Twists And Turns Of Yoga Practice

My Yoga Online - Dr. Robin Armstrong has added a new yoga anatomy article to My Yoga Online addressing the important applications of twists in our yoga class. This article looks at how different yoga positions (standing versus seated) have different approaches to insure proper alignment and safety in our twisting yoga poses.

Twisting postures are an enjoyable, challenging, and some might say vital part of our yoga practice. Poses like marichyansa/Marichis pose, revolved poses like parvritta trikonasana/revolved triangle, and parvritta parsvokonasana/revolved extended side angle pose allow us to move and lengthen our spines to improve our spinal and pelvic flexibility, as well as our strength. Traditionally twists are thought to be detoxifying, literally wringing out the organs of digestion and detoxification. To better understand the benefits and considerations surrounding twists, let’s take a closer look at the spine.

Click Here to read full article.

Yoga and the Truth About Twists

My Yoga Online - Dr. Carla Cupido has written new, inspiring article about the application of twists in yoga and daily life. Learn how twisting can present contraindications and hazards for the spine. This is an important article for all yoga practitioners and yoga teachers. Enjoy.

When we think about twisting through the low back, we often think about the muscles we could be strengthening or stretching through the movement. However, we do not often consider the risks of twisting as for those of us with healthy backs; it does not seem that precarious a movement. For those of us in careers that require repetitive twisting, the dangers of twisting may be apparent to you. Twisting has been proven a factor in the incidence of occupational low back pain.

If this motion has been recognized as a threat for employees in some jobs, how does that relate to a yoga practice? Are all types of twisting bad?

Click Here to read full article.