3 Best Yoga Practices for the 5 Layered Self, Asana, Breathwork, & Meditation

3 BEST YOGA PRACTICES FOR THE 5 LAYERED SELF

ASANA “YOGA”, PRANAYAMA “BREATHWORK”, MEDITATION

3 BEST YOGA PRACTICES

5 LAYERED SELF AND THE 3 BEST YOGA PRACTICES

What are the 3 best yoga practices and why? You are likely already familiar with Asana, as it is the physical practice of yoga that has been widely popularized across the world. The other two practices are gaining popularity but not necessarily amongst yoga practitioners.

Imagine if someone came along and said here are the 3 magic herbs you need to take daily in order to heal your mind, body, and balance your energy. Yet instead of taking all 3 herbs, much of the world just got really excited about 1 of them. The recipe would be incomplete, and so would the benefits. This is what has happened with yoga, and we are missing out on massive benefits as a result.

Asana is for the body

If you have been reading my blogs, and following my work, you know that I love sharing tips about the physical practice. The human body is something I am particularly passionate about. I am not here to tell you that the physical practice isn’t important; it definitely is. I simply want to support your transition to the next phase so that you not only feel better physically, but you learn to cleanse the mind and balance and optimize your energy, which is what the yogis call prana.

What is Prana?

Prana is the word for the relatively unexplainable life force within each of us that causes our hearts to beat and our lungs to inflate and deflate. In its simplest explanation, prana is our energy system. The aspect of prana most asana practitioners are interested in is the energy channels- specifically Ida and Pingala, known in modern science as Parasympathetic and Sympathetic Nervous System. This is your “rest and digest” relaxing energy and your “Go Go” focused, alert energy. Learning to manage, balance, optimize, and utilize energy/prana is one of the major goals of the yoga practitioner. With the right practices, you can become masterful at sleep, wakefulness, alertness, rest, calm, focus, exercise, etc.

 

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VIDEO PODCAST: THE 5(6) LAYERED SELF

+ 3 BEST YOGA PRACTICES

 

What is the Mind or Heart-Mind?

In a moment, we are going to get into the layers of our Self and the 3 practices for total well-being. But first let’s discuss something that is often ignored- the mind. What is the mind? This is no easy question to answer. Even the mental health industry struggles to define it. How can you establish the health of something you can’t even define?

It’s one of those interesting points of discussion. We know we have a mind, but the only tangible, physical representation of it is the brain and nervous system. No one has yet to dissect a mind or know for sure what thoughts are and how exactly they are formed. Fortunately, yogis have been contemplating and studying the mind for centuries, so we can turn to them for answers.

The mind is our way of experiencing the world by using thoughts and emotions to process time, space, physical sensations, and events. The mind is perhaps the most important system to take care of because it governs our entire perception of our existence. This is why yoga is most often defined as the study or science of the mind when we look at sacred texts. You will never see it defined as the study of the body, though that, too, is a part of studying the mind.

So, as magnificent as the physical practice of yoga is, it is limited- only targeting one layer of our being, called deha, or body. Yes, feeling better physically helps us energetically, mentally, and emotionally but it’s a temporary Bandaid. To get to the root of the challenges our mind present, we need a yoga practice that focuses on all the layers of our being, which include:

The 5 Layered Self, According to Tantra Yoga 

  1. Deha: The Body
  2. Citta: Heart-Mind, thoughts & emotions
  3. Prana: Energy, life force, autonomic nervous system
  4. Shunya: The Void, calming, peaceful, clear, stillness
  5. Cit: Blissful Awareness

 

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“THE TRIFECTA” THE 3 BEST YOGA PRACTICES

Under the umbrella of yoga, there are many amazing approaches to working with the 6 Layers of our Self, but if I am to recommend the top 3 best yoga practices, it would be as follows, not in any particular order:

  1. Asana: (commonly referred to as yoga) Cleanses deha, the body.
  2. Meditation: cleanses the heart-mind first. With practice, allows us to root deeper into Shunya and Cit, pronounced “Chit”. Meditation cultivates our ability to experience Blissful Awareness, even in our day-to-day tasks.
  3. Pranayama: Balances out our energy levels.

For each of these layers, there are specific yogic practices. Most familiar and most popular is Asana- movement of the body which helps develop awareness, strength, and flexibility. We can think of this as a cleanse for the physical form.

Then there is Citta, Heart-Mind. It’s unfortunate that many of us are not provided with the proper tools to keep the mind clean. We brush our teeth because plaque builds up daily on the teeth. Similarly, the mind builds up and collects unwanted toxicity but rarely do we learn how to take care of that. To cleanse the mind, we use the practice of meditation, specifically mantra– a repetitive phrase to cultivate the mind’s attention and strengthen our ability to focus.

For prana (Energy) there are incredible breathwork practices available to us in the yoga lineage, called pranayama. Breathwork helps balance the autonomic nervous system,  so that we can harness the “go go” energy when we need it and cultivate “rest and digest” energy when our bodies and minds are stressed and overworked. Finding balance between the two allows us to live our lives with more intention rather than being driven by emotion.

 

    the best yoga teacher training for alignment

    MOVE•BREATHE•RELEASE

    Yoga, Breathwork, Meditation!

    Expand your yoga practice with asana for the body, breathwork to balance your energy, and meditation for greater peace of mind, focus, and clarity. This is the best way to establish a meditation practice while enjoying the benefits of a routine physical yoga practice.

    THE PROBLEM

    Now that we know these 3 practices help us to feel better physically, mentally, emotionally, AND energetically, why don’t we practice them routinely?

    Well, the answer is simple. We created a habit, or pattern, of brushing our teeth, but haven’t yet created one for meditation and pranayama. Maybe you haven’t created one for yoga yet either?

    THE SOLUTION

    To create a habit, repetition is the only thing needed. However, repetition requires effort and prioritizing your time. Most adults struggle with this. I once read a quote that said something along the lines of “If you have the time, meditate for 20 minutes each morning. If you don’t have time, meditate for an hour each morning.” It’s funny but it’s also the unfortunate truth.The more you fill your day, the more time you need to process and digest everything coming in.

    Let’s acknowledge that routinely showing up for yourself and practicing asana, pranayama and meditation might seem like a lot at first. This is why I have created an online program to make this easy for you. It’s called MOVE•BREATHE•RELEASE, consisting of 3 practices per week, each with all three elements, so you do not need to find time to do them separately. Each class is fully guided so all you have to do is commit. I will take care of the rest. 

    TOP RELEVANT RECOMMENDATIONS

    1. MOVE•BREATHE•RELEASE: 12 CLASS PACKAGE
    2. Journey To Bliss: 12 Class Immersion with 4 Guided Meditations

    TEACHER TRAINING COURSES

    1. 200 Hour training: Get Certified
    2. 300 Hour Online Training: Get 500hr Certified
    THE DANCE: YOGA ALIGNMENT AND FLOW

    MOVE • BREATHE • RELEASE

    Yoga, Breath Work & Guided Meditation 

    1. 12 ALL LEVELS LIVESTREAM CLASSES
    2. WATCH ANYTIME WITH LIFETIME ACCESS
    3. DEVELOP YOUR YOGA PRACTICE, RELEASE TENSION IN THE BODY AND MIND

    $128.00

    Continue Learning

    Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

    Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

    Plough Pose vs. Shoulder StandhalasanaPLOUGH POSE VS. SHOULDER STAND After we have engaged in postures that strengthen the posterior chain, Plough and Shoulder Stand offer a good stretch for these areas of the body. Plough in particular provides a more extensive...

    read more
    Arm Balance Transitions

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    Hanumanasana Hints

    Hanumanasana Hints

    Hanumanasana HintssplitsHANUMANASANA HINTS Applying intelligent techniques to a posture like Hanumanasana is crucial—simply hoping for the best is definitely not the way to go! That mindset leaves us vulnerable to injury. Hanumanasana is also the type of pose that can...

    read more
    Chin Stand

    Chin Stand

    Chin Standganda bherundasanaCHIN STAND Without a doubt, Chin Stand requires preparation. This posture must be approached with the utmost humility, essential in order to respect the potential risk. If this pose is not explored regularly in our physical practice, it may...

    read more
    Postpone The Stretch Sensation

    Postpone The Stretch Sensation

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    read more
    Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

    Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

    Wake Up Your Wheel Poseheart openerWAKE UP YOUR WHEEL POSE We don’t have to question it—we know whether or not we’re feeling open, free, and strong in Wheel Pose. There’s a lightness and expansiveness that takes over when everything falls into place: From the initial...

    read more

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    yoga pose alignment full wheel

    YOGA ALIGNMENT: FULL WHEEL POSE

    THE 3 MYTHS DEBUNKED

    FULL WHEEL

    YOGA ALIGNMENT: FULL WHEEL POSE

    Yoga alignment for Full Wheel Pose is anything but simple, but achieving an easeful expression of the posture in your body is most definitely attainable. We just have to break through some of the alignment myths that many teachers have been taught are “correct”.

    Let’s quickly discuss the name of this posture because it has many. Wheel Pose is usually translated as “Chakrasana” because it opens ALL the energy centers. The posture is also known as Urdhva Dhanurasana which translates to Upward Facing Bow Pose. Many backbends in the yoga posture are either named Bow or after a type of Bow. Moving forward, I will use any of these names when discussing my suggestions regarding the alignment for full wheel pose.

    Debunking the 3 Myths

    What you may have been taught is the correct Yoga Alignment for Full Wheel Pose:

    Hug your elbows in. Do not activate the glutes. Tuck your tailbone.

    These are cues used often to move a student into wheel pose, but are they helpful? I don’t think so.

     Wheel pose, Chakrasana is a very active and advanced pose. It requires extreme flexibility AND strength of the hips, shoulders, and wrists. Flexibility is required along the front body, and strength is required along the back body. The good news is, with disciplined practice and a healthy dose of body awareness, this powerful heart-opening extension pose can be accessible to many.

    We need to clear some things up so you can start practicing the best alignment for your full wheel pose. Meaning, you may have some things to UNLEARN before you can dive deeply into your practice. Yoga teachers, please take a breath. You are not a bad teacher if you have said any of the following to your students – we are all in the process of learning and developing our skills as practitioners and teachers. Instead, celebrate that you are here, curious and ready to learn.

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    WATCH FULL WHEEL UNLOCKED

    Myth #1: Tuck, hug or “squeeze” your elbows in.

    Most of us are told to tuck our elbows in before rising into wheel. At this stage of the pose, this cue doesn’t really work.

    I’ll show you why. Try this:

    Follow along with the video at minute marker 7:50. 

    From a seated position, bend your elbows to a 90 degree angle in front of your chest, wrists bent so that palms face up. Now you’re simulating  “tucking” or “squeezing” your elbows in. Move your elbows up and see how high your arms lift.

    Now come back to position and widen your elbows. Press your arms up again.

    Feel the difference? It’s pretty noticeable. Just like weightlifters would never tuck in their elbows to lift massive weight over their heads, you don’t want to limit your shoulder range of motion by keeping your elbows tucked. So elbows wide as you lift into your wheel.

    WHAT IS THE CORRECT YOGA ALIGNMENT FOR FULL WHEEL?

    Once IN the pose, you can certainly wrap your elbows in but this may not serve you if you find it challenging to straighten your arms. The reason why is that hugging your elbows in is actually an action at the shoulders, not at the elbow. This action is called external rotation of the upper arm bone. External rotation can be really great to help stabilize the shoulders, but remember that stability means less mobility. When you externally rotate the upper arms, your shoulder blades will follow the arms and will protract (move away from each other). Protraction creates stability and less mobility.

    There is no correct alignment here; you have to assess what your needs are. Do you need more mobility or stability? If you are struggling to straighten your arms and your upper back feels stiff then DON’T wrap your elbows in, and DON’T protract your shoulder blades. IF, on the other hand, you are very mobile, coming up to wheel is easy, and your upper back easily extends, then of course you will want to balance out your mobility with stability. In that case, wrap your elbows in and broaden your shoulder blades.

    Myth #2: Relax your glutes as you lift.

    I don’t care if you’re Gumby or the Hulk, you cannot lift your hips off the ground against the weight of gravity without activating your glutes. The muscles that lift your hips from the ground ARE THE GLUTES, Gluteus Maximus in particular.

    Imagine yourself walking for a moment. Better yet, walk around. Note how every time your upper thigh goes back behind you and your toes prepare to push off, your back buttock (and upper hamstrings) contracts. It’s activated. That’s what your glute muscles do when your hips are in extension.

    Wheel is a powerful hip extending pose, so to lift yourself off the ground, you cannot relax your caboose. Once you are in full expression of your pose, there is no need to hyper squeeze your glutes or anus for that matter – this is an over activation of deeper muscles, and all it will do is leave you constipated (likely true).

    the best yoga teacher training for alignment

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    THE BUTTOCK SOLUTION

    Instead of hyper squeezing or clenching your deep buttock muscles, try to press into the inner edges of your heels. This will engage the T.F.L. (tensor fascia lattae) and internally rotate the thigh bones. Because T.F.L. is an internal rotator of the thigh, it balances out the Gluteus Maximus, which is an external rotator of the thigh.

    BONUS: Activating T.F.L. creates a facilitated stretch, which is an activation of a muscle while it is in a lengthened position. Facilitated stretching is a way of increasing flexibility without losing muscle and joint integrity. Check out the Best Stretch for Your Hamstrings.

    Myth #3: Tuck your tailbone.

    I imagine the intent behind this cue is to get the student to activate their buttocks and probably core muscles. But anytime you scoop your tailbone, you’re taking your lumbar spine into flexion (rounding). You might ask, Isn’t that safer? In short, no. Trying to round your low back while simultaneously moving into full wheel is a collision course waiting to happen. BE SURE TO WATCH AT 12:35 Seconds FOR CLARITY

      the best yoga teacher training for alignment

      FULL WHEEL WORKSHOP

      PAY WHAT YOU CAN!

      Full-length workshop teaching you yoga alignment for full wheel pose. Develop the necessary flexibility and strength through applied techniques. This workshop is available in pay-what-you-can format or you can purchase Full Body Bliss, the 12 class immersion that includes this workshop.

      Yes, it is true that an active core can help you stabilize your spine, but a lot of people concentrate on superficial muscles like rectus abdominus or obliques. Contracting these muscles while in wheel shortens your abdomen, which in turn shortens the front of your spine. Wheel pose itself shortens the back of your spine – the two together amounts to immobility at best, and pain or injury at worst.

      Instead, consider strengthening your transverse abdominus ahead of time. This is a deep muscle that will strengthen a myriad of postures and stabilize your spine while leaving room for mobility. Build a strong DEEP core ahead of time and your practice will flourish in ways you never imagined, especially in back bending and twisting postures.

      To learn more about the proper setup for wheel pose, check out Backbends and The Glutes with a short follow-along video.

      TOP RELEVANT RECOMMENDATIONS

      1. Full Wheel Workshop (pay what you can)

      2. “Full Body Bliss” (includes Full Wheel Workshop + 11 more master classes)

      3. THE SPINAL RESET: 12 Class Immersion 

      MORE WAYS TO DEVELOP YOUR PRACTICE

      1. Live Immersions: 3 Classes Per Week
      2. 200 hour training: Get Certified
      3. 300 Hour Online Training: Get 500hr Certified
      12 ONLINE VINYASA YOGA CLASSES

      UPCOMING IMMERSION

      Each month, you have the opportunity to enroll in 3 weekly classes! You get lifetime and unlimited access to each of the classes. Once you enroll, you also have the opportunity to view all classes live as they stream. Each month has a physical focus to help you gain targeted techniques and advance your body awareness.

      Be a part of the community! After enrolling, you can connect with members through our exclusive Facebook group, where you can get tips directly from me, Matt Giordano. You are encouraged to share photos and videos of your practice for personalized  support.

      I look forward to sharing this practice with you and helping you develop in a big way!

      ~Matt

       

      WHAT STUDENTS SAY ABOUT THE LIVE IMMERISONS

      Matt‘s classes are phenomenal. If you ever have the ability to practice with him, make use of it!! He has a very unique talent of combining anatomy, yoga philosophy, and his own perspective into a super intense package of knowledge which is fun AND easy to understand. I enjoyed the April immersion a lot as it was a great way of deepening my own practice and broadening my horizon, especially as the lifetime access allows you to take classes as often as you want. Trust me, you will want to take them again! I can’t wait for next month’s classes and highly recommend everyone to take the next pass and join in on the journey.

      ~Nadja Kyra King - @nadja_kyra

      Matt’s April pass was a journey. It was more than just the physical exploration of my practice but also helped me explore my spiritual practice. It was very nice to have a consistent practice during this time of uncertainty. If you are looking for a practice to ground yourself, I would highly recommend exploring the Live Immersion of the Month.

      ~Amanda Barnes Salowsky

      Covid-19 brought Matt into my home and my yoga practice. This last month I have learned so much. It has deepened my practice and my understanding of anatomy & biomechanics and how we use both in every asana we practice. He has also helped in my teaching, i.e. asking my students to think about the foot as a tripod “big toe, pinkie toe, heel.” I never imagined I would learn so much from the immersion.

      ~Debbie, @the_joyofyoga

      THE DANCE: YOGA ALIGNMENT AND FLOW

      MOVE • BREATHE • RELEASE

      Yoga, Breath Work & Guided Meditation 

      1. 12 ALL LEVELS LIVESTREAM CLASSES
      2. WATCH ANYTIME WITH LIFETIME ACCESS
      3. DEVELOP YOUR YOGA PRACTICE, RELEASE TENSION IN THE BODY AND MIND

      $128.00

      Continue Learning

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder StandhalasanaPLOUGH POSE VS. SHOULDER STAND After we have engaged in postures that strengthen the posterior chain, Plough and Shoulder Stand offer a good stretch for these areas of the body. Plough in particular provides a more extensive...

      read more
      Arm Balance Transitions

      Arm Balance Transitions

      Arm Balance TransitionskakasanaARM BALANCE TRANSITIONS Arm balance postures can be challenging enough without attempting to layer on a smooth transition in and out of them. However, fluid transitions are a natural progression in our yoga practice; they also provide...

      read more
      Hanumanasana Hints

      Hanumanasana Hints

      Hanumanasana HintssplitsHANUMANASANA HINTS Applying intelligent techniques to a posture like Hanumanasana is crucial—simply hoping for the best is definitely not the way to go! That mindset leaves us vulnerable to injury. Hanumanasana is also the type of pose that can...

      read more
      Chin Stand

      Chin Stand

      Chin Standganda bherundasanaCHIN STAND Without a doubt, Chin Stand requires preparation. This posture must be approached with the utmost humility, essential in order to respect the potential risk. If this pose is not explored regularly in our physical practice, it may...

      read more
      Postpone The Stretch Sensation

      Postpone The Stretch Sensation

      Postpone the Stretch SensationflexibilityPOSTPONE THE STRETCH SENSATION If one of the goals of our physical yoga practice is to increase flexibility, we may automatically believe that we just need to stretch more. It’s critical that we understand that increasing...

      read more
      Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

      Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

      Wake Up Your Wheel Poseheart openerWAKE UP YOUR WHEEL POSE We don’t have to question it—we know whether or not we’re feeling open, free, and strong in Wheel Pose. There’s a lightness and expansiveness that takes over when everything falls into place: From the initial...

      read more

      THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

      When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

      • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
      • exclusive online course discounts
      • exclusive blogs and videos
      • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

      CONTACT

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      Chaturanga yoga pose alignment and anatomy

      Chaturanga Yoga Pose Alignment and Anatomy

      The Mystery FINALLY Revealed and Clarified

      CHATURANGA

      WHAT IS CHATURANGA AND WHY IS IT SO CONFUSING?

      What is the best alignment for Chaturanga? First, let’s start with what this pose is. Chaturanga is both a yoga pose and a transition, otherwise known as a movement. A pose implies no movement, while a transition implies movement between two static postures. Because Chaturanga is used as both a static posture and a transition, it’s hard to have a universal conversation about it. We have to first agree on what it is in order to analyze. Globally, there is discussion about chaturanga and yet everyone has a different idea of what it is. Thus, there exists much controversy around correct alignment.

      How could there be correct alignment when the posture is usually taught as movement from one pose to another? In modern vinyasa, this pose is used to go from plank to upward dog. In order for a movement to occur, it is a law of biomechanics that joint alignment has to change. If it doesn’t, then no movement can occur. SO, while there are many reasons to practice chaturanga as an isolated pose, that is not how most people are practicing it these days. It would be more useful to discuss how to move our bones and which muscles we can engage if we want a smooth flowing posture that minimizes risk to our joints. 

      CONFUSED BY GRAVITY 

      While movement is not complex, it can be confusing mostly because of our relationship to gravity. There are only there major joints that change: the elbows go from straight to bent, the arm bones go from being in front to by our side (flexion to neutral), and the shoulder blades go from protraction to retraction (more or less), explained in the video below. If you stand with your arms in front of you and simulate the same actions, there is nothing mysterious or complex, but add the weight of your body and gravity, and now it gets interesting. 

      While the joint actions are simply moving from plank toward the ground, the muscle engagements that slow the body down in this transition are actually the OPPOSITE of the joints.  For example, the elbows bend, BUT the muscles that engage in order to resist the movement are actually your triceps. Triceps are the muscles that help to straighten your arm. So as you bend into your elbows, your triceps fight back, keeping you from landing on your face.  We do this all the time in transitions. We activate the opposing muscles of what is happening anatomically in our joints. We even do it in most static postures. How many poses have you done where you feel your quads burn, and yet your knees are bent? The muscles that straighten the knees are the quads, and yet they are fully engaged in bent knee postures so that you don’t land on the ground.

      200 hour online teacher training certification

      200 Hour Online Teacher Training

      “The 200 Hour Online Teacher Training certification with Matt Giordano is hands down the most detailed, comprehensive, in-depth and effective training to learn how to teach yoga and deepen your own yoga practice”

      October Livestream Yoga Classes

      THE BREAKTHROUGH

      FOCUS: ARM BALANCES & HIP OPENERS

      • Build Upper Body Strength
      • Release Hip Tension
      • Learn Techniques to make hip opening and arm balances more accessible!
      • Experience the revelatory "aha" moments in the postures you struggle with
      • Uncover your range of motion and flexibility
      • Release low back tension through hip opening
      • 12 All Levels Live Asana Classes
      • Lifetime Unlimited Access to All

       

      CLARITY: WHAT IS THE CORRECT ALIGNMENT OR WAY TO DO CHATURANGA?

      In my video below, you will hear more about “correct” and “incorrect” and why there really isn’t a way we could define that, but we can talk about efficiency, joint safety, greatest stability, or range of motion, etc. The way I suggest to practice chaturanga is as follows: .

      Allow your joints to:

      1. Elbow: Bend (flexion)
      2. Shoulders: Arm Bones go from flexion (out in front as in plank) to neutral
      3. Shoulder Blades: Protraction to Retraction while moving from plank to chaturanga

      What Muscles To Engage and HOW to Engage them

      1. Triceps: Try to straighten your elbow while allowing it to bend. This action is an activation of your triceps. You activate your triceps only enough to slow down the bending of the elbow but not enough that your triceps win over the weight of your body and gravity. If you did that, you’d wind up back in plank pose.
      2. Deltoids: Same here. The front deltoids are the muscles that would normally bring your arms from neutral to out in front (flexion). Activate these muscles enough that it slows down the decent but does’t stop it.
      3. Serratus Anterior:  this is the muscle that moves your shoulder blades apart and should be very active in plank; it remains active while lowering. This muscle slows the movement of the scapula from protraction to retraction. Note: this is not the same as punching your shoulder blade forward into what is called upward tilt, which I go over thoroughly in the blogs below.
      4. CHATURANA ALIGNMENT: 3 KEY ACTIONS
      5. CHATURANGA ALIGNMENT PT 2: INTEGRATE THE ACTIONS

      The February 2020 Immersion, titled “The Dance”, is a unique immersion focused entirely on transitions from one pose to another, learning the biomechanics and anatomy of each transition. If you are looking to re-pattern the way you move on your mat and learn which muscles to engage for efficiency and control, this is the livestream immersion for you! See All Livestream Immersions

      MORE WAYS TO DEVELOP YOUR PRACTICE

      1. Live Immersions are all designed to support you with both the development of your knowledge and your embodiment. With every immersion there is a focus, and I guide you through sensation-based practices to help you rediscover your body!
      2. 200 hour training  Dive into your practice in a deeper way, developing body awareness, understanding of anatomy, and how to share it with others.
      3. 300 Hour Online Training Advance your teaching skills. Get 500 hour certified and create a greater impact with your offering as a teacher of yoga.

      the best yoga teacher training for alignment

      300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

      GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

      ATTENTION YOGA TEACHERS! Master your skillset as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

      THE DANCE: YOGA ALIGNMENT AND FLOW

      THE DANCE

      ALIGN, REFINE AND MASTER YOUR FLOW

      12 Class Pack for Alignment and Flow! Develop your balance, increase your strength, and learn to transition gracefully between postures. This livestream immersion focuses heavily on providing step by step instruction for popular transitions like plank to chaturanga, hop forwards, warrior 2 to half moon. 

      Do to the challenging transitions and postures this immersion is recommended for intermediate level students. 

      LEARN MORE

      $28.00

      Continue Learning

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder StandhalasanaPLOUGH POSE VS. SHOULDER STAND After we have engaged in postures that strengthen the posterior chain, Plough and Shoulder Stand offer a good stretch for these areas of the body. Plough in particular provides a more extensive...

      read more
      Arm Balance Transitions

      Arm Balance Transitions

      Arm Balance TransitionskakasanaARM BALANCE TRANSITIONS Arm balance postures can be challenging enough without attempting to layer on a smooth transition in and out of them. However, fluid transitions are a natural progression in our yoga practice; they also provide...

      read more
      Hanumanasana Hints

      Hanumanasana Hints

      Hanumanasana HintssplitsHANUMANASANA HINTS Applying intelligent techniques to a posture like Hanumanasana is crucial—simply hoping for the best is definitely not the way to go! That mindset leaves us vulnerable to injury. Hanumanasana is also the type of pose that can...

      read more
      Chin Stand

      Chin Stand

      Chin Standganda bherundasanaCHIN STAND Without a doubt, Chin Stand requires preparation. This posture must be approached with the utmost humility, essential in order to respect the potential risk. If this pose is not explored regularly in our physical practice, it may...

      read more
      Postpone The Stretch Sensation

      Postpone The Stretch Sensation

      Postpone the Stretch SensationflexibilityPOSTPONE THE STRETCH SENSATION If one of the goals of our physical yoga practice is to increase flexibility, we may automatically believe that we just need to stretch more. It’s critical that we understand that increasing...

      read more
      Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

      Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

      Wake Up Your Wheel Poseheart openerWAKE UP YOUR WHEEL POSE We don’t have to question it—we know whether or not we’re feeling open, free, and strong in Wheel Pose. There’s a lightness and expansiveness that takes over when everything falls into place: From the initial...

      read more

      THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

      When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

      • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
      • exclusive online course discounts
      • exclusive blogs and videos
      • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

      What is Yoga Alignment and is it important

      What is Yoga Alignment?

      Is there only one right way to do a pose?

      YOGA ALIGNMENT

      YOGA ALIGNMENT: WHAT’S THE RIGHT WAY TO DO THE POSE?

      Yoga alignment has long been regarded as a way of keeping our bodies safe, but what is it and is it actually effective and important? Let’s first discuss what alignment is in the physical sense. Alignment is how we choose to hold our bones in relationship to one another in any given shape. The key word there is “choose.” The problem that we have fallen into as a yoga community is that many believe and have preached that their way is the right way to do a posture, claiming it will keep you safe, or simply saying “this is the right way.”

      Truth is, there are very few wrong ways to do a posture and hundreds of correct ways. What is correct and incorrect based on? More often than not, it has been based on a shape, an aesthetic that may or may not be appropriate for any one individual. In my opinion, it would be better to focus on developing awareness of what our bodies need in order to find greater balance in the muscular system. I like to look at everything as more of a spectrum rather than an incorrect or correct. This way, if something falls far over on the scale as potentially harmful, I can simply make the decision to avoid it. Take the risk of shoulder impingement when dropping the shoulders in down dog. While it may not be wrong, it’s simply not worth the potential harm to the shoulders. For more clarity, please check out the two blogs below:

      1. Stop Relaxing Your Shoulders Away from Your Ears
      2. 3 Steps to Avoid Shoulder Impingement in Downward Dog
      IS ALIGNMENT IMPORTANT?

      Alignment may not be very important if your only concern is the external shape of the pose, or if you want some fancy Instagram photo. HOWEVER, If you use alignment as a way to reflect upon your muscular patterns- i.e. strengths, weaknesses, areas of tension etc.-  then alignment can be a powerful tool in the transformation of your body. Trying a posture with multiple alignments will provide a platform for your self-inquiry, and this is what a yoga practice is all about.

      THE TWO STEPS

      There are only two things you need to do if you want to bring health to your muscular system and advance your yoga practice!

      1. Learn your personal muscular patterns. This requires that you seek out your weak, tight, and overstretched muscles, and develop an understanding of how your joints are interacting with these muscular patterns. Sounds complicated, I know. This is why yoga has never been a self-taught practice and we have teachers to guide us. This is why I offer the Livestream Immersions each month – to help you develop your physical awareness, advance your practice, and ultimately transform your body.
      2. Once you establish an understanding of your movement patterns, learn which ones are supportive and which are not. Non-supportive patterns will require that you do exact opposite movements. Repeated over time, these new movements will bring balance back to your body. Balance in our muscular system allows our joints to ALIGN more optimally, giving us a greater range of motion in our joints without  the collision of compression and friction that happens when our muscular system is out of balance with itself.

      The February 2020 Immersion titled “The Dance” is a unique immersion focused on helping you seek out movement patterns that may be holding you back from flowing gracefully in your yoga practice. If you want to re-pattern the way you move on your mat, this is the live stream immersion for you! See All Livestream Immersions

      200 hour online teacher training certification

      200 Hour Online Teacher Training

      “The 200 Hour Online Teacher Training certification with Matt Giordano is hands down the most detailed, comprehensive, in-depth and effective training to learn how to teach yoga and deepen your own personal yoga practice.”

