There are always going to be days when there鈥檚 not time to make it to a studio yoga class or even stream a quick online practice at home. That鈥檚 when you need a short sequence you can practically practice from memory and take advantage of anytime, such as a 10-minute yoga for core strength sequence.

It can help to create a mental library of several quick 10-minute yoga sequences (of course, if you can鈥檛 always remember them, you can always check back here). That way you have something on standby if you want a hip-opening practice after cycling or a full-body yoga stretching sequence if it鈥檚 your only opportunity to move throughout the day. The idea is you can opt for yoga, like this 10-minute yoga for core strength practice, even when you can鈥檛 access your abs exercises at the gym.

Of course, what makes these shapes yoga and not just core-strengthening exercises is how you show up to them. Slow your breath, focus on your alignment, and practice quieting your thoughts even in discomfort. And stay self-aware so if you鈥檙e underworking or overtaxing yourself, you can adjust accordingly.

10-Minute Yoga for Core Strength

This yoga sequence is unique in that it includes a couple bodyweight exercises that aren鈥檛 yoga although you can approach them with the same focus and breathwork. If time allows, practice a short warm-up first with some seated or reclined twists and some 鈥�. If you鈥檙e already warmed up, start your yoga for core strength practice straightaway, saving you even more time.

Tabletop to Bird Dog Pose

Start on your mat on all fours in Tabletop and draw your belly button toward your spine. As you inhale, extend your right arm forward and your left leg straight back. Squeeze your glutes to help you find balance and keep your shoulders and hips square to the floor. Remain here for 20 seconds.

Slowly and with control, bring your right arm and left leg back to the mat. Pause here and then extend your left arm and right leg. Stay here and find your balance for 20 seconds. Come back to Tabletop.

Plank Pose

From Tabletop, step your feet back and come into . Stack your wrists, elbows, and shoulders and continue to focus on drawing your belly button toward your spine. Also squeeze your inner thigh and pelvic floor muscles to engage your entire core. Breathe here for 30 seconds.

Four Limbed Staff Pose (Chaturanga Dandasana)

From Plank Pose, lower yourself into , which places more emphasis on the core muscles, rather than the shoulders, as you hold yourself in a straight line. Press your hands and toes into your mat and draw your pubic bone toward your belly button to engage the deep core and pelvic floor muscles. Also, squeeze your glutes to relieve strain on your lower back. Breathe here for 30 seconds.

Cobra Pose

Slowly lower your feet, thighs, and hips to the mat and press your hands into the mat to lift your chest in . Stay here for a breath or two to stretch your abs. Then lower your head to the mat and rest for a moment.

Side Plank Pose (Vasisthasana)

Push yourself up to Plank Pose and roll onto the outer edge of your left foot. Shift your weight into your left hand and slowly lift into by stacking your shoulders and your hips and reaching your right arm toward the ceiling, which requires you to work the obliques (side abdominal muscles).

If you have trouble balancing or supporting your body, stagger your feet by bringing your top foot on the floor ein front of your bottom leg. If the pose bothers your wrists, . Breathe here for 20 seconds.

Take a moment to relax in before repeating on the other side.

Boat Pose (Paripurna Navasana)

Next, flip over so you鈥檙e sitting on your mat. Lean slightly backward and keep your back straight as you lift your feet off the mat and straighten your legs to create a V shape. Reach your arms straight in front of you in . Stay here for 30 seconds. Remember to breathe!

Continue to keep your back straight and shoulders drawn back to build strength in the hip flexors, lower abs, and back. If you can鈥檛 hold the shape without rounding your back, bend your knees and hover your calves parallel to the mat.

Dying Bug

Finally, relax all the way onto your back.Pause here before you rally for your last exercise. Although not technically a yoga pose, Dying Bug is essentially Bird-Dog flipped over. Instead of being on your hands and knees, you鈥檙e lying on your back in the same starting shape as Savasansa and moving your arms and legs in space above your body. This varied relationship to gravity targets different muscles of the core, including the tricky-to-isolate hip flexors and including the , and lower part of the rectus abdominis.

From Savasana, lift your opposite arm and leg off the mat, extending your arm behind your head and your leg straight forward. Move slowly but continuously, alternating sides, for a total of 30 seconds.

Then collapse on the mat in Savasana. Linger here for as long as your schedule allows.

The post 10-Minute Yoga for Core Strength that You Can Practice Anywhere appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

If you鈥檝e ever been sore after a yoga class or felt your muscles aching while holding Warrior 2, you鈥檙e familiar with the strengthening benefits of yoga. Although many of us associate yoga with primarily increasing flexibility and calming one鈥檚 chaotic thoughts, yoga does build muscle. But how effective is it? Does yoga count as strength training?

Does Yoga Count as Strength Training?

The short answer is, it depends.

According to the , adults should accumulate a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise per week plus at least two total-body strength training workouts per week. Strength training increases muscular strength and muscular endurance, which are two of the five components of health-related fitness.

