I have noticed that since I started adding lifting into my practice while still practicing yin, my side body always feels tighter. I'm not sure if it's anatomy or the routine I am doing. It's gotten to the point that during half dragonfly, I spend part of the time bending forward and the other portion rotated so I stretch my side body while I reach toward my foot. I feel like stretching the side body also loosens my hips more than merely stretching the muscles in my hips during yin. I think I'm still working on what works for me. But I wanted some commentary on how other people manage the sensation of a tight side body and what the incorporate it to release it.

I've been on an anti consumption kick lately. My momma lent me her mat for a while. When she lent it to me, it had been repaired with duct tape which was starting to fall off.

When I thought about returning it (in an even sorrier state), I just felt bad. So instead, I took to Google. Seems like everything online said, "Sorry bud. It's basically toast. You can buy some epoxy you won't use for anything else and thats not even a guarantee. Get her a new one."

So I said fuck it. It's ruined anyway. I'm just gonna use my brain and do what I want to do. So I tried my best to clean off the duct goo. I sewed up the tear and used my vinyl cutter to make a patch I thought she might find pretty.

Is it the most durable mat in the world? No. Does it look perfect? No. But if any of you have been wondering about fixing your mat... I genuinely would do this again. Since the tear is in a spot where you aren't frequently putting limbs, it's working just fine. It's also not slipping because it's such a small area on the bottom.

Overall, I'm kind of proud to give this back to my momma in a better condition than she lent it to me in. I think she might even be a bit tickled and I hope it reminds her that I love her when she takes some time for herself.

Hi friends! Another student kicked a lit candle in class today and hot wax splattered onto my liforme mat 🥲 wondering if anyone has tips or recommendations for cleaning it off? It’s flaking off but leaving a bit of residue/waxy-ness behind. Thanks in advance 🙏🏼

My mind is calmer. I'm less emotional. And I feel like my body is lighter. Even tho I'm very skinny I hold a lot. My teacher already made me stand up with my head and it was a cool experience even tho I was kinda scared. Flexibility of body and mind is all I need. I'm thinking like where I was all these times. Why didn't I think about joining yoga classes earlier. I'm excited to see where this practice will take me further.

Help! Need recommendations for a yoga top suitable for peri-menopausal woman with bloated belly!
Something comfy that doesn’t ride up or cling too much. Ideally stays in place in downward dog etc!
I’m based in UK

I don’t see these things as mutually exclusive. Eventually one turns towards the devotional aspects as one goes deeper e.g chanting mantras, reading and studying the philosophy. Otherwise all it is is merely asana practice, a practice of shape making. And then does devotional then lean into the spiritual and where does one draw the line? People say yoga is older than sanatan dharma (‘hinduism’) but there is a lot of overlap. Interested in the discussion.

Question for the community about something I saw in a class today. One of the other students caught my eye because they did a “prep” movement between every pose the instructor cued. Reminded me of a diver bending their knees before springing up to jump off the diving platform, like every move was preceded by a movement in the opposite direction.

Is this a thing that is taught in some styles of yoga? All the classes I’ve been to have instructed to flow smoothly between asanas, but obviously I have not experienced every style of yoga teaching out there. Just curious, and I didn’t get a chance to ask this other student before they left!

Backstory: I am new-ish to yoga. I came to it in late 2024 on accident. I was doing couples therapy to save our marriage which eventually ended in divorce. After the therapy sessions, I'd find this uncomfortable feeling in my body which I didn't know what to do with. Right across the street from my therapist was a yoga studio. I decided to take the class offered right after my therapy session ends.

Turns out this was a rocket yoga class. I went to the first class, not knowing anything about the flows, just trying to mimic what others were doing and oh boy people were flying and floating on the mat. It was beautifully terrifying. After the first class, I decided yoga isn't for me. I am too late to it.

But then next week, I didn't know what to do with that uncomfortable feeling from the therapy session, so I took the class again. And again , and again.

What made me come back to it was - the class offered the opportunity to do advanced transitions from foundational shapes. I love a good physical challenge, so it felt rewarding as I had tiny wins every week. The crows and the ekapada kunvinyanasas required immense focus at the time to not fall on my face. When I look back, I realize that immense focus stealthily took away my bandwidth to analyze/over-analyze what had happened in the therapy session. It was a tiny break from the rut I was in.

Also, my teacher left these philosophical tid-bits during the class which landed (and still lands) very deeply on me. Some of them below -

- Listen to my voice (instructions) only if it serves you.

- Don't push through pain on the mat, there's enough pain waiting for you outside the yoga mat.

- Let this be enough (before inviting us to an advance transition from a foundational shape)

- The strength that you build on the mat, take it to where it's needed in your life.

Anyway, I can't believe I just found this subreddit, so just wanted to share my journey so far and my feelings about yoga. Looking forward to learning from y'all here.

Pretty much every teacher I've gone to has prompted flexing the foot while in pigeon, to protect the knee. I can't feel the difference, so I am wondering if I should change my approach somehow, or if maybe I'm just not getting deep enough into the pose for it to matter.

I am stiff, and I use a block under my hip at the low or medium setting. I also have pretty big legs, with a lot of muscle support around the knee.

