific goals, like running a marathon, hiking a mountain or recovering from an injury, so my athletes classes, and specifically the Yoga for Athletes workshop with Yoga Renew, focuses on the basics, improving functional movement and understanding the concepts of flexibility and mobility, and stability and alignment, so that people can use those building blocks to enhance their yoga practice and improve their athletics.[4,5]

Yoga for Athletes: The Breakdown

Yoga for athletes classes interweave asanas that address functional movement, repetitive stress motions, stability, alignment, flexibility, mobility, strength training and overall strength. Each of these components are a valuable tool to advance the yoga practice and support athletic goals. These are the foundational building blocks from which we then move to running, climbing, yoga, golf, pickleball, any of the athletic activities we love! By improving unilateral movement, we strengthen our running. By fortifying the stabilizing muscles in our ankles, we improve our ability to spring in all directions for tennis. By strengthening our piriformis, we can hike safely, stabilizing our knees over our toes. Yoga has become a standard practice for many athletes as it so clearly benefits so many facets of performance, like preventing injury, enhancing muscle function and combatting stress.[4]

The benefits to improving and strengthening our functional movements are endless. A study in 2016 showed that yoga optimized performance in college athletes.[5] Understanding these concepts is vital to a healthy yoga and athletic practice. Recognizing the differences between these concepts (flexibility and mobility are not the same!) empowers us to understand our biomechanical boundaries and recognize when and where we can challenge ourselves.[12]

Functional Movements

Functional movements are movements based on real-world situational biomechanics, such as walking, sitting and climbing stairs. In our context, it also refers to running, moving laterally, repetitive motions such as rotating our shoulders in a specific way (tennis, lifting, pickleball, etc). A 2022 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that yoga improved college athletes’ Functional Movement Screen scores, improving their movement patterns and demonstrating more mindful functional movement overall.[6]

In athletes classes and in the Yoga for Athletes workshop, I teach asanas that mimic functional movements, and promote stability and alignment. For example, split-stance asanas, such as low and high lunge, teach our body strength and create muscle memory. Our bodies learn how to be in a split stance position in a healthy, strong and stable way, so, when we move fast and hard, like running, these positions are already learned. The muscles know how to create and stabilize the shapes.[9]

Repetitive Stress Motions

Repetitive stress motions are actions that are repeated, generally with impact, that cause stress to our musculoskeletal and/or nervous system. These actions often affect our joints and can, over time, cause injuries from overuse, imbalances and misalignment. That’s how I tore the labrum in my hip. After years of slightly misaligned hip joints, and thousands of miles of running, the head of my right femur bone tore the labrum in my right hip. One of the most common causes of injuries from repetitive stress motions are ankle and knee injuries.[3] After years of slight misalignment and overuse, ligament, tendon and muscular damage can and often does occur in our knees and ankles. The #1 most common sports injury in the United States are sprains and strains, usually involving damage to ligaments, muscles or tendons.[3]

In the article “Yoga for Repetitive Stress (Muscle) Syndrome”, Kristie Reilly discusses how the yoga practice can counter the many impacts of repetitive stress motions.[7] In the athletes classes, asanas that decompress the skeletal system, and reduce or counter high intensity and repetitive impact work can promote rest and healing, reducing susceptibility to injury. Seasoned athletes know the huge importance of “rest” days, but that doesn’t mean days of doing nothing. Active rest and recovery can be practicing asanas that help our bodies recover from high impact activity, such as legs up the wall, which allows fresh, oxygenated blood to flow to our upper extremities, as well as stimulating our lymphatic fluid.