Strength training, also known as resistance training, involves exercises that load your muscles. This not only builds muscle but and helps stabilize joints to prevent injuries. Lifting weights or using resistance bands are two common options for strength training.

But they鈥檙e not necessarily the only options. Bodyweight training, in which you use your own weight as resistance, is another type of strength training. Some styles of yoga can be considered bodyweight training and can be ideal for anyone who either doesn鈥檛 have access to a gym or doesn鈥檛 care for or have time for traditional strength training exercises.

That said, there are two factors that largely influence the response to does yoga count as strength training.

1. Type of Yoga

Yoga is an extremely diverse practice with many different styles and ways to practice. Certain types of yoga and poses can strengthen muscles and potentially even build muscle.

2. Your Fitness Level

The other factor that plays a significant role in whether yoga functions as strengthening is your fitness level. Ultimately, it is more difficult to build muscle with yoga than it is with traditional resistance training using external implements such as dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, resistance bands, etc.

In order to build muscle, you need to overload your muscles鈥� current capacity enough to induce some amount of damage to your muscle fibers. This microscopic damage triggers a process known as muscle protein synthesis, which repairs and rebuilds muscle and helps make your muscles stronger over time.

While it is possible to strengthen your muscles and potentially build muscle exclusively through bodyweight exercises, most people reach a plateau of body strength where some external resistance is necessary to continue strengthening and increasing muscle mass. In general, practicing yoga is not as effective as lifting weights.

However, anything that challenges you is strengthening your muscles. For example, chair yoga can be an efficient strength-training workout. Don鈥檛 compare yourself to others and meet your body where you鈥檙e at. Also, never push your body beyond your current fitness level or to the point of pain or extreme discomfort.

What Are the Best Types of Yoga for Strength Training?

Beginners often assume that classes for more experienced practitioners are inherently more difficult and better for strengthening than . This isn鈥檛 necessarily true. These classes are often faster-paced and focus more on transitions between poses and less instruction from the teacher. This can increase the risk of injury for those who are still mastering the foundations and learning basic yoga poses. It can also shift the emphasis to the space in between the poses rather than the strengthening practice of holding the poses for a length of time.

It鈥檚 the style of yoga that plays a more important role in whether or not you will be strengthening your muscles or focusing on other aspects of fitness and health in your yoga class.

Some of the best types of yoga for muscle strength include:

• Vinyasa yoga
• Power yoga
• Ashtanga yoga
• Iyengar yoga

Aside from the style of yoga you practice, there are other ways you can ensure you鈥檙e building muscle with yoga and/or have yoga 鈥渃ount鈥� as strength training:

• Do a minimum of two per week in which you work all the major muscles of your body. This means your yoga routine should include yoga poses that strengthen:Lower-body muscles: (, hip adductors, hip abductors, hip rotators, and ankle stabilizers)Upper-body muscles (traps, rhomboids, lats, pecs, deltoids, biceps, triceps, and grip muscles)Core (diaphragm, abs, obliques, pelvic floor, and )
• Choose poses that require your legs, arms, or core to hold the position or support your body, such as the Warrior poses, or Revolved Lunge, , , and
• Hold each pose for at least 30 seconds and practice three sets of your strengthening poses. Alternatively, complete numerous reps in a sequence of several strengthening poses performed back to back. For example, perform 15 cycles of continuous flow between and .
• Finally, . That allows you to take advantage of the numerous benefits of yoga as well as more traditional resistance training exercises. Or, if you prefer to keep your yoga practice separate, supplement it with a gym workout or at-home strength training.

The post Does Yoga Count as Strength Training? appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

鈥淲hat鈥檚 the best yoga mat?鈥� It鈥檚 a question we hear all the time. Our answer is always, 鈥淚t depends.鈥� More specifically, it depends on how you practice, what you practice, and whether you practice in a way that prioritizes cushiness, grippiness, portability, affordability, sustainability, or any of many other qualities.

We asked 18 yoga teachers and students of varying experience levels to ditch their usual mats for more than a month of sweating, balancing, kneeling, and sitting cross-legged. We unrolled the contenders for best yoga mats at studios, stretched on them at home, tossed them in our car trunks, lugged them along city sidewalks, and (sometimes) scrubbed them down afterward. Then we did it again and again and again.

The following yoga mats are the ones we consider standouts for various reasons. Below, we鈥檝e highlighted what our testers appreciated most about each to help you match one with your practice.

Be sure to also check out as well as the , , and.

At a Glance

• Best Yoga Mat You鈥檒l Never Need to Replace:
• Best Grip Yoga Mat:
• Best Yoga Mat for Aesthetics:
• Best Affordable Yoga Mat:
• Best Yoga Mat for Beginners:听
• Best Thick Yoga Mat:
• Other Yoga Mats Worth Considering
• Mats to Avoid
• How to Choose a Yoga Mat
• How We Test
• Meet Our Testers
  

All mats in this guide were tested by multiple reviewers. When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people on their mats. Learn more.