      WHERE DO I BEGIN?

      Hopefully the video tutorial provided you with clarity. Now it’s time to begin the process of uncovering your patterns and working toward balancing your muscular system! The Live Immersions are all designed to support you with this exact process. Every immersion is focused and I guide you through sensation-based practices to help you rediscover your body! Yoga teachers who want to further their study should check out my 300 Hour Online Training.

      If you are ready to dive into your own practice in a deeper way and learn how to share it with others, then the 200 hour training is your next step!

      Thank you for reading and watching. I look forward to sharing more with you in an upcoming training or monthly immersion!

      300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

      GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

      Master your skillset as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

      12 ONLINE VINYASA YOGA CLASSES

      UPCOMING IMMERSION

      Each month, you have the opportunity to enroll in 3 weekly classes! You get lifetime and unlimited access to each of the classes. Once you enroll, you also have the opportunity to view all classes live as they stream. Each month has a physical focus to help you gain targeted techniques and advance your body awareness.

      Be a part of the community! After enrolling, you can connect with members through our exclusive Facebook group, where you can get tips directly from me, Matt Giordano. You are encouraged to share photos and videos of your practice for personalized  support.

      I look forward to sharing this practice with you and helping you develop in a big way!

      ~Matt

       

      WHAT STUDENTS SAY ABOUT THE LIVE IMMERISONS

      Matt‘s classes are phenomenal- if you ever have the ability to practice with him, make use of it!! He has a very unique talent of combining anatomy, yoga philosophy, and his own perspective into a super intense package of knowledge which is fun AND easy to understand. I enjoyed the April immersion a lot as it was a great way of deepening my own practice and broadening my horizon, especially as the lifetime access allows you to take classes as often as you want- trust me, you will want to take them again! I can’t wait for next month’s classes and highly recommend everyone to take the May pass and joining in on the journey.

      ~Nadja Kyra King - @nadja_kyra

      Matt’s April pass was a journey. It was more than just the physical exploration of my practice but also helped me explore my spiritual practice. It was very nice to have a consistent practice during this time of uncertainty. If you are looking for a practice to ground yourself I would highly recommend exploring the Live Immersion of the Month.
      ~Amanda Barnes Salowsky

      Covid-19 bought Matt into my home and my yoga practice. This last month I have learned so much. It has deepened my practice and my understanding of anatomy & biomechanics and how we use both in every asana we practice. He has also helped in my teaching, ie asking my students to think about the foot as a tripod “big toe, pinkie toe, heel.” I never imagined I would learn so much from the immersion.

      ~Debbie, @the_joyofyoga

      THE DANCE: YOGA ALIGNMENT AND FLOW

      THE DANCE

      ALIGN, REFINE AND MASTER YOUR FLOW

      1. 12 ALL LEVELS LIVESTREAM CLASSES
      2. WATCH ANYTIME WITH LIFETIME ACCESS
      3. SHARPEN YOUR SKILLSET & ADVANCE YOUR PRACTICE

      $28.00

      Continue Learning

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder StandhalasanaPLOUGH POSE VS. SHOULDER STAND After we have engaged in postures that strengthen the posterior chain, Plough and Shoulder Stand offer a good stretch for these areas of the body. Plough in particular provides a more extensive...

      read more
      Arm Balance Transitions

      Arm Balance Transitions

      Arm Balance TransitionskakasanaARM BALANCE TRANSITIONS Arm balance postures can be challenging enough without attempting to layer on a smooth transition in and out of them. However, fluid transitions are a natural progression in our yoga practice; they also provide...

      read more
      Hanumanasana Hints

      Hanumanasana Hints

      Hanumanasana HintssplitsHANUMANASANA HINTS Applying intelligent techniques to a posture like Hanumanasana is crucial—simply hoping for the best is definitely not the way to go! That mindset leaves us vulnerable to injury. Hanumanasana is also the type of pose that can...

      read more
      Chin Stand

      Chin Stand

      Chin Standganda bherundasanaCHIN STAND Without a doubt, Chin Stand requires preparation. This posture must be approached with the utmost humility, essential in order to respect the potential risk. If this pose is not explored regularly in our physical practice, it may...

      read more
      Postpone The Stretch Sensation

      Postpone The Stretch Sensation

      Postpone the Stretch SensationflexibilityPOSTPONE THE STRETCH SENSATION If one of the goals of our physical yoga practice is to increase flexibility, we may automatically believe that we just need to stretch more. It’s critical that we understand that increasing...

      read more
      Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

      Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

      Wake Up Your Wheel Poseheart openerWAKE UP YOUR WHEEL POSE We don’t have to question it—we know whether or not we’re feeling open, free, and strong in Wheel Pose. There’s a lightness and expansiveness that takes over when everything falls into place: From the initial...

      read more

      THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

      When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

      • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
      • exclusive online course discounts
      • exclusive blogs and videos
      • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

      CONTACT

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      5 Step Pigeon Pose Best Hip Stretch

      5 STEPS TO MAKE PIGEON POSE THE BEST HIP STRETCH

      IS YOUR PIGEON LAZY?

      PIGEON

      DOES PIGEON POSE INCREASE FLEXIBILITY?

      Is Pigeon pose the best hip stretch? The quick answer: it depends on how you do it. Somebody told me recently on Instagram that I was blessed with open hips. Ha! If only they’d seen me when I first started practicing. My hips were so tight I needed not just one block, but block towers under my legs to come into almost any seated pose. So yes, twenty years later I am blessed with open hips, but only after doing the work to get them.

      That said, each of us has unique anatomy so the way my hips open may not be the way yours open. What I hear a lot is something like, “I’ve been practicing for years and I still haven’t increased my flexibility. Likely this is due to the lack of technique – muscle engagements, and joint articulations that result in increased flexibility or range of motion.

      WHY ALIGNMENT ACTUALLY MATTERS

      In today’s video, I’ll show you a way of making Half Pigeon Pose the best hip stretch by using a block. Not only will this approach help to make this pose more accessible, but it will highlight your muscular patterns.

      This is important; the reason alignment and technique matter is not because there is a right or wrong way to do a pose – that’s a completely fictitious concept because it requires that we define a context for what right and wrong means when it comes to making shapes. There is no agreed-upon idea of right and wrong and so there can be no right alignment. However, alignment matters within the context of increasing body awareness and efficacy when striving to increase flexibility.

      HIPS • HEART • HANDSTAND

      12 ONLINE YOGA CLASSES

      • HIP OPENERS
      • HEART OPENERS
      • HANDSTAND TECHNIQUES
      • BUILD COURAGE & STRENGTH
      • 12 ALL LEVELS CLASSES 

      $148.00

      IF YOU DO PIGEON POSE WITHOUT ALTERING YOUR ALIGNMENT OR ENGAGING YOUR MUSCLES, YOUR POSE WILL BE COUNTER PRODUCTIVE. IN ORDER TO MAKE PIGEON POSE THE BEST HIP STRETCH, YOU CAN FOLLOW THE 5 STEPS BELOW

      This is because your body will always avoid stretching what is tight and it will always tend to stretch what is already flexible. The same is true for strength – when you do an action your body will use the strongest muscles by default, even if there are better muscles for the job. The body will always tend toward efficiency and the path of least resistance unless you use the power of your will to strengthen what is weak and lengthen what is tight.

      The following video is a short clip of one approach to make pigeon pose the best hip stretch that it can be! This approach is sure to take you out of your normal patterns. Practicing pigeon in this way may require more muscle activation and be less “lazy” however, it will produce the desired results of increasing flexibility.

      5 Steps to Make Pigeon Pose The Best Hip Stretch

      UPCOMING IMMERSION

      Each month, you have the opportunity to enroll in 3 weekly classes! You get lifetime and unlimited access to each of the classes. Once you enroll, you also have the opportunity to view all classes live as they stream. Each month has a physical focus to help you gain targeted techniques and advance your body awareness.

      Be a part of the community! After enrolling, you can connect with members through our exclusive Facebook group, where you can get tips directly from me, Matt Giordano. You are encouraged to share photos and videos of your practice for personalized  support.

      I look forward to sharing this practice with you and helping you develop in a big way!

      ~Matt

       

      12 ONLINE VINYASA YOGA CLASSES

      5 STEPS TO INCREASE FLEXIBILITY WITH PIGEON POSE

      Step 1 Pigeon Pose Best Hip Stretch

      Step 1 - Start in Downward Facing Dog

       Place a block between your hands, at a slight diagonal, left side angled down. Lift your right leg to the sky and sweep your leg forward, externally rotating your inner thigh and resting your bent leg on the block.

      step 2 Pigeon pose best hip stretch

      Step 2: EVERT FRONT ANKLE

      Flex and evert your front foot, grounding the pinkie toe into the mat and reaching forward with your big toe.

      step 3 Pigeon pose best hip stretch

      Step 3: Activate your legs.

      Press your front shin and knee into the block to activate the buttocks. Pull your back knee forward to activate hip flexors – your hips will rise.

      step 4 Pigeon pose best hip stretch

      Step 4: Rotate thigh and pelvis inward

      Tuck your back toes, lift your knee, spin your back thigh IN so your pelvis rotates in. Set your back knee down and use your toes to walk your back leg further back. 

      step 5 Pigeon pose best hip stretch

      Step 5: bow your torso toward your foot

       Without moving your hips, walk your hands and torso off to the left and fold, resting on blocks or your forearms. Stay here for five breaths and repeat other side.

      THE PROBLEM WITH LAZY PIGEON

      If you are doing lazy pigeon to rest and not necessarily to increase range of motion in the hips then there is no problem; you will get exactly what you came for. However, if you are trying to make pigeon pose the best hip stretch it can possibly be, then you need to go against your patterns otherwise, you will be forever stretching what already is flexible, eventually leading to injury (most likely).

      This version of pigeon is one of many that I use to shake up my patterns. For another variation I recommend my blog Pigeon Without Knee Pain.

      Thanks for tuning in. If you are interested in Hip Openers I suggest the following class packages

      12 CLASS PACKAGE’S WITH HEAVY FOCUS ON HIP OPENING

      1. The Breakthrough: October 2020 Immersion
      2. Journey to Bliss: August 2020 Immersion
      3. Hips • Heart • Handstand: December 2020 Immersion 

      Livestream Class Packages

      yoga backbend techniques: 12 classes

      HEART OPENING

      DISCOVER THE JOY OF BACKBENDS

      • Learn Over 12 Back Bends
      • Step by Step Instructionals in Every Practice
      • Techniques, Bio-mechanics and Alignment
      • Bow Pose, Camel, Dancer Full Wheel
      • King Cobra, King Dancer, King Pigeon
      • 12 All Levels 75min Online Classes
      • Lifetime Unlimited Access to All
      $148.00
      Arm Balances Online Yoga Classes

      ARM BALANCES

      FREEDOM OF FLIGHT

      • Learn Over 12 Arm Balances
      • Step by Step Instructionals in Every Practice
      • Techniques, Bio-mechanics and Alignment
      • Crow, Side Crow, Titibasna, Ashtavakrasana
      • Forearm Stand, Koundenyasana 1 & 2, Handstand
      • 12 All Levels 75min Online Classes
      • Lifetime Unlimited Access to All
      $198.00 $128.00
      Yoga Alignment and Flow

      MOVE • BREATHE • RELEASE

      YOGA • BREATHWORK • MEDITATION

      • YOGA: TRANSFORM YOUR BODY
      • BREATHWORK: REJUVENATE
      • MEDITATION: AWAKEN YOUR MIND
      • THE TRIFECTA OF YOGA
      • 12 ALL LEVELS CLASSES 

      Yoga Alignment and Flow

      THE DANCE

      ALIGN • REFINE • FLOW

      • MOVEMENT TRANSFORMATION
      • ALIGNED TRANSITIONS
      • TARGETED STRENGTH
      • DEEP HIP OPENERS
      • 12 CLASSES: INTERMEDIATE
      $148.00
      back health online yoga classes

      THE PULSE

      BALANCE • STRENGTH • FLEXIBILITY

      • SHOULDER STRENGTH
      • HEART OPENERS
      • HAMSTRINGS & BUTTOCKS
      • INNER THIGHS
      • 12 ALL LEVELS CLASSES 

      $128.00

      2020 IMMERSIONS

      back health online yoga classes

      HIPS • HEART • HANDSTAND

      • HIP OPENERS
      • HEART OPENERS
      • HANDSTAND TECHNIQUES
      • BUILD COURAGE & STRENGTH
      • 12 ALL LEVELS CLASSES 

      $148.00

      boundless freedom

      • SHOULDER & NEXT RELEASE
      • SHOULDER BIOMECHANICS
      • BALANCED STRENGTH
      • INCREASE RANGE OF MOTION
      • 12 ALL LEVELS CLASSES

      $298.00 $128.00

      BIRDS OF PARADISE

      • FLEXIBILITY OF INNER THIGHS
      • 4 GUIDED MEDITATIONS
      • LIVETIME ACCCESS TO ALL
      • LEADS TO BIRDS OF PARADISE 
      • COMPARTMENTS OF THE MIND 

      $298.00 $128.00 

      BEST STARTER PACKAGE

      • 6 YOGA CLASSES
      • 2 GUIDED MEDITATIONS
      • LIVETIME ACCCESS TO ALL
      • 6 PEAK POSTURES
      • 6 YOGA SUTRA THEMES

      $148.00 $78.00

      back health online yoga classes

      THE SPINAL RESET

      • BACK & SIDE BENDS
      • TWISTS AND FORWARD FOLDS
      • SPINAL BIOMECHANICS
      • 4 POST CLASS MEDITATIONS
      • 12 ALL LEVELS CLASSES

      $128.00

      JOURNEY TO BLISS

      • PHYSICAL MEETS SPIRITUAL
      • EXPLORE THE KOSHAS
      • MIND BODY TENSION RELEASE
      • 4 GUIDED MEDITATIONS
      • 12 ALL LEVELS YOGA CLASSES

      $148.00 $118.00

      BACK, NECK & SHOULDERS

      • 12 YOGA CLASSES
      • 4 GUIDED MEDITATIONS
      • LIVETIME ACCCESS TO ALL
      • 12 PEAK POSTURES
      • 12 YOGA SUTRA THEMES

      $178.00 $128.00

      October Livestream Yoga Classes

      THE BREAKTHROUGH

      • HIP OPENERS
      • HIP BIOMECHANICS
      • EMPHASIS ON ARM BALANCES
      • 4 POST CLASS MEDITATIONS
      • 12 ALL LEVELS CLASSES 

      $128.00

      JOURNEY TO THE HEART

      • FULL BODY RESET
      • INCREASE BALANCE
      • ARM BALANCES
      • 4 GUIDED MEDITATIONS
      • ELEMENTALLY THEMED

      $148.00 $118.00

      KING PIGEON & HANUMAN

      • FLEXIBILITY OF HIPS
      • SHOULDER & SPINE MOBILITY
      • 4 GUIDED MEDITATIONS
      • 12 INTERMEDIATE CLASSES
      • HAMSTRINGS RANGE OF MOTION

      $128.00 

      Continue Learning

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder StandhalasanaPLOUGH POSE VS. SHOULDER STAND After we have engaged in postures that strengthen the posterior chain, Plough and Shoulder Stand offer a good stretch for these areas of the body. Plough in particular provides a more extensive...

      read more
      Arm Balance Transitions

      Arm Balance Transitions

      Arm Balance TransitionskakasanaARM BALANCE TRANSITIONS Arm balance postures can be challenging enough without attempting to layer on a smooth transition in and out of them. However, fluid transitions are a natural progression in our yoga practice; they also provide...

      read more
      Hanumanasana Hints

      Hanumanasana Hints

      Hanumanasana HintssplitsHANUMANASANA HINTS Applying intelligent techniques to a posture like Hanumanasana is crucial—simply hoping for the best is definitely not the way to go! That mindset leaves us vulnerable to injury. Hanumanasana is also the type of pose that can...

      read more
      Chin Stand

      Chin Stand

      Chin Standganda bherundasanaCHIN STAND Without a doubt, Chin Stand requires preparation. This posture must be approached with the utmost humility, essential in order to respect the potential risk. If this pose is not explored regularly in our physical practice, it may...

      read more
      Postpone The Stretch Sensation

      Postpone The Stretch Sensation

      Postpone the Stretch SensationflexibilityPOSTPONE THE STRETCH SENSATION If one of the goals of our physical yoga practice is to increase flexibility, we may automatically believe that we just need to stretch more. It’s critical that we understand that increasing...

      read more
      Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

      Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

      Wake Up Your Wheel Poseheart openerWAKE UP YOUR WHEEL POSE We don’t have to question it—we know whether or not we’re feeling open, free, and strong in Wheel Pose. There’s a lightness and expansiveness that takes over when everything falls into place: From the initial...

      read more

      THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

      When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

      • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
      • exclusive online course discounts
      • exclusive blogs and videos
      • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

      Neck And Shoulder Pain Relief 3 Step Release

      NECK & SHOULDER PAIN RELEIF

      THE 3 STEP RELEASE

      NECK & SHOULDERS

      CAN SHOULDER TENSION CAUSE NECK PAIN?

      When someone comes to me complaining of neck and shoulder pain, they are usually rubbing their upper shoulder/neck area- their trapezius muscle. On the surface, this muscle seems to be the number one cause for neck and shoulder pain, but I believe trapezius gets a bad rap and it’s often tight chest muscles that are to blame.

      There are two postures I share that almost always provide immediate and long-lasting release. One posture is Wild Thing, and the other is a Neck and Shoulders Release that I consider Wild Thing at the wall.

      Why do these postures relieve neck pain?

      Most people don’t realize how connected the neck and shoulders really are. At this point, I’m sure you’ve heard about fascia and how it weaves over, around, and into all the muscles in our bodies, creating a unified, one-muscle body.

      Have you ever opened an orange and seen all the pith fibers around and between each segment? This is like fruit fascia, and our muscles are the same way. Our necks are connected to our shoulders and our shoulders to our chest. Let’s just take a quick peek at the anatomy, shall we?

      Shoulder Anatomy: What You Need To Know

      There are 3 bones that make up the shoulders 

      1. Collar bone “Clavicle” 
      2. Arm Bone “Humerus”
      3. Shoulder Blade “Scapula”

      There are multiple muscles that attach to one or more of these bones that also connect to your neck and/or head. One muscle is called the Sternocleidomastoid, running from the top of your chest to the back of your neck and skull. When tight, this muscle will pull the head forward and down toward your chest. 

      The Pectorals Major and Minor muscles attach to the chest, arm bone, shoulder blade, and collar bone. Along with the Trapezius muscle, these will be our focus for today. The Trapezius not only attaches to the neck, spine, skull, and shoulder blade, it also attaches to the collar bone. 

      THE BIG SECRET

      The truth is there are multiple causes for neck and shoulder pain, but the common every day “rub your upper shoulders and neck” kind of pain is typically the result of tight, shortened pectoral muscles. When collar bones are pulled downward and shoulder blades are forced to rise up and forward, the Trapezius is often blamed. But Trapezius is trying to do its job and pull your shoulder blades back down, creating a tug of war.

      So what do you do? You start rubbing your Trapezius, asking it to relax, when really what needs to chill are your chest muscles. Release the Pectorals and more often than not, your neck and shoulder pain will go away. 

      SO CAN SHOULDER TENSION CAUSE NECK PAIN? Absolutely! When we look at all the different muscles that attach to both the neck and shoulders, it’s obvious.

      In the September Immersion we worked through three primary shoulder actions in a 75-minute class and then we learned to apply them directly to Wild Thing. Each immersion practice focuses on a different yoga pose in order to develop a greater understanding of our body. Join the next livestream immersion and get lifetime access to all videos when you sign up today!

      SOLUTION TO NECK AND SHOULDER PAIN

      If you have neck and shoulder pain on a regular basis, or if you simply want to prevent chronic discomfort, then I suggest including at least one pectoral stretch in your daily yoga practice. What if you can’t get on your mat each day? No problem! Stretch your Pectoralis muscles anywhere you find a wall.

      As you read this, your arms are likely in front of you. They are for much of our day, which causes shoulders to pull forward. The simple solution is to pull shoulders back. In the video below, I share with you the 3 Steps to Releasing your Neck and Shoulder Pain! 

      BOUNDLESS FREEDOM

      The September Immersion includes the full length class to Wild Thing Pose as well as other peak poses with a heavy emphasis on Shoulder Bio-Mechanics! In this package you get twelve 75-minute yoga classes, 4 of which include guided meditations!

      Want to feel better in your shoulders? This is THE immersion to practice! 

       THE 3-STEP RELEASE

      The pictures below are from my teaching on Wild Thing. The actions are exactly the same at the wall but each posture provides slightly different benefits. At the wall, you do not need a yoga mat or to get down on the ground. That makes it easy to access the pose at work or wherever you are. The benefit to Wild Thing on the ground is that it adds a layer of required strength to the back body. This will further support a release of the neck since the back body muscles tend to be weak for most of us.

      Step 1 - Elevate the shoulder

      Step 1 is to lift your shoulder up toward the ear. This is vital in range of motion and helping your pectoralis muscles to lengthen and to initiate strength from your trapezius.

      Step 2: retract shoulder blade

       Next, move your shoulder back (retract the shoulder blade toward the spine). This will recruit your back muscles and stretch the Pectoralis major muscle, in particular.

      Step 3: Rotate Shoulder Outward

      Externally rotate the arm bone. This will pull the top of the shoulder back, stretching Pectoralis Minor. It will also help release a muscle called subscapularis, which tends to cause neck pain.

      WHAT NEXT?

      Short-term fixes are great to help you get through the day, but ultimately you need to create positive and supportive muscle patterns that hold your body in a way that helps to keep you pain-free and injury-free, even when your mind is stressed out from the daily grind. The best part of self care is that it FEELS GOOD! So if you are ready to take care of your body and jump into your yoga practice three days a week, check out my upcoming Live Immersion Here

      If you read this far, you are likely a yoga teacher already, or you are ready to be. For yoga teachers looking to advance your anatomy, biomechanics, and teaching skills, I invite you to check out my 300 Hour Online Training.

      If you are not a teacher yet, but a yogi ready to dive deeply into your yoga practice and get certified to share this practice with others, then the 200 hour training is your next step!

      Thank you for reading and watching, I look forward to sharing more with you in an upcoming training or monthly immersion!

      200 hour online yoga teacher training

      BOUNDLESS FREEDOM

      INLCUDES THE WILD THING CLASS

      The September Immersion includes the full-length class to Wild Thing Pose as well as other peak poses with a heavy emphasis on Shoulder Bio-Mechanics! In this package, you will get twelve  75 minute Yoga Classes, 4 of which include guided meditations! So, If you want to get to know your shoulders then this is THE immersion to practice!

      WHAT STUDENTS SAY ABOUT THE LIVE IMMERISONS

      Matt‘s classes are phenomenal- if you ever have the ability to practice with him, make use of it!! He has a very unique talent of combining anatomy, yoga philosophy and his own perspective into a super intense package of knowledge which is fun AND easy to understand. I enjoyed the April immersion a lot as it was a great way of deepening my own practice and broadening my horizon, especially as the lifetime access allows you to take classes
      as often as you want- trust me, you will want to take them again! I cant wait for next month’s classes and highly recommend everyone to take the May pass and joining in on the journey.

      ~Nadja Kyra King - @nadja_kyra

      Matt’s April pass was a journey. It was more than just the physical exploration of my practice but also helped me explore my spiritual practice. It was very nice to have a consistent practice during this time of uncertainty. If you are looking for a practice to ground yourself I would highly recommend exploring the Live Immersion of the Month.
      ~Amanda Barnes Salowsky

      Covid_19 bought Matt into my home and my yoga practice. This last month I have learn’t so much it has deepened my practice and my understanding of the anatomy & biomechanics and how we use both in every asana we practice. He has also helped in my teaching, ie asking my students to think about the foot as a tripod “big toe, pinkie toe, heel ” I never imagined I would learn so much from the immersion.

      ~Debbie, @the_joyofyoga

      THE BREAKTHROUGH

       

      Are you ready to reconnect to your body, expand your practice, access new yoga poses, and feel better on a daily basis?

      $128.00

      Continue Learning

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder StandhalasanaPLOUGH POSE VS. SHOULDER STAND After we have engaged in postures that strengthen the posterior chain, Plough and Shoulder Stand offer a good stretch for these areas of the body. Plough in particular provides a more extensive...

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      Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

      Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

      Wake Up Your Wheel Poseheart openerWAKE UP YOUR WHEEL POSE We don’t have to question it—we know whether or not we’re feeling open, free, and strong in Wheel Pose. There’s a lightness and expansiveness that takes over when everything falls into place: From the initial...

      read more

      THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

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      • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
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      • exclusive blogs and videos
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      WILD THING YOGA POSE 3 SHOULDER ACTIONS

      FLIP DOG DILEMMA

      3 SHOULDER ACTIONS FOR WILD THING YOGA POSE

      WILD THING

      IS the popular yoga pose “FLIP DOG” WORTH IT?

      If you practice or have been to a modern vinyasa or power yoga class, then you know flip dog is a popular pose called out toward the middle or end of yoga class as an option. I have yet to be in a class where the instructor explains what flip dog is or how to get into it.

      So how do you do the pose? And is it worth it?

      RISK VS REWARD

      If you’ve practiced with me, you know I am not an “only one way to do a pose” kind of teacher, but more of a “one or two ways not to do the pose.” The way NOT to do a pose is in a way that presents a high risk of injury. While I don’t think flip dog poses a massive immediate threat on the shoulder girdle, I do think the way many people approach it presents a higher than necessary risk to the gleno-humeral joint (shoulder), without any real reward that would outweigh the risk. This is an important distinction. Within the physical practice of yoga, or anything else worth the effort in life, there is an unavoidable risk. But we weigh the potential benefits and make the choice to proceed. We do this every time we drive a car or board an airplane. When we sign a contract or a lease. When we chose to love someone. Hell, when we get out of bed in the morning.

      The risk is there, but the potential for life-changing gain is worth it, so we take that risk.

      Back to flip dog. What is the risk and the potential gain?

      This pose (or the variation I show you) has the potential to be an incredible stretch for the Pectoralis muscles and a solid shoulder strengthener. For many, the kind of opening felt in this pose feels really good because we often spend much of our time hunched forward.

      The way most people execute the pose we call “flip dog” is like a reverse tabletop, but on one hand and with that hand turned out. To me, the extreme extension of the shoulder is fine when bearing weight on both hands and fully activating the posterior shoulder muscles (around the shoulder blades). But take away one hand and enter the pose from down dog, and most people wind up punching the head of the humerus (arm bone) forward, putting pressure in the anterior (front) part of the glenohumeral joint capsule. Ligaments there keep the arm bone snuggled into the shoulder socket. Putting pressure on them starts to destabilize those ligaments. Over time, this could cause a knocking of the arm bone in the shoulder socket, resulting in all sorts of soft tissue damage.

      SOLUTION 

      Don’t freak out. Doing a flip dog here and there, especially with healthy shoulder joints, is likely fine. But there is an easy solution that still allows you to participate in this section of class. Try Wild Thing prep (shown in the video below) and instead rise up to Wild Thing. Flipping over from down dog makes it easy to overload the joint with the weight of your body and the pull of gravity. RISING UP forces you to use the muscles of your shoulders, hips, and back, so you’re less likely to put yourself in a compromising position. 

      In the September Immersion, we worked through three primary shoulder actions in a 75-minute class and then learned how to apply those actions directly to Wild Thing. Each immersion practice focuses on a different yoga pose to help you develop a greater understanding of your body. 

      We start in a prep position and line up the shoulder for maximum muscle recruitment and minimal joint risk. Then we try our best to maintain these actions as we rise up. Watch the video below to learn how to line up your legs and shift weight out of your hand in order to use your hips and back, which are much stronger than the shoulder. 

      Wild Thing Shoulders: 3 Actions 

      Step 1 - Elevate the shoulder

      Allow the shoulder to come toward the ear. Without this step, your shoulder will be stuck in front of your chest, with very little access to back body muscles. So step 1 is a prerequisite to next steps.

      Step 2: retract shoulder blade

      Move your shoulder back (retract the shoulder blade toward the spine).  This will recruit your back muscles for greater stability while you rise up. The more you retract your shoulder blade, the less you stress the shoulder joint, so focus heavily on this action, though it will take time for your pectoral muscles to develop flexibility.

      Step 3: Rotate Shoulder Outward

      To stabilize the shoulder joint, we then rotate the arm bone outward. This action moves the shoulder blade down your back (shoulder away from ear), but this time instead of your front body muscles pulling your shoulder down, back body muscles are working. As you rise, you’ll be able to rotate outward more. This will nudge your rib cage forward, forming a deeper backbend.

      WHAT NEXT?

      I didn’t yet mention anything about what’s happening in the hips and buttocks, back or core. Every yoga pose involves full participation within your physical body and therefore requires more than just knowledge of your shoulders.

      But we take everything one step at a time to fully integrate these techniques into our body and be able to masterfully apply them in our daily lives. I suggest focusing on these actions every time you have a chance to flip your dog in a class. First, flip to a seated position and prepare yourself for Wild Thing.

      If you read this far, you are likely either a yoga teacher or you are ready to be. For yoga teachers looking to advance their anatomy, biomechanics, and teaching skills, I invite you to check out my 300 Hour Online Training.

      If you are not a teacher yet, but a yogi ready to dive deeply into your yoga practice and get certified to share this practice with others, then the 200 hour training is your next step!

      Thank you for reading and watching, I look forward to sharing more with you in an upcoming training or monthly immersion!

      200 hour online yoga teacher training

      "Shoulder Revelation"

      The September 2021 Immersion includes a full length class to Wild Thing Pose as well as 11 additional classes emphasising shoulder techniques and Bio-Mechanics! In this package you will get 12, 75-minute Yoga Classes to help you gain maximum strength, flexibility and range of motion of the shoulders. You will also learn how to release neck tension, and reduce risk of shoulder and neck injuries.