Stacey Pierce-Talsma, of the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine, discusses how specific yoga poses can address overuse injuries and details how poses counteract these issues.[8] Child’s pose stretches the ankles, spine, hips and thighs, while reducing back and neck pain. Cat-cow improves spinal flexibility, releases muscle tension in the back and neck, and increases the connection between the mind and the physical body. Utilizing asana to counteract the effects of repetitive stress motions can help us practice our athletic activities longer and healthier.[4,8]

Stability

Warrior 3

Stability is the body’s ability to maintain postural equilibrium and support joints during movement. I teach stabilization poses in every athletes class. Stability is being able to keep one’s self upright while moving in all directions. Asanas, like Warrior 2, Warrior 3 and Ardha Chandrasana, improve overall strength and stability, and challenge the small stabilizing muscles around the ankles and knees. Postural equilibrium and joint alignment encourages healthy, safe and efficient functional movement.[9] Johns Hopkins details the overall benefits of yoga and how it improves stability.[9] A 2022 study published in the Slovenian Journal of Public Health found evidence that even a four week yoga program improved people’s dynamic and static stability.[10]

My favorite stabilizing pose is a variation of tree pose, standing on a neatly folded blanket next to a wall. The focus is the balance and strengthening of the standing ankle and knee, rather than the lifted leg. The wall is there to support that intention. I always encourage my students to use blocks or the wall in balancing poses as the poses are meant to build strength and stabilization for the small stabilizing muscles up to the large muscle groups. Stabilizing poses also enhance proprioception, our body’s ability to sense its position and movement in space.[11] Proprioception is crucial to athletes as we climb, play tennis, hike, run and engage with the world around us. Our ability to adapt quickly to our changing environment enables us to move quickly, gain strength and react to our surroundings.

Alignment

All of these concepts, and the asanas we practice to improve them, flow into each other. Our stabilizing poses help strengthen our ability to maintain alignment. Proper alignment of the body puts less stress on our spine and joints, and supports good posture. Alignment is how our head, shoulders, spine, hips, knees and ankles line up to each other. Asanas that encourage musculoskeletal alignment enable us to create, practice and maintain healthy bio-mechanic positioning- these poses help us stand up straight! Misalignments can start small, but can be exacerbated by repetitive stress motions over time. Our bodies are not perfectly symmetrical, so I encourage practitioners to stay an extra few breaths on the side that feels a little more wobbly or seems more challenging. We all have an ankle that is stronger or a hip that may feel a little weaker. Acknowledging that our bodies have misalignments, and then addressing them through stabilizing asanas, promotes alignment and can help us avoid injury.

Legs up the wall

In my yoga for athletes workshop, I highlight how strength and alignment work together- when we move our bodies slowly and with intention, we create habitual patterns of alignment and stability in the body. Ann Swanson’s 2025 article, “The Science of Stability,” also highlights how our yoga practice develops resilience within our physiological body, which helps us adapt to change more quickly and promote overall stability.[11] When we engage in repetitive stress motions, our bodies’ muscular system utilizes that muscle memory and training, which enables us to remain stable and in proper alignment.

Flexibility vs Mobility

Flexibility is the ability of a muscle or muscle groups to passively lengthen through a range of motion, whereas mobility is the ability of our body’s joints to move actively through a range of motion. These are important distinctions for our own knowledge and body awareness, and also because these words are often used interchangeably in the yoga world. Flexibility and mobility have two distinctly different meanings, but are important to overall fitness and health. Jimmy Haley, of Penn State’s Kinesiology Department, states that flexibility and mobility are “key components of health to the individual.”[12]

In yoga, we often practice asanas that focus on flexibility, such as seated forward fold or forward bends. These asanas promote muscular flexibility through passive extension. This doesn’t mean that the pose itself is passive, we may be effortful in a pose that promotes flexibility, but the muscle that is being lengthened is in a passive state. Flexibility encourages a healthy range of motion in the muscles, and cultivates healthy alignment, mobility and muscle coordination. When our muscles can extend to their full range of motion in yoga, and our other activities, our body functions at a healthier, more efficient level.[9]

Mobility range is different from person to person. It’s important to find which postures enhance your practice and which postures can seem more difficult and find ways to modify them or use props!