Best Yoga Mat You鈥檒l Never Need to Replace

Manduka Pro

Material: OEKO-TEX Standard 100 PVC
Thickness: 6mm
Weight: 7.5 pounds
Dimensions: 71 x 26 inches

Pros and Cons
鈯� Lifetime guarantee
鈯� Dense cushioning
鈯� Easy to clean
鈯� Wider than many mats
鈯� Available in extra-long
鈯� Heavy
鈯� Slippery when sweaty

There鈥檚 a reason why so many yoga teachers consider the Manduka Pro their go-to mat. Actually, there are several reasons, including the mat鈥檚 鈥渄ense cushioning,鈥� explained a teacher tester who鈥檚 practiced on the Pro for almost a decade. Also, the no-slip dot pattern on the bottom ensures the mat doesn鈥檛 wrinkle or slide, no matter how quickly you transition between poses, even as you make your way from Revolved Lunge facing one edge of the mat to Flying Monkey on the other.

A couple testers, including a yoga therapist, asserted that the Pro is supportive of 鈥渁ny type of practice鈥� and that it adequately supports 鈥渁ll bodies.鈥� That includes those with 鈥渁chy knees,鈥� whether you鈥檙e kneeling in , arm balancing in , or reclining in .

In terms of upkeep, the Pro doesn鈥檛 absorb sweat, which makes cleaning a cinch. It also makes for a slippery experience if you sweat a lot. Throw down a towel if you鈥檙e taking hot yoga, cautioned one vinyasa-taking tester.

Also, the breaking-in process for Manduka mats is somewhat prolonged compared to most mats but worth the patience required. Read the packaging鈥檚 fine print on how to flatten those furled edges and tame any initial slickness.

Bonus: Manduka guarantees their mats will last a lifetime and you can choose from 13 colors.

Best Grip Yoga Mat

Jade Harmony Mat

Material: Natural rubber
Thickness: 4.7mm
Weight: 5 pounds
Dimensions: 68 x 24 inches

Pros and Cons
鈯� Grippy
鈯� Made of natural rubber
鈯� Available in extra-long and extra-wide
鈯� Attracts fuzz and fur
鈯� Tricky to clean
鈯� Not for outdoor use

Compared to other brands of yoga mats, Jade makes a textured surface that offers what one tester described as an 鈥渦nearthly grip.鈥� 鈥淚magine you had Alien Tape suction cupping your hands and feet to the mat and that鈥檚 the grip you鈥檒l experience,鈥� she explained. Another tester who鈥檚 practiced on the Harmony mat for years swore, 鈥淚t鈥檚 ideal for my chronically sweaty hands and feet. I never slide. NEVER.鈥�

It pretty much delivers exactly what many of us want in a mat, which is 鈥渟upport, grip, and cushion,鈥� explained a tester who practiced slow, yin, and restorative yoga on the Harmony. Another longtime teacher and student explained the mat has 鈥渁 well-constructed feel for being relatively thin.鈥� (He also cautions that some students might want a more cushioned foundation.)

Aesthetically speaking, everyone commented not just on its sturdiness and all-purposeness but its lovely and muted 鈥渆arth colors鈥� and 鈥渏ewel tones鈥� that are 鈥渓ess nondescript than most yoga mats.鈥� However, that textured surface also holds onto fuzzies, fur, and anything else that鈥檚 airborne. It also attracts lint from towels when you wipe it down. A longtime Jade owner suggests you take the mat with you in the shower or hose it down鈥攂ut only if you can allow several days for it to dry.

Testers also noted that they respect the company鈥檚 commitment to planting a tree for each mat sold. As do we.

Best Yoga Mat for Aesthetics

Yune Natural Rubber Yoga Mat

Material: PER (Polymer Environmental Resin)
Thickness: 6mm
Weight: 2 pounds
Dimensions: 72 x 24 inches

Pros and Cons
鈯� Array of color and design options
鈯� Lightweight
鈯� Value
鈯� Modest cushioning

鈥淭ypically, when you buy a yoga mat, you鈥檙e confronted with a decision鈥攆unction or fashion,鈥� explained one of our testers who鈥檚 a graphic designer and yoga teacher. 鈥淣ot with this one.鈥� A handstander and arm balancer, the tester found the Yune to be the 鈥減erfect thickness鈥� and 鈥渋mpossibly grippy.鈥� She explained that it also 鈥渂asically adheres to the floor,鈥� which quickly earned her trust.

The grippy and design-savvy mat satisfied more than just arm balancers. Several other testers reported feeling 鈥渃ompletely confident鈥� on the Yune while practicing vinyasa. And everyone appreciated how it lies flat immediately out of the packaging and rolls up small for ease of storage as well as lugging it to and from class.

About those designs. Yune makes dozens of expressive patterns that are, according to its website, 鈥減rinted digitally with UV inks,鈥� which makes for minimal environmental impact. Your artful options include designs for specific astrological signs, contemporary art, even depictions of .