      If you want to feel better in your shoulders, this is THE immersion to practice!

      SALE PRICE: $198.00 $138.00

      Livestream Class Packages

      Vinyasa and Meditation Yoga Immersion

      SHOULDER REVELATION

      Strength•Mobility•Bio-Mechanics

      • Increase Strengh & Flexibility
      • Decrease Risk of Injury
      • Release houlder Tension
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      • Access a wider range of postures
      • Stabilize the rotator cuff muscles
      • Learn Binds, Heart Openers & Arm Balances
      • 12 all-levels, 75min online classes
      • Lifetime unlimited access to all
      $198.00 $138.00
      Vinyasa and Meditation Yoga Immersion

      VITALITY

      RIGOR & RELEASE

      • Get back to feeling energized
      • Vinyasa style approach, accessible to everyone
      • Hips, twists, heart openers, shoulders, core & more
      • Guided meditations to destress, increase focus & gain mental and emotional clarity
      • Strengthen and lengthen the most essential muscle groups
      • 12 all-levels, 75min online classes
      • Lifetime unlimited access to all
      $198.00 $108.00
      Arm Balances Online Yoga Classes

      BALANCE

      INCREASE & AWAKEN YOUR BALANCE

      • Learn over 12 balance postures
      • Muscle strength and reactive patterning
      • Increase proprioception and deliberate weight shifting
      • Tree, Standing Hand-to-Foot Variations, Warrior III
      • Half Moon Variations, Handstand, Side Plank, Headstand
      • 12 all-levels, 75min online classes
      • Lifetime unlimited access to all
      $198.00 $128.00
      Arm Balances Online Yoga Classes

      Hips & Hamstrings

      RECLAIM YOUR ELASTICITY

      • Learn over 12 hip openers
      • Step-by-step instructionals in every practice
      • Techniques, biomechanics and alignment
      • Pigeon, Eagle, Fire Log, Lizard
      • Lotus, Flying Pigeon, Splits, Straddle
      • 12 all-levels, 75min online classes
      • Lifetime unlimited access to all
      $148.00
      Arm Balances Online Yoga Classes

      ARM BALANCES

      FREEDOM OF FLIGHT

      • Learn over 12 arm balances
      • Step-by-step instructionals in every practice
      • Techniques, biomechanics and alignment
      • Crow, Side Crow, Titibasana, Ashtavakrasana
      • Forearm Stand, Koundinyasana 1 & 2, Handstand
      • 12 all-levels, 75min online classes
      • Lifetime unlimited access to all
      $198.00 $128.00
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      HEART OPENERS

      DISCOVER THE JOY OF BACKBENDS

      • Learn over 12 backbends
      • Step-by-step instructionals in every practice
      • Techniques, biomechanics and alignment
      • Bow Pose, Camel, Dancer, Full Wheel
      • King Cobra, King Dancer, King Pigeon
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      • Lifetime unlimited access to all
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      Yoga Alignment and Flow

      MOVE • BREATHE • RELEASE

      YOGA • BREATHWORK • MEDITATION

      • YOGA: TRANSFORM YOUR BODY
      • BREATHWORK: REJUVENATE
      • MEDITATION: AWAKEN YOUR MIND
      • THE TRIFECTA OF YOGA
      • 12 CLASSES: ALL LEVELS  
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      THE DANCE

      ALIGN • REFINE • FLOW

      • MOVEMENT TRANSFORMATION
      • ALIGNED TRANSITIONS
      • TARGETED STRENGTH
      • DEEP HIP OPENERS
      • 12 CLASSES: INTERMEDIATE
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      THE PULSE

      BALANCE • STRENGTH • FLEXIBILITY

      • SHOULDER STRENGTH
      • HEART OPENERS
      • HAMSTRINGS & BUTTOCKS
      • INNER THIGHS
      • 12 CLASSES: ALL LEVELS  

      $128.00

      2020 IMMERSIONS

      back health online yoga classes

      HIPS • HEART • HANDSTAND

      • HIP OPENERS
      • HEART OPENERS
      • HANDSTAND TECHNIQUES
      • BUILD COURAGE & STRENGTH
      • 12 CLASSES: ALL LEVELS  

      $148.00

      boundless freedom

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      • SHOULDER BIOMECHANICS
      • BALANCED STRENGTH
      • INCREASE RANGE OF MOTION
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      BIRDS OF PARADISE

      • FLEXIBILITY OF INNER THIGHS
      • 4 GUIDED MEDITATIONS
      • LIFETIME ACCCESS TO ALL
      • LEADS TO BIRDS OF PARADISE 
      • COMPARTMENTS OF THE MIND 

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      BEST STARTER PACKAGE

      • 6 YOGA CLASSES
      • 2 GUIDED MEDITATIONS
      • LIFETIME ACCCESS TO ALL
      • 6 PEAK POSTURES
      • 6 YOGA SUTRA THEMES

      $148.00 $78.00

      back health online yoga classes

      THE SPINAL RESET

      • BACKBENDS & SIDE BENDS
      • TWISTS AND FORWARD FOLDS
      • SPINAL BIOMECHANICS
      • 4 POST-CLASS MEDITATIONS
      • 12 CLASSES: ALL LEVELS

      $128.00

      JOURNEY TO BLISS

      • PHYSICAL MEETS SPIRITUAL
      • EXPLORE THE KOSHAS
      • MIND BODY TENSION RELEASE
      • 4 GUIDED MEDITATIONS
      • 12 YOGA CLASSES: ALL LEVELS

      $148.00 $118.00

      BACK, NECK & SHOULDERS

      • 12 YOGA CLASSES
      • 4 GUIDED MEDITATIONS
      • LIFETIME ACCCESS TO ALL
      • 12 PEAK POSTURES
      • 12 YOGA SUTRA THEMES

      $178.00 $128.00

      October Livestream Yoga Classes

      THE BREAKTHROUGH

      • HIP OPENERS
      • HIP BIOMECHANICS
      • EMPHASIS ON ARM BALANCES
      • 4 POST-CLASS MEDITATIONS
      • 12 CLASSES: ALL LEVELS  

      $128.00

      JOURNEY TO THE HEART

      • FULL BODY RESET
      • INCREASE BALANCE
      • ARM BALANCES
      • 4 GUIDED MEDITATIONS
      • ELEMENTALLY THEMED

      $148.00 $118.00

      KING PIGEON & HANUMAN

      • FLEXIBILITY OF HIPS
      • SHOULDER & SPINE MOBILITY
      • 4 GUIDED MEDITATIONS
      • 12 INTERMEDIATE CLASSES
      • HAMSTRING RANGE OF MOTION

      $128.00

      Continue Learning

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

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      Wake Up Your Wheel Poseheart openerWAKE UP YOUR WHEEL POSE We don’t have to question it—we know whether or not we’re feeling open, free, and strong in Wheel Pose. There’s a lightness and expansiveness that takes over when everything falls into place: From the initial...

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      THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

      When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

      • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
      • exclusive online course discounts
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      Samadhi

      SAMADHI

      Dissolving into the state of oneness.

      Samadhi

      Samadhi

      Samadhi is the experience we have when the mind realizes the totality of itself – that it is one part of an infinitely grander whole. Using an analogy from one of my teachers, Alan Finger – Consiousness is like the ocean. When the ocean swells and crashes upon the shore, drops of water fly up in the air. These drops are still the ocean separated by time and space. We are those drops in relationship to the bigger more expansive ocean of consciousness. For brief moments in time, we arise and take shape in the form of this body, collecting unique experiences in our mind and forming beliefs and identities. In meditation, the mind has the opportunity to realize this and come back to the awareness of all that is. In those moments when the mind returns to the understanding that it is simply a drop that is a part of the ocean, there is a feeling of indescribable goodness that overwhelms our being. Yogis call this Samadhi.

      How Do We Reach Samadhi?

      Samadhi is the result of your Sadhana (yogic practices). For the past month, I have been offering you teachings out of the yoga sutras, weaving them through the live classes, and sharing them here on this blog. We’ve discussed  “Abhyasa and Vairagya” and “Burning Samskara” amongst many others. Why are these practices necessary to experiencing Samadhi? Samadhi is the state of being when the intellect or budhi lets go of duality and releases into the realization that it is one with all things. The intellect is incredible it allows us to understand life on the physical plane, dividing, defining, and systematically looking for like and unlike in everything. The Intellect’s ability to separate is incredible. We have spent our entire lives training the intellect and therefore have become really good at separation. Unity or Oneness requires that the intellect surrenders to the reality that it is one of many tools. This requires that our identity or ego surrenders to the fullness of reality that we are unique individuals, part of the magnificent power of nature, not separate, but a thread woven into the fabric of something much grander. The Ego gets scared of the idea that it is not most important, so you have to remind it that this means it is not less than, it is actually far more than it thinks, it is a manifestation of the vast ocean of Awareness.

      Maybe you want to experience the state of oneness with the universe and are ready to jump in but where to start? The Yoga Sutras are a guide map to this, but if you are going to practice one thing only, it should be Self Reflection, Swadyaya. You can practice Self Reflection in your asana (physical practice) by observing the sensations of your body before, during, and after each posture. You can do this through Pranayama, observation of the vital energy that pulses through your system. There are endless practices of Self Awareness. Start with the live classes from the Month of March and join me for the asana and meditation practices throughout the month of April. I am committed to sharing dharma talks to inspire self-awareness in order to support the dissolution of the intellect and merging into the state of oneness. We will be doing this together with the support of the global community to give us power and strength.

      OneNess

      In a time when everyone is feeling separateness, moving inward to the state of oneness is more important than ever. Underneath the layers of intellect and ego that disconnects us from the whole exists One undivided consciousness that permeates all things. It is always there, omnipresent, and it pervades all aspects of our being. The only thing standing in our way of experiencing it is the need to hold up the illusion that we have created of truth – the need to know in order to feel safe. Instead find comfort in the unknown, vast potential that is at the core of your being. Thanks for tapping in with me. Enjoy your practice!

       

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      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

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      Postpone The Stretch Sensation

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      When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

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      • exclusive online course discounts
      • exclusive blogs and videos
      • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

      CONTACT

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      Flying Pigeon

      FLYING PIGEON

      Key Actions to Balance in Flying Pigeon Pose

      Flying pigeon

      Flying Pigeon: Balance

      Flying Pigeon is an exceptionally challenging pose for several reasons–strength, balance, flexibility for starters. Learning to balance on the hands requires tremendous strength in the flexors of the wrist, or what I call in my Handstand Training, “The Brakes”. Appropriately named because strength in the flexors of the wrist is what stops you from falling when you’re on your hands. You will hear me in the video talking about gripping the ground; this is the action that will turn on the brakes. On all fours, grip your fingers into the ground. With one hand, challenge the opposite hand by trying to pick up the fingers off the ground. Let’s say your right hand is on the ground; the right hand tries its best to dig its fingers into the earth. The left hand tries to pick the right hand’s fingers up. Switch roles. Reading about this won’t do anything so you will have to get it in your body to really get it…did it? Great! Let’s continue. Whenever you are on your hands in your yoga practice, maintain this type of activation to build strength in your brakes over time.

      Flexibility

      I still remember my first flying pigeon. I was in Elena Brower’s Anusara Yoga class. My hips were super tight back then. She had some great techniques to help us open our hips, many of which I still implement into my own practice and share in my online trainings , and immersions.  In one of my recent articles on compass pose, I spoke on the topic that flexibility requires technique more than it does forcing repetitive stretches. To increase flexibility for flying pigeon, you need to target several muscle groups which I call the 4 Quadrants of the hips. All 4 quadrants (front, back, inside, backside) can be targeted within your yoga practice by activating them isometrically through the postures. If you have been practicing live or in person with me, then you are very familiar with this approach and if you haven’t felt the benefits, you will soon with repetition. To give you one example to try, get into warrior 2 and pull your feet toward each other like you are trying to bunch up the mat under your feet. This activates the inner quadrant of the back leg and the back quadrant of the front leg. Over time this will create health in these muscle groups which will directly increase your range of motion.

      Arm Balances

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      KEY TECHNIQUES & ORDER OF ACTIONS

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      1. Invert the ankle and drop the hip: This will help you get the foot high up toward the arm pit
      2. Evert to “clamp” the foot: this will help you avoid the sliding of the foot off the arm
      3. Lift opposite knee into arm pit: This will help you avoid the bruising on the triceps, however it requires a great deal of hip flexibility and may not be possible for you at first.

      THE BALANCE

      1. Walk the hands forward: its necessary or you wont be able to balance
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      3. Lean your body forward: This is what takes the weight out of your feet and hips and into your hands so that flight becomes possible
      4. Press front shin down into the arms: this will give you lift off so that you become lighter, if you are more flexible in the hips than this step is very important.
      5. Squeeze your back knee in: this gets your psoas and core active and keeps the weight of the pose forward.
      yoga backbend techniques: 12 classes [backbend technique to relieve back pain "bowing the spine']

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      Strength

      When learning this posture, it is very helpful to pull the back knee into the chest. This will activate the hip flexors and lower abdominals which helps in two ways. First, it helps to keep the shin on the arm if the front hip is tighter. Second, it helps keep the weight of your body forward, which is required to maintain balance in the posture.

      This posture can be deceptively challenging, so go easy on yourself if you find it incredibly difficult. Try these tips and remember that strength and flexibility require technique and repetition. Enjoy!

       

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      Hanumanasana HintssplitsHANUMANASANA HINTS Applying intelligent techniques to a posture like Hanumanasana is crucial—simply hoping for the best is definitely not the way to go! That mindset leaves us vulnerable to injury. Hanumanasana is also the type of pose that can...

      read more
      Chin Stand

      Chin Stand

      Chin Standganda bherundasanaCHIN STAND Without a doubt, Chin Stand requires preparation. This posture must be approached with the utmost humility, essential in order to respect the potential risk. If this pose is not explored regularly in our physical practice, it may...

      read more
      Postpone The Stretch Sensation

      Postpone The Stretch Sensation

      Postpone the Stretch SensationflexibilityPOSTPONE THE STRETCH SENSATION If one of the goals of our physical yoga practice is to increase flexibility, we may automatically believe that we just need to stretch more. It’s critical that we understand that increasing...

      read more
      Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

      Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

      Wake Up Your Wheel Poseheart openerWAKE UP YOUR WHEEL POSE We don’t have to question it—we know whether or not we’re feeling open, free, and strong in Wheel Pose. There’s a lightness and expansiveness that takes over when everything falls into place: From the initial...

      read more

      THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

      When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

      • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
      • exclusive online course discounts
      • exclusive blogs and videos
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      Compass Pose

      COMPASS POSE

      3 KEY TECHNIQUES TO INCREASE FLEXIBILITY

      COMPASS

      Technique Makes Everything Easier

      Technique is like following an instructional guide that your body celebrates upon reading. The body, like all things in nature, has a certain timing that when followed will allow for your greatest physical expression. The goal for most people when it comes to the physical practice is typically strength or flexibility, but the problem is most people don’t know how to gain either and so they waste time, money, and energy following workout plans and training programs. Not to say that these are bad or that you shouldn’t use these to stay motivated, but be sure to harness your mind’s power on more than just getting in a workout, or achieving a certain number of repetitions, or attaining any particular pose. Instead, FOCUS on building BODY AWARENESS! This is why technique is so important – it gives you insight into the physical body that you are living in! Increasing body awareness will directly result in strength and flexibility. In Chromatic Yoga we define yoga as the practice of developing awareness of Mind, Body, or Soul, giving us access to our inner state of Pure Bliss. To practice asana (physical awareness) from that perspective means to take a deep journey of your body, and technique is a path that gets you there.

      In my Online Live Class from March 14, 2020 I shared 3 primary techniques to give insight into your body and greater access to compass pose. Compass is an incredible expression of the human body and it requires an equally incredible awareness of your hips, pelvis, and shoulder blades. Let’s take a look at this video excerpt from the online class to give you the steps into this complicated posture, and then we will review it below.

      COMPASS POSE

      The March Immersion includes the full-length class to Compass Pose and many more. In this package, you will get six 75 minute Yoga Classes, and 2 Guided Meditations! This is the perfect start to practicing with Matt and learning how to apply techniques to your yoga practice.

      *A Favorite Amongst Class Pass Members

      SALE PRICE: $78

      3 Actions To Access Your Flexibility

      Step 1 - Retract Shoulder blade

      Retraction of the shoulder blades is when you pull them toward each other using muscles called the rhomboids. In the Live Class, I taught this in chair pose with cactus arms, as depicted in the above photo. Try this for yourself. Take chair pose, feet wide, and arch the low back so your chest is more upright. Take your arms into a cactus shape and pull your shoulder blades together. Then do the opposite which is like you’re going to hug someone – or like you’re about to come to eagle pose.

      Step 2: Anterior Tilt

      A great way to practice what is called anterior tilt of the pelvis (lifting the buttocks upward – back arches) is first in cat and cow, and then moving on to something a little more challenging like Lunge Pose depicted above. I shared this in the practice to help go back and forth between anterior tilt which I playfully referred to as “Beyonce” and posterior tilt (tucking tail bone) more like “Michael Jackson.” Doing both actions will help you understand the range of motion your body is capable of.

      Step 3: Rotate The Thigh inward

      Maintaining Anterior tilt, we add internal rotation. Doing Anterior tilt with internal rotation is something we call in Chromatic Yoga a simplified technique – a combination of 2 or 3 joint actions. I shared this in the 3-14-2020 live class by doing something similar to a chair pose, but adding a spin of one thigh bone inward whilst arching the low back. In Hip workshops I usually pair this with a comical phrase “Heyyyy” because it’s a bit playfully sexy (not really). Try it on in an empty room and give a little sass.

      FLEXIBILITY

       

      If you switch your focus from flexibility to technique you will build awareness of your body much faster. Technique requires engagement of muscles through a range of motion while moving your joints – this process is powerful if you have the willingness to learn. The result is my personal practice is undoubtedly remarkable. In my 12+ years of study of the physical practice, I have worked with so many approaches, but I always come back to this one question: Am I more aware of my body from this?  If the answer is yes, then you will not need to force flexibility or strength, they will be the simple results of your focused efforts.

      For a full-length class leading up to  Compass Pose, you will enjoy the March Immersion which includes the class that this video was taken from along with 5 other 75 minute Yoga classes!

      For more on strength and flexibility in the hips, I recommend my blog Pigeon Without Knee Pain 

       

      COMPASS POSE

      The March Immersion includes the full-length class to Compass Pose and many more. In this package, you will get six 75 minute Yoga Classes, and 2 Guided Meditations! This is the perfect start to practicing with Matt and learning how to apply techniques to your yoga practice.

      *A Favorite Amongst Class Pass Members

      SALE PRICE: $78

      WHAT STUDENTS SAY ABOUT THE LIVE IMMERISONS

      Matt‘s classes are phenomenal- if you ever have the ability to practice with him, make use of it!! He has a very unique talent of combining anatomy, yoga philosophy, and his own perspective into a super intense package of knowledge that is fun AND easy to understand. I enjoyed the April immersion a lot as it was a great way of deepening my own practice and broadening my horizon, especially as the lifetime access allows you to take classes as often as you want. Trust me, you will want to take them again! I can’t wait for next month’s classes and highly recommend everyone to take the May pass and joining in on the journey.

      ~Nadja Kyra King - @nadja_kyra

      Matt’s April pass was a journey. It was more than just the physical exploration of my practice but also helped me explore my spiritual practice. It was very nice to have a consistent practice during this time of uncertainty. If you are looking for a practice to ground yourself I would highly recommend exploring the Live Immersion of the Month.
      ~Amanda Barnes Salowsky

      Covid-19 brought Matt into my home and my yoga practice. This last month I have learned so much. It has deepened my practice and my understanding of anatomy & biomechanics and how we use both in every asana we practice. He has also helped in my teaching, ie asking my students to think about the foot as a tripod “big toe, pinkie toe, heel.” I never imagined I would learn so much from the immersion.

      ~Debbie, @the_joyofyoga

      MARCH 2020 IMMERSION

       

      BEST SELLING PACKAGE

      • 6 All Levels Yoga Practices
      • 2 Guided Meditations
      • 6 Different Peak Postures 
      • Compass Pose Full Length Class
      • Flying Pigeon Full Length Class
      • Unlimited Views + Lifetime Access

      Click Here Learn More about the March 2020 Immersion

       

      Livestream Class Packages

      Yoga Alignment and Flow

      MOVE•BREATHE•RELEASE

      Yoga, BREATHWORK & Meditation

      • Yoga: Transform the Body
      • Breathwork: Rejuvinate
      • Meditation: Awaken the Mind
      • The Trifecta of Yoga
      • 12 ALL LEVELS CLASSES 

      Yoga Alignment and Flow

      THE DANCE

      ALIGN & REFINE Y FLOW

      • MOVEMENT TRANSFORMATION
      • ALIGNED TRANSITIONS
      • TARGETED STRENGTH
      • DEEP HIP OPENERS
      • 12 CLASSES: INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED

      $298.00 $98.00

      back health online yoga classes

      THE PULSE

      BALANCE STRENGTH & FLEXIBILITY

      • SHOULDER STRENGTH
      • HEART OPENERS
      • HAMSTRINGS & BUTTOCKS
      • INNER THIGHS
      • 12 ALL LEVELS CLASSES 

      $128.00

      2020 IMMERSIONS

      back health online yoga classes

      HIPS • HEART • HANDSTAND

      • HIP OPENERS
      • HEART OPENERS
      • HANDSTAND TECHNIQUES
      • BUILD COURAGE & STRENGTH
      • 12 ALL LEVELS CLASSES 

      $148.00

      boundless freedom

      • SHOULDER & NEXT RELEASE
      • SHOULDER BIOMECHANICS
      • BALANCED STRENGTH
      • INCREASE RANGE OF MOTION
      • 12 ALL LEVELS CLASSES

      $298.00 $128.00

      BIRDS OF PARADISE

      • FLEXIBILITY OF INNER THIGHS
      • 4 GUIDED MEDITATIONS
      • LIVETIME ACCCESS TO ALL
      • LEADS TO BIRDS OF PARADISE 
      • COMPARTMENTS OF THE MIND 

      $298.00 $128.00 

      BEST STARTER PACKAGE

      • 6 YOGA CLASSES
      • 2 GUIDED MEDITATIONS
      • LIVETIME ACCCESS TO ALL
      • 6 PEAK POSTURES
      • 6 YOGA SUTRA THEMES

      $148.00 $78.00

      back health online yoga classes

      THE SPINAL RESET

      • BACK & SIDE BENDS
      • TWISTS AND FORWARD FOLDS
      • SPINAL BIOMECHANICS
      • 4 POST CLASS MEDITATIONS
      • 12 ALL LEVELS CLASSES

      $128.00

      JOURNEY TO BLISS

      • PHYSICAL MEETS SPIRITUAL
      • EXPLORE THE KOSHAS
      • MIND BODY TENSION RELEASE
      • 4 GUIDED MEDITATIONS
      • 12 ALL LEVELS YOGA CLASSES

      $148.00 $118.00

      BACK, NECK & SHOULDERS

      • 12 YOGA CLASSES
      • 4 GUIDED MEDITATIONS
      • LIVETIME ACCCESS TO ALL
      • 12 PEAK POSTURES
      • 12 YOGA SUTRA THEMES

      $178.00 $128.00

      October Livestream Yoga Classes

      THE BREAKTHROUGH

      • HIP OPENERS
      • HIP BIOMECHANICS
      • EMPHASIS ON ARM BALANCES
      • 4 POST CLASS MEDITATIONS
      • 12 ALL LEVELS CLASSES 

      $128.00

      JOURNEY TO THE HEART

      • FULL BODY RESET
      • INCREASE BALANCE
      • ARM BALANCES
      • 4 GUIDED MEDITATIONS
      • ELEMENTALLY THEMED

      $148.00 $118.00

      KING PIGEON & HANUMAN

      • FLEXIBILITY OF HIPS
      • SHOULDER & SPINE MOBILITY
      • 4 GUIDED MEDITATIONS
      • 12 INTERMEDIATE CLASSES
      • HAMSTRINGS RANGE OF MOTION

      $128.00 

      Continue Learning

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder StandhalasanaPLOUGH POSE VS. SHOULDER STAND After we have engaged in postures that strengthen the posterior chain, Plough and Shoulder Stand offer a good stretch for these areas of the body. Plough in particular provides a more extensive...

      read more
      Arm Balance Transitions

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      read more
      Chin Stand

      Chin Stand

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      read more
      Postpone The Stretch Sensation

      Postpone The Stretch Sensation

      Postpone the Stretch SensationflexibilityPOSTPONE THE STRETCH SENSATION If one of the goals of our physical yoga practice is to increase flexibility, we may automatically believe that we just need to stretch more. It’s critical that we understand that increasing...

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      Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

      Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

      Wake Up Your Wheel Poseheart openerWAKE UP YOUR WHEEL POSE We don’t have to question it—we know whether or not we’re feeling open, free, and strong in Wheel Pose. There’s a lightness and expansiveness that takes over when everything falls into place: From the initial...

      read more

      THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

      When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

      • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
      • exclusive online course discounts
      • exclusive blogs and videos
      • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

      CONTACT

      • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

      Samskaras and Neuroplasticity

      Burning Samskaras

      Dissolve Thought, Emotion, and Behavioral Patterns

      Does your family put your spiritual practice to the test? 

      Have you been making leaps and bounds through your yoga or meditation practice – feeling better day to day, learning to take a breath in the challenging moments, and ultimately living life more freely from a place of joy? The Yoga practice helps us move in that direction, and then we go back home for a holiday gathering with our family and suddenly we are right back where we started. Why is that? What is it about family, caretakers, or being in the home we grew up in that pulls us back into our old patterns of thought, emotions, or behaviors? According to the yoga tradition, it’s because of Samskaras.

      What ARE Samskaras?

      A samskara is often translated as the groove or pattern of the mind and directly relates or corresponds with our actions or behavior. Samskaras begin forming at the very moment we step into our bodies. Our parents, or the ones who raise us, largely play a major role in the forming of our Samskaras. When we were children our lens of perception was colored for us; we were taught to see the world the way our parents, teachers, and society saw it. At some point in our journey, we woke up and began to self-reflect, recognizing that perhaps the lens we’ve been looking through is not the truth. Let’s look at this lens of perception as a window. The window has a lifetime of dirt and grime, and the yoga, meditation, and self-inquiry practice help to clean the window little by little, allowing us to see life more clearly so we can experience it as it is rather than as we believe it to be.

      The analogy I use in the video below is another way of understanding Samskaras. I explain that Samskaras create grooves in the mind like the groove of a river in a mountain side. The river carves out the earth little by little through repetition and time and eventually becomes powerful. Our mind  (thoughts, emotions, beliefs, perception) is exactly like the river. Starting when we are young, the mind begins to look for like and unlike experiences and collecting them as beliefs and perception. This helps us to determine safe and unsafe situations, and forms our communication: “When I cry, caretaker brings me food,” or perhaps “when I cry, no one responds.” Through repetition, these observations become our perception or the grooves of our mind. We may then form the opinion that it is good or bad or effective or ineffective to express ourselves a certain way. We form beliefs about others and the world we live in.

      Now that you have begun your yoga practice, you have likely begun the process of burning away your Samskaras. How do you know? If you are behaving differently: more patient, kind, respectful, loving, emotionally stable or vulnerable, light-hearted, joyful, etc. Burning Samskaras or old patterns allows us to live in the now, where the magic of life exists, and the world feels exciting and new again.

      WHY DOES BEING AROUND FAMILY MAKE ME FEEL LIKE I HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANYWHERE?

      Because the vast majority of Samskaras were formed at a very young age, they have had a lifetime to get stronger. Like the river that has been digging its way into the earth, the longer it has been flowing, the deeper the groove. The samskaras that were formed as a child are triggered by experiences that are closest to the ones that formed them in the first place – typically your parents, siblings, or caretakers. Or you might be most triggered by people in your life that most resemble them which could be your boss, teacher, in-laws, friend, etc. You may have been working on yourself for quite some time, burning away the outer layers, only to show up at a family gathering or holiday dinner and notice your blood boiling, ready to argue, run away or just plain give up. There is a saying that goes something like, “if you think you are enlightened, visit your family.” How perfect that statement is as a reminder that yoga is a practice, not a one-time product purchase to solve your issues. We need to continuously stoke the fire of transformation to experience freedom from our Samskaras.

      Burning Samskaras

      Burning Samskaras is recognized in modern psychology as Neuroplasticity – our brain’s capacity to change our neurological patterning. While much of our childhood patterns are formed without our awareness, it is awareness that allows us to burn what no longer serves us. Awareness is also what allows us to choose how we want to feel, act, think, and exist in this world. Awareness is a state of being that floods our conscious mind when we are present in the here and now. Have you ever watched yourself think a thought, or witnessed the sensations of your body, or decided to take a breath instead of reacting? The part of you that is aware of thoughts, emotions, and actions is awareness–and awareness is something you can strengthen just like a muscle. How do you strengthen it? The 4 main practices are Yoga, Meditation, Breath Work (pranayama), and Self-Inquiry. Self-Inquiry is also the result of the first three practices, as it is our “awareness” that creates the inquiry. Self-inquiry is the process of asking yourself questions, observing your thoughts, emotions, and behavioral patterns, and reflecting upon your actions and reactions. Through repetition, your awareness builds strength and awareness slowly burns away old patterns. Literally, the brain forms new neurological “wiring” which changes the way we act or react in any given situation.

      Anchoring

      There is much that is beyond our control such as life circumstances and outcomes of our actions, but what we do have control of is the inner landscape of our mind and our actions. That might seem like a large task, and it does take time and routine practice of yoga and meditation (see Elements of Mastery for both), however, there is one thing you can do right now to help you maintain your ground when you step back into the all too familiar family dinner or holiday celebration. 