Mobility, on the other hand, is the ability of our joints to move actively through a range of motion. The dynamic movement of our asana practice can promote healthy mobility throughout our joints. Flexibility and mobility are essentially different, but they work in conjunction to create healthy, functional movement.[12] Flexible muscles, muscles that can lengthen passively in a healthy range of motion, promote and support healthy, dynamic joint mobility. Knowing the difference between these two concepts empowers practitioners to make informed choices about practicing asanas that can challenge them, and not participating in asanas that do not feel safe. “There are many different factors that can impact how mobile or flexible someone is. Age, genetics, past injuries or surgeries…” all can affect the flexibility of our muscles and the mobility in our joints.[13]

As I previously mentioned, Lotus pose does not work for my body. I do not have the mobility in my hip, knee and ankle joints to sit in Lotus pose without pain, so I choose not to practice any variation of Lotus. I stress this in athletes classes- learning the difference between discomfort and pain. Learning how to push ourselves into comfortably uncomfortable spaces in our yoga and athletic practices can help us grow. Discomfort can challenge us, increase our strength, advance our training and promote flexibility and mobility. Pain, however, iis our body’s indication that something is wrong, that a pose or movement is harming us. Recognizing that something does not work for your body demonstrates informed body-consciousness and promotes healthy longevity in the asanas and activities that work for you!

Strength

Finally, strength training and strength are always components of my athletes classes. Strength training is physical movement, effort or exercises designed to improve strength and endurance. The asana practice builds strength through bodyweight movement and resistance training.[14] Strength is our body’s capacity for exertion and/or endurance. The asana practice can be used as a benchmark or gauge of our training and muscular capacity. Through tailored strength-focused asanas, we can improve our overall strength and endurance. A 2021 meta-study found that a consistent yoga practice showed positive effects on “muscle strength, balance, mobility and lower body flexibility.”[14]

Our entire asana practice can be strength-focused based on how we set up our poses, how long we hold them and utilizing props- Tree pose on a blanket, Warrior 2 with a block between the front knee and a wall, Chair pose with a block between our heels, low lunge with fingers hovering off the ground. Utilizing props and our weight distribution can help us focus our body’s exertion towards certain muscle groups and enhance our strength building capacity. A 2015 study showed that a consistent yoga practice was an effective way to improve overall functional fitness and strength, and the 2021 meta-study showed that, specifically for people in their 60s and 70s, yoga had a positive impact on overall physical fitness.[15,14] Our yoga practice, in conjunction with and as a complement to our overall strength training, not only benefits our athletic goals, but improves our overall health. As our body’s capacity for exertion and endurance grows, we build on that strength, improving our overall training and expanding our knowledge of our bodies’ current abilities and future possibilities!

Take it to Your Mat!

I encourage you to utilize these concepts to explore your own body and practice. Practice asana that resonates with your body and training. Find what works for your body to promote stability, alignment, flexibility, mobility and strength, and counter imbalances. The asana practice is varied and vast, and can be tailored to what works for your specific needs and what your athletic goals are. Whether you want to run a 5k or a marathon, hike a local mountain or Mt. Kilimanjaro, play tennis, pickleball or handball, cycle around town or compete in a 50 mile race, the more knowledge and information we have on how we can put our body safely together, as opposed to pulling it apart, the more successful and healthy we can be for the long-term and achieve our athletic goals.