Best Affordable Yoga Mat

All in Motion PU Natural Rubber Mat 5mm

Material: Natural rubber base with polyurethane surface
Thickness: 5mm
Weight: 5.5 pounds
Dimensions: 68 x 24 inches

Pros and Cons
鈯� Super grippy
鈯� Lies flat upon first use
鈯� Rolls up easily
鈯� Price
鈯� Contains polyurethane
鈯� Subtle synthetic smell

This easy-to-find and relatively affordable mat is rated five stars by users on Target.com. After practicing on it, we understand why. Despite its smooth surface, the mat boasts an almost uncannily strong grip. 鈥淚 like this. I feel like I鈥檓 going to stay put,鈥� said one tester who was new to yoga. Comparing it to several other budget mats she鈥檇 slid on while learning poses, she blurted out, 鈥淭here鈥檚 no slippage with this [expletive]!鈥�

A 78-year-old tester echoed that feeling of security. She appreciated how the All in Motion 鈥渉olds you in place鈥� during standing poses and felt like the mat allowed her to 鈥渟ink in a tad鈥攊n a good way.鈥� That grip easily releases as you move on the mat. Although a couple testers report occasional air bubbles beneath the mat when transitioning from pose to pose, the wrinkles dissipated as quickly as they appeared.

Although the mat was less cushioned than some others, according to our nearly octogenarian tester, it was surprisingly adequate for most testers compared to other budget brands. That said, anyone with achy joints or who simply prefers additional cushioning will prefer the thickness of a more expensive mat.

Our primary complaint is the origin of the surface material and its lingering smell the first day or two after removing it from the packaging.

Best Yoga Mat for Beginners

Gaiam Premium 5mm

Material: Latex-free PVC
Thickness: 5mm
Weight: 2.6 pounds
Dimensions: 68 x 24 inches

Pros and Cons
鈯� Super lightweight
鈯� Lifetime guarantee
鈯� Array of color and design options
鈯� Available in extra-long
鈯� Slightly slippery
鈯� Short

Typically, beginners to yoga are in the market for something that isn鈥檛 a splurge and helps them feel comfortable. When we asked yoga newbies to try several $30 and under mat options, the unanimous favorite was the Premium 5mm from longtime mat-maker Gaiam.

鈥淥oooh pretty!鈥� commented a millennial tester as she stepped onto the pale turquoise mat. 鈥淎nd cushy!鈥� She appreciated that she was exponentially more comfortable while learning sitting and kneeling poses than she was on other budget mats. She also felt more supported while wobbling in balancing postures. Our 78-year-old tester also experienced confidence standing and transitioning on the Premium 5mm and considered other mats in that price category to be 鈥渢oo hard鈥� and 鈥渢oo slippery.鈥� It allowed her to 鈥渟lide a little鈥� but much less so than other comparable mats.

Although it鈥檚 not as cushioned or durable as pricier mats, the Premium 5mm offers a respectable thickness and far less slippage for the money. We recommend it for beginners as an affordable option.

Note: There are a dizzying number of Gaiam mats labeled 鈥淧remium鈥� with varying characteristics, colors, and designs. Our preference is anything with a 5mm thickness.

Best Thick Yoga Mat

Jade Yoga Fusion

Material: Natural rubber
Thickness: 8mm
Weight: 7.2 pounds
Dimensions: 24 x 68 inches

Pros and Cons
鈯� Cushioning, cushioning, cushioning
鈯� Grippy
鈯� Made of natural rubber
鈯� Available in extra-long and extra-wide
鈯� Heavy
鈯� Attracts fuzz and fur
鈯� Tricky to clean
鈯� Expensive

Few yoga mats dare to approximate an 8mm thickness鈥攁nd those that do tend to feel dangerously unstable and more like a mattress than a mat. But everyone who tried the Fusion was surprised that it delivered luxe cushiness in a way that felt both sturdy and supportive. 鈥淔rankly, I was shocked that I loved this mat as much as I did,鈥� explained one of our testers, a longtime teacher who switched her loyalty from a different brand after trying it.

For anyone with sore wrists or knees who craves more cushioning, whether during vinyasa or while stretching, this mat is a boon. But it鈥檚 not just about the cushiness. Multiple testers also commented on how they appreciated the mat鈥檚 support and grip.

We heard very few complaints. One drawback is that with additional material comes additional weight. A yoga and meditation student who considered the Fusion to be 鈥渧ery supportive鈥� also found the mat鈥檚 heft to be a chore to roll and unroll as well as transport to the studio. However, he was quite content to practice on it at home, as was his four-and-a-half-year-old daughter, who bounced on it to

The only other quibble we have relates to the mat鈥檚 textured surface. With great grip comes painstaking cleaning. 鈥淚t seems to pick up every piece of dust and lint,鈥� a tester reported. 鈥淚 felt like it was kind of subtly shaming me for having a dusty house!鈥�

Other Yoga Mats We Like

Manduka Pro Lite

This rendition of the Pro has all the attributes of the classic. There鈥檚 just less of it to practice on. The 1.3mm difference in thickness (the Manduka Pro is 6mm thick, the Pro Lite is 4.7mm) makes for a mat that鈥檚 less cushioned but easier to both roll and carry. It鈥檚 also considerably more affordable.