      “Create an Anchor” This is what I call having an intention, but I use the imagery of an anchor so when the seas get rough, you hold tight to the ocean floor and stay deeply grounded in your intention. The questions to form your intention are

      1. How do you want to feel?
      2. How do you want to act? 

      Anchor yourself into the answers to these questions by asking yourself how you want to feel/act the moment you start to feel your blood boil under the surface of your skin or when you just want to run or hide. When you notice yourself falling back into your old patterns, hold tight to your anchor and do not let go. You may need to excuse yourself and take a few breaths or do a quick sun salutation, and that is ok! Be compassionate, the river is incredibly strong but you are indeed stronger.

      Elements of Mastery

      The most in-depth online yoga immersion offered by Matt Giordano. This immersion contains several full-length workshops focusing on how the body relates to nature’s elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, & Space. In addition to deepening your physical practice, you will learn anatomy, adjustments, and the approach to Mastery!

      Product Bundles

      Get access to 3 or more products so you can develop your yoga practice in a well rounded and enjoyable way right from your home! You will not only save money but you will also have unlimited access to feeling better in your body and mind!

      Continue Learning

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder StandhalasanaPLOUGH POSE VS. SHOULDER STAND After we have engaged in postures that strengthen the posterior chain, Plough and Shoulder Stand offer a good stretch for these areas of the body. Plough in particular provides a more extensive...

      read more
      Arm Balance Transitions

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      Arm Balance TransitionskakasanaARM BALANCE TRANSITIONS Arm balance postures can be challenging enough without attempting to layer on a smooth transition in and out of them. However, fluid transitions are a natural progression in our yoga practice; they also provide...

      read more
      Hanumanasana Hints

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      read more
      Chin Stand

      Chin Stand

      Chin Standganda bherundasanaCHIN STAND Without a doubt, Chin Stand requires preparation. This posture must be approached with the utmost humility, essential in order to respect the potential risk. If this pose is not explored regularly in our physical practice, it may...

      read more
      Postpone The Stretch Sensation

      Postpone The Stretch Sensation

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      read more
      Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

      Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

      Wake Up Your Wheel Poseheart openerWAKE UP YOUR WHEEL POSE We don’t have to question it—we know whether or not we’re feeling open, free, and strong in Wheel Pose. There’s a lightness and expansiveness that takes over when everything falls into place: From the initial...

      read more

      TOP RECOMMENDATIONS 

      Handstand Training

      Learn the techniques that make Handstand fun, easy and accessible! This 2 part course consists of the top most effective exercises will increase your strength and technique so you can easefully balance a handstand.

      View Details

      SHOULDER REVELATION

      In this 12 class immersion  you will practice specific techniques to strengthen and unlock your shoulders. Each class focuses on a specific joint articulation and muscle group so you gain mastery in the shoulders.

      View Details

      HEART OPENERS

      Finally, a 12 class immersion designed specifically to help you discover the freedom of heart openers. Learn how to avoid uncomfortable compression, and awaken your true range of motion in a step by step manner.

      View Details

      THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

      When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

      • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
      • exclusive online course discounts
      • exclusive blogs and videos
      • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

      Still Have Questions? Email Matt Directly

      • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

      Spanda: Secret of Life

      Spanda

      Life’s Little Secret

      What is Spanda

      Spanda is one of the foundational teachings from the ancient tantric philosophies. To be clear, I am referring to the yoga traditions not the modern westernized term for sexual practices. Spanda refers to the pulse of the universe, the essence of life’s natural cycle and rhythm that is always occurring. What that really means is that everything in life is either moving toward expansion or contraction. For example, a seed that drops from a flower at the end of its life lands on the ground in a contracted state of pure potential. If that seed makes its way into the dirt and receives enough water and sunlight, it will move towards its expansion. The seed will begin to grow roots downward and eventually flowers upward. The seed represents limitless potential, while the flower is the manifestation of that potential. At the end of its life, the flower drops several seeds onto the earth and the cycle of potential begins yet again. The teaching is a reminder that all phases of the seed’s life are natural and inevitable. Even in its death, it leaves behind potential.

      SEEING SPANDA IN OUR LIFE  

      At first, this teaching can be something nice to think about, however, when you really observe your life you will begin to notice that it exists everywhere. Knowing that there is always a cycle of potential and manifestation, perhaps we could be less surprised and shaken when the projects, relationships, and circumstances of our life die and come back to the pure state of potential. The issue most of us face emotionally is that we believe everything that is happening now will continue to happen forever. This causes us tremendous suffering on both sides. Do you agree? Have you ever taken for granted the good things in your life? Have you lost something or someone special and spent far too long not moving forward? Yes, we all have, and this is where the teaching becomes helpful. It reminds us of the natural pulse of the universe, that sometimes we are the seed, eager to attain what we need in order to dig our roots into the earth and grow tall into our fullest manifestation. The eagerness is great, but it usually turns into impatience, forcefulness, or a retraction into the protective state of being where we give up far too soon wishing there was a shortcut. On the other side, there are aspects of our life where we are the flower, manifested and full of beauty. We all love this part of the process because it feels like everything is going the way we want it to. The potential downfall is either taking for granted the beauty of our life or simply lacking the clarity to see what we have created or who we have become. Look at your life. Where is your potential? Can you embrace the process, step into it, and let it unfold with every step? Look at what you have already created. Can you see it clearly without a sense of insecurity and self-doubt and find gratitude for who you have become and what you have built? 

      Where can I practice with teachers who talk about spanda?

      Chromatic Yoga Teachers around the world are teaching about Spanda in their classes. Find one near you at www.ChromaticYoga.com  

      Embrace your potential

      Most of our life is spent realizing our potential. To truly love life we must enjoy both the expansion and the contraction. This requires the ability to see the direction of your your actions. If you know where you are going and that you will get there, than you can relax right where you are now.

      The Joy of Spanda

      At first, the teaching of spanda was hard for me to embrace. I was annoyed at it in the beginning but I could see with great clarity that it was a teaching rooted in truth, not belief. It took some time to stop resisting the truth. I wanted to believe that if I practiced enough yoga and self-awareness I could live a life that is always in that sweet spot of expansion. The essence of what I was wanting was to feel the joy and freedom that I felt in the expanded states of life, and over time I realized that I could feel that regardless of the phase of spanda that my life was in. This is not about avoiding sadness, pain, or the challenges of life. It’s simply about having perspective and recognizing that life is a gift – ALL of it.

      To apply this approach to the body,  I recommend you check out Hips: Rock and Unlock ‘Em! This online workshop is a journey through what I call the 4 quadrants of the hips, supporting you on the path toward mastery of the inner thighs, outer hips, posterior chain, and hip flexors. 

      Elements of Mastery

      The most in-depth online yoga immersion offered by Matt Giordano. This immersion contains several full-length workshops focusing on how the body relates to nature’s elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, & Space. In addition to deepening your physical practice, you will learn anatomy, adjustments, and the approach to Mastery!

      Continue Learning

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder StandhalasanaPLOUGH POSE VS. SHOULDER STAND After we have engaged in postures that strengthen the posterior chain, Plough and Shoulder Stand offer a good stretch for these areas of the body. Plough in particular provides a more extensive...

      read more
      Arm Balance Transitions

      Arm Balance Transitions

      Arm Balance TransitionskakasanaARM BALANCE TRANSITIONS Arm balance postures can be challenging enough without attempting to layer on a smooth transition in and out of them. However, fluid transitions are a natural progression in our yoga practice; they also provide...

      read more
      Hanumanasana Hints

      Hanumanasana Hints

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      read more
      Chin Stand

      Chin Stand

      Chin Standganda bherundasanaCHIN STAND Without a doubt, Chin Stand requires preparation. This posture must be approached with the utmost humility, essential in order to respect the potential risk. If this pose is not explored regularly in our physical practice, it may...

      read more
      Postpone The Stretch Sensation

      Postpone The Stretch Sensation

      Postpone the Stretch SensationflexibilityPOSTPONE THE STRETCH SENSATION If one of the goals of our physical yoga practice is to increase flexibility, we may automatically believe that we just need to stretch more. It’s critical that we understand that increasing...

      read more
      Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

      Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

      Wake Up Your Wheel Poseheart openerWAKE UP YOUR WHEEL POSE We don’t have to question it—we know whether or not we’re feeling open, free, and strong in Wheel Pose. There’s a lightness and expansiveness that takes over when everything falls into place: From the initial...

      read more

      TOP RECOMMENDATIONS 

      Handstand Training

      Learn the techniques that make Handstand fun, easy and accessible! This 2 part course consists of the top most effective exercises will increase your strength and technique so you can easefully balance a handstand.

      View Details

      SHOULDER REVELATION

      In this 12 class immersion  you will practice specific techniques to strengthen and unlock your shoulders. Each class focuses on a specific joint articulation and muscle group so you gain mastery in the shoulders.

      View Details

      HEART OPENERS

      Finally, a 12 class immersion designed specifically to help you discover the freedom of heart openers. Learn how to avoid uncomfortable compression, and awaken your true range of motion in a step by step manner.

      View Details

      THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

      When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

      • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
      • exclusive online course discounts
      • exclusive blogs and videos
      • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

      Still Have Questions? Email Matt Directly

      • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

      200 hour training Questions

      200 hour training

      IS IT RIGHT FOR YOU? TOP 3 QUESTIONS ANSWERED

       

       

      THE BIG DECISION

      You are likely here because you have been considering taking your 200-hour training but you aren’t sure if it’s right for you, what you will learn, who you should take it with, or where you should go to take it. It is a big decision and a commitment that is worth taking the time to research, so thank you for stopping by and taking a moment to learn a little more about it. In the video below I go over the top 3 questions that I get whenever students are interested in taking a 200-hour training with me. In addition, I talk about my #1 tip to consider when searching for the right one for you.

      Underneath the questions are some primary concerns that I would like to discuss here before you watch the video. This decision is likely challenging for you because it is a large investment of either your time or money or both. These are two energies in life that are precious. For some of you, money isn’t an issue and for others, you may have all the time in the world, meanwhile, some of you have no money and no time, so why spend both on a 200-hour training? This is what your mind has been saying has it not? On the other hand, something inside you is being pulled toward a training and you can’t help but look around for answers.

      NO TIME, NO MONEY.

      I personally remember my experience. I was a full-time touring musician in a moderately successful band on the rise. It had been 7 going on 8 years of committing to this dream of ours, and we were so close to our big break. I had informally begun teaching in my mother’s basement to my friends and their friends while we were in the studio recording our next album. During the recording was the longest stretch of being home that we had had in years of being in the band together. I rapidly fell in love with teaching and my classes went from one a week with 5 friends to 4 a week with 30 eager yogis. I was being asked to sub at local gyms and studios, as well as lead events for Lululemon. There was a part of me that felt like I was lying. I had never done a teacher training before and I wasn’t certified to teach. I worried about people finding out, and I wanted to do a teacher training. The only challenge was, after being in a band for so long, I never really had any money, and at the same time, we were about to complete our album and head out on the road for a year of nonstop touring. I never did make the decision for myself and as a result, I was constantly feeling torn between the commitment I made to myself and my bandmates several years prior and my current passion for sharing the practice of yoga. Emotionally I was now feeling stressed and isolated. I was no longer “living the dream.” I was living yesterday’s dream which was today’s nightmare of feeling trapped. Eventually, life chose for me. My singer had been asked to go on American Idol which was both an opportunity for him and potential mass exposure for us. We all agreed to cancel several months of touring for him to focus on American Idol. I was quietly jumping out of my skin for the chance to have enough time to do a training. I now had the time but still…no money. Out of happenstance and desperation on the part of the studio, I had the opportunity to sub for one of my teachers at Pure Yoga in Manhattan. Afterward, the studio received several requests to have me teach full time. They instantly hired me, however, when they asked where I took my training, I couldn’t lie. I told them I wasn’t certified to teach. They told me I would be hired as soon as I finished my training. My teachers and friends knew of my financial situation, so they pulled together and did fundraiser events for me, while I reached out to my friends and family for support. Thankfully I was able to jump into my first official teacher training, and from there I started my career in Manhattan. Choosing a training was easy for me. My teachers were all co-leading a training at Pure Yoga for the first time and they had worked hard to get me into the training. Which leads us to my number one tip for choosing a training. Watch the video to find out!

      The reason I share this story is for two purposes. First, take your time making the choice but don’t wait so long that life has to do it for you. If you do this, you will feel months or years of being emotionally torn and no matter how much you justify your indecision, you will ultimately feel it. Second, you will find a way to make it work. Once you make the decision you will find a way to work out the time or the money. Be solution-oriented instead of identified with the problem. Yes, there is a problem, no time and/or no money, but instead of letting it define your actions, let it spark your creativity to find a way. Talk about it with friends, family members and teachers, take suggestions and figure out how to integrate them. You will find a way!

      BEGINS OCTOBER 1ST 2020

      WHAT ABOUT ONLINE YOGA TRAININGS?

       

      Covid19 was a wake-up call for most people, and the yoga industry was no exception. Out of necessity, yoga teachers have shifted to platforms like zoom in order to continue sharing the practice. Yoga Teacher Trainings were canceled, postponed, and some took the initiative to go against the grain and go online. Many teachers disagreed with the decision of others to offer teacher trainings presenting the argument that you cannot get the same experience online as in person, the interpersonal connections that happen in person in particular. The other side of the argument is how much more effective online education is when presented properly. The real question is, can teachers create a powerful and effective experience for students to transform the way they move in their body, develop greater awareness and freedom mentally and emotionally through introspection and self-inquiry, and ultimately attain the skills to share the practice with others?   

      The teachers that focus on the experience they want to deliver and the intention behind that can use technology to their advantage. Everything is possible when looking at possibilities. The teachers that don’t consider the online platform and its capabilities will likely fall short. Of course, there are the rare marketing-driven companies that simply hold the intention to make a profit off of a need. There is nothing wrong with this if they are also offering a high-quality experience delivered from a seasoned or teaching team that has mindfully put together a curriculum that is effective online. Just like with in-person trainings, both exist.

      How To Choose an Online Training 

      When choosing an online training that is right for you, I suggest speaking with the lead teacher directly and getting your questions answered. Ask yourself what your main objectives are for doing a teacher training. What are your main concerns? What is important to you when it comes to learning from a yoga teacher? Do you want to be a teacher or just advance your practice? What are you most scared of? What excites you the most about doing a teacher training? Get clear so you can see which training resonates with you the most.

      Is it Possible to Have Interpersonal Connection Online?

      The major challenge with creating REAL CONNECTIONS online in teacher trainings is getting students to get comfortable being themselves on camera. The training here on theyogimatt.com focuses on this throughout both the 200 hr and 300 hour online in a few particular ways. First, we set the intention – put it out on the table that almost everyone feels uncomfortable on camera, especially talking to the camera. We break the ice and learn the basics of filming ourselves. We have one on one, small group, large group, and Facebook group conversations over video. The multiple methods provide a safe space to get comfortable sharing truthfully and honestly. Everyone is encouraged to simply show up imperfectly and courageously. When it comes to submitting teaching videos, students have the opportunity to film and re-film multiple times prior to submission which serves as a great training ground for practice. We share sequences, reflections on philosophy, meditation, anatomy, and life. In short, we hold the intention to connect with one another! If connection is important to you then be sure to find a training that holds that intention.

      “I am not advanced in my yoga practice. Is this right for me?”

      TOP 3 QUESTIONS

      Out of the challenges of time or money many questions will arise as to whether or not the 200-hour training is right for you. Before we get to them, consider what your life is like with the practice of yoga in it. What would it be like without it? After a 200 hour training, you will have a similar feeling about the experience when thinking about your life before the training and after. You will more than likely feel so grateful that you took the dive into your practice and found a way to make it happen. Let’s go over the top 3 questions.

       

      1. I am not an advanced practitioner, will I be able to keep up?

      I say absolutely. In my 200 hour training, you learn how to teach the practices/skills/postures that you are most proficient at. Rather than trying to teach something that you have not yet developed in your practice, you will learn how to share your strengths with your students. At the same time, you will be taking steps to advance your personal practice appropriately. This means you will begin your advancement based on where your practice is when you step into the training. You will not be expected to live up to anyone else’s potential but your own. You will not be held to anyone else’s standard for practice but yours. So long as you have a curiosity and desire to deepen your practice, then you are right on track with where you need to be for this training. If attending a training elsewhere, be sure to direct this question to the lead teacher. Also, be sure to familiarize yourself with the lead teacher’s style either in person or online before diving into training with them.

      2: I want to deepen my practice but don't want to teach is that ok?

      I would guess that only about 10% of people that take 200 hour trainings go on to actually teach yoga full time, and maybe about 50% share the practice in some way as a way of offering to their community, friends or family. The majority of people take 200 hour trainings in order to deepen their study of themselves as it is the best way to fully immerse yourself into the yoga practice without having to leave society and find your yoga master in a cave in the middle of nowhere. This doesn’t mean you won’t teach or that you won’t be prepared to teach, however, it’s best to let this question be answered by the end of your training instead of worrying about it upfront. Do the 200-hour training if you want to go deeper into yourself and your yoga practice. Do it to become more aware of your physical body, emotions, and mind. Do the training to learn the skills of sharing your passion with others to support them in feeling good in their body and mind, but release yourself from any pressure that says you have to do or be anything or anyone that you don’t want to.

       

      3. will i be qualified and certified to teach yoga classes from this training?

      Most 200-hour yoga trainings out there are recognized by Yoga Alliance, which means you will be registered with YA. What does this mean? In reality, it means nothing in terms of the quality of the trainings it simply means that the lead teacher or studio pays Yoga Alliance. For you, however, it may be important as you are establishing yourself to be with Yoga Alliance. Some gyms and studios require it. All of my trainings are recognized, and therefore you will be able to register with them as well. If you are to spend the money on certification, you might as well have it be a Yoga Alliance recognized training so you can take your certification anywhere. Qualified is different than certified. Qualified means you are ready to teach and share the practice of yoga with others. This is my highest aim – I want every trainee to feel confident in their ability to share this practice by the end of the training. Regardless of if you decide to teach or not, you will feel comfortable by the end of this training to pass along the beauty of this practice with others around you!

      200 HOUR ONLINE 

      TEACHER TRAINING COURSE

      200 hour

      IS IT OK TO DO  TRAINING ONLINE?

      There are a few factors that come into play with this question. First the teacher and the curriculum they have created. If the teacher knows how to leverage the online platform to the advantage of the students with video editing, course structure, quiz, video submissions, Facebook groups, video messaging, and so on then it’s likely that they can deliver a powerful course that does what in-person trainings could never do. If the teacher is new to the online platform, does not leverage course software, and does not know how to transmit their curriculum and take full advantage of what the internet has to offer then it’s not likely to be a great experience.

      Speaking for the 200 Hour Training Online here on theyogimatt.com we have put together a training that takes the 10-year time-tested curriculum and made it even better. The best part is you can watch and rewatch videos, and repeat quiz questions until you have mastered the content provided. In these trainings, you are assigned a mentor and a small group to interact and connect with. We use Facebook groups for questions and answers, sharing of sequences, anatomy discoveries, heartfelt reflections, and so much more. We leverage visuals in order to teach complex subjects such as anatomy; you will get on-screen images of the muscles while you move in your physical body.

      In short, the online platform offers an immense opportunity that you could never get in person.

      MY #1 TIP

      When searching for a 200 Hour training, I highly recommend getting to know the teacher first. Reading their blogs, practicing with them online or in-person if possible is incredibly helpful so you can know if you align with them or not. Find someone who inspires you and gets you excited to step into your potential! Try not to be distracted by exotic locations, or levels of fame, or quality of photos, etc. All of these aspects can be bonuses, of course, however, it is more important that you resonate with the teacher and what they have to offer. Your time is the most valuable thing you have, spend it with the people that help you rise up to who you want to be.

      If you are looking to practice with me online, there is a free practice available to newsletter subscribers – scroll to the bottom of this page to receive it. That practice was recorded on my phone, so if you want a more professional practice with great sound and various camera angles, or if you want another powerful practice, I recommend trying out Dance with the Flames which uses the theme of stepping into the fire of transformation in order live the life you deserve. I sincerely hope you make use of the transformation equation and that it serves you for the many years to come! Please share your comments, questions, and experiences. I look forward to hearing from you.

      upcoming 200 hour trainings

      Are you ready to deepen your practice, build your confidence, and share the practice that you love? The 200 Hour Online training is an in-depth, highly educational experience that brings you through a step-by-step process of developing your yoga practice while providing you with teaching techniques that will not only certify you to teach but qualify on a professional level. This training will prepare you to walk into any room and teach with confidence and poise. You will also gain the tools of how to teach online yoga as well!

      ONLINE LIVE CLASS IMMERSIONS

      Expand your practice on and off the mat with Matt Giordano. With 3 Yoga Classes a week, you will learn the most effective techniques to develop strength, flexibility, balance, and body awareness. With unlimited lifetime access, you will have the choice to practice live or anytime at your convenience!

      Continue Learning

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

      Plough Pose vs. Shoulder StandhalasanaPLOUGH POSE VS. SHOULDER STAND After we have engaged in postures that strengthen the posterior chain, Plough and Shoulder Stand offer a good stretch for these areas of the body. Plough in particular provides a more extensive...

      read more
      Arm Balance Transitions

      Arm Balance Transitions

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      read more
      Hanumanasana Hints

      Hanumanasana Hints

      Hanumanasana HintssplitsHANUMANASANA HINTS Applying intelligent techniques to a posture like Hanumanasana is crucial—simply hoping for the best is definitely not the way to go! That mindset leaves us vulnerable to injury. Hanumanasana is also the type of pose that can...

      read more
      Chin Stand

      Chin Stand

      Chin Standganda bherundasanaCHIN STAND Without a doubt, Chin Stand requires preparation. This posture must be approached with the utmost humility, essential in order to respect the potential risk. If this pose is not explored regularly in our physical practice, it may...

      read more
      Postpone The Stretch Sensation

      Postpone The Stretch Sensation

      Postpone the Stretch SensationflexibilityPOSTPONE THE STRETCH SENSATION If one of the goals of our physical yoga practice is to increase flexibility, we may automatically believe that we just need to stretch more. It’s critical that we understand that increasing...

      read more
      Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

      Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

      Wake Up Your Wheel Poseheart openerWAKE UP YOUR WHEEL POSE We don’t have to question it—we know whether or not we’re feeling open, free, and strong in Wheel Pose. There’s a lightness and expansiveness that takes over when everything falls into place: From the initial...

      read more

      THE LIVE IMMERSION EXPERIENCE

      Are you interested in developing your practice and taking it to the next level? Do you want to learn the techniques that maximize your potential in advancing your practice while minimizing the risk of injury? This immersion is for you. Take a deep dive into the heart of yoga in both body and mind. With 12 Live Yoga Practices, 4 Live Meditations, 2 Live group Zoom Calls, and a Facebook group to get all your questions answered, this immersion is sure to meet your expectations and go well beyond. Can’t practice at the live times? NO Problem, you get lifetime, anytime, anywhere access. After the class goes live, you will be able to tune in and watch as much as you would like!

       

       

       

      FAQ’S

      HOW DOES IT WORK?

      When you sign up for the immersion, you will gain access to an exclusive members area of theyogimatt.com. When you are logged in, you will have access and be able to watch the live stream that day, and any previously aired live streams from that month.

      ARE THERE RECURRING PAYMENTS?

      NO. You are paying for access to one month of classes. After that, you will be provided a discounted rate should you want to continue practicing regularly. You will NOT be automatically billed. THIS IS A ONE TIME PAYMENT that gives you access to the classes in the respective month that you purchase.

      WHAT IF I CAN'T MAKE THE LIVE TIME?

      NO PROBLEM AT ALL! The Immersion consists of yogis worldwide in various time zones. This is why you have LIFETIME and UNLIMITED access. You can practice when it is convenient for you. You will receive emails throughout the week to keep you on track and keep you inspired to practice. There is a Facebook group where you will hear from other members, be able to ask questions, and stay connected. Both the emails from me and the group will keep you committed to your practice, even if you cannot practice live.

      IS THIS TOO ADVANCED FOR ME?

      Matt specializes in teaching ALL Levels yoga practices, providing modifications, and options throughout each class. These immersions are suitable for anyone with as little as 1-3 months of yoga practice or more. You do not need to have a regular practice, nor do you need to be flexible or strong. First-time yogis are welcomed so long as you have no major injuries.

      WHAT STUDENTS SAY ABOUT THE LIVE IMMERISONS

      Matt‘s classes are phenomenal. If you ever have the ability to practice with him, make use of it!! He has a very unique talent of combining anatomy, yoga philosophy, and his own perspective into a super intense package of knowledge that is fun AND easy to understand. I enjoyed the April immersion a lot as it was a great way of deepening my own practice and broadening my horizon, especially as the lifetime access allows you to take classes as often as you want- trust me, you will want to take them again! I can’t wait for next month’s classes and highly recommend everyone to take the May pass and joining in on the journey.

      ~Nadja Kyra King - @nadja_kyra

      Matt’s April pass was a journey. It was more than just the physical exploration of my practice but also helped me explore my spiritual practice. It was very nice to have a consistent practice during this time of uncertainty. If you are looking for a practice to ground yourself I would highly recommend exploring the Live Immersion of the Month.
      ~Amanda Barnes Salowsky

      Covid19 bought Matt into my home and my yoga practice. This last month I have learned so much. It has deepened my practice and my understanding of anatomy & biomechanics and how we use both in every asana we practice. He has also helped in my teaching, for example, asking my students to think about the foot as a tripod “big toe, pinkie toe, heel ” I never imagined I would learn so much from the immersion.

      ~Debbie, @the_joyofyoga

      IMMERSION BEGINS IN

      Day(s)

      :

      Hour(s)

      :

      Minute(s)

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      Second(s)

      REGISTER NOW AND SAVE!

      Reserve your spot, Be one of the first 50 students to sign up and you will save $200!

      Are you ready to reconnect to your body, expand your practice, and feel better on a daily basis?

       

      TOP RECOMMENDATIONS 

      Handstand Training

      Learn the techniques that make Handstand fun, easy and accessible! This 2 part course consists of the top most effective exercises will increase your strength and technique so you can easefully balance a handstand.

      View Details

      SHOULDER REVELATION

      In this 12 class immersion  you will practice specific techniques to strengthen and unlock your shoulders. Each class focuses on a specific joint articulation and muscle group so you gain mastery in the shoulders.

      View Details

      HEART OPENERS

      Finally, a 12 class immersion designed specifically to help you discover the freedom of heart openers. Learn how to avoid uncomfortable compression, and awaken your true range of motion in a step by step manner.

      View Details

      THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

      When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

      • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
      • exclusive online course discounts
      • exclusive blogs and videos
      • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

      Still Have Questions? Email Matt Directly

      • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

      The Transformation Equation

      The Transformation Equation

       

       

      A.C.T.

      Deep inside every one of us there exists a desire to be the best we can be during this short time that we have here in this life. It may be covered up by insecurities, shame, guilt, or the business of our day-to-day. You owe it to yourself to live a life that feels amazing and has a positive impact on everyone around you. Reading this means you are already stepping in the right direction. Only those called toward a path of self-awareness would get excited enough at the word “transformation.” Most would be terrified of the word and back away entirely. Acknowledge your courage and continue seeking the tools that support your growth.

      A.C.T. is the acronym I use for the Transformation Equation. It stands for Awareness + Conscious Action = Transformation. Before we go over what I mean by this, let’s first get clear on one thing. Transformation in the spiritual sense of the word is not the same as change. Change is inevitable, it’s happening all around us, within us, and it is unstoppable. Try to take control and stop change and you will always lose as it is a law of life. On the other hand, Transformation is a choice. While everyone longs to transform their lives and live at their highest potential, few are willing to risk the comforts of the known over the adventure of the unknown. Stepping into your potential is not without risk. You can try and calculate it but ultimately you have no idea what lies ahead. All you can control is what you do with the time that you have. Do you choose to face the challenges that are required for you to step up to your potential, or do you sit back living in the known stagnancy of day-to-day tasks?

      Dance With The Flames

      Do you struggle with tight or weak hips, low back discomfort, or emotional stress? This workshop will provide you with a step-by-step approach to increase flexibility,  strength, and peace of mind. Evoke your inner fire and dance through life, the journey starts now!

      AWARENESS + CONSCIOUS ACTION = TRANSFORMATION

        Step 1. Awareness

        Awareness is required before action if you want your efforts to produce positive outcomes. Action without awareness will still be productive but as we know, it often causes burn out and unfavorable results. Awareness can only be built through routine exercises of self-inquiry and observation. Self-inquiry is focused contemplation, asking yourself the questions to better understand your patterns of behavior. Most people are terrified of self-awareness simply because they don’t want to see all the aspects of themselves that they do not like. While it is true that you will see the darkness of who you are, you will also grow to see your amazing light that permeates every cell of your body. You cannot see your inner magnificence without cleaning off the lens that you see yourself through, which means you’ll have to be willing to see aspects of yourself that you are not proud of. No matter how much we each deny it, we all want to be the best we can be, and that requires facing our internal challenges, cleaning our lens of perception, and inquiring about who we are and why. Self-inquiry takes tremendous courage but as a result, we become self-aware, grateful for the person that we are, relaxed in our being, confident, filled with love to give, able to receive, more productive, less burnt out, more joyful, and so on.

        Step 2: Conscious action

        Action in alignment with awareness leads to profound results. Conscious Action requires awareness in every step, re-evaluation, and clear communication with anyone you are carrying out the actions with. Awareness produces a clarity inside of who you are and what you want to create with the time you have in this body. However, without Conscious Action, you can never grow into your potential. Potential is a trajectory, a path that you walk not a destination. Your potential could simply be to become a kind-hearted, loving human being, or it might be bigger than that: to become one who pulls others around them into their potential. Your potential will always grow as you take steps toward it – stay in tune through self-inquiry, and Consciously take action in alignment with it.

        Result: Transformation

        Transformation is the inevitable result of your awareness and actions. The choice to transform your current life for the person you are becoming is one that very few people take in this life. Transformation can not happen without Awareness because without seeing your own magnificence you can never expand upon it. If all you see is your self-doubt and insecurities, and you spend your energy hiding them from the majority of people you connect with, you will never have the energy to move forward. Do you choose to hide or do you choose to get courageous, see and share yourself, and expand into the person you are becoming? Watch the video below to see more about how to make use of the transformation equation and build the courage to step into your magnificence potential. You deserve it. 