Access Yoga for Athletes courses & series in the YogaRenew App

References

  1. Alcorn, T. “Is this the End of the New York Yoga Studio?” The New York Times, September 17, 2020. www.nytimes.com
  2. Policastro, B. “The Problem with Vinyasa Yoga.” Huffington Post, October 23, 2015. www.huffpost.com
  3. Gordon-Zigel, Miranda, MD. “7 Common Sports Injuries and How to Prevent Them.” MedStar Health, December 8, 2021. www.medstarhealth.org.
  4. “Yoga for Athletes: How it Can Enhance Sports Performance.” Nike, January 14, 2022. www.nike.com
  5. Polsgrove MJ, Eggleston BM, Lockyer RJ. Impact of 10-weeks of yoga practice on flexibility and balance of college athletes. Int J Yoga. 2016 Jan-Jun;9(1):27-34. doi: 10.4103/0973-6131.171710. PMID: 26865768; PMCID: PMC4728955.
  6. Xu D, Wu H, Ruan H, Yuan C, Gao J, Guo M. Effects of Yoga Intervention on Functional Movement Patterns and Mindfulness in Collegiate Athletes: A Quasi-Experimental Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Nov 13;19(22):14930. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192214930. PMID: 36429649; PMCID: PMC9690310.
  7. Reilly, K. “Yoga for Repetitive Stress (Muscle) Syndrome.” Medhost, YourCare Everywhere, August 3, 2023. www.yourcareeverywhere.com
  8. Pierce-Talsma, S. “Yoga for Reptitive Use Injury.” University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine, 2014. www.academyofosteopathy.org
  9. “9 Benefits of Yoga.” Johns Hopkins, 2025. www.hopkinsmedicine.org
  10. Krejčí M, Hill M, Kajzar J, Tichý M, Hošek V. Yoga Exercise Intervention Improves Balance Control and Prevents Falls in Seniors Aged 65. Zdr Varst. 2022 Mar 21;61(2):85-92. doi: 10.2478/sjph-2022-0012. PMID: 35432608; PMCID: PMC8937584.
  11. Swanson, A. “The Science of Stability.” Yoga Journal, January 9, 2025. www.yogajournal.com
  12. Haley, J. “The Importance of Flexibility and Mobility. Penn State Kinesiology. www.psu.edu
  13. Laurence, E. “The Key Differences Between Mobility & Flexibility, Explained.” Peloton, May 30, 2024. www.peloton.com
  14. Shin S. Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Yoga Practice on Physical Fitness in the Elderly. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Nov 6;18(21):11663. doi: 10.3390/ijerph182111663. PMID: 34770176; PMCID: PMC8583600.
  15. Gothe NP, McAuley E. Yoga Is as Good as Stretching-Strengthening Exercises in Improving Functional Fitness Outcomes: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2016 Mar;71(3):406-11. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glv127. Epub 2015 Aug 22. PMID: 26297940; PMCID: PMC5864160.
kids yoga class

Kids Yoga Class with 5 Fun Yoga Poses!

By Kids Yoga

1. Child’s Pose — Our Resting Cave

Let’s begin our adventure by curling up in Child’s Pose. Kneel on your mat, touch your big toes together, and let your belly rest on your legs. Stretch your arms forward like you’re crawling into a cozy cave.

Take a few deep breaths here. This is your safe place, where you can rest any time you need to.

Child’s Pose Tip for Kids: Pretend you’re a little turtle hiding in your shell or a cozy seed planted in the earth!

2. Downward Dog — Stretch Like a Puppy

From Child’s Pose, push your hands into the ground and lift your hips to the sky — now you’re in Downward Dog! Your body makes a big upside-down “V” shape.

Wag your tail, bark like a happy dog, or even pretend you’re stretching just like your pet does in the morning!

Why We Love Down Dog: It wakes up our whole body and makes our arms and legs super strong.

3. Warrior 2 — Strike a Brave Pose!

Now stand up tall and step your feet wide. Turn one foot out, bend your front knee, and stretch your arms out like you’re flying. Say hello to Warrior 2 Pose!

Feel your strong legs and brave heart. You’re standing tall like a superhero ready to protect the world.

Warrior 2 for Kids: What kind of warrior are you? A peace warrior? A rainbow warrior? A giggle warrior? Choose your mission!

4. Extended Side Angle — Reach and Stretch!

From Warrior 2, keep your legs strong and lean over your bent leg, placing your elbow on your thigh. Stretch your top arm up and over your ear — reach, reach, reach!

This is Extended Side Angle Pose, and it’s like you’re making a diagonal line from your foot to your fingers. Imagine you’re painting a rainbow across the sky!

Fun Idea: Can you balance something imaginary (like a cloud or star!) on your reaching hand?

5. Tree Pose — Find Your Balance

Let’s finish standing tall and peaceful in Tree Pose. Place one foot on your ankle, calf, or thigh (just not on the knee), and bring your hands together like branches above your head.

Try to stand as still as a tree. Can you feel your roots growing down into the earth?

Tree Pose Fun: What kind of tree are you today? A strong oak? A wiggly willow? A blossoming cherry tree?

Wrapping Up: A Little Calm, A Lot of Fun

We end our yoga adventure by coming back to Child’s Pose, our cozy cave. Close your eyes, take a few slow breaths, and thank your body for all it did today.