Liforme Printed

This mat from UK-based Liforme has become the darling of an increasing number of stateside hot yoga students in recent years. The mat has a natural rubber base and grippy but smooth eco-polyurethane surface that鈥檚 wider and longer than most competitors. It鈥檚 only modestly cushioned at 4mm although one of our testers loved it for practicing vinyasa on carpet at home.

One tester, a longtime hot yoga teacher, explained that 鈥渁 little sweat can help with the tacky feel and grip鈥� although 鈥渉eavy sweaters may benefit from a mat towel.鈥� Also, if aesthetics are important to you, know that 鈥渢he surface can get a little smudged up and can be challenging to maintain that 鈥榥ew look.’鈥� Consider yourself forewarned.

Speaking of visuals, testers were divided on the 鈥渁lignment lines鈥� printed on the mat. Some tester reported them to be helpful in finding proper positioning, while others found them distracting. 鈥淎s an 鈥楢鈥� type, any mats with alignment markings can make me obsessive,鈥� explained one tester.

As far as we鈥檙e concerned, the biggest disadvantage of this mat is its price point.

Yoga Mats to Avoid

Don鈥檛 race out to buy a yoga mat priced $19 to $30 to save a few bucks. After practicing on many of these in recent months, we can say with certainty that they tend to be exceptionally slippery, lack cushioning, slide on the floor, and wear out relatively quickly where you place your hands and feet. At best, most provide a little padding between you and the floor. Almost without exception, they cause more distraction than they鈥檙e worth.

How We Tested

• Mats tested: 35
• Testers: 18
• Weeks of yoga practiced: 4
• Skinned knees: 1
• Splinters from natural cork: 1
• Professions of unabashed love for an inanimate object: 3

We drew on the expertise and opinions of dozens of yoga teachers and students during our testing. First, we interviewed everyone we know who practices yoga about the mats they鈥檝e been in long-term relationships with and why. This helped us understand more about durability, stability, grip, ease of cleaning, and other features that you can only appreciate鈥攐r curse鈥攁fter practicing on a mat for months or years.

We also researched big-name, boutique, and lesser-known mat brands and scoured online reviews from users for close to 200 mats that come in an array of materials, sizes, designs, and price points. Then we narrowed down which mats we felt were top contenders and wanted to test.

Next, we asked 18 students and teachers鈥攊ncluding two newbies鈥攖o take a twirl on different mats. Our testers ranged from millennials to near-octogenarians, hot yoga goers to yin and restorative regulars, novices to longtime teachers. Some seek comfort in a mat. Others demand grip and stability.

The test mats became part of each person鈥檚 regular yoga routine鈥攚hether at a studio or home practice space, for hot yoga or restorative yoga鈥攆or a minimum of three classes. We did our best to provide each tester with mats that are similar in form and function for comparison. Then we asked our testers questions. Lots and lots of questions.

Testers weren鈥檛 shy about letting us know which mats they felt were the most grippy, durable, cushioned, practical, portable, stylish, and affordable. (One tester even texted a photo of a skinned knee and a request not to ask them to practice on that mat again. We acquiesced鈥攁nd took the mat out of contention.)

We also checked back in with testers long after they turned in their responses to inquire which, if any, of the mats they were still using after the required testing was over.

How to Choose a Yoga Mat

Our advice is the same whether or not you鈥檙e new to yoga: Date around.

Don鈥檛 buy a mat right away. We know you鈥檙e enthused about settling into your practice and that鈥檚 terrific. But if you鈥檙e still figuring out the types of yoga you like to practice, you don鈥檛 yet know what you need in a yoga mat.

Explore Your Options

Pay the mat rental fee at your yoga studio a few times or maybe pick up a used mat for a few bucks at your local thrift store before investing in a brand-new mat. You鈥檒l start to discern which features are important to you鈥攊ncluding mat thickness, slickness, grippiness, rollability, portability, and, yes, the color and design. Knowing what matters to you most will be helpful when you do your research and make a purchase.

Also, if you see a mat in class that intrigues you, approach its owner after class and ask them about it. If they gush and insist that you鈥檒l love it, it鈥檚 okay to prod a little for specific reasons why. That person may value grip and aesthetics whereas you may be seeking something with extra cushioning that鈥檚 easy to clean.

Once you鈥檝e settled on what features matter to you, opt for a modestly priced mat and remind yourself that as your yoga practice changes, what you want in a mat may also change. Trust us when we caution you not to splurge right away.

Consider Your Needs

If you鈥檙e someone who walks several city blocks to class lugging your mat, you probably want something fairly lightweight. If you鈥檙e the sort of person who tends to put off washing dishes or scrubbing the bathroom floor (no judgment here), you鈥檙e better off with a mat that鈥檚 super easy to wipe down. If you experience knee or wrist pain, you鈥檙e going to want something cushier than budget mats provide. If you鈥檙e a heavy sweater (again, no judgment), look for a mat that won鈥檛 absorb sweat or become slick when wet.