        Create a Life You Love

        Place your energy on what you want to create in your life so that the short life that you get to live is filled with love! If you are looking to go deeper, I taught and recorded a workshop live called Dance with the Flames which uses the theme of stepping into the fire of transformation in order to live the life you deserve. I sincerely hope you make use of the transformation equation and that it serves you for the many years to come! Please share your comments, questions, and experiences. I look forward to hearing from you.

        DANCE WITH THE FLAMES

        A rare and exciting experience that will take you through an incredible adventure in both body and mind.  If you are looking to step into the fire of transformation so you can joyfully dance with the flames, this is the perfect workshop. It was filmed live to bring you the fullness of energy!

        Continue Learning

        Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

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        Plough Pose vs. Shoulder StandhalasanaPLOUGH POSE VS. SHOULDER STAND After we have engaged in postures that strengthen the posterior chain, Plough and Shoulder Stand offer a good stretch for these areas of the body. Plough in particular provides a more extensive...

        read more
        Arm Balance Transitions

        Arm Balance Transitions

        Arm Balance TransitionskakasanaARM BALANCE TRANSITIONS Arm balance postures can be challenging enough without attempting to layer on a smooth transition in and out of them. However, fluid transitions are a natural progression in our yoga practice; they also provide...

        read more
        Hanumanasana Hints

        Hanumanasana Hints

        Hanumanasana HintssplitsHANUMANASANA HINTS Applying intelligent techniques to a posture like Hanumanasana is crucial—simply hoping for the best is definitely not the way to go! That mindset leaves us vulnerable to injury. Hanumanasana is also the type of pose that can...

        read more
        Chin Stand

        Chin Stand

        Chin Standganda bherundasanaCHIN STAND Without a doubt, Chin Stand requires preparation. This posture must be approached with the utmost humility, essential in order to respect the potential risk. If this pose is not explored regularly in our physical practice, it may...

        read more
        Postpone The Stretch Sensation

        Postpone The Stretch Sensation

        Postpone the Stretch SensationflexibilityPOSTPONE THE STRETCH SENSATION If one of the goals of our physical yoga practice is to increase flexibility, we may automatically believe that we just need to stretch more. It’s critical that we understand that increasing...

        read more
        Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

        Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

        Wake Up Your Wheel Poseheart openerWAKE UP YOUR WHEEL POSE We don’t have to question it—we know whether or not we’re feeling open, free, and strong in Wheel Pose. There’s a lightness and expansiveness that takes over when everything falls into place: From the initial...

        read more

        TOP RECOMMENDATIONS 

        Handstand Training

        Learn the techniques that make Handstand fun, easy and accessible! This 2 part course consists of the top most effective exercises will increase your strength and technique so you can easefully balance a handstand.

        View Details

        SHOULDER REVELATION

        In this 12 class immersion  you will practice specific techniques to strengthen and unlock your shoulders. Each class focuses on a specific joint articulation and muscle group so you gain mastery in the shoulders.

        View Details

        HEART OPENERS

        Finally, a 12 class immersion designed specifically to help you discover the freedom of heart openers. Learn how to avoid uncomfortable compression, and awaken your true range of motion in a step by step manner.

        View Details

        THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

        When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

        • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
        • exclusive online course discounts
        • exclusive blogs and videos
        • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

        Still Have Questions? Email Matt Directly

        • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

        UNLOCK YOUR HIPS

        UNLOCK YOUR HIPS

         OUTER HIP STRENGTH AND FLEXIBILITY FOR THE LOW BACK AND S.I. JOINT

         

        THE LOW BACK AND S.I. JOINT

        Low back pain or S.I. Joint instability are quite common for many people and the cause seems to be a mystery. What most people don’t realize is that pain is usually the result of weak or underdeveloped muscles resulting in the overcompensation by other muscles. In other words, the body develops patterns that are perhaps not the best when it comes to our well-being. Why does it develop patterns? All of nature adapts to the environment. As beings of nature, we do exactly the same thing – the body adapts to what we give it. If we give it a shape and hold that shape for the majority of the day then it will develop patterns of elongated muscles and shortened muscles. Some of the muscles that tend to cause problems for the low back that are often overlooked are the ABDUCTORS of the Hips. 3 of the muscles that make up the abductors are the Gluteus medius, Gluteus Minimus and T.F.L. You can see in the photo to the right (or below if you’re on mobile) that the gluteus medius attaches to each side of the pelvis and to the top of the thigh bone. 

        LOW BACK PAIN

        The two sides of the pelvis are actually independently mobile structures due to the sacrum that lies in the middle which has a joint on either side that is called the S.I. Joint. This joint allows the pelvis on each side to move. This is a blessing but could also be a curse if the abductor muscles are out of balance. If one side is tight and the other flexible this could cause the pelvis to tilt, potentially resulting in low back discomfort or scoliosis. This was the case for me.

        Growing up, I played hockey which strengthens the abductors. Unfortunately, I favored my right leg significantly which caused an over development and shortening of the musculature on the right side resulting in scoliosis and back pain throughout high school and college until about a year into yoga when I finally learned how to unlock my hips!

        S.I JOINT

        Now for other people, the low back isn’t affected but the S.I. Joint is. This seems to be most common amongst women, especially those that have had children – the ligaments tend to be more lax and so the sacrum can move inside the two sides of the pelvis resulting in pain on the back of the pelvis or radiating through the lower back near the pelvis and sacrum.

        THE SOLUTION

        There are many muscles that surround the pelvis that can pull on either side of the ilium or sacrum which could create pain, so where do we begin? Often times it can be overwhelming and ineffective to target all the hip and back muscles every yoga practice, so it is useful to focus on one area per practice. In the video below I share with you ways of working on the Abductor group for strength and range of motion. You may find that one side is not as strong as the other – if this is the case I recommend strengthening the weaker side which will help bring the abductors into balance.

        I do have a workshop called Hips: Rock and Unlock Em that I created as a way to target as many of these muscles within one practice. You could start there to get a feel for what areas of your hips are underdeveloped or out of balance.

        In addition, I highly recommend the JULY IMMERSION which focuses on the Chakras. The first 5 practices of that immersion will awaken your strength, flexibility and awareness of the muscles that surround the hips.

        OPEN YOUR HIPS AND HEART

        The July Immersion takes you on a 12 Class Journey through the Chakras and the elements, to develop your strength, flexibility, and awareness of each energy center and the corresponding muscles. There is a heavy focus on the Hips in the Earth, & Water classes, and the Back in the Water and Air classes, balanced by Core strengthening in the Fire section.

        THE STEP BY STEP APPROACH

        “Dream big, start small, then connect the dots.” This quote from Dan Millman’s Wisdom of the Peaceful Warrior has been the foundation of my yoga practice from the moment I stepped on the yoga mat. It was that book that led my to yoga in the first place, and that line that became a mantra in my head from that moment on. How does it apply to the asana practice? Most people come into the yoga practice and feel something magnificent and of course they want to come back. At some point, regardless of how egoless we believe ourselves to be, we become attracted to the external postures of the yoga practice. It’s typically innocent of course, we associate a feeling with certain postures, on a subtle level we believe that when we attain them we will feel strong, powerful, fearless, light, free, at peace, worthy of love, kindness, etc. On an intellectual level, we usually know that this is not reality but we get pulled into it anyway. The beautiful thing is that we are being pulled into practice and the practice reveals what we need to learn. So I wouldn’t ridicule this process, but rather as you walk the path remind yourself that everything you wish to feel already exists within you, and rather than expecting yoga to do the practice for you, step into the feeling you crave and let that amplify your practice. This is what it means to practice with intention.  

        All that being said while we are living in this body we want to take care of it and allow it to reach its highest potential which includes movement practices, stability practices, diet, hygiene, mental health, creative expression, and so on. When I say highest potential, I don’t mean an end result or destination but rather a trajectory that gets us to walk the path. The purpose of this blog is to support your physical well-being in regard to your body. Asana is the practice that cultivates our body awareness, but most of us focus on the postures instead of our body and as a result we are left with thousands of shapes and alignment cues. A shortcut to body awareness is to put your body first, and the pose second! What does that mean? There are only a few major joints to learn in the body, and each has a few movements available to it. There are muscles that surround each joint that create this movement. If you use your asana practice to become aware, proficient, or even masterful in each movement then you will no longer be perplexed when you see a new pose, you will know exactly what is needed to put your body in that shape. You will grow to understand your limitations and your abilities, becoming your own best teacher.  

        THE CHROMATIC SYSTEM 

        I created Chromatic Yoga based on this concept of small steps toward our potential. Each month we have a focus in our classes, a Physical Through-Line (PTL), and a Thematic Through-Line (TTL).  The PTL is the one muscle group or joint action that we pull through an entire class, or workshop, while the TTL is similar but for building awareness of the mind and subtle energies of life. Because I encourage Chromatic Teachers to be authentic with how they teach, each will have their own way of creatively sharing the PTL and TTL. This month PTL – Abductors of the hip, is the focus of the video below. These are just a few ways to strengthen and become aware of the muscles.

        To find a Chromatic Yoga Teacher near you be sure to visit us at www.ChromaticYoga.com 

        3 Steps to Master the Abductors

        1. Awareness: learn the sensation of activating the abductors
        2. Strengthen: the muscle group through various postures in your yoga practice.
        3. Practice: activate the abductors over the course of time, through as many yoga postures as possible until you can easily activate them on command in any posture!

        Step 1. Awareness

        The first step to building awareness of any muscle is to intellectually understand where it exists in the body. The abductor group is generally located in the outer hip/pelvic region. In addition to the intellectual understanding, you must learn what it feels like to activate this muscle. For this, it’s typically easiest to “create a boundary” and press into it. So here I have placed a hand outside the knee and I press into the hand which creates the action of abduction and engages the abductors.

        Step 2: strengthen

        Next, you will want to develop strength in accessible postures. Typically choosing static postures for “isometric” engagement is a safe and stable way to strength. Isometric means activate the muscle without movement of the joints. For this video, I chose Chair pose to share with you. With feet about hip-width apart, push your yoga mat apart with your heels while keeping your knees pointing straight forward. Note: if your pelvis is tucked under you may not be able to access the abductors, stick your buttocks upward.

        Step 3: Practice

        Lastly, you will need to learn how to activate this muscle group through a range of motion. This means not only choosing a wide range of static yoga postures to activate the abductors in, but you will also want to do the movements that it creates. For this, I chose fire hydrant pose, both abducting the upper hip by lifting the leg up high, and the lower hip by squeezing the pelvis inward. Because the foot is on the ground, moving and rotating the pelvis away from the foot is abduction. You will feel it in your outer hip muscles.

        Mastery Leads to Discernment

        Why become masterful at anything? Mastery is not an end goal, it is simply a state of heightened awareness and capability. To become masterful in your physical body is not a chore but rather a privilege. Getting to know this vehicle that we have for only a short period of time is a form of respect and love. There is no end to mastery, just like there is no end to potential, it’s simply a trajectory or path that we walk out of respect to the greater energy that pulses through us. Mastery simply means that we can assess what is appropriate for the well-being of our body at any given time, and we have the tools to do what’s necessary to feel better. While we will always have blind spots, we can minimize the vast amount of guesswork by taking the step-by-step approach to understanding our body – one muscle group or joint action at a time.

        To apply this approach to the body,  I recommend practicing The July Immersion – 12 Yoga Classes, 4 Guided Meditations – and Hips: Rock and Unlock ‘Em!  The online workshop is a journey through what I call the 4 quadrants of the hips, supporting you on the path toward mastery of the inner thighs, outer hips, posterior chain, and hip flexors.

        Hips: Rock & Unlock 'Em

        Get 2 full hours with Matt Giordano focusing on the techniques that increase the range of motion in your hips and provide long-lasting freedom. You will have immediate, unlimited access, and can enjoy the benefits today!

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        Continue Learning

        Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

        Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

        Plough Pose vs. Shoulder StandhalasanaPLOUGH POSE VS. SHOULDER STAND After we have engaged in postures that strengthen the posterior chain, Plough and Shoulder Stand offer a good stretch for these areas of the body. Plough in particular provides a more extensive...

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        Arm Balance Transitions

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        Arm Balance TransitionskakasanaARM BALANCE TRANSITIONS Arm balance postures can be challenging enough without attempting to layer on a smooth transition in and out of them. However, fluid transitions are a natural progression in our yoga practice; they also provide...

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        Chin Stand

        Chin Stand

        Chin Standganda bherundasanaCHIN STAND Without a doubt, Chin Stand requires preparation. This posture must be approached with the utmost humility, essential in order to respect the potential risk. If this pose is not explored regularly in our physical practice, it may...

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        Postpone The Stretch Sensation

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        Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

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        In this 12 class immersion  you will practice specific techniques to strengthen and unlock your shoulders. Each class focuses on a specific joint articulation and muscle group so you gain mastery in the shoulders.

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        Lifting The Arches of Your Feet

        Are Your Arches Lifted?

        Setting the foundation for standing postures - Avoid Collapsed Arches

        Is your foundation trong?

        Setting the foundation of any posture is arguably the most important step you can take aside from breathing of course, which you can simply consider a part of the foundation. You probably have heard me talk about the foundation of arm balances and handstands a million times, but how about standing postures? If you have practiced with me on retreat or at the Elements of Mastery, you already know the importance of what I am about to share with you. If you have not worked with me before, no problem, I am going to take you through a step-by-step approach to building a strong, solid foundation for all your standing postures.

        Have you been asked to lift the arches of your foot in a class? Did you know how to do that on your own? Maybe you were told to lift your toes in order to do so, and you probably noticed a loss of connection to stability. Lifting your toes can be a great way to strengthen some of the muscles I am about to share with you, but it is literally just the beginning.

        Does it really matter?

        This is a great question and I wouldn’t blame you for asking because ultimately knowing the why behind anything we do gives our actions power. So why lift the arches? Consider your feet the foundation of all standing postures. Would you build your extremely expensive one-of-a-kind house on mud, or would you prefer a solid foundation you know will hold up over time? Picture it, a strong, heavy house resting on a muddy foundation, eventually part of the house would start to sink downward while other parts remained strong. The pressure would build and the weakest parts would start to break. This happens in our body, and the weakest points are typically our joints. The joints are weak because they are the place where two or more bones come together for the purpose of movement. If they were too strong, no movement would be available. Gravity is always upon us and pulling us downward. When our bones are properly aligned there is less stress on the joints. However, what if we have an imbalance at the ankle that causes our weight to fall to the inside or outside of the foot? Not only is the ankle or foot at risk but ALL of the joints that exist above it are too because they have to compensate for the new alignment. This is why you could have a pain in your neck that stems from weakness and miss-alignment at the ankle. You feel it in the neck because the neck is compensating for everything below it. This is very important to understand especially if you are a yoga teacher or in any field of physical health. Does it matter…? YES!

        The Anatomy

        For the purposes of this article, we will talk about two joint actions and the muscle groups that create them: Eversion and Pronation of the ankle which occurs at the subtalar joint. The subtalar joint is just below the ankle joint. The ankle joint allows for the up and down movements of plantar flexion (pointing the foot) and dorsiflexion (flexing the foot), while the subtalar joint allows the foot to rock from side to side. For the purpose of simplicity, we will refer to both of these joints as a collective –  “the ankle”.

        The arch of the foot

        There are multiple muscles that help to form the arch of the foot. How high someone’s arches are may be due to the structure of the foot – the bones might be shaped in a more flattened position. However, we aren’t concerned with the external look of an arched foot but rather, training the muscles to activate appropriately for our feet. Most of us can use strengthening of these muscles. The way that I found really helps is first learning how to isometrically engage the muscles of inversion and eversion at the same time which forms a “bootstrap” like scenario around the foot. One of the fibula muscles wraps from the outer shin down the outer ankle and attaches near the ball mound of the big toe – That is pretty cool! There are muscles underneath the sole of the foot that when activated in conjunction with the muscles of inversion and eversion allow us to find greater engagement and lift of our arches.

        One of the best ways to integrate these actions in your practice is to repeat them throughout your yoga practices. If you are interested in greater balance, stability, and ankle awareness there are two online immersions – 12 class packages that focus heavily on the feet and ankles.

        1. The July 2020 Immersion titled The Chakras & the Elements – the Earth and Water practices will provide a profound awakening to the ankles and feet and how they relate to your practice.

        2. The August 2020 Immersion titled Journey To Bliss follows a similar format as of July; the first few practices target the ankles and feet. I highly recommended either or both of these immersions.

        Everting

        ankle strength, heal sprained ankle with yoga

        Inverting

        ankle strengthening for yoga
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        3 Steps To Activate the Core of the Foot

        1. Press the outer edge of the food down.
        2. Maintain this action, and counter engage by pressing the big ball mounted and big toes down.
        3. Drag the big ball mound back toward the inner heel.
        inversion of the ankle - arch of the feet

        Step 1 - invert the ankle

        While you can certainly evert the ankle first, I find for most people it is more effective to start with inverting the ankle when approaching standing postures. For clarity of the action, I am showing it in a seated position – try it seated first so you are very clear on how to invert. When in Warrior 2, press the outer edge of the front foot into the ground until your feel the muscle deep in the calf muscle activating. The ball mound and the big toe might lift when you do this – it is ok for now.

        evert the ankle in warrior 2 yoga pose

        Step 2: Evert the Ankle

        I recommend learning everting when seated – first, pull the outer edges of the feet back, it can be helpful to press the big toe and toe mound forward. When articulating this action properly you will feel the muscles along the outer shin engage. After you are aware of the action, the next part can be challenging. In warrior 2, be sure to maintain the muscle activation of inversion and add eversion by pressing the big toe and toe mound down into the ground, while trying to roll the outer ankle in slightly. Be sure not to fall flat into the inner arch while doing so – if this happens it means you are no longer activating the muscles of inversion, so go back to step 1 and try again.

        arch of the foot in warrior 2 yoga pose

        Step 3: contract The Arch

        While this step is optional, it can be really helpful especially for anyone that gets plantar fasciitis. The idea is to maintain steps 1 and 2 but then add an activation of the musculature along the bottom (plantar side) of the foot. The action is to try and drag the big ball mound of the foot toward the inner heel. Like inversion and eversion, this action can be quite foreign and may take a bit of time until you are able to feel the muscles contract. I really like to focus on this action in the change of seasons when I am switching between different shoes and my feet are trying to adapt to the differences.

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        The Results

        Activating the arch of the foot can be challenging at first. Typically the hardest part is learning how to co-contract opposing muscle groups. When opposing muscle groups contract at the same time, you get lifting and stabilizing of the joints. In this case, when you activate the muscles along the inside and outside the leg, it’s like pulling up your bootstraps and stabilizing the ankle. As a wonderful result, the arch of the foot pulls up.

        Integration

         To fully integrate these actions into your practice you will need repetition throughout all of your standing postures. Try it in your next class, or if you want a full workshop that incorporates these exact actions throughout, check out Hips: Rock Em and Unlock Em workshop below.

        Thanks for stopping by. Leave a comment if this post has been helpful, or if you have questions or requests for future posts.

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        Continue Learning

        Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

        Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

        Plough Pose vs. Shoulder StandhalasanaPLOUGH POSE VS. SHOULDER STAND After we have engaged in postures that strengthen the posterior chain, Plough and Shoulder Stand offer a good stretch for these areas of the body. Plough in particular provides a more extensive...

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        Arm Balance Transitions

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        Hanumanasana Hints

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        Chin Stand

        Chin Stand

        Chin Standganda bherundasanaCHIN STAND Without a doubt, Chin Stand requires preparation. This posture must be approached with the utmost humility, essential in order to respect the potential risk. If this pose is not explored regularly in our physical practice, it may...

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        Postpone The Stretch Sensation

        Postpone The Stretch Sensation

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        Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

        Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

        Wake Up Your Wheel Poseheart openerWAKE UP YOUR WHEEL POSE We don’t have to question it—we know whether or not we’re feeling open, free, and strong in Wheel Pose. There’s a lightness and expansiveness that takes over when everything falls into place: From the initial...

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        THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

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        • exclusive online course discounts
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        Triangle Pose: Trick to Avoid Hip Impingement

        Triangle Pose

        Avoid Hip Impingement & Increase Your Range of Motion

        Triangle Pose

        Triangle pose is an iconic posture in yoga that has tremendous benefits for increasing hip range of motion by creating more flexibility of the hamstrings and adductors (inner thigh muscles). There are several potential strength benefits that triangle pose has to offer, however, it requires an intentional activation of our muscles and they likely won’t engage on their own. In the video and photo breakdown below, I go over my favorite muscle activations for triangle pose. From my experience in practicing triangle pose with teachers across the world, I have heard these verbal alignment cues more often than not: “Square your pelvis to the sidewall, tuck your tail bone, and place your hand on your shin, block, or ground.” When I practice, I try to really do what the teacher asks, but every time I tried this I noticed an immediate pain in my hip that I never get when I approach triangle pose on my own or coming from a posture like side angle pose. I also noticed that if I maintain these alignment cues, my hand only goes to my shin at best unless I fall into a deep side bend. Knowing the anatomy of the hip, I assumed that this alignment increased the potential compression at the hip joint, and maybe caused the soft tissue to be pinched. I decided to do some research on Hip FAI (femoral acetabular impingement) or hip impingement.

        The Research

        After much research on Hip FAI (femoral acetabular impingement), I was hoping to bring you conclusive data on how yoga could cause or help hip impingement, however, the current research on yoga specifically is minimal and mostly all over the place. It is commonly agreed that range of motion and proper strength training can help prevent hip impingement. It is also commonly agreed that many athletic sports could be the cause of it, as well as childhood development of the bones and joints. There is however an interesting study that showed increased impingement and stress on the hip joint in dancers when performing specific dance positions which include external rotation and posterior titled pelvis. The research doesn’t mention these specific structural alignments, however, being the husband of a dancer raised on ballet I was able to confirm my suspicion about these pelvis and femur bone alignments. In ballet you are asked to keep the low back long which is a posterior tilt of the pelvis – often cued as “tuck your tail” in yoga classes. One pose in the research article stood out to me: développé à la seconde, which is essentially standing triangle pose or Utthita Hasta Pandangusthasana B. The photo of my good friend Beau Campbell (@theyogarina) to the right (below on mobile) shows the posture in the study. Food for thought: If this posture is creating compression at the hip, what happens when you add the weight of gravity as we do in triangle pose. 

        yoga backbend techniques: 12 classes [backbend technique to relieve back pain "bowing the spine']

        HIPS & HAMSTRINGS

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        What is Hip Impingement 

        Hip impingement is the result of increased friction or damage of the soft tissue that makes up the hip joint. The hip joint is where the thigh bone and pelvis connect. It is a ball and socket joint – the head of the femur (thigh bone) is a round “ball” and the pelvis has a “socket” that receives it. There are soft tissues that cover and surround the bones so that the joint becomes slippery and smooth. Articular cartilage covers the two bones, and the labrum is like a gasket that forms a tight seal around the joint. When these soft tissues become inflamed, irritated, or damaged it is referred to as hip impingement. Some Hip impingements are the result of the way our bones were formed growing up, and others could be the result of repetitive high impact exercises or sports. A healthy hip joint is one where there is no wear and tear of the soft tissues.

        Are there other Kinds of hip injuries?

        Hip impingement is not the only kind of injury around the hip area. The hip is surrounded by ligaments, muscles, fascia, and nerves that can all become injured due to stress, strain, or structural miss-alignments. Just because you have hip pain does not mean you have an impinged hip. We are also coming to realize that not all physical pain exists in the body, but can also be stemming from mental or emotional trauma. What should you do if you have hip pain? Don’t freak out- see a specialist to assess where the pain is stemming from so you can take proper action to support your health. It could be a pulled muscle, or as simple as a muscle that is hyperactive and causing a myriad of issues. Physical therapy, Acupuncture, and Massage are all great healing modalities to try.

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        4 Steps TO ENTER TRIANGLE POSE 

         

        Step 1 - Internal rotation

        Rotate the back foot, thigh bone, and pelvis inward toward the front leg. No need to overdo this like you would when trying to square the hips in a lunge pose. How much to turn in will depend on you and your structure so go slow and try various angles and observe what you feel. This will increase the amount of possible joint mobility, but tight hamstrings might still inhibit the range of motion.

        Step 3: Glute Activation

        From your front buttocks press down into your heel until you feel your pelvis starts to open back toward the sky (the opposite of step 1). Ideally, activating both gluteus Maximus and gluteus medius/minimus as you do so. This likely will all happen when you press down, but if your pelvis doesn’t rotate open and your outer hips don’t engage, try pressing your inner heel down and outward.

        Step 2: bow at the pelvis

        Flex (or bow) at the hip joint to bring your front hand to the block or the ground I personally avoid asking students to go to the shin as not to put more downward pressure into the front knee. Personally, I come to fingertips as it’s a bit easier than full palm and still grounded.  Press down into your hand for support and activation of your deep core – psoas muscles.

        Step 4: Counter Action

        Similar to step 1, we are trying to rotate the thigh and hip inward again, however, the major difference is that in step 4 it is simply an activation of the muscles, not an actual movement of the bones. Counteraction creates stability and also helps to prevent going too deep into the end range of motion which could bring you right back to impingement or just an overstretch of the adductors.

        yoga backbend techniques: 12 classes [backbend technique to relieve back pain "bowing the spine']

        HIPS & HAMSTRINGS

        ONLINE YOGA IMMERSION

        • 12 classes to increase flexibility of the hips and hamstrings
        • Maximize your strength through range of motion
        • Access your pose potential
        • Release tension of hips and back
        • Sensation-based practices
        • Unlock and strengthen major muscle groups
        • Active, passive, and isometric stretching
        • Improve mobility and stability
        • So much more!

        $148.00 $128.00

        MORE INFORMATION

        The Adductors

        The muscles along the inner thigh are referred to as the adductor group, and typically serve to bring the thigh bones toward the midline of the body, but they can also internally rotate the thighbones, extend them backward like the hamstrings (adductor magnus) and even externally rotate when in deep extension. The adductors also help to stabilize the pelvis.

        Practicing Triangle

        Is triangle a high-risk posture? Probably not on my list of postures to avoid, but depending on your body and how you approach it, it may have massive benefits or setbacks. The steps I have provided for you have helped me feel better in my triangle pose, and many students have felt the same. This doesn’t mean it will be best for you, so proceed with presence, observe what you feel as you practice, and go slow enough to be able to make choices. There are many more potential options of how to isometrically activate your muscles in postures like triangle. Should you want to learn more please check out the Hips: Rock Em and Unlock Em workshop below.  Leave a comment if this post has been helpful or if you have questions or requests for future posts.

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        Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

        Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

        Plough Pose vs. Shoulder StandhalasanaPLOUGH POSE VS. SHOULDER STAND After we have engaged in postures that strengthen the posterior chain, Plough and Shoulder Stand offer a good stretch for these areas of the body. Plough in particular provides a more extensive...

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        Arm Balance Transitions

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        Chin Stand

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        Postpone The Stretch Sensation

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        Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

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        find your seat

        3 BEST SEATED MEDITATION POSTURES

        Find Your Seat: 3 Ways to Sit without Knee, Hip or Back Pain!

        Find Your Seat

        Let’s go over the 3 best seated meditation postures and find out which one is right for you. The deep benefits of seated meditation are well known to have been experienced by many. On the other hand, people around the world find the practice to be inaccessible because they can’t sit comfortably for more than a minute. This is true for me, even to this day! No matter how open my hips are, or how strong my core and back are, if I try and sit on the ground for an extended period of time one of my legs will fall asleep or I will at the least just be uncomfortable. If you have the same experience, you will find these particular postures to be very supportive!

        THE CHALLENGES

        Why is it challenging to sit? There are a host of reasons why we might find it difficult to sit on the ground – perhaps primarily because we just don’t do it. Sitting in a chair does not allow our hips to go through their full range of motion each day and as a result, our back and hip flexors don’t develop the strength needed to keep us upright. Yoga can serve as an amazing practice to redevelop the capacity to sit more efficiently although it won’t happen overnight – which is why it’s necessary to check out the 3 postures in the video and photos below, so you can sit comfortably on the ground while you are working on the long term hip-opening journey.

        Trying to re-pattern our body takes repetitive practice. As with any other skill, you can only learn from doing it. That is why I created a 12 class immersion to help you feel better, sit better, and establish a meditation practice. MOVE•BREATHE•RELEASE helps you increase flexibility of the hips, strengthen your back muscles for better posture, teach you breathwork techniques, and gives you the tools for mental and emotional clarity and freedom. Meditation requires guidance just like yoga, and I guide you in all 12 classes so you feel safe, confident, and inspired with each practice.

        MOVE•BREATHE•RELEASE

        12 Class Package for Yoga, Pranayama, and Meditation

        • Breathe better with pranayama “breathwork” exercises
        • Release Hip Tension with asana practice
        • Increase Flexibility & Strength
        • Increase Focus and Clarity
        • Decrease Stress
        • Unwind physical & Emotional Tension
        • Move more freely
        • Release low back tension through hip opening
        • 12 All Levels Live Asana Classes
        • Lifetime Unlimited Access to All  

        Is Meditation Calming?

        When Most people begin a meditation practice they expect it to have the results that everyone preaches; calm mind, relaxing, stress reducing. While some people do experience these results right away, others may experience the opposite. In weight lifting you must build a foundation of strength before you can move on to heavy compound movements, and establishing this foundation can at times be challenging and discouraging. Meditation is very much the same, the practice of it might feel like you are lifting heavy weights for your mind and as a result, you might initially only experience the challenge of it. With repetition, your mind will get stronger. You will be able to focus longer and the results will come faster!

        On top of it, if you are physically uncomfortable when practicing meditation you are not likely to magically walk away feeling calmer. This is why it’s important to find a seat by selecting from one of the 3 best seated meditation postures.