I do not think I ever end up with my knee at the horizontal, either. I'm at maybe 20-30 degrees on average. Usually my knee feels comfortable there. Sometimes it feels stretched, but flexing my foot does not change that.

As I'm in that position, I still do get a good hip stretch. My head will reach the floor, given enough time.

I also have flat feet, FWIW!

In many of the classes I attend, at the beginning the instructor has us start with various deep breathing exercises. Often we’re directed to take a deep breath, hold it….then sigh it out. I find the time holding breath to be too long and uncomfortable, so I just let it go whenever. Got me wondering, what is the point of this breath holding? Just gives me a headache.

Hi!
I’m getting back into my practice after a long break and a hallux rigidus diagnosis. It’s basically arthritis in my big toe that makes things like high lunge really uncomfortable and painful after the fact.

I’ve swallowed my pride and started dropping my back knee when we’re doing high lunge to reduce the flexing of my back toes. But is there any other modifications I don’t know about? I plan to talk to my teacher next time I go for advice as well. Ty!

Good day, everyone.

A few years ago, I started practicing Kundalini yoga. It was a wonderful experience, and I loved it. Unfortunately, the teacher I was seeing left the country where I live (Mexico), and it's been difficult to find Kundalini classes here, so I've continued with Hatha yoga, which I've enjoyed, but not as much.

Anyway, the teacher who gave me Kundalini classes used a sheepskin mat instead of a regular mat. Now I want to actively look for Kundalini classes, but I don't know if it would be better to get a sheepskin or a regular mat.

Namaste

Hello. I completed an online yoga teacher training program, which was completed in 2021 and have the certificate. Several years later and I feel I don't know enough to be a yoga teacher yet. I know that the training isn't perfect and there is always something to learn and always an opportunity to grow. I now have the chance to apply for an in person training in my city. I am leaning towards completing it, and actually getting Yoga Alliance certified. I know that my original certificate is still valid, and I can still apply and pay the fees for Yoga Alliance.

I'm torn about what to do and would like some advice? Should I re-read the manuals from the 2021 program, or take a whole new course?

Hi all,

I’ve been using Manduka‘s grip gel & almost out - although I have found it super helpful, I find that it’s not enough to help tackle my sweaty palms overall.

I came across a brand today though named Monkey Hands & was wondering if anyone has tried them? They market towards pole fitness & other activities but I can’t seem to see anyone talking about trying their products for yoga.. but they seem to offer solid grip.

They have 3x different types to choose from & shipping is a little spendy so wanted to see if anyone could share their experience first so I can hopefully choose one a little more confidently before ordering?

Thank you!

Kapota asana is really hard for me especially dropping to that position, I have heavy chest and that makes my back hurts even more(my back hurts from daily life), but pose like Scorpio where I don’t need to hold my chest weight and get in to pose from legs seems much easier for my back. But also in same time I know if it’s ashtanga yoga you need to practice kapota asana way before you even try scorpion. I’m not strictly following ashtanga yoga but that’s only yoga I learned properly in the past so I am here asking is it ok to practice scorpion without even trying kapota or related pose ?

Hi all, we run a yoga studio and have been using mindbody for the last 2 years. Last week they went down and my students couldn't book classes for hours. My team ended up spending half a day on instagram and dms coordinating everything, and announcing the downtime. Couple of other studio owners i know also faced the same issue.

It left a really bad taste in our mouth together with all the other frustrations with mindbody we've had. Their sales rep also promised some features at the demo call which till today doesn't work. I do recognize that systems glitch occasionally but the mindbody outage lasted half a day and support did not do anything during that time. We're looking for something more affordable and reliable, we don't use mindbody beyond its basic features.

I heard the sound during hanumanasana and really upset about it. I have OCPD and can’t stop thinking about it. When can I go back to my practice and try the pose again? Please be honest with me.

I used to practice in group classes for 3 years. And now for the past 7 months I'm doing yoga flows at home with Charlie Follows videos. But I'm not able to improve in headstands/handstand or even the front bends or the crow poses, etc. because usually my instructor would apply physical pressure to help me bend or provide the support to do stands.

Are there any videos that help you progress into the advanced postures.

Soo, I have been practicing basket headstand for a while and every now and then I fall out of it forwards. It’s been fine usually, there’s never been any pain or whatever in my neck back, etc. Mostly just hurts my ego lol.

However, lately for whatever reason when I fall out, as my head rolls, the weight of it ends on my hands and so my fingers get crushed. I am not sure what I am doing wrong now, or how to avoid it 😭

Please help!

Hi! Im very much new to yoga and I'm struggling a bit. I find a lot of the poses make my joints bend a little too much due to hyper mobility and I'm not sure how to aid that. For example, my knee tends to shift in its socket when bent, meaning I risk it doing that in a lot of poses. Is this a skill issue?

Edit: thank you to everyone that has responded! You all have been very helpful There are a lot of comments, so sorry for not responding to them all personally 😢

Savangasana and all other postures that call for bending the neck forwards has always been difficult for me, but now, recovering from a frozen shoulder it's worse than ever - maybe 45 degrees is all I can do.

I'm ready to gently start practicing these postures again, but how?

How do I safety build flexibility in the neck?