Our point is that you鈥檙e probably not going to change your ways simply because you spent a lot of money on a mat. So rely on that self-awareness you鈥檝e cultivated in your yoga practice and shop accordingly.

Also, watch those expectations. With any yoga mat, you will experience trade-offs. If you value cushioning over grip, the mat you buy may be a little heavy to carry and you may occasionally slip slightly. As you consider the pros and cons, try to set yourself up for the best experience rather than a perfect experience.

Keep looking. The right mat for you is out there.

Meet Our Testers

, yoga teacher trainer and host of

, yin, restorative, somatic flow, and yoga nidra teacher trainer and founder of

, vinyasa yoga teacher and founder of

, hot, vinyasa, and yin yoga teacher and teacher trainer

, longtime student of Ashtanga and vinyasa yoga student and hair stylist

, vinyasa yoga teacher and co-owner of

, yoga therapist, anatomy teacher, and teacher trainer

, yoga therapist, author of , and social media editor at YJ

, yoga and movement teacher, author and app creator, and founder of

, yoga and meditation teacher and creator of the

, longtime student of meditation as well as phys ed teacher

Phoebe Digges-Elliott, yoga teacher and movement enthusiast

, yoga teacher and writer

Jane Schettler, newbie to yoga who likes to stretch in front of the TV

Sara Waits, newbie to yoga who lives in yoga leggings

intermittent yoga student of 25 years and longtime runner

Laura Harold, yoga student and at YJ

, yoga teacher, writer, and f of YJ

Don鈥檛 forget to check out as well as the , , and.

The post The Best Yoga Mats for Literally Everyone appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

The idea came to Hope Zvara in 2017 at a professional mixer held in her town in Wisconsin. 鈥淭here was a guy and we were talking about different applications for yoga,鈥� says Zvara, a yoga teacher. 鈥淗e asked, 鈥楧o you have anything truck drivers could do in the cab of the truck?鈥欌€�

Inspiration for a business鈥攁nd the cheeky name for it鈥攃ame to Zvara almost instantly. 鈥淚 was like, I can create something practical and usable, all from the cab of the truck,鈥� she says.

Within a year, Zvara had launched .

鈥淚鈥檓 not a trucker,鈥� explains Zvara. 鈥淢y dad was a sewer pipe layer, the guy 80 feet down in the hole doing the thing no one wants to do, and I watched him break his back for his job with no thanks. That鈥檚 where my love for the underdogs鈥攖he ones no one really pays attention to but are doing jobs we can鈥檛 live without鈥攃omes from.鈥�

Zvara, whose husband has a commercial driver鈥檚 license but does not drive over the road, knows enough the trucker lifestyle for it to inform her teaching. She explains that if you鈥檙e sitting in an office, you can get up and walk around. You can stretch your legs, maybe even do a squat or a or a to release your lower back. 鈥淒rivers can鈥檛 do that,鈥� she says. 鈥淚f their wheels aren鈥檛 turning, they鈥檙e not making money.鈥�

So Mother Trucker Yoga focuses on simplicity and practicality, explains Zvara. Much of her teaching relies on incorporating everyday elements found on a semi, in restrooms, or at truck stops as props. Some of the poses, she says, 鈥渓ook like you鈥檙e tying your shoe. It鈥檚 a discrete approach that really empowers many of these drivers.鈥�

The and share short- and long-form yoga practices to address general and specific needs, such as pain in the clutch leg or lower back discomfort. She also hosts in-person events, such as at the Mid-America Trucking Show.

Her typical teaching attire is some combo of everyday t-shirt, leggings or jeans, and baseball cap, and she talks in everyday language rather than cues you might hear in a yoga studio. Many videos, such as those that focus on a specific last less than 90 seconds.

She also offers audio sessions. 鈥淎 lot of what I teach can be done while driving,鈥� explains Zvara. She teaches a pelvic tilt to reduce lower back pain that truckers can practice while seated at the steering wheel. She also offers neck and shoulder stretches they can easily practice while seated or standing at a truck stop. And there are entire videos dedicated to poses they can do in the sleeper portion of the cab.

Once drivers begin to practice, they quickly realize how easy it is to make small changes, according to Zvara. Then they become motivated to do more.

Benefits of Yoga for Truck Drivers

A conducted by the National Institutes of Health found that the majority report feeling out of shape. Close to half have been diagnosed with high cholesterol, and more than 60 percent are on prescription blood pressure medication. According to the long-haul truck drivers are twice as likely as other U.S. workers to suffer from obesity and diabetes.

The population is also in need of tools that help them self-regulate during times of emotional intensity and aloneness. Although much trucking-related research focuses on sleep, a reported that 鈥渢ruckers were found to have significant issues affecting their mental health.鈥� Of the drivers surveyed, close to 30 percent reported feelings of loneliness and depression. Another 20 percent expressed that they experience chronic sleep disturbances. They also experience high rates of anxiety and other emotional problems. The statistics are alarming.