Kids yoga is all about moving, playing, breathing, and learning to listen to our own inner calm. Whether your little one is brand new to yoga or already loves to strike a pose, this flow is a gentle and fun way to introduce body awareness, balance, and breath.

Namaste, little yogis! 🌟

julie pasqual yogarenew yoga teacher

Continually in Service: Karma Yoga with Julie Pasqual

By Yoga

I often call myself the accidental yoga teacher. I took my first yoga teacher training, not because I wanted to teach, but just to learn more. I had, and have a job I love— performing as a hospital clown. For most of my adult life, I have worn a red nose (mostly over a mask since Covid) and tap shoes and spent at least 12 hours a week as my alter ego, Dr. Ima Confused at Harlem Hospital.

From the outside, it may seem like teaching yoga and clowning are two incredibly different beasts, but these two practices have more in common than you might think…

Let me share:

Yoga & Clowning are Both Practices

Number one is that they are both just that—practices. They both require you to show up and commit, and keep learning, relearning, and experiencing… a true practice.

To teach the ancient art and science that is yoga is an ever-evolving thing. Each class is a new entity: what poses to pick, how to cue, how to theme, how to speak to the bodies you have before you at that particular time. My work in the hospital is like that as well, where every interaction is of the moment–looking to see what that particular child, family, or staff member needs. It is always malleable, always fresh, and constantly changing and evolving.

This dynamic is what makes both of these practices opportunities to be fully present in the moment. Just as there is no “phoning in” a yoga class as the teacher, there certainly is no “phoning in” as a clown, when a hospitalized six year old is looking at you wanting you to cheer them up.

Both as a teacher, and Dr. Confused, I move breath by breath, moment by moment.

Both of my jobs are incredibly physical. Being a clown is not just a painted face and twisting balloon animals. A true clown derives from Comedia Dell Arte, and is a highly physical genre of life—I spend almost as much time lifting up my leg high as a clown, as I do in Virabhradasana 3 (warrior 3) in a yoga class, if you can believe it!

Selfless Service

Another similarity between my day job and my night job is that they are both centered around service. Dr. Ima Confused is there for each child, parent, and health care hero that crosses her path, just as yoga teacher Julie Pasqual is there for every student that walks into class. When the students are children, that aspect of service is particularly highlighted for me!

Just as in the hospital, I empower the patient by making them the “director” of my clowning, by sharing with children the beautiful practice of yoga I am showing them how they can have mastery in their own lives. To show a child that as uncontrollable as this world is (especially to the young) that there is a place they can chose to go, that is inside of themselves that is calm, and still, and is always there is something really special. This power that is as close as their own breath, and lives in their very own body, is an accessible power that can be such a gift to a child. It can set them up for a life of what we call in yoga, Santosha, meaning contentment.

Life is About Being Present

I am beyond lucky to spend my life trying to give to people in these two unique ways. They both have taught me about the significance of being present and showing up. The more I give to people in this way, the more my soul feels contentment. Also, the ability to constantly learn and grow over time, with each practice, has shown me just how profound and magical the human experience is.

As that great soul, Mahatma Ghandi said, “The best way to find yourself, is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

I live by this motto and hope to continually devote myself to the practice of yoga and the practice of clowning. If you or anyone you know seeks this path, the programs at YogaRenew are a great start. Whether you begin with yoga philosophy or enrolling in a 200 hour yoga teacher training or want to learn to teach kids yoga, you can start here. And, you may even stumble upon some videos with my face in them!

Sending love and light and eternal gratitude,

Julie

 

Editors Note: Julie referenced the charity work she does earlier in this article. If you’d like to donate to Healthy Humor, they’re an incredible charity and bring tremendous joy to hospitalized children. You can donate here.

mindfulness yoga flow

Easy Mindfulness Vinyasa Yoga Flow

By Yoga

Kickstart your day with a mindful sequence that combines restorative, grounding, and energizing asanas—designed to cultivate clarity, calm, and presence. Move through this curated flow to gently awaken your spine, stretch deeply, and settle into each breath before stepping into your day or deepening your mindfulness training.

Why a Mindful Morning Flow Matters

Integrating yoga and mindfulness first thing in the morning sets a foundation of intention, balance, and energy. Research shows that even 20 minutes of mindful movement can significantly reduce stress hormones, enhance mental focus, and uplift your mood through the day. Pairing asana with breath and awareness connects body and mind—offering a centered, calm way to begin any morning practice or study session.

The Sequence: Poses in Flow

1. Child’s Pose (Balasana)

Benefits: Calms the nervous system, gently stretches the lower back and hips, and encourages diaphragmatic breathing.
Instructions: From hands and knees, lower your hips to heels; rest forehead on the mat. Extend arms forward or alongside your body. Breathe deeply for 1–3 minutes.

2. Cat & Cow (Marjaryasana / Bitilasana)

Benefits: Mobilizes the spine, releases tension, and connects breath with movement.
Instructions: In table position, inhale arching the back (Cow); exhale rounding the spine (Cat). Flow slowly for 5 minutes or 5–10 rounds.

3. Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Benefits: Stretches the hamstrings, calves, and shoulders; strengthens arms and core; energizes entire body.
Instructions: From table, tuck toes and lift hips skyward into an inverted V. Press heels toward mat, lengthen spine. Hold 3–5 breaths.

4. Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)

Benefits: Builds lower-body strength, opens hips, cultivates focus and grounded energy.
Instructions: Step one foot forward into a lunge, spin back foot parallel to side, arms stretch wide. Gaze over front hand. Hold 3–5 breaths per side.

5. Peaceful Warrior (Reverse Warrior)

Benefits: Deepens side-body stretch, strengthens legs, and connects heart expansion with breath.
Instructions: From Warrior II, inhale lift the front arm high, exhale slide it back while front leg bends deeper. Reach back arm toward heel. Hold each side for 3–5 breaths.

6. Triangle (Trikonasana)

Benefits: Lengthens hamstrings, opens chest and hips, and supports spinal length.
Instructions: From Warrior II, straighten front leg, hinge at hip, and reach forward then down to shin or block. Lift opposite arm upward. Hold 3–5 breaths per side.

7. Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana)

Benefits: Improves balance, strengthens legs and core, opens the side body.
Instructions: From Triangle, bend front knee, lean forward and lift back leg. Stack hips and chest. Extend top arm toward sky. Hold 3–5 breaths each side. Use a block if needed.

8. Seated Spinal Twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana)

Benefits: Detoxifies the spine, improves digestion, and releases tension across shoulders and mid-back.
Instructions: Sit with legs extended. Bend one knee and cross over to opposite side, twisting gently. Use opposite elbow to deepen twist. Hold 5 breaths each side.

9. Fish Pose (Matsyasana)

Benefits: Deep chest opener, improves posture and breathing, stretches throat and upper back.
Instructions: Lie flat, lift chest by pressing forearms down, tip back of head lightly toward floor (optional). Engage legs and breathe deeply for 15–30 seconds. Release slowly.

End with Savasana (Corpse Pose)

Benefits: Brings integration—relaxes body, calms the mind, and lets your system absorb the benefits.
Instructions: Lie on your back, arms relaxed at sides, legs extended. Close eyes and breathe naturally for at least 3–5 minutes.

🕒 Suggested Flow Timing

Pose Duration
Child’s Pose ~2–3 minutes
Cat & Cow ~5 minutes
Downward Dog ~1 minute
Warriors + Triangle ~8–10 minutes
Half Moon ~1–2 minutes
Seated Twist ~2 minutes
Fish Pose ~30 seconds
Savasana ~3–5 minutes

💡 Tips for Mindful Practice

  • Breathe consciously: Link movement to breath—inhale to lengthen, exhale to release.
  • Listen to your body: Modify with blocks, props, or shorter holds to honor your edge.
  • Flow with awareness: Move slowly, anchor in sensations, and let each pose feel like meditation.
  • Be consistent over time: Even brief regular practice promotes lasting clarity, flexibility, and resilience.

🎓 Elevate Your Practice with Certification

Curious how to take this mindfulness and yoga synergy deeper? Enroll in our Online Mindfulness Certification Course—complete with live guidance, mindful movement, breathwork, and integration tools to support your journey into teaching and embodiment. Learn to curate your own mindful flows and confidently guide others.