In December 2019 I finished a 6 month 100-hour training with physical therapists who taught us yoga through the lens of physical therapy. Their goal was to start bringing smart, anatomy and biomechanic-based yoga into the yoga world. They threaded in PT exercises in a way that makes sense in a vinyasa yoga class and especially for one-on-one yoga sessions. The training was really about looking at how people move and how we can help people move better and be in less pain by using yoga and movement.

I’m going to be totally honest here – the reason I took this training was to get a really clear understanding of biomechanics and anatomy. Some of you may know I’m also a personal trainer, and that’s what that venture started out as as well. And here’s why:

Continue reading → My Experience Learning Yoga Through the Lens of Physical Therapy with Threesphysiyoga

I follow a guy named Dr. Perry Nickelston on Instagram (@stopchasingpain), and he made a post Tuesday morning about something that really struck me – how your toes compensate for a weak glute (aka butt muscle). 

Here’s what he said:

“Toe gripping is a compensation for glutei (aka butt muscles) that don’t work well”

Continue reading → How to Help Your Balance and the Connection Between Your Toes and Balancing

I get asked about this pose ALL. THE. TIME. It’s one of the reasons people start seeing me for private yoga sessions. It is THE pose that everyone wants to know how to do, but is unfortunately the pose that us yoga teachers never actually take the time to teach.

There are so many ways you can build up to chaturanga in order to work on it STRONGLY instead of dropping into it and kind of flopping to the ground.

Why is it so hard? Let’s break it down:

Continue reading → All Things Chaturanga Dandasana

I see this all the time. I say lift your right leg up, step your foot between your hands, and then a student’s foot lands somewhere halfway up their mat, their hip is jacked up in the air, their heel is off the ground, and they look unsure and uncomfortable in the lunge position. I’ll usually go up to that person and kneel by them and suggest they push their foot to the top of their mat, and then that’s what they’ll continue to do the rest of the class.

But wouldn’t it be nice if the foot just got there on its own?

Continue reading → Stepping Your Foot in Between Your Hands From Downward Facing Dog

Other than maybe the bit of walking to and from work, how have you moved today?

Continue reading → Moving Differently Can Help You Feel Better and That Time I Joined a Gym (pre-COVID obviously…)

When you sit at work, are you sitting up straight or are you rounding your upper back? What about during your commute? What about when you’re reading or texting or sitting on the couch watching tv? I catch myself doing this a lot, and I end up with upper back pain. Click the link below for a video I created about how to relieve some of this pain, and all you need is a desk or the back of a chair. 

Continue reading → Yoga Break to Help With Sitting at Work