鈥淪uicide rates are incredibly high in trucking,鈥� says Zvara. 鈥淚solation is a big part of it. You could be out on the road six days, six weeks, six months at a time, and you鈥檙e by yourself 95 percent of the time. You can only call so many people and scroll so much social media before you really start to feel the effects of that.鈥�

Many of the audio sessions Zvara releases emphasize the less physical aspects of yoga. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a big focus on the meditation and the mindfulness part of a yoga practice,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檓 really trying to get drivers to tune inward a little more, because that鈥檚 how you create change.鈥�

Adopting the Yoga for Truckers Mindset

When Cheryl Vickers received her commercial driver鈥檚 license almost a decade ago and began to work alongside her husband in the cab, she didn鈥檛 realize how much the job would affect her health.

鈥淲hen we first started, we were driving from Florida to California and back. I drove during the day and he drove at night. We never got to go home,鈥� says Vickers, who is 60. 鈥淲e were eating in truck stops, being stationary, and not getting exercise because we were always on the go.鈥�

Over the years, both Vickers and her husband gained weight. She was on medication for high blood pressure and he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

When Vickers happened upon Mother Trucker Yoga a little more than three years ago, what began as a week-long online challenge became an entirely different lifestyle for her and her husband. The changes have compounded to include other types of exercise and shifts in eating patterns. 鈥淚 got rid of my headaches, I鈥檓 off all my blood pressure meditation, and I鈥檝e lost about 35 pounds. My husband鈥檚 lost 75,鈥� she says.

Vickers says she鈥檚 benefitted as much mentally as physically. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so much about the mindset,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t helps with the anxiety, depression, stress, loneliness, and everything else.鈥� She and her husband practice Mother Trucker Yoga exercises daily. 鈥淚t鈥檚 movement that seems so simple, but uses so many different muscles,鈥� says Vickers. 鈥淧eople think, 鈥榯hat鈥檚 not yoga.鈥� Oh, yes it is!鈥�

Their story is not uncommon. Zvara constantly receives comments from truckers explaining the difference in how they approach life. On a recent Instagram post encouraging people to 鈥渟low the f down,鈥� someone commented, 鈥淚 needed that. Just had a tire blow in traffic. Waiting for repairs. Pause was needed.鈥� Another comment ended with, 鈥淭hanks for the motivation.鈥�

 

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The Difference That Yoga for Truck Drivers Makes

Zvara鈥檚 philosophy is essentially about making yoga approachable. According to her, 鈥渙ne minute here, two minutes there, and four minutes over there鈥� all add up to something much more than a number.

Her goal, she explains, is 鈥渢o help one million drivers change lanes with their health and wellness.鈥� She鈥檚 on her way to attaining it. 鈥淐ounting subscribers to the Mother Trucker app, , a monthly show on Sirius XM radio, and different I鈥檝e been on,鈥� Zvara says, 鈥渨e estimate more than 200,000 drivers have been impacted by Mother Trucker Yoga.鈥�

Part of the change Zvara wants to spark is breaking stigmas around the profession of trucking, mental health, and yoga. 鈥淪ometimes people are like, 鈥榯rucking and yoga, it鈥檚 kind of an oxymoron,鈥欌€� she says. Zvara knows trucking has a stigma of being unhealthy, but she feels its professional men and women in a 鈥渞eally cool industry that just doesn鈥檛 get the acknowledgement it deserves.鈥�

 

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鈥淵ou have to learn the rules before you can break them.鈥� 鈥擬iles Davis

I first heard those words from one of the most innovative and influential jazz musicians of all time during the . In the interview, chef Daniel Humm explained how understanding that quote shaped his approach to creating Eleven Madison Park, his world-renowned, plant-based restaurant in New York City.

That type of thinking may seem counterintuitive to creativity. But numerous other groundbreaking creatives also cite a respect for basic techniques as the reason they were later able to challenge the rules in a creative and intelligent manner. For example, in the documentary, Trent Reznor of the band Nine Inch Nails lauded his childhood study of classical music as the foundation from which he was able to create his unique style and sound.

So what does this have to do with yoga?

You can also apply the concept of needing to understand basic techniques prior to finding innovation when you teach yoga鈥攅specially as a new yoga teacher creating a vinyasa yoga sequence.

How Understanding the Classics Supports Creativity in Yoga

After training vinyasa yoga teachers for 15 years, I can confidently say that one of the most common mistakes that rookie teachers make is forcing creativity into yoga sequences before they fully understand the fundamentals of vinyasa.

