Pull ups and yoga: An important movement most yogis miss out on

By joemillerNovember 15, 2016October 29, 2017 Anatomy, Asana, Injuries, Practice, Research 3 Comments

Pull ups and yoga: Are you missing out? If you only practice yoga, you’re probably missing out on an important type of movement that can help you find more balanced strength and stability in your shoulders—upper body pulling exercises. While yoga helps develop upper body pressing strength–with poses like down dog, handstand and arm balances–it does…

The glutes and hip pain in yoga

By joemillerApril 11, 2014October 13, 2017 Anatomy, Asana, Health, Injuries, Practice buttock muscles in yoga, femoroacetabular impingement, femoroacetabular impingement in yoga, glutes in yoga, gluteus maximus anatomy, gluteus maximus in yoga, hip impingement, hip injury, hip pain, yoga anatomy, yoga injury Leave a comment

“Don’t contract your glutes.” I’ve heard this instruction many times from yoga teachers, especially during backbending poses, but it’s always puzzled me. The gluteus maximus – the large muscle of your buttocks — is the prime mover in actions that require hip extension against gravity, such as climbing stairs or standing up from a squat….

Protect your knees in lotus: New yoga anatomy video

By joemillerMarch 9, 2014November 8, 2017 Anatomy, Anatomy answers, Asana, Health, Injuries, Practice, Teacher training Leave a comment

Forcing yourself into lotus can be risky for your knees–especially for your meniscus. Learn how to come into the pose more safely in this video clip from a yoga anatomy workshop I taught recently at the Shala in New York City.