        VIDEO TO FIND YOUR SEAT

        CHOOSE FROM THE 3 BEST SEATED MEDITATION POSTURES

        Assess your hips

        Each of us has our own movement patterns which cause some muscles to be stronger, some weaker, some are tight, some are not, etc. We also have different bone structures that will make some positions easier than others. Finding a comfortable seat is one of the most important aspects of a seated meditation posture. If you are uncomfortable, it is very hard to move the mind beyond the discomfort of the body. This is why I have provided three options for seated meditation postures. Go through each and ask yourself which one is most sustainable. Keep in mind there is no perfect seated posture for meditation, there is only the best one for you and that is the one you feel most comfortable in and that also allows you to stay awake and present.

        “3 Best Seated Meditation Postures” Detailed Break Down

        best seated meditation posture

        Option 1 - Bhadrasana (Hero's Pose)

        My personal favorite seated posture for those who have tighter outer hips and inner thighs as it requires little flexibility in these areas. It presents a challenge for those with tight quads and shin muscles. Using blankets and blocks can help alleviate these challenges. I would suggest warming up and stretching the thighs and ankles prior to working on this posture. In the above video, I go over a twisted thigh stretch and a seated posture on heels. If these postures prove to be too challenging after a warm-up, then this posture is likely to cause discomfort during a seated meditation.

        best cross legged seated meditation posture

        Option 2: Cross Legged

        Sukhasana, the so-called “easy seat” – an ironic title, as it can be incredibly misleading. For those with open inner thighs, hip flexors, and outer hips this can be an easy posture indeed, but if that is not the case for you then you’ll definitely want to use props. Using the right amount of blankets and block support can make this posture easier and more accessible.

        seated meditation posture on chair with props

        Option 3: On Chair with Blocks

        In the video I show a seated option call sidasana, however, I wanted to offer one other one here. Sitting in a chair can seem like cheating, as it can be incredibly easy to get too relaxed in it. Here you will notice how I prepare the chair with blocks and a blanket and I sit on the edge of the seat so that I still used my back and hip flexors to keep me upright. Some level of muscle engagement is important to stay awake and present when meditating.

        MOVE•BREATHE•RELEASE

        12 Class Package for Yoga, Pranayama, and Meditation

        • Breathe better with pranayama “breathwork” exercises
        • Release Hip Tension with asana practice
        • Increase Flexibility & Strength
        • Increase Focus and Clarity
        • Decrease Stress
        • Unwind physical & Emotional Tension
        • Move more freely
        • Release low back tension through hip opening
        • 12 All Levels Live Asana Classes
        • Lifetime Unlimited Access to All  

        How to Start Meditation

        The best way to practice meditation, like anything else, is to have guidance. When I was younger, I struggled for years to meditate without the support of a teacher and mostly I became frustrated and lost in my thoughts. When I stumbled upon my teacher “Rudrani” she helped provide me with the tools and guidance to make meditation accessible and enjoyable. This is why I created the MOVE•BREATHE•RELEASE  to share with you the techniques that produce the intended results that so many talk about; peace of mind, inner freedom, focus, mental clarity, joy, equanimity, balance, etc.

        From Body to Mind

        One thing I noticed early on in my meditation practice was the discomfort of my body. I couldn’t focus my mind on anything when I was seated because I was distracted by my back, my knee, my neck, and so on. This realization led me to the physical practice of yoga. Through the yoga practice, I gained a heightened sense of awareness of my body. At first, this was almost a curse because I could feel everything – including my discomfort! Over time and practice, I gained a bit of mastery in my body, in that I could feel the discomfort and choose postures to better accommodate myself and release it. I suggest you choose from one of the 3 best seated meditation postures above and use it for now as your “go-to pose”. I also recommend you get to know the other two poses as well because you will find that on some days your “go-to” is just not the appropriate one for you.

        The seated meditation practice became so much more enjoyable for me when I could extend my attention beyond the physical, knowing that I wasn’t causing damage by forcing myself to sit through knee or back pain. While I do believe that some pain in the body can be a result of mental projection, I also know firsthand that placing love and attention on the body can support the health of the mind.  There really isn’t a divide between brain and body – the mind is a collective of all our physical and emotional experiences. For sound mental health to be our primary state of being we must get to know ourselves on all levels and develop our awareness.

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        Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

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        Chin Stand

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        Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

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        Wake Up Your Wheel Poseheart openerWAKE UP YOUR WHEEL POSE We don’t have to question it—we know whether or not we’re feeling open, free, and strong in Wheel Pose. There’s a lightness and expansiveness that takes over when everything falls into place: From the initial...

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        4 Exercises For The Ankles and Feet

        4 EXERCISES FOR THE FEET AND ANKLES

        Move better, feel better

        Strengthening our Foundation

        Walking on the streets of some of my favorite European cities, I took note of how tired the muscles of my feet and lower legs were. Although I consider myself to be a rather in shape human being, during the winter months I can fall into periods of inactivity – having to spend more time indoors, on my computer, and focusing less on my body than I’d like. Despite my dedication to my yoga practice, and even playing recreational sports like Ice Hockey, the reality is I am just not walking, running, and jumping around barefoot on multiple surfaces throughout the entire year. So I decided to get back in shape, but from the ground up! 

        Consider this: How much preparation and attention goes into setting the foundation of a home? While many of us want to skip straight to the appliances and decorations, none of that matters if the structure isn’t sound. Builders spend a great deal of time making sure that the foundation is solid so that the rest of the home lasts for a long time. When it comes to the human body, we also tend to want to focus on the “appliances” rather than on our foundation. In my 11+ years of practicing yoga, I have encountered hundreds of ab exercises, alignment techniques for the hips, shoulders, and core, and so on. When I try to think about a class that focused on the feet and ankles, I can think of only two (aside from my own “Hips” and “Root Down” workshops.) But for real, the feet…I remember two classes. I am not saying they don’t exist, I am sure you have one or two teachers that focus on the feet too, but I think we can agree that it’s a rarity. Could you imagine deciding to build a home and the majority of builders didn’t mention a foundation?

        While I offer many practical techniques to apply to your standing poses in my Hips: Rock & Unlock ‘Em workshop, I wanted to provide some additional exercises that are completely free so you have the opportunity to practice them and focus on your foundation. 

        I have been focusing on these exercises lately to rebuild strength and awareness of my feet, and it’s amazing how much better my hips and low back are feeling when I’m walking around, standing, and even doing handstands. 

        So let’s get you up to speed with the ankle joint, what joint actions are available to you, and how to strengthen these actions.

        Rebuild Strength

        The ankles and feet often lose strength when wearing overly supportive shoes all day, or simply sitting for the majority of the day. Rebuilding strength in the ankles and feet sets a strong foundation for how you walk and stand which can affect the rest of your posture!

        4 Main Actions of the Ankles

        There are four main actions of the ankles that allow us to walk, pivot,  jump and move.  Being aware of each action and our ability to articulate them can support the overall well-being of our feet, ankles, knees, and hips.

        Dorsiflexion

        Commonly referred to as “flexing the feet,” Dorsiflexion is when the tops of your feet and fronts of your shins move toward each other.

        Inversion

        When the outer ankle lengthens, like a “sickled foot.” I don’t use that term often because it implies that this action is not good, but it is an important action to walking and also maintaining an arch in the foot in the asana practice.

        Plantar flexion

        “Pointing the feet,” Plantar Flexion is the opposite of dorsiflexion – Tops of feet and shins move away from each other.

        Eversion

        The Opposite of Inversion – outer edge of the foot is closer to the outer shin than the inside of the foot

        Toe Spreading

        Having strong and flexible muscles of the feet can support healthy movement of the whole body. 

        Bonus: Toe Spreading

         

        A classic hatha yoga practice is toe spreading. Oftentimes, it is taught to interlace your toes of one foot with your toes of the other. In this version, I show how to interlace fingers and toes, which in some ways can be easier, and in others may be more challenging. Regardless, developing range of motion in the muscles of the feet can support proper movement and impact absorption when walking, running, or jumping. Always remember that if the foundation has limited movement, some energy has to be distributed elsewhere and could result in excess movement and impact at the knees. Give it a shot, and wash your hands before you eat!

        What do I do now?

        There are many more exercises to train the strength and range of motion of your ankle joint and feet. In my personal opinion, it’s less about how many exercises you do and more about how much attention you put into your practice, and how often you are doing the exercises. Choose what feels most appropriate to you and work on those particular exercises and actions for a while until you feel an improvement in your strength and range of motion. If along the way you feel like you are losing stability or range of motion, change up the exercises you are practicing to bring your body back to balance. As always, consult a specialist prior to doing anything that you are unsure about. Thank you for stopping by. If you appreciate this video and blog, please share it!  If you are looking for a full practice to strengthen the feet, legs, and hips, check out Hips: Rock and Unlock ‘Em

         

        Hips: Rock & Unlock 'Em

        Get 2 full hours with Matt Giordano focusing on the techniques that increase the range of motion in your hips and provide long-lasting freedom. You will have immediate, unlimited access, and can enjoy the benefits today!

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        read more
        Arm Balance Transitions

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        read more
        Chin Stand

        Chin Stand

        Chin Standganda bherundasanaCHIN STAND Without a doubt, Chin Stand requires preparation. This posture must be approached with the utmost humility, essential in order to respect the potential risk. If this pose is not explored regularly in our physical practice, it may...

        read more
        Postpone The Stretch Sensation

        Postpone The Stretch Sensation

        Postpone the Stretch SensationflexibilityPOSTPONE THE STRETCH SENSATION If one of the goals of our physical yoga practice is to increase flexibility, we may automatically believe that we just need to stretch more. It’s critical that we understand that increasing...

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        Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

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        Wake Up Your Wheel Poseheart openerWAKE UP YOUR WHEEL POSE We don’t have to question it—we know whether or not we’re feeling open, free, and strong in Wheel Pose. There’s a lightness and expansiveness that takes over when everything falls into place: From the initial...

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        The Elements of Mastery

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        12 + 2 =

        Avoid Hamstring Tendonitis “Yoga Butt”

        YOGA STRETCH FOR HAMSTRINGS

        HAMSTRING TENDONITIS:

        AVOID HAMSTRING PAIN “YOGA BUTT”

        HAMSTRINGS

        A Different Approach To Stretching The Hamstrings

        Stretching the hamstrings provides many benefits – including my personal favorite, low back relief! In the pursuit of flexibility, many of us accidentally go too far in our practice. It can be challenging to gauge where our limits are, and sometimes we reach them. Rather than feeling frustrated or ashamed about hurting yourself in yoga, just direct your attention to healing and maintaining health. In my early years as a yogi, I tore my hamstring attachment near the sit bone and with some diligence healed it up pretty quickly. However, I didn’t quite learn how to practice in a way that would maintain its integrity and as a result, I tore it once again. After my second tear I finally decided to find another way. In this video, I go over the techniques I use to maintain hamstring integrity at the sit bone attachment point (just under the gluteus Maximus, buttocks muscles). The idea is to become aware of the fact that most of us use gravity to stretch because quite simply it is easier to completely let go and not put in any effort. First I want to make the point that there is nothing wrong with passive stretching, and allowing gravity do the work for you. However, it is important to understand that the movement patterns in your body will only become stronger – whether they’re good or bad. Whenever you let your body do what it wants to do it will always default to patterns. Same is true with the mind, which is why meditation is such a powerful practice in re-wiring the patterns of our mind. Normally a thought arises and we react, neurons fire in a predetermined pattern, and this elicits a response in either a sequence of thoughts or actions. For example, someone in the middle of a city street raises their hand, your mind probably thinks “oh they are looking for a taxi.” This is how the mind holds patterns. The body holds patterns in the exact same way. If we simply stretch without activating muscles, we will perpetuate our patterns. If our patterns serve us then this is absolutely OK, but if they do not, then we could easily cause injury.

        Facilitated Stretching For the Hamstrings

        The approach I like for the majority of my practice is active engagement. This means finding the muscles that tend to be asleep and weak and activating them. This also includes something called facilitated stretching. This refers to the process of activating the muscle or muscle group that is stretching. So in the case of a forward fold where the hamstrings are stretching, a facilitated stretch would involve activating the hamstrings. This is not an easy task. Most of us are only familiar with activating a muscle in order to create movement, but what if we activate the muscles and do not move?  The benefit of this approach is that you do not have to sacrifice your flexibility while you re-pattern your body’s responses. Most people actually find a major increase of range of motion when using the facilitated stretch technique, because it “tricks” the muscle into a deep relaxation effect when you release the engagement – this is also known as PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation). For most people, this method is safer and more effective. The one thing to be mindful of is the amount of muscle activation you use. I suggest 15-30% engagement of the muscle that is stretching. If you engage muscles too strongly in a lengthened position you could transmit too much force to the joints, or run the risk of injuring parts of the muscle. Rather than intellectualizing what a facilitated stretch is, try practicing along with this video. If you are interested in practicing in this way, I highly recommend the workshop “Hips: Rock and Unlock ‘Em” as it is packed with this approach to flexibility. For a more in-depth study, check out the 12 class package called “The Breakthrough“.

        yoga backbend techniques: 12 classes [backbend technique to relieve back pain "bowing the spine']

        HIPS & HAMSTRINGS

        ONLINE YOGA IMMERSION

        • 12 classes to increase flexibility of the hips and hamstrings
        • Maximize your strength through range of motion
        • Access your pose potential
        • Release tension of hips and back
        • Sensation-based practices
        • Unlock and strengthen major muscle groups
        • Active, passive, and isometric stretching
        • Improve mobility and stability
        • So much more!

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        MORE INFORMATION

        Reciprocal Inhibition

        When the muscle group on one side of the joint contracts, the opposing muscle group will relax. This happens naturally, but can be used as a technique for stretching.

         
        beginner yoga hamstring stretch

        Step 1 - Align Thigh Bones

        Align the femur bones so they are vertical. There are many reasons for this. One reason is that the head of the femur (thigh bone) is most congruent in this position, meaning it has the most amount of space for the range of motion to occur. The other reason I do this is to put weight in the hands so that the leg muscles aren’t involuntarily engaging – kind of like starting from a blank canvas. Put more weight in your hands and you can bypass a lot of holding patterns that might exist. Lastly, by leaning forward two things will happen: you will lengthen the calf muscles, and later on when you place the hands on the ground, your calves will activate in order to stop you from falling forward. This becomes a facilitated stretch for the calves without you having to even think about it.

        hamstring stretch with low back strength for chair yoga

        Step 3: Lift Sit Bone

        Lifting the sit bones requires two muscle groups to activate; hip flexors and low back muscles. The low back muscles (Q.L, the Erector group)  will arch the lumbar spine (low back) and pull the pelvis into anterior tilt (forward fold) which will lengthen the hamstrings upward away from where they attach at the back of the knees. The hip flexors will do the same with the added benefit of reciprocal inhibition (relaxing the hamstrings). This step, with hands on the chair, is what stretches the hamstrings without gravity. It is important to understand that you have a responsibility to observe the level of stretch sensation in the hamstrings while you do this. If your low back and hip flexors are strong you may overpower the hamstrings and cause an overstretch. For this reason, it is beneficial to only go about 60% of the way into the stretch sensation.

        hamstring stretch with internal rotation of hips

        Step 2: Internal Rotation

        Pressing the backs of the legs apart will initiate internal rotation of the thigh bones. When moving into a forward fold, if the objective is to lengthen the hamstrings, it is incredibly helpful to rotate the thigh bones inward because it initiates the tip of the pelvis forward (anterior tilt). With this cue, the typical muscles that activate are the abductor group (gluteus medium, gluteus minimus, and tensor fascia lattae, aka T.F.L). Activating the T.F.L, in particular, is helpful because it is also a hip flexor and internal rotator. Activating the hip flexors and internal rotator reciprocally inhibits the external rotators of the buttocks. Reciprocal Inhibition simply means when you activate a muscle group, the opposing muscle group relaxes and lengthens – this is the opposite concept of facilitated stretching.

        chair yoga hamstring stretch

        Step 4: Facilitated Stretch

        Lastly, to maintain the integrity of the hamstrings we will want to activate them. The ability to engage a muscle regardless of the depth of stretch or length of the muscle is one way to determine the health of the muscle. If you simply work on flexibility but the muscle loses its ability to contract along the way, you run the risk of acute injury or chronic pain. The body is a system, which means that a loss of hamstring integrity could show up as chronic pain in the sacrum, low back, or even neck. Quite often in modern yoga, there is an emphasis on lengthening the hamstrings, and not much on strengthening them, this approach supports both and is why I practice this way and why I teach this method to flexibility. The action I call for in step 4 is to isometrically tuck your tailbone. That means to try to press the sit bones down toward the heels in order to activate the muscles, but maintain the structural alignment of the pelvis (anterior tilt)

        yoga backbend techniques: 12 classes [backbend technique to relieve back pain "bowing the spine']

        KING PIGEON & THE SPLITS

        HAMSTRINGS & HEART OPENERS

        • Increase flexibility of the hips & hamstrings
        • Mindfully awaken your spinal and shoulder mobility
        • Bonus: 4 Guided Meditations included
        • 12 Intermediate Level Classes
        • Learn how to apply the facilitated stretch technique
        • 6 Classes focused on King Pigeon
        • 6 Classes dedicated to Hanumanasana, The Splits.

         

        $128.00

        Many Methods

         

        I personally have seen the massive benefits of facilitated stretching, as well as reciprocal inhibition in my practice and in my students over the last 10+ years. However, there are times where I find passive stretching or even holistic stretching (bouncing) to be more appropriate. Use this approach as one of many tools for yourself, learn it well, and observe the benefits and drawbacks, then you will be able to decide when it is appropriate for you and when it is best to go another way. If you have questions or something to share, please feel free to comment at the bottom of the page. Please share this post if you found it useful, and for a full practice using this approach, check out Hips: Rock and Unlock ‘Em

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        Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

        Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

        Plough Pose vs. Shoulder StandhalasanaPLOUGH POSE VS. SHOULDER STAND After we have engaged in postures that strengthen the posterior chain, Plough and Shoulder Stand offer a good stretch for these areas of the body. Plough in particular provides a more extensive...

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        Arm Balance Transitions

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        Arm Balance TransitionskakasanaARM BALANCE TRANSITIONS Arm balance postures can be challenging enough without attempting to layer on a smooth transition in and out of them. However, fluid transitions are a natural progression in our yoga practice; they also provide...

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        Hanumanasana Hints

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        read more
        Chin Stand

        Chin Stand

        Chin Standganda bherundasanaCHIN STAND Without a doubt, Chin Stand requires preparation. This posture must be approached with the utmost humility, essential in order to respect the potential risk. If this pose is not explored regularly in our physical practice, it may...

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        Postpone The Stretch Sensation

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        Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

        Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

        Wake Up Your Wheel Poseheart openerWAKE UP YOUR WHEEL POSE We don’t have to question it—we know whether or not we’re feeling open, free, and strong in Wheel Pose. There’s a lightness and expansiveness that takes over when everything falls into place: From the initial...

        read more

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        Pigeon Without Knee Pain

        Pigeon Pose

        without Knee Pain

        Why Stretching your hips might cause knee pain

        Pigeon Pose is one of the most widely beloved postures in the yoga practice across a multitude of styles. This is for good reason. However, the issue I see most often with this posture is that it comes with little guidance as to how to activate your muscles and align your bones and joints, and as a result many people experience pain in their knees or quite simply never find an increase in hip mobility.  In this video I share my top three steps to a deep stretch in the hips without compromising the knee joint.

        In my most recent online workshop, “Hips: Rock and Unlock Em” I go over some key actions in detail, and guide students into one of my favorite variations of pigeon posture – so if you like what you get in this video, definitely check out that full 2 hour workshop that goes over all you need to know about hip opening.

        The key point that I go over in the video below and in the online workshop is that some of the hip muscles cross both the hip joint AND the knee joint, and so when we stretch the hips we are also stretching the knee. In addition, many hip stretches require putting pressure on the knee joint in order to rotate the thigh bone in the hip joint. One of the techniques I personally use is something called a facilitated stretch in order to target the belly (middle) of the muscles rather than the attachment points near each joint. Facilitated Stretch simply means an activation of the same muscles that are stretching. In the case of pigeon, I aim for the activation of the buttock muscles.

        The Gluteus Maximus in particular is my focus because it feeds into the IT band, and the IT band connects to the knee joint. Any stretch of the buttocks could result in a straining of the knee. I find it incredibly helpful to activate the buttocks in order to ground and stabilize the knee joint. In addition, I also offer an activation from the other surrounding joint – the ankle. By activating certain muscles of the ankle I have found more access to spaciousness in the knee.

        To be fair, nothing is fool proof. I have, however, tested these techniques among various body types over the past ten years and I have found it to be incredibly effective for most students. The result is deeper stretch in the hips and less or no strain or pain at all in the knee. That being said, this is your body and you have the greatest understanding of it when you tune in to how you feel and what you feel. The online Hips workshop is designed to help you with exactly that – Learn to feel your body on a more specific and nuanced level. Enjoy this free tutorial and as always let me know if you have questions about your body or your practice. If the video is helpful please share it!

        Facilitated Stretching

        Increases your range of motion while maintaining muscle integrity. Facilitated stretching is the activation or engagement of the muscles that are stretching. Activating the muscle while stretching causes the Golgi tendon organ to send a signal to the spinal column, and the spinal column speaks back, telling the muscles to relax.

        yoga backbend techniques: 12 classes [backbend technique to relieve back pain "bowing the spine']

        HIPS & HAMSTRINGS

        ONLINE YOGA IMMERSION

        • 12 classes to increase flexibility of the hips and hamstrings
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        • Unlock and strengthen major muscle groups
        • Active, passive, and isometric stretching
        • Improve mobility and stability
        • So much more!

        $148.00 $128.00

        MORE INFORMATION

        3 Steps for Pigeon Pose

        Step 1 - Evert the ankle

        Everting at the ankle joint aligns the shin at the knee joint, and activates the outer shin muscles (fibularis muscles). In addition, when in pigeon pose, it supports the external rotation at the femur bone (front leg) in the hip socket. When everting, you can try rolling the calf muscle forward toward the front of your mat to initiate external rotation at the knee. This can help to open the inner portion of the knee.

        Step 2: Press outer Front knee Down

        From your buttock muscles, press the outer front knee down and as a result, you should feel your hips lift up a little bit. If you don’t feel this you may have to think about pulling your front knee toward the back knee. Once you get your buttocks to activate, your femur (thigh bone) will begin to externally rotate. This action supports more congruency (more space) at the knee, and begins a facilitated stretch.

        Step 3: Rotate The back Hip inward

        Rotating the back thigh bone will help to rotate the pelvis toward the earth. Because the muscles of the front hip are connected to the pelvis, if you rotate the pelvis it lengthens the muscles causing a deeper stretch. I only recommend this if you are feeling at ease in the front knee. If so, go slow because it is very easy to lose what you have already created in step 1 and 2.

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        Sit, Stand, Walk.

        Keeping the buttock muscles healthy and supple can really help in finding comfort when sitting, standing, or walking. Since most of our day is spent doing one of these three things, I highly recommend taking the time to do postures like pigeon pose, and do them well.

        Listen To Your Body

        Alignment cues and muscle engagements can be highly beneficial, so take the time to feel how they land in your body. There is no magic action or alignment for everyone, so I really encourage you to explore these actions while truly listening to your body. This particular set of cues might be what creates an “aha” moment for you, or it could be the complete opposite, so try them and ask yourself what you feel and what your experience is. Try to dissociate feeling bad with effort, and good with doing nothing. They sometimes correlate and sometimes not. If these actions wound up being right for you then I recommend practicing them whenever you are doing pigeon, and always maintain awareness of what your body is feeling. Through deep focus and exploration you will be able to collect the right actions for you.  If you found this useful, please share this post and if you are wanting to increase strength and flexibility of your hips and hamstrings check out the Hips & Hamstrings Immersion

        Continue Learning

        Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

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        Plough Pose vs. Shoulder StandhalasanaPLOUGH POSE VS. SHOULDER STAND After we have engaged in postures that strengthen the posterior chain, Plough and Shoulder Stand offer a good stretch for these areas of the body. Plough in particular provides a more extensive...

        read more
        Arm Balance Transitions

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        read more
        Chin Stand

        Chin Stand

        Chin Standganda bherundasanaCHIN STAND Without a doubt, Chin Stand requires preparation. This posture must be approached with the utmost humility, essential in order to respect the potential risk. If this pose is not explored regularly in our physical practice, it may...

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        Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

        Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

        Wake Up Your Wheel Poseheart openerWAKE UP YOUR WHEEL POSE We don’t have to question it—we know whether or not we’re feeling open, free, and strong in Wheel Pose. There’s a lightness and expansiveness that takes over when everything falls into place: From the initial...

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        TOP RECOMMENDATIONS 

        Handstand Training

        Learn the techniques that make Handstand fun, easy and accessible! This 2 part course consists of the top most effective exercises will increase your strength and technique so you can easefully balance a handstand.

        View Details

        SHOULDER REVELATION

        In this 12 class immersion  you will practice specific techniques to strengthen and unlock your shoulders. Each class focuses on a specific joint articulation and muscle group so you gain mastery in the shoulders.

        View Details

        HEART OPENERS

        Finally, a 12 class immersion designed specifically to help you discover the freedom of heart openers. Learn how to avoid uncomfortable compression, and awaken your true range of motion in a step by step manner.

        View Details

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        Contact Matt

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        Chaturanga Alignment Part 2

        Chaturanga Alignment Part 2

        3 Steps to Apply Shoulder Actions

        CHATURANGA

        CHATURANGA: Integrating Shoulder Actions

        Integrating the 3 Necessary Shoulder Actions into your practice can be complicated, so to help you I have come up with 3 Steps to Master your Chaturanga. If you haven’t yet watched Chaturanga Alignment: 3 Necessary Shoulder Actions  then it is best to start there and come back to this afterwards. The 3 step process will help you develop “Muscle Intelligence” or the awareness of how to create specific actions in your body to find less complicated positions which require less strength and give you the space to explore new sensations. If done consecutively, these steps will build the strength over time that will make chaturanga feel light and free.

        Most of us sitting at our computers are not able to get up and start practicing, but if you do have the liberty of doing so, practice along with this video. If not, then simply watch and come back to it at another time so you can practice along. This is meant to help you apply the actions, not just understand them.

        Be patient with yourself as you work through each of the exercises – techniques take time to embody.

        The Intention 

        Perhaps the most confusing thing in the yoga community is the myriad of opinions about how to do each pose. Part of the reason for this is the differences each of us have from body type, to personality, to experience. Additionally, however,  each of us offering a path has a different intention behind our set of alignment cues or muscle actions. It is for this reason that I want to be clear that this is only one approach, and I am happy to provide for you the benefits and the challenges that come with this way. This approach to Chaturanga comes with the intention to build strength in multiple forearm muscles, the seratus anterior, triceps, external rotators of the the humerus, and the pectorals major. With all of these muscles working together to build strength you will inevitably feel more stable and light in your chaturanga and jump back to chaturanga, and also you will be well prepared for arm balances. If you have no intention of building strength in your upper body or practicing arm balances, there might be better ways of practicing Chaturanga. If you have a movement pattern that does not allow you to do protraction without upward tilt of the scapula then you might be better suited to a softer approach for a while. If you are experiencing chronic strain or compression in your wrist joints you may find leaning back in your chaturanga may be either better or worse for you. I mention this not to deter you from fully understanding and integrating this approach to chaturanga, but to help you to understand that there is never and will never be one correct approach to anything. What is good for you now may not be good for you later, and what was good for you yesterday may not be good for you today. This may be hard to grasp but if you try to keep an open mind and let yourself explore various approaches with the utmost attention to detail, you may find a greater sense of mastery in your body than you could ever find by doing one posture “the right way.” If you are ready to build strength, and/or set your self up for arm balances and jump backs, then let’s get started together!

        3 Step Integration

        When learning to integrate new muscle engagements or structural alignments into your practice, it is beneficial to simulate the shape with less stress on the muscles and joints. This usually entails changing your relationship to gravity. In the video and in the 3 steps below, I show you how to do this by doing chaturanga at the wall first, and then on your knees before trying the full posture. Doing these steps often provides a greater proficiency than simply trying it all out right away. This is because your body will always fall into its normal patterns when it’s asked to hold all your weight. We have to shake things up a bit to learn something new.

        Step 1 - Chaturanga at The Wall

        Regardless of your level, doing chaturanga at the wall and applying the three shoulder actions is huge in helping build masterful proprioception. This is the most important step in my eyes, especially since you’ll have plenty of time in class to practice step 2 and 3. Taking all the weight off of your body and just applying the actions until it is fully integrated and completely clear in both mind and body will be the best thing you can do. Mastery is not about halfway getting something, but rather nailing it down so that it will never be forgotten regardless of how long you leave the subject of study. Rock this exercise several times for several days/weeks and you will be well set up for building strength rapidly. Strength builds rapidly when our actions are precise in our body.

        Step 2: Chaturanga on Knees

        To be honest, when I take a vinyasa class, I do the first 5-10 chaturangas on my knees to get my body and mind linked together prior to floating back. Chaturanga on the knees is a great way to practice the actions with slightly less body weight. This is where you will begin building muscles appropriately, so be as precise and mindful as possible so you are strengthening the muscles required for the 3 shoulder actions. My best advice is start with your shoulders a little bit past the wrists to simulate the leaning forward when coming from plank. With your knees on the ground you can’t actually shift forward so you’ll have to begin by placing your knees closer to your wrists than you normally would. Second, make sure you create one long line from shoulders to knees, without breaking at the hips.

        Step 3: Plank To Chaturanga

        When attempting full chaturanga with a block, it becomes easier to compensate and “fake it” and either over engage in muscles that are not efficient for the actions, or simply getting caught up in compression – placing your bones in the way of the movement in order to slow the movement down – SEE  FIRST VIDEO when I talk about “Upward Tilt” of the scapula.

        Mastering these shoulder actions will not only make your practice of chaturanga easier and more enjoyable, but will open up a whole new world of power and strength in your arm balances.

        If you find yourself struggling to integrate the actions in this version, I highly recommend focusing on the first two options for about 3-5 months and then coming back to this.

        Complexity

        The shoulders are incredibly complex and as a result, it takes quite a lot of self-practice and study to gain any sort of mastery.  I break things down into small steps so that you are able to integrate the actions in your body more easily, however these steps are just the beginning. Let these actions settle into your body over time; rather than forcing them into every chaturanga, pick one action to focus on in your classes and first observe what you are doing before you make changes. Little by little, try to apply the action and notice what it feels like each time. This is a highly effective approach that builds patterns in the body and awareness in the mind. If you are interested in more shoulder strengtheners and stretches check out the Handstand Training. It comes with several videos that directly target the shoulders. Thank you for stopping by. Please share your comments, questions, or requests for other blog topics!

        Hips: Rock & Unlock 'Em

        Get 2 full hours with Matt Giordano focusing on the techniques that increase the range of motion in your hips and provide long lasting freedom. You will have immediate, unlimited access, and can enjoy the benefits today!

        Continue Learning

        Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

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        read more
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        read more
        Chin Stand

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        Chin Standganda bherundasanaCHIN STAND Without a doubt, Chin Stand requires preparation. This posture must be approached with the utmost humility, essential in order to respect the potential risk. If this pose is not explored regularly in our physical practice, it may...

        read more
        Postpone The Stretch Sensation

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        read more
        Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

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        read more

        TOP RECOMMENDATIONS 

        Handstand Training

        Learn the techniques that make Handstand fun, easy and accessible! This 2 part course consists of the top most effective exercises will increase your strength and technique so you can easefully balance a handstand.

        View Details

        SHOULDER REVELATION

        In this 12 class immersion  you will practice specific techniques to strengthen and unlock your shoulders. Each class focuses on a specific joint articulation and muscle group so you gain mastery in the shoulders.

        View Details

        HEART OPENERS

        Finally, a 12 class immersion designed specifically to help you discover the freedom of heart openers. Learn how to avoid uncomfortable compression, and awaken your true range of motion in a step by step manner.

        View Details

        THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

        When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

        • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
        • exclusive online course discounts
        • exclusive blogs and videos
        • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

        Chaturanga Alignment Part 1

        Chaturanga Alignment PART 1

        3 Actions To Get Stronger

        CHATURANGA ALIGNMENT FOR STRENGTH

        Chaturanga is one of the most repeated poses in the modern yoga practice, and it happens to be one of the most challenging on the shoulders. It is highly beneficial to take a look at the mechanics of the posture. I have been studying this posture for over a decade and I have to say chaturanga seems to be one of the most mysterious postures out there. So many teachers are offering “correct alignment” and throwing around “shoulds” and “shouldn’ts” without taking a deep look at what is really happening. Part of why there are so many contrasting opinions is the simple misunderstanding that bones and muscles are not the same – or better put, alignment and muscle engagement don’t necessarily go hand in hand. When we say that the elbows are bent in chaturanga we are referring specifically to the structure or alignment of the pose, NOT the action of the muscles. If we are to pause in chaturanga and hold it as a posture, what are the muscles that stop the elbows from bending? You may have figured it out – the triceps. What do the triceps do? They straighten the elbows. So we can say pretty confidently that in chaturanga the elbows are bent, but we are trying to straighten them in order to stop or slow down movement. The same is true in the shoulder blades, but because the shoulder blades aren’t as straight forward as bend and straighten, most people have a cloudy understanding of what is happening there.

        THE SHOULDER BLADES

        What is happening at the shoulder blades in chaturanga? As for the structure, I would argue that they are retracted (closer together) and most likely in what is called upward tilt (Video Time Mark – 3:30) – shoulder blades climb up and over the top of the rib cage. These joint relationships are quite normal when you do a “seated row” with your elbows close in. If the hands are wider in chaturanga the shoulder blades are less likely to be in upward tilt and more likely to just be retracted. If you don’t follow this, don’t worry. Just know that the shoulder blades tend to move in specific ways when the arms move, and the video above will give you the visual of these actions. Let’s keep it simple – the shoulder blades are retracted when in the bent elbow position. In order to slow down the movement, you would have to try to protract your shoulder blades – move them apart – as if you were trying to push back up to plank pose. In the video above there is a great visual of my shoulder blades moving from retraction to protraction at the 4 minute mark. Just like the elbow joint, we can look at the shoulder blades and say the structural alignment is retraction, but the muscle action is the opposite – we are trying to protract the shoulder blades – this is what slows down or stops the movement at the scapula. In the video I use a term that I created for my Mentorship Mastery students, and have now integrated into my new yoga system called Chromatic Yoga. This term is called a Balancing Action – an engagement of the muscular system that opposes the structural alignment. When we engage the triceps while the elbow is bent, this is a “Balancing Action.” The primary muscles that create protraction are the Seratus Anterior. If the shoulder blades are retracted and we activate these muscles, then again this would be called a Balancing Action.

        Arm Balances

        ARM BALANCES

        Learn 12+ arm balances while expanding your knowledge of the body and increasing your body awareness. All classes are 75 minutes and ALL-levels appropriate 

        • Crow Pose, Side Crow, and variations
        • Flying Pigeon, Koundinyasana 1 & 2
        • Titibhasana, Bhujapidasana
        • Handstand, Forearm Stand, and many more!

         

        SALE PRICE: $198.00 $128.00

        Step 1 - External Rotation of Arms

        To stabilize the arms in chaturanga, external rotation is highly effective. The arms will tend to internally rotate due to the activation of the pectoral major muscles. If we keep the pectoral major activated and oppose it with the external rotators of our rotator cuff group, then we create oppositional stability. Engaging two opposing muscle groups at the same time is not easy. It takes effort and coordination, however it is absolutely possible. In the above picture you see my biceps are facing out and hands are out as a result of that rotation. When the hands are on the ground they can’t move, so when you externally rotate, the elbows will come inward. My suggestion is elbows vertical over the wrists, not touching your rib cage. Bonus- this often takes pressure off of the outer wrist

        Step 2: Depression of the Scapula

        One way to stabilize the shoulder blades is to depress them down the back. In addition to stability, this provides the added benefit of potentially relaxing the pectoral minor muscle which tends to get over used and abused from repetitive chaturangas. Depression of the scapula can be quite challenging if you are not a climber or actively work your lower trapezius and latissimus muscles. Our shoulder blades are often resting downward, but that is due to gravity, not strength. When depressing the shoulder blades be sure to think from the back muscles, because it is easy to press the front of your shoulder down the front of your chest resulting in upward tilt of the scapula as mentioned in the above video. Depression of the scapula can prevent upward tilt if done properly.

        Step 3: Protraction

        Separating the shoulder blades away from one another and around the rib cage creates stability and resistance against gravity. While you will likely still be in retraction of your scapula in chaturanga, I am suggesting to actively resist in order to hold the posture or slow down the descent. This takes a tremendous amount of body awareness, so it is highly beneficial to practice this in postures like plank and forearm plank. These two postures have a fixed elbow joint making it easier to feel just the action of protraction. Also see Chaturanga Part 2 in order to learn how develop the body awareness necessary for this action. One tip I will offer is that it helps to think of puffing up the upper back. You may wind up activating the abdominals which can inadvertently support protraction.

        ONLINE TEACHER TRAININGS

         

        GET CERTIFIED AT THE 200 OR 500 HOUR LEVELS

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        • 300 Hour Training: Take your certification to the 500 hour level
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        • Take your practice to the next level
        • All levels, ages, and experience welcomed

        What is Next?

        The best thing you can do for yourself when attaining new knowledge is to find ways to integrate it. Through the integration process you can develop proficiency of the techniques which allows you to access them on demand and in more postures. How do you integrate them? This was a common question that came up after this video was released. I created a free follow up blog to support you in this adventure! Part 2 of this blog gives you 3 exercises to practice in order to become familiar with the actions so you can apply them to your practice of chaturanga. Thanks for stopping by, and please share this blog with others who you feel would benefit!

        COMMENTS:

        Arm Balances

        ARM BALANCES

        Learn 12+ arm balances while expanding your knowledge of the body and increasing your body awareness. All classes are 75 minutes and ALL-levels appropriate 

        • Crow Pose, Side Crow, and variations
        • Flying Pigeon, Koundinyasana 1 & 2
        • Titibhasana, Bhujapidasana
        • Handstand, Forearm Stand, and many more!

         

        SALE PRICE: $198.00 $128.00

        Continue Learning

        Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

        Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

        Plough Pose vs. Shoulder StandhalasanaPLOUGH POSE VS. SHOULDER STAND After we have engaged in postures that strengthen the posterior chain, Plough and Shoulder Stand offer a good stretch for these areas of the body. Plough in particular provides a more extensive...

        read more
        Arm Balance Transitions

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        Arm Balance TransitionskakasanaARM BALANCE TRANSITIONS Arm balance postures can be challenging enough without attempting to layer on a smooth transition in and out of them. However, fluid transitions are a natural progression in our yoga practice; they also provide...

        read more
        Hanumanasana Hints

        Hanumanasana Hints

        Hanumanasana HintssplitsHANUMANASANA HINTS Applying intelligent techniques to a posture like Hanumanasana is crucial—simply hoping for the best is definitely not the way to go! That mindset leaves us vulnerable to injury. Hanumanasana is also the type of pose that can...

        read more
        Chin Stand

        Chin Stand

        Chin Standganda bherundasanaCHIN STAND Without a doubt, Chin Stand requires preparation. This posture must be approached with the utmost humility, essential in order to respect the potential risk. If this pose is not explored regularly in our physical practice, it may...

        read more
        Postpone The Stretch Sensation

        Postpone The Stretch Sensation

        Postpone the Stretch SensationflexibilityPOSTPONE THE STRETCH SENSATION If one of the goals of our physical yoga practice is to increase flexibility, we may automatically believe that we just need to stretch more. It’s critical that we understand that increasing...

        read more
        Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

        Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

        Wake Up Your Wheel Poseheart openerWAKE UP YOUR WHEEL POSE We don’t have to question it—we know whether or not we’re feeling open, free, and strong in Wheel Pose. There’s a lightness and expansiveness that takes over when everything falls into place: From the initial...

        read more

        THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

        When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

        • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
        • exclusive online course discounts
        • exclusive blogs and videos
        • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

        Backbends and the Glutes

        Backbends and the Glutes

        Should I engage my glutes in a backbend?

        Should I Engage my Buttocks in a Backbend?

        In the yoga world, there are many opinions on alignment and what muscles “should” or “should not” be engaged. One of the common questions I get is, “Should I engage my buttocks in Wheel pose or bridge pose?” I decided it’s time to address this question with a video response to help clarify the anatomy behind the posture. 

        In the video, I go over the anatomy of Full Wheel aka Upward Facing Bow or Urdva Danurasana. The action at the hip joint in this pose is called extension. This is when your thigh bones go back behind your pelvis; think of the back leg in a crescent lunge pose.   The muscles that create extension at the hip are the Gluteus Maximus, Hamstrings, and Adductor Magnus. The Gluteus Maximus is the big buttock muscle that most of us see as “The Butt.”  To easily answer the question of whether one should engage their buttocks or not when going into Urdva Danurasana, I would say yes of course. To be more specific, if you are trying to go into extension at the hip it is incredibly useful to employ the muscles that create that action. 

        “Wait, why have people told me to relax my butt??”  The origin of this cue was based on the fact that so many people splay out their knees, which is a result of external rotation at the hip. One of the muscles that create external rotation at the hip is the Gluteus Maximus…yes, it performs both actions. So by trying to relax that muscle, you may not externally rotate as much. The issue with that is that the over external rotation is mostly a problem if you are using the deep external rotators of the buttocks – this could throw off the sacrum and cause the pinch in your upper pelvis, hip, or low back. 

        My personal suggestion is simply to turn on your internal rotators, which are your outer gluteus muscles (gluteus medius and minimus), TFL, and Adductors (inner thigh muscles). Don’t worry, you don’t need to know these muscles in order to internally rotate your thighs. All you need to do is focus on pressing down through your inner heels and big toe mound. By focusing on pressing into your inner feet, you will undoubtedly turn on your internal rotators without compromising the extension at the hip that is gained from the Gluteus Maximus engagement.

        With my mentorship students, I break down the difference between what I call Balancing Action and Fundamental Action. Knowing the difference makes it so much easier to know what is appropriate for yourself in any given posture. A Fundamental Action is any action that is required for the posture to exist. In the case of Urdva Danurasana, the Fundamental Action at the hips is Extension. Without the action of extension, your hips wouldn’t leave the ground. A balancing action is any action that is the opposite of the fundamental action, or the opposite of what the tendency is when creating the fundamental action. In this case, when creating the fundamental action of extension at the hips, the tendency will be to let the knees splay out to the sides (external rotation at the hips). A balancing action, in this case, is Internal Rotation at the hips which would keep the knees straight forward. Just to clarify, the direction of your knees isn’t the direct concern, it’s more about what is happening in the hips and sacrum that is of importance. 

        Can you do Urdva Danurasana with externally rotated legs? Yes of course! Will it be good for you? That’s a great question, and dependent upon so many factors in your body. My suggestion is until you have a deep relationship with your body and know what is a good sensation and what is not good, simply stick to the balancing action of internal rotation at the thighs by pressing the inner heels down. 

        I recognize this conversation is quite technical. If this was challenging to follow, simply watch the video to gain the visual aid as well. Enjoy strengthening and engaging your buttocks! If you are interested in learning more about techniques and anatomy, let’s set up a call to see if the Mentorship Mastery Program is right for you!

        Hip extension

        In order to go into hip extension in poses like Urdva Danurasana (full wheel pose) you will need to recruit your hip extensor muscles, which are located in the buttocks. By relaxing these muscles you are relying on your back muscles to do the heavy lifting.

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        3 Steps to Activate the Buttocks

        Step 1 - form The Arch

        Forming the arch first is recommended prior to placing more force and pressure on the spine and hips. If you don’t feel a sense of spaciousness while lying on the ground, you certainly won’t feel it when applying more pressure. Often the inability to activate the transverse abdominals correlates with a lack of spaciousness between the vertebrae of the spine. Transverse abdominals cause the vacuum effect in the abdomen and typically make it easier to lengthen the solar plexus away from the pubic bone which is indicated with the smaller arrow. The larger arrow is to call your attention to the evenness of the curve. Most people place their backbend in just the mobile parts of their spine and doing so will simply exacerbate your patterns. Try to put less effort into the mobile areas, and more in the stiff areas.

        Step 2: extension at the Hip

        When doing postures like bridge and full wheel, this action is crucial in that it is what creates the pose. Without activating the buttocks you will be relying on your back muscles alone to lift your hips up and as a result, you will likely cause too much compression in the spine. This doesn’t mean that activating the buttock will be a magic pill but it will help to disperse the pressure. In addition, the buttock muscles are super important to our posture when walking, standing, and even sitting. Maintaining strength and awareness of what they do in the body is crucial to health and longevity. To make step three easier, it is helpful to think of pressing down through the inner heels however, if that feels too challenging, simply press the outer heels down first and then work step 3 second.

        Step 3: Balancing Action

        Internally rotating the thigh bones will balance out the external rotation that happens when pressing down into the heels. When pressing down you are activating the hip extensors, and since the extensors of the hip are also external rotators, the thighs will tend to externally rotate. There is nothing inherently wrong with this however, it could cause over-activation of some of the deep external rotators causing unnecessary tension in the hips or sacrum. Some people will also experience sacral pressure as a result of the force placed on the S.I (sacral-iliac) joint from extension and external rotation. By activating the internal rotators you can balance out the hip extension and maintain neutral rotation and likely find more ease in the S.I joint.

        Releasing the Buttocks

        One of the issues people experience after activating their buttocks is gripping sensation. This often happens when the muscles are weak and trying to find any way to engage. This goes away as the muscles get stronger but the easiest way to release this is a posture like pigeon pose to stretch these muscles after backbends. Pigeon pose is also wonderful in that it doesn’t overly round the spine after backbending which could otherwise be dangerous on the intervertebral discs.

        Read Pigeon Without Knee Pain

        Gravity: Not All Backbends Are the Same

        The action of activating the buttock muscles here is most important in bridge and wheel pose because of the relationship to gravity. If we were doing something like bow pose it may still be beneficial to activate the buttocks, but chances are it won’t have the same effect and might even cause more compression on the spine. In that pose, the quads are typically more important because your hands are connected to your feet. When grabbing your feet for this posture, you will have activated the hamstrings and buttock already and the work in this posture will be lengthening the arch and finding an even disbursement of extension in the spinal column. This doesn’t mean you should not engage the buttocks, but in this case, your hands holding your feet are the cause for hip extension. For now use the tips in this blog for postures like full wheel and bridge, as well as the one leg up variations.

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        Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

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        Chin Standganda bherundasanaCHIN STAND Without a doubt, Chin Stand requires preparation. This posture must be approached with the utmost humility, essential in order to respect the potential risk. If this pose is not explored regularly in our physical practice, it may...

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        Postpone The Stretch Sensation

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        Down Dog: Avoid Shoulder Impingement

        3 Steps to Avoid Shoulder Impingement

        in Downward-Facing Dog

        Should You “Relax Your Shoulders” Away From Your Ears?

        In my previous blog, “The Yoga Cue That Could Be Destroying Your Shoulders,” I explained how taking the arms up overhead while dropping our shoulders down our back could be a recipe for shoulder impingement. Many teachers use Downward Dog as a “resting pose.”  In my experience, I have found that “relaxing” in Downward Dog is quite often the reason for most shoulder issues but can easily be rectified with the 3 cues I provide in the video and photo breakdown below: 

        1. Externally Rotate the Humerus
        2. Pronate the Forearms (not directly related to the shoulder but balances out Step 1)
        3. Elevate the Scapula 

        Elevation of the scapula happens when you lift your shoulder blades upward, which is like “shrugging” your shoulders, or when you excitedly reach your arms up to the sky. We naturally let our shoulders lift when our arms go up, but since many instructors cue the opposite, it is easy develop a pattern that does not serve the health of our shoulders. In addition to the verbal cue of “soften your shoulders,” gravity also causes issues if we don’t actively resist when we are in postures like Downward Dog, Forearm Stand, Handstand, or in a jump forward. My suggestion is to strengthen the muscles that elevate the scapula (upper trapezius and serratus anterior being the primary ones) in order to develop the pattern that can help to avoid shoulder impingement.

        Many people cringe when I suggest strengthening the muscles that lift the shoulders up, saying something like “but my shoulders are stuck up by my ears, shouldn’t I relax them down?” The short answer is yes, but the longer answer is that muscles hold tension when they are weak. Your shoulders are likely up by your ears because of stress, rather than excess strength . . . unless you are a world champion bodybuilder . . . then ignore this. We also have muscle-holding patterns, which means that when we hold our neck, head, and arms in one position for most of the day, it will cause the muscles to become accustomed to holding those positions, and as a result you will be somewhat stuck in that shape. Simply pulling your shoulders back down will not relax the trapezius; rather, it could cause more stress, and the muscle could become more aggravated.

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        BUT ISN’T IT IMPORTANT TO RELAX MY NECK?

        Relaxing is undoubtedly important, and it will help release tension in your mind and body. At the same time, muscles relax from being activated properly and then released. You have certainly experienced this after engaging your muscles in a good workout or yoga class and then the incredible relaxation afterwards. Stretching a muscle can help release tension at times, but more often than not, I find active engagement or passive shortening of a muscle is far more effective. When a muscle is healthy and strong, it is better able to relax.

        Follow the 3 easy steps in the video below to avoid shoulder impingement, and you will grow stronger in your trapezius muscles and rotator cuff.

        Maintaining Joint Space

        Research indicates that externally rotating the humerus helps to move the supraspinatus tendon away from the impingement area under the acromion process. Essentially this means that by rotating your arm bones outward (biceps turn forward) you are less likely to pinch the the soft tissues that run between your arm bone and the shoulder socket. 

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        Other Helpful Muscle Engagements

        Research also shows that activating both the biceps and triceps at the same time  can actually support creating more space in the glenohumeral joint  (where the arm meets the shoulder socket). You can do this by actively pushing the arms straight, and then try to squeeze your hands toward each other like a bull dog.   It is challenging to do oppositional muscle engagements so this takes a bit of exploring. First work on straightening the elbows and activating the triceps. When you squeeze your arms toward each other you will also get the added benefit of activating the adductor muscles which can also support more space in the shoulder joint.

        DOES THIS APPLY TO HANDSTAND AS WELL?

        Your shoulder joints do not know the difference between downward dog and handstand – aside from the gravitational pull, the shoulders are in the same alignment in downward dog as they are in handstand, this is called flexion. When the arms are flexed over head, you are at risk of impingement. The only difference is that in handstand you have to compete with gravity and so you will need to increase your efforts. You will find much more on this subject in the online course titled Handstand Part 2: Balance.

        Step 1 - Externally Rotate the Arm Upper Arm Bone

        Rotating the humerus externally when the arm goes up over head can help to avoid the impingement interval in the joint. One of your rotator cuff muscles, the supraspinatus, runs through the glenohumeral joint (under the acromion process and above the head of the humerus). This muscle helps to lift the arms up from tadasana, but because of its location it is easily pinched if the arms go over head but the shoulder blades don’t follow the movement. Downward dog is often the culprit- the weight of the body on the shoulders requires that we put effort into the posture to push the ground away, however with cues like “relax your shoulders” and “soften” we often release the appropriate muscular action required to maintain space resulting in shoulder impingement. In plain English – Externally rotate your arms (triceps rotate toward your face) and you will maintain more space in the joint and less potential for impingement. 

        Step 3: Upward Rotation of The Scapula

        From the outer line of your shoulder blades press through your hands into the earth. When you elevate your shoulder blades toward the ears from the outside line of the arm, the bottom wingtip of the scapula begins to rotate out and up – this is known as upward rotation of the scapula. As a result of upward rotation your shoulder blades rotates and angles itself to allow the arm bone to be overhead without a collision of bones in the joint, creating less possibility of impingement. 

        Step 2: Pronate the Forearm

        When externally rotating the upper arm bone you will notice that the lower arm (forearm) will go along for the ride and rotate as well. This results in an increased pressure in the outside of the hand and wrist. To evenly distribute the weight to the whole hand, simply pronate your forearm, by rotating the inner forearm and hand down toward the ground. Many teachers will stress this by asking you to press your index finger and thumb down. Depending on your range of motion in your radial ulnar joint,  you may not be able to press the inside edge of your hand down and maintain external rotation of the shoulder. My suggestion is to turn the hands slightly outward if this is the case. Learning to rotate the forearm in opposition of the upper arm bone can be challenging, but through mindful repetition you will be able to do it, and you will feel an increased strength and stability from it. To Strengthen your wrist, I highly recommend Handstand Training

        The 3 Actions

        While I have broken this down into 3 steps, with time and practice it can be 1 step and the 3 actions can happen all at once. To build muscle coordination it is useful to separate the actions and practice them individually. Though I created a definitive order to follow, know that it is beneficial to mix up the 3 steps and put them out of order. You may find another combination to work better for your body! The dotted red line above is to indicate the path of the bottom wing tip of the scapula. If you do not do push the bottom wing tip will wind up closer to the spine, it is helpful to video yourself to see where your shoulder blades are on your back. 

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        Depression of the Scapula

        Pulling your shoulders down away from the ears is the opposite of everything I have mentioned in this post, however it is an important action to work on especially for arm balances like side plank because depression creates stability when the arms are at or below shoulder height.

        When Can I Relax My Shoulders?

        One of the best parts about getting stronger with shoulder elevation (upward rotation) is that the muscles of your upper trapezius will become more supple and be able to relax more easily. Just like after working really hard in a yoga class you feel that complete relaxation in your body, each of your muscles experience that after being strengthened. There are plenty of opportunities to relax your shoulders down your back – just not when you reach your arms overhead. So when you are sitting at your chair you can think shoulders move slightly back and shoulder blades relax downward. When you are in a strong posture like crow pose and your upper arms are not over head, you can even work on strengthening the muscles of depression of the scapula. My philosophy on the body is that there are no wrong actions or muscle engagements, there are just appropriate and inappropriate times to use them.

        A great rule of thumb you can take with you: when in doubt just let your shoulders follow your hands – if the hands go up, let your shoulders go up, if they go down let them go down, if you reach forward let them go forward, etc. Enjoy your exploration, thank you for stopping by!

        -Matt

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        Avoid Shoulder Impingement

        Shoulder Impingement

        The Yoga Cue That Could be Destroying Your Shoulders

         

        “Relax your shoulders”

        There probably isn’t a single yoga teacher out there, myself included, who hasn’t used the verbal cue “relax your shoulders away from the ears.” This cue can be totally innocent and helpful to point out unconscious patterns related to stress or posture, but it can also lead to some serious shoulder injuries when the arms are overhead. Shoulder Impingement is common amongst dedicated yogis, and many people have blamed chaturanga as the culprit. It has become more and more obvious, however, that downward dog is where most students are creating the issue. To be clear, downward dog is not the issue, it is the way in which many students do the pose that causes shoulder impingement.

        When we take one arm up overhead, eventually the shoulder blade and collar bone have to lift and rotate in order to maintain space in the joint. If you pull your shoulders down while your arms go up, you are not allowing the necessary rotation that allows you to maintain space. As a result, you will cause pinching or friction in the joint space where muscles, tendons, and subacromial bursa run through. If you continue to force this action repeatedly you can expect pain or injury.

        You are most likely fine in standing poses simply because you’re not likely to force your arm up high enough to create the compression or impingement. Most people unconsciously bend their elbows when they reach up with their arms in poses like tree pose or warrior one – this gives the illusion or feeling that the arms are reaching up vertically while still keeping their shoulders soft.

        On the other hand, in poses like downward dog, the shape itself in combination with its relationship to gravity makes it challenging to maintain space in the joint unless you understand how to elevate your shoulder blades toward your ears, and protract them away from each other. These two actions in combination with external rotation of the upper arm bone (triceps/armpits turn toward face) will create upward rotation and help to maintain space in the joint. Rather than offering the cue “relax your shoulders”, many yoga teachers give an amazing hands-on adjustment that indirectly creates more space in the shoulders. If you have had your hips pushed up and back or thighs pulled back then you know the feeling, but you probably were sensationally distracted by the stretch in your hamstrings. What actually moves your hips up and back if you don’t have the assistance of your teacher is the elevation of your scapula – think shrugging your shoulders.

         

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        When you elevate and upwardly rotate your shoulder blades you will not only bypass impingement, but you will increase your range of motion. This is also the key to getting out of the banana back handstand or forearm stand. With these actions, you give yourself the opportunity to have enough range of motion or “flexibility” that allows for the arms and rib cage to be at the same angle. This is definitely easier said than done. When you are upside down and have the entire weight of your body, you have to be strong enough to elevate your scapula. Picture this, you are standing on your feet, you reach your arms up overhead and then you shrug your shoulders up toward your ears. Then your entire body weight is placed on your hands. Your shoulders would want to fall down. This is basically what it feels like to do a handstand at first. With the right exercises, you will get stronger. If you are looking for exercises to help build strength and awareness in your shoulders I highly recommend The Handstand Strength Training video, which provides amazing exercises to build strength specific to poses with arms overhead.

        To sum it up, try allowing your shoulders to rise up whenever you lift your arms overhead. Watch the video above to gain a clearer understanding of these actions

        So Why Have I been told to relax my shoulders?

        The cue to relax your shoulders is great when we are in postures where the arms are out to the side or lower. In Warrior 2, depressing the shoulder blades down the back can be stabilizing and strengthening. Postures like chaturanga and other various arm balances are also great opportunities to work on the depression of the scapula. When the arms are overhead such as down dog, handstand, and forearm stand there is fairly great risk in pulling your shoulders down, and there is a great opportunity to develop health in the trapezius muscles when you elevate the shoulders upward. 

        Other Helpful Muscle Engagements

        Research also shows that activating both the biceps and triceps at the same time can actually support creating more space in the glenohumeral joint  (where the arm meets the shoulder socket). You can do this by actively pushing the arms straight, and then try to squeeze your hands toward each other like a bulldog.   It is challenging to do oppositional muscle engagements, so this takes a bit of exploring. First work on straightening the elbows and activating the triceps. When you squeeze your arms toward each other you will also get the added benefit of activating the adductor muscles which can also support more space in the shoulder joint.

        Step 1 - Externally Rotate the Upper Arm Bone

        Rotating the humerus externally when the arm goes up overhead can help to avoid the impingement interval in the joint. One of your rotator cuff muscles, the supraspinatus, runs through the glenohumeral joint (under the acromion process and above the head of the humerus). This muscle helps to lift the arms up from tadasana, but because of its location, it is easily pinched if the arms go overhead but the shoulder blades don’t follow the movement. Downward dog is often the culprit- the weight of the body on the shoulders requires that we put effort into the posture to push the ground away however, with cues like “relax your shoulders” and “soften” we often release the appropriate muscular action required to maintain space resulting in shoulder impingement. In plain English – Externally rotate your arms (triceps rotate toward your face) and you will maintain more space in the joint and less potential for impingement.

        Step 3: Upward Rotation of The Scapula

        From the outer line of your shoulder blades, press through your hands into the earth. When you elevate your shoulder blades toward the ears from the outside line of the arm, the bottom wingtip of the scapula begins to rotate out and up – this is known as the upward rotation of the scapula. As a result of upward rotation, your shoulder blade rotates and angles itself to allow the arm bone to be overhead without a collision of bones in the joint, creating less possibility of impingement.

        Step 2: Pronate the Forearm

        When externally rotating the upper arm bone, you will notice that the lower arm (forearm) will go along for the ride and rotate as well. This results in increased pressure on the outside of the hand and wrist. To evenly distribute the weight to the whole hand, simply pronate your forearm by rotating the inner forearm and hand down toward the ground. Many teachers will stress this by asking you to press your index finger and thumb down. Depending on your range of motion in your radial ulnar joint,  you may not be able to press the inside edge of your hand down and maintain external rotation of the shoulder. My suggestion is to turn the hands slightly outward if this is the case. Learning to rotate the forearm in opposition to the upper arm bone can be challenging but through mindful repetition, you will be able to do it and you will feel increased strength and stability from it. To Strengthen your wrists, I highly recommend Handstand Training

        The 3 Actions

        While I have broken this down into 3 steps, with time and practice it can be 1 step and the 3 actions can happen all at once. To build muscle coordination it is useful to separate the actions and practice them individually. Though I created a definitive order to follow, know that it is beneficial to mix up the 3 steps and put them out of order. You may find another combination to work better for your body! The dotted red line above indicates the path of the bottom wingtip of the scapula. If you do not push the bottom wing tip, it will wind up closer to the spine. It is helpful to record a video yourself to see where your shoulder blades are on your back.

        SHOULDER REVELATION

        Strength•Mobility•Biomechanics

        • Increase strength and flexibility
        • Decrease risk of injury
        • Release shoulder tension
        • Learn anatomy and biomechanics
        • Access a wider range of postures
        • Stabilize the rotator cuff muscles
        • Learn binds, heart openers, and arm balances
        • 12 all-levels, 75-minute online classes
        • Lifetime unlimited access to all

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        Depression of the Scapula

        Pulling your shoulders down away from the ears is the opposite of everything I have mentioned in this post, however it is an important action to work on especially for arm balances like side plank because depression creates stability when the arms are at or below shoulder height.

        When Can I Relax My Shoulders?

        One of the best parts about getting stronger with shoulder elevation (upward rotation) is that the muscles of your upper trapezius will become more supple and be able to relax more easily. Just like after working really hard in a yoga class, when you feel that complete relaxation in your body, each of your muscles experience that after being strengthened. There are plenty of times to relax your shoulders down your back – just not when you reach your arms overhead. So when you are sitting in your chair, you can think shoulders move slightly back and shoulder blades relax downward. When you are in a strong posture like crow pose and your upper arms are not overhead, you can even work on strengthening the muscles of depression of the scapula. My philosophy on the body is that there are no wrong actions or muscle engagements, there are just appropriate and inappropriate times to use them.

        A great rule of thumb you can take with you: when in doubt just let your shoulders follow your hands – if the hands go up, let your shoulders go up, if they go down let them go down, if you reach forward let them go forward, etc. Enjoy your exploration, thank you for stopping by!

        -Matt

         

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        The Key To Arm Balances

        The Key to arm Balances

        Learn the secret to balancing on your hands

         

        The Secret is Simple

        Finding ease in arm balances can seem like a mystery and it can be frustrating to figure them out while struggling to breathe in positions that feel constricting. The secret to arm balances is simple, but it is not always easy to put into action. Picture a balance scale, the old-fashioned kind. When both sides are even, the scale is “balanced.” There is no difference between a balance scale and your body, but it’s visually harder to understand. The center of the scale is where your hand meets your wrists.

        Let’s think about crow pose for a moment. You will see in the picture to the right (or below if you’re on mobile or a tablet) a red line to show you where the shaft of a balance scale would be. I call the hips and legs the “back side” of the pose, and the heart and head the “front side.” In order for the back and front side to be equal we must lean forward quite a bit. This presents a bit of fear for many yogis, and for a good reason! You could easily lean too far, too fast. This is why it’s important to build strength in your fingers and wrists. The primary muscles that stop the body from leaning too far are the flexors of the wrists and fingers. I call these muscles “The Breaks,” and much like driving any vehicle, you will not feel safe without them! For this reason alone it’s super important to strengthen the breaks so that you build trust in yourself. As your trust builds, you will be willing to lean forward more and more into the strength of your wrists.  In my Handstand Training video, I provide some of my top exercises for “the breaks.”

        When most people first try to lean forward they actually tend to sink, softening the elbow joints and melting the shoulder blades toward each other. This will make the posture heavy and will actually make it harder to balance. To be sure you aren’t doing this, film yourself or better yet find a teacher or friend to support you with visual coaching.

        yoga arm balance with goats
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        yoga pose all 4's wrist strengthener

        Step 1 - All Fours with a Block

        First work with a block behind the forearms on all fours. To be clear this is a deep extension of the wrist, so be mindful. If you feel that your muscles are straining, back the block up an inch. The idea here is to grip the ground with your fingers which will activate the flexor muscles. Because the hand is in extension, the flexor muscles are elongated significantly, so gripping the ground could prove to be challenging.

        chaturanga with block for wrist strength

        Step 2: Chaturanga with a block

        The next step is to work on lowering from plank to chaturanga with the block directly behind the forearm. I recommend only going down a few inches and trying to hold. You will notice that in my chaturanga and crow pose my elbows are only slightly bent. This will make it easier to stay lifted and light. The same is true for the fingers; keep gripping the ground! To Strengthen your wrist, I highly recommend Handstand Training

        crow pose wrist strength and balance

        Step 3: Crow Pose

        Crow pose is significantly more challenging, so if this is new for you be sure to work with a teacher first (and a landing cushion would be an intelligent choice if you ask me). Apply the same action but go slower. Grip the ground and apply the breaks, then lean into that resistance. If you are more proficient in arm balances, you can try this in a posture like Ekapada Koundenyasana 2  or flying pigeon.

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        Avoiding Wrist Pain

        Wrist pain is common when people first start their yoga practice or arm balance practice. That doesn’t mean it’s a good thing, but it probably means the muscles that surround the joint are not strong and probably not balanced. The wrists are not a muscle you can simply work really hard a few times and see positive results. More likely you will strain the muscles if you go that route. Instead spend small amounts of time practicing these exercises but do them often. This is how I train my own wrists and I have had much success with feeling good over the course of 12 plus years of practicing handstands and arm balances.

        Thank you for reading and watching! if you have questions, comments or requests please share them here!

        -Matt

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        Arm Balances: Protraction Action

        arm Balances: Protraction

        Finding Ease and Lightness in Arm Balances

         

        ARM BALANCE STRENGTH BUILDING

        Most who practice yoga have come to realize that the practice requires a certain physical strength that doesn’t necessarily coincide with the image of strength in our head. Every yogi has seen a physically in-shape gym goer walk into a yoga class and struggle in his/her first down dog. The reason for this is because there are tons of muscles in the body, and all of them have a purpose. The ones you see on the surface are called the superficial muscles, and their job is primarily to create big movements like swinging a baseball bat, jumping, climbing, etc. While many Yoga postures and transitions require the use of these muscles, the Deep muscles or stabilizing muscles are often most used. In this video, I go over the muscle groups that I find are most important for the majority of arm balances.

        Serratus Anterior

        The muscles I speak of in this video are the Serratus Anterior, and the 4 layers of abdominals (rectus abdominis, external obliques, internal obliques, and transverse abdominis). Serratus Anterior is incredibly important for many arm balances because it creates stability in the shoulder blades and moves the body away from the ground. In the “Handstand Strength Training” video I give exercises in plank pose to help students develop the strength of this muscle. When this muscle is fully engaged in plank the body is further away from the ground. The same is true in arm balances. Further from the ground begins to feel lighter and easier, and as mentioned in the video above, your wrists will feel better as well. The reason you feel lighter and more at ease when the Serratus Anterior is fully engaged is simple- all muscles have an easier time contracting when they are fully shortened. Think of your bicep muscle; isn’t it easier to hold a weight in your hand when your hand is closest to your shoulder vs halfway down at the “holding a tray” position. Part of this is the relationship to gravity but even if you changed the angle of your body that would still be the easiest position for the muscles to be engaged. This is the same reason why it’s easier to do a little tiny pull-up vs going through the full range of motion from straight arms all the way up to bent arms. If you are looking to build strength in the Serratus Anterior I suggest checking out either “The Breakthrough” or “The Chakras and The Elements”. Both immersion focus on strength building for arm balances. 

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        Arm Balances: The Core

        The four abdominals have multiple functions including flexion (rounding) of the spine, twisting, side bending, stabilizing, and compressing/lifting inner organs (primarily the transverse abdominis). Depending on the pose, many arm balances require one or more abdominals to engage because of the shape, and because they have the ability to make the midsection more compact. The more compact you feel, the lighter you will feel because all the extremities tend to pull in closer to the center of gravity when the abdominals engage. What I am not going over in this video is the important role that your legs play within all arm balances. I will be releasing another video on Youtube soon showing you how the legs relate to the core. If you are interested in finding out when that video goes up, subscribe to my newsletter and I will let you know. Developing strength in the abdominals has long been a part of the fitness industry, but until recently it was purely for visual purposes. Most people associate having a six-pack with health, but the reality is that it’s more important to have core intelligence than strength. A little strength and a lot of awareness go a very long way, much further than a lot of strength and little awareness of how to use it. Developing strength through applied actions such as doing handstand, crow pose, or exercises that produce greater intelligence in your body is what I focus on in my handstand and arm balance practice. As a result not only do I feel strong in my asana practice but my back feels great, and I am able to apply the awareness to other activities that require body intelligence. For my favorite core strengtheners you click here, or if you are looking for free ways to learn, simply search youtube for how to strengthen the 4 muscles of the core (searching each muscle separately). Anyone who offers an application for the strength and not just the exercise is likely thinking along the same lines of “muscle intelligence” vs strength. Remember you want to know what the muscle does intellectually and know what it feels like in your body. That combination will make it easier to apply later on to your practice!

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        arm balance strength for shoulders

        Plank at the Wall

        Taking plank at the wall is one of the best ways to truly develop proprioception for protracting the shoulder blades. As mentioned in the video protraction is when you push the shoulder blades apart from one another and they move around your rib cage. This is an activation of the serratus anterior muscles which tend to require strengthening for most people. At the wall, you can focus on the action without the requirement of strength.

        arm balance strength for crow pose

        Flexion of the Spine

        Flexion of the spine in arm balances requires the muscular activation of the rectus abdominals, obliques, and likely the deep core muscles. While it is possible to do arm balances with the core completely relaxed and still hold the postures, it tends to be easier with the recruitment of them. To develop strength in your core, I highly recommend my top exercises on the Handstand Training video. 

        arm balance strength of the core

        Crow With Protraction and flexion

        Putting the two actions together might sound complicated but the two actions actually go hand in hand. Protraction makes spinal flexion easier to access and vice versa. I recommend first trying this in plank posture. If you haven’t yet watched the two blogs on Chaturanga, this is the best place to start integrating protraction into your arm balances. After you’ve worked with chaturanga, if you feel confident balancing crow then you can try applying these actions.

        First Awareness, Then Strength.

        It’s easy to try and jump ahead and go straight to our most challenging arm balance posture and try to apply new actions to it. This approach is okay but if you find that you are not getting it or not feeling a difference, it’s likely because your body needs to develop an awareness around the action itself before it can build strength. We need to create the feedback loop in our body from thought to action to sensation and back again. Once that feedback loop is established, strength can be built through repetition.

        Thanks for joining me here. I hope these tips help with your practice and/or your teaching. Please share your comments, questions, or requests and I will get back to you.

        -Matt

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        Chin Stand

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        Headstand: Neck Relief

        Headstand: Neck Relief

        No More "Pain in the Neck"

         

        Intentional Practice

        For many years I split my yoga asana practice into two parts. On one side I dedicated my learning to the therapeutic qualities and on the other side advancing my practice. It was a while before I realized that they were one and the same and it took longer to realize that “advanced” transition could lead to greater ease and freedom. This video is born out of my understanding of what I used to consider to be just an advanced transition.

        Let’s touch briefly on the neck in headstand. I think we all know that putting our entire weight on our neck could obviously have its dangers. There are also many claimed benefits from it, some of which I agree with from my own experience. Headstand can be extremely empowering and freeing on an emotional level, and beyond that, it is a platform to build more strength and stability for the neck. In addition, going upside down in general can increase our proprioception (knowing where our body is in space). To be sure we are gaining all the benefits and not dealing with the potential downfalls of having all our weight on our neck, I find it beneficial to learn how to do headstand with our head off the ground. Some would call this forearm stand, some would argue it’s still headstand arms so it’s headstand…what you call it is not important, but having the strength and awareness definitely is beneficial.

        There are two main anatomical actions that I go over in this video:
        Elevation of the Scapula: Shoulder blades raise up toward the ears
        Extension at the Elbow Joint: The Elbow straightening.

        Elevation of the scapula is the main action in relieving neck pressure because when executed with enough strength, the head will lift off of the ground. Once you have the strength and control over the muscles that create elevation (mainly the upper fibers of the trapezius muscles) you will then have the choice of how much weight you place on your head. Trying to extend at the elbow joint can help maintain stability and balance as you elevate your scapula and can assist in rising away from the ground.

        The Actions

        In the video you will be provided with a visual demonstration of elevating the scapula with headstand arms. While you are reading this you can try elevating your scapula by shrugging your shoulders up by your ears. This action is remarkably easier when the arms are by your side in a resting position than when they are over head and bearing the weight of your body, but awareness of the action makes it a lot easier to attempt once you enter the position. Many yoga teachers will shun the idea of your shoulders rising up by the ears simply because it tends to be an unconscious pattern. Remember this pattern is not necessarily bad or good, it’s the unconscious part that is the problem. Another way to look at it is if we hold an equal and opposite pattern of elevated scapula then our shoulders would be balanced and relaxed. If you are someone whose shoulders rise toward your ears on a daily basis here are some things to consider.
        Your stress levels: If your shoulders are tensed up it could be an indication that your emotional body/nervous system is more often in the state of panic and your nervous system is sending signals to your muscles to hold tension because “something bad is going to happen.” There is no short answer for what to do but one-on-one coaching could help. I am happy to connect for a free Skype session to discuss some options with you.
        Strengthen the opposite muscles: In this case, do pull-ups and work on strengthening the muscles of depression.
        Strengthen to Release: It may sound strange but usually a muscle holding tension is not tense because it is strong, more likely because it is weak. Strengthening it can actually relax it. In this case, elevating your scapula will help strengthen the upper fibers of the trapezius muscles, and therefore could lead to releasing your neck tension!

        How to Strengthen

        There are multiple ways to strengthen the muscles that elevate the scapula and extend the elbow. In the video I offer a way to do so while approaching the pose. Dolphin pose (Down Dog on Forearms) is a great start for the more beginner practitioner. Check out the video and try the actions to feel it in your body. If you find it helpful and you are looking for more ways to strengthen your inversion practice Click Here to check out my top exercises for the arms, shoulders, wrists, and core!

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        1. Elevate Your Scapula

        Before going upside down and bearing weight, ensure that you have the range of motion in your shoulders to elevate your scapula with headstand arms – clasped fingers, bent elbows, arms overhead. Lift and lower your shoulders toward and away from your ears several times with your breath to awaken your trapezius and serratus anterior muscles. If this proves to be challenging it could be due to weakness in these muscles or tightness in the opposing muscles.  You could do some down dogs, or do the classic swimmers warm-up of windmilling one arm and then the other, backstroke is my preference. Also, check out the Handstand Training video for strength and mobility exercises for the shoulders.  

        3. Dolphin

        Take the next step by getting down into dolphin pose and working on elevating your scapula and depressing them a few times. It’s helpful to record yourself to see if you are accurately performing the action. This posture is great to work on tricep engagement. Press the outer wrists down into the ground until your feel the back of your arms tone up.

        2. Elbow Extension

        Extension of the elbow is seemingly easy when you look at it, and even when you do it without weight-bearing. However it’s not strength that usually stands in the way, but rather the ability to use the muscles for balance. This requires rapid reactivity, and the ability to feel when the body has fallen backward. The triceps in this type of headstand (less weight bearing on the neck) and forearm stand are equivalent to the fingers in a handstand, they are “the breaks” that stop you from falling. Try putting your forearm on a wall like a forearm plank, then push into the wall with the outer edge of your hand and wrist to activate the triceps. Increase the weight by walking your feet back and leaning your body more toward the wall.

        4. Tuck Headstand or Prep

        If you are confident in balancing a headstand you could then try these actions in a tuck headstand which keeps your center of gravity lower making it easier to maintain balance as you explore new techniques. Please use a wall or teacher for safety – elevating the scapula typically sends people overboard. If you aren’t yet balancing headstand, try the prep with feet on the ground shown above.

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        Neck Relief.

        There are two main reasons why elevating the scapula can help relieve the neck in a headstand. It can provide less compression on the cervical (neck) vertebrae, and it can allow for some of the stabilizer neck muscles to relax. That being said there can be benefits to strengthening the stabilizers of the neck, so doing a headstand with less elevation of the scapula isn’t inherently wrong or bad unless you are experience pain or discomfort when doing so.

        The approach to headstand relies heavily on the strength of the upper fibers of your trapezius muscles which tend to be tense but also weak in many people. The common question that arises is, “my shoulders are always up by my ears, shouldn’t I relax them?” Of course the answer is yes but there is a time and place for everything. Spend the majority of your day learning to let go of unconscious tension, and a small amount of time you spend in headstand, handstand, or forearm stand focusing on the intentional engagement of these muscles. A healthy trapezius is actually less likely to hold tension. More often than not we hold tension in muscles that we don’t have much awareness of. Tension in the way I am using the word right now is more likely the result of emotional stress than it is of too much strength or activity.

        Thank you for stopping by, I hope these tips help. If you have questions, requests, or something you would like to share about your headstand journey please submit a comment.

        -Matt

        Improve your balance with yoga

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        Chin Stand

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        Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

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        Wake Up Your Wheel Poseheart openerWAKE UP YOUR WHEEL POSE We don’t have to question it—we know whether or not we’re feeling open, free, and strong in Wheel Pose. There’s a lightness and expansiveness that takes over when everything falls into place: From the initial...

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        Headstand: 3 Ways In

        Three Ways In

        Headstand is a powerful pose, typically referred to as the King of the Yoga Asanas (poses). While the gurus and masters have long been preaching the importance of headstand, modern-day anatomists often caution against it. Physically speaking my personal relationship with headstand has been mostly positive, while emotionally there were a couple of years of fear around the potential risks. The warnings of many of my teachers, in addition to neck and shoulder pain eventually turned me away from practicing the pose. In recent years I finally discovered the root cause of my neck pain had very little to do with my neck itself and everything to do with an imbalance in one of my rotator cuff muscles causing referral pain. The reason I feel this is important to mention is that when we are in pain we can be so quick to blame that we might miss what is really going on. We see it all the time in modern medicine. Instead of searching for the root cause of our problem, we focus on the symptom. Let me be clear here, I am not saying if you have neck pain you should do Headstand, I am simply stressing the importance of searching for the root of the pain. Dig deep, keep an open mind, and explore.

        So when is it appropriate to do headstand? This question is not easily answered as it depends on many factors but here are some basic guidelines to consider.
        1. The state of health in your body: Headstand is most appropriate for Yogis with a healthy spine and disks, consult a chiropractor (preferably one that practices yoga) to see if it’s right for you. Same goes for blood pressure irregularities, and of course pregnancy – check with a doctor. If you have other concerns seek professional guidance. If you feel good and know you are in good health, this pose might be your next best friend.
        2. Your Level of Practice, strength, and body awareness: In the video, I mention that there are three levels of entering into headstand; beginner-advanced. Personally, as a teacher I feel headstand is for the intermediate level student, so while I talk about the three levels consider that these are meant for the intermediate student. For the advanced Yoga Asana practitioner, there are multiple ways in and out of headstand, and for the beginner I feel it is most important to build the following prior to attempting the pose:

        Beginners: Preparatory Strength and Technique

        1. Shoulder Strength: From the moment you begin your yoga practice you are likely building shoulder strength. If your desire is to move toward headstand, I suggest building strength specific to having your arms overhead and in front of you. Downward Dog, Arm Balances, Handstand preparations, Dolphin Pose are all great poses to start off with.
        2. Back Body, Spine Strength: Developing the muscles along the back body and spine will help to stabilize your head, torso, and legs when you are ready to work toward headstand.
        3. Neck Strength: Neck strength can be built in preparation. I recommend doing standing yoga postures with hands behind the head and pressing the head back into the hands. This will also help set the head back which can lead to a more optimal alignment of the spine when in headstand, as well as in daily life.

        For my top inversion strength training exercises, check out my Handstand Video at www.TheYogiMatt.com/Handstand

        Benefits of The 3 Approaches

        While scrolling through Instagram and Facebook over the past year or so there is obviously a strong desire to invert amongst yogis. It is beautiful to see the determination amongst practitioners to conquer their fears and prove to themselves that they can do more than they ever could imagine. That dedication toward results typically comes with hazardous experimentation, and maybe a little bit of (dare I say) impatience? I am not innocent when it comes to this topic, which is why I wanted to offer what I have learned along the way to help speed up your overall journey, and potentially save you from some of what I have gone through. I know everyone has to go through their own journey, and I know some of you out there are indeed looking for guidance, and are excited to learn. So if you are interested in the techniques and tools that will develop and empower your practice, I have created a video highlighting three challenging yet highly effective approaches toward headstand. Each one builds strength for the next, so my suggestion is beginners really master the first one without lifting the feet off the ground, and advanced practitioners use all three as drills to build body awareness and strength.

        The 3 Approaches

         

        1. Half Tuck: The Half tuck teaches the shifting of weight from the feet to the head and arms while not demanding as much body awareness and hamstring flexibility. The first step is simply learning how to point the foot that is on the ground in order to shift your weight. In the video I use a block as a method to get around tight hamstrings. You may stack more than one block so long as you feel stable. The second part of this is to tuck your second leg into your body and balance in a “tuck” position. This may be highly challenging, but keeping your legs in a tuck has the benefit of being low to the ground. Lower center of gravity is easier to balance and therefore can be a safer place to learn balance. I would say that while there is always a risk when balancing upside down, the risk is less than in a full headstand.
        2. Full Tuck: Once you find repeated success with the tuck position and feel comfortable holding it for more than a minute you might try coming straight into a tuck position rather than one leg at a time. This is more challenging on many levels but mostly it requires greater flexibility in the hamstrings, and a stronger sense of proprioception (knowing where your body is in space). If this entrance is feeling great, the second aspect of it is to start extending at the hip joint, bringing your knees upward. How high up to bring the knees will depend on your level of comfort and balance.
        3. Straight Leg Press: Going Straight into a headstand through what is called a pike position in gymnastic and acrobatic language, is definitely the most challenging. It requires tremendous body awareness, low back, and buttock strength. It requires that the hamstrings are both flexible and strong. I highly recommend getting comfortable tucking all the way up and being able to hold a straight headstand for over a minute prior to attempting this.

        Note: For all three approaches be sure to have a teacher around to support you and be your eyes for what you cannot see.

        Beyond the Entry

        Getting into headstand is just the start of the journey. Holding the balance while breathing steady and keeping your mind focused is the real exciting and beneficial part. I love to focus on my spinal curves while upside down, finding the most enjoyable balance. I also love to play with taking pressure off my neck which I will go over in my next blog and video!

        To get started with your strength training and development of body awareness visit TheYogiMatt.com/Handstand. If you know someone that would benefit from this information please share the blog on social media or email. For questions please feel free to reach out to me directly: Matt@TheYogiMatt.com

        Start Practicing

        #1 Tip To Advance Your Practice

        Dharana: The Mastery Approach

        #1 Tip to Advance Your Yoga Practice

        Dharana Leads to Mastery 

        There are multiple reasons why we practice asana (the physical practice of yoga), but most of us would agree that the primary one is that we feel better afterward. Asana offers us an opportunity to get to know our body on a deeper level because it demands the full attention of our mind. You can’t mentally check out while holding a balance posture; you must stay present. It’s that type of absolute focus that allows us to advance in anything we do. In the yoga sutras, the harnessing of our mind’s attention to focus on one thing is referred to as Dharana. We can get to the state of Dharana on and off the mat. It’s a skill that can permeate every aspect of our life. To become masterful at anything we do, we must practice this single-pointed focus. So how do we do it in our asana practice?

        The challenge most of us face is that our only measure of progress in the asana practice is the attainment of postures. I say asana specifically because the yoga practice includes far more than the study of the physical body, and for this discussion, I want to target the development of our physical awareness. If the postures are our only measurement, then we subconsciously will strive for the ability to achieve more of them so long as we feel safe enough. On the other hand, if we don’t feel safe then we will likely hold ourselves back from our potential. I’d like to invite you to focus your attention on something more specific in your physical practice: targeted, intentional muscle activation and the sensations you experience while doing so. Instead of practicing many postures, focus on fewer postures with several muscle activations. The body has a tremendous amount of muscles, so limit your options by focusing on one area of your body i.e. the hips, shoulders, spine, ankles, core, etc. This is how I structure my Elements of Mastery immersion, I take you through simple postures while targeting each area of the body throughout the weekend or online course. In the video below, I give the example of how to activate 3 different muscle groups in the “hips” category for one single posture, lunge pose.

        What Does it mean to be advanced?

        The practice of yoga is always about developing some form of awareness through intentional actions. Advanced in the physical practice of asana means heightened proprioception of the body or “Body Awareness.” Understanding how to activate the various muscles of the body in order to move your bones/joints and be able to feel the sensations of these actions is what qualifies an advanced practitioner. For some, that may result in complex postures that require flexibility and strength, and for others, it might be living a more pain-free life. In any case, “advanced” is not aesthetic, it’s functional, which may or may not be visually pleasing to someone watching. The recent interest in fascia, the connective tissue of the body, has revealed many findings in modern research. While researchers are just a few years into the study of connective tissue, studies are showing the correlation between proprioception and chronic pain – those that are less aware of and capable of moving or activating certain areas of their body also experience chronic pain in these areas. What that means for us practicing yoga is to use the practice to develop greater body awareness if we want to decrease chronic pain. Watch the video below to see how I explore different muscle groups within a simple lunge posture

        4 KEY MOVEMENTS

        To simplify your adventure, let’s look at one way of breaking down potential engagement into 4 directional movements.

        1. Squeeze in: This can be any movement where the extremities are moving or are trying to move toward each other, or more specifically toward the midline of the body. It can also mean the front body contracting inward toward the center of our core – a full tuck position or balasana-child’s pose. In anatomy terms, I am referring to Adduction and Flexion of the body.
        2. Push Out: This is the opposite engagement or movement- away from the midline or when the front body expands like you are stretching out after a good night’s sleep. Anatomically speaking, this is Abduction and Extension of the body.
        3. Turn in: When the Extremities Rotate toward the midline of the body
        4. Turn out: When the Extremities rotate outward and away from the midline.

        In addition, you have side bending and twisting. Side Bending is a push out on one side and a squeeze in on the opposite, while twisting the spine is a rotation along the central axis. My suggestion is to start with the four key movements as they will provide a strong platform to work with.

        ELEMENTS

        Another approach toward simplification of the complexity of the body is using the elements of nature (Earth, Water, Fire, Air). This is the basis that I use for the Elements of Mastery both the online version and live immersions. With the elements, you can still refer back to the 4 Key Movements.

        Earth: The way I structure the earth practice in EOM is we look at the foundations of our postures – the two main connectors to the earth are the feet and the hands. There are 4 main directions of the ankles and if you practice these joint articulations throughout your standing postures, you will gain mastery over the feet and ankles; the same is true for the hands.

        Water: The Element of Motion and Emotion appropriately relates to the hips which are the main area of our body that initiates movement from one place to another. The video above is a great example of hip activation in one posture. To really dive deep into developing awareness of the hips check out Hips: Rock Em and Unlock Em

        Fire: Relates to the Core. The four directions of core activation are Flexion, Extension, Rotation, and Lateral flexion. Of these, Flexion and Rotation are most accurate to the element of Fire. To get to know these best you will want to practice Parts 3 and 4 of Elements of Mastery.

        Air: Air relates to lateral flexion and extension of the spine along with thoracic diaphragmatic breathing. Practice Parts 4 and 5 of Elements of Mastery.

        4 KEY MOVEMENTS

        By exploring the multiple options within just a few postures, you will gain tremendous insight into your body.  When you focus your attention in this way, more advanced postures will likely become accessible simply because of your increased ability to activate muscles and move your joints. This masterful approach done over the course of time will increase the health of your muscle tissue leading to an increased range of motion and greater strength.

        Dharana is the practice of focusing your attention or harnessing the full power of your mind. Now you know how to apply it to your body, but you can also apply this skill to anything you do.

        Elements of Mastery

        The most in-depth online yoga immersion offered by Matt Giordano. This immersion contains several full-length workshops focusing on how the body relates to nature’s elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, & Space. In addition to deepening your physical practice, you will learn anatomy, adjustments, and the approach to Mastery!

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        Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

        Plough Pose vs. Shoulder Stand

        Plough Pose vs. Shoulder StandhalasanaPLOUGH POSE VS. SHOULDER STAND After we have engaged in postures that strengthen the posterior chain, Plough and Shoulder Stand offer a good stretch for these areas of the body. Plough in particular provides a more extensive...

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        Arm Balance Transitions

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        Arm Balance TransitionskakasanaARM BALANCE TRANSITIONS Arm balance postures can be challenging enough without attempting to layer on a smooth transition in and out of them. However, fluid transitions are a natural progression in our yoga practice; they also provide...

        read more
        Hanumanasana Hints

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        Hanumanasana HintssplitsHANUMANASANA HINTS Applying intelligent techniques to a posture like Hanumanasana is crucial—simply hoping for the best is definitely not the way to go! That mindset leaves us vulnerable to injury. Hanumanasana is also the type of pose that can...

        read more
        Chin Stand

        Chin Stand

        Chin Standganda bherundasanaCHIN STAND Without a doubt, Chin Stand requires preparation. This posture must be approached with the utmost humility, essential in order to respect the potential risk. If this pose is not explored regularly in our physical practice, it may...

        read more
        Postpone The Stretch Sensation

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        Postpone the Stretch SensationflexibilityPOSTPONE THE STRETCH SENSATION If one of the goals of our physical yoga practice is to increase flexibility, we may automatically believe that we just need to stretch more. It’s critical that we understand that increasing...

        read more
        Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

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        Wake Up Your Wheel Poseheart openerWAKE UP YOUR WHEEL POSE We don’t have to question it—we know whether or not we’re feeling open, free, and strong in Wheel Pose. There’s a lightness and expansiveness that takes over when everything falls into place: From the initial...

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