The term 鈥渧inyasa鈥� is believed to have originated with Sri Krishnamacharya, who used it to refer to his style of teaching. The word is based on the Sanskrit term 鈥�vi,鈥� which means 鈥渋n a special way,鈥� and 鈥渘测补蝉补,鈥� which means 鈥渢o place.鈥� His son, T.K.V. Desikachar, further explained the term in his book :

鈥淚t means step-by-step, a progression that has a beginning, middle, and end鈥he asana is performed with concentration on the flow of the movement and smoothness of inhalation, exhalation, and retention, and toward a prescribed completion. Each step is a preparation for the next. And so it is with a sequence of asanas [physical poses]. Each posture is part of a flow of exercise; a beginning, a building toward a posture that is the height of the program, and then the progression toward an ending.鈥�

As the , vinyasa became a more frequently used term to describe the diverse intersection of yoga systems in the West. The style of practice followed a basic premise of vinyasa in that its sole focus was simply linking movement with breath in a fast-paced rhythmic 鈥渇low.鈥� Today, that remains the most recognizable thread among the varying approaches found across vinyasa yoga classes.

It鈥檚 a style of yoga that emphasizes creativity in terms of linking one pose to the next. This contributed to the cross-pollination of different systems and lineages of yoga, which captured the interest of a vast number of people. Along the way, though, we lost some fundamental principles outlined in the original version of vinyasa.

How to Stay Consistent and Consistent In Your Yoga Teaching

There is a reason why the practice of yoga has lasted more than 5,000 years. The essential teachings still work鈥攁nd they work exceptionally well. As yoga teachers, our role is to understand how to apply the principles of yoga to our contemporary lifestyle without losing the integrity of the practice.

That鈥檚 not to say you can鈥檛 incorporate creativity into your vinyasa yoga sequences. But as a teacher, your objective is to focus on your students and their needs, including helping them transition with ease and knowing how to cue accessible variations for each pose you teach. Forcing creativity for the sake of being different is your ego speaking and tends to look and feel like a yoga class gone bad.

Any time you struggle to be more creative in your sequencing, remind yourself that the following tenets always apply:

Keep it simple
You don鈥檛 need to reinvent anything
Teach what you know

Having a solid foundation in the principles of yoga will eventually unlock spontaneous creativity within that framework. But not without time, dedication, and practice.

6 Principles for Teaching Vinyasa Yoga Sequences

Creating a sequence requires awareness of so many things. Although when you need a reminder of the foundational principles of vinyasa yoga, come back to the following:

1. Have a clear beginning, middle, and end of your class that leads toward a particular pose or action.
2. Start with simple poses and transitions before cueing students into more complex poses and transitions.
3. Start with open and spacious poses to prepare for closed and compact poses. Open poses are those in which your body faces the long side of the mat, including Triangle Pose, Warrior 2, and Extended Side Angle. These typically feel better in the body before practicing more closed poses like Warrior 1, Pyramid Pose, and Revolved Triangle, in which the hips face the short side of the mat.
4. Stick to classic transitions, such as Triangle to Half Moon or Warrior 1 to Warrior 3. They work.
5. Focus your cues on the arms and legs. If you get students to put their arms and legs in the right position, it typically gets them 90 percent into the pose.
6. If you鈥檙e still feeling frustrated with your sequence, know that it does not need to be overly creative or complicated to be interesting and, most importantly, of benefit to students. You can still draw on creativity in the cues you use, how you instruct the breath, and what you draw your students鈥� attention to in a pose.

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I know a lot of yoga students who experience low back pain. And I鈥檝e observed that many of them keep a more limited range of motion in their yoga practice and their everyday movements than their actual pain or tightness necessitates. I think a lot of it has to do with the underlying , which keeps students from moving their bodies in certain ways.

When low back pain is intense, limiting your range of motion is necessary and practical. Even after the pain subsides, there can be a tendency to hold back on movement. You鈥檝e begun to distrust the body and disconnect from it due to an understandable fear of recurring pain. But as intuitive as it might seem to move as little as possible, prolonged restraint of your body actually limits rather than helps mobility in your back. When you鈥檙e moving your back only in a certain direction or a limited range of motion, then that鈥檚 all your body is going to be able to do.

Avoiding Movement Isn鈥檛 the Answer to Low Back Pain

When the pain is intense, practicing simple passive stretches, such as supported and light twisting, facilitates mobility in a way that鈥檚 accessible and can help you regain trust in your body. As you come out of low back pain and return to your yoga practice, there鈥檚 often a tendency to hold back from trying certain poses because you think you鈥檙e not practicing yoga if you鈥檙e not trying to take a pose beyond your usual range of motion. Many students take the perspective of 鈥渓et鈥檚 find a deeper shape鈥� and think that鈥檚 the only expression of the pose, when actually we need to pay attention to our own unique range of motion and how we can engage in smarter muscular engagement.

How to Stretch Smartly with Low Back Pain

When you鈥檙e past the point of intense discomfort and at the place where you鈥檙e considering a return to yoga, you鈥檙e probably still stretching. But if you鈥檙e passively stretching, you鈥檙e not actually readying your body to practice poses, even if they take your body in to the stretches you鈥檝e been doing passively. The actual yoga poses require engagement. Practicing only passive stretches as you鈥檙e preparing to come back to yoga actually increases your chance of injury.

Ultimately you want to practice . Anytime you engage a muscle group, you stretch the opposing muscles. This is known as reciprocal inhibition. You want to find sufficient so that your back body can loosen, so the stretch becomes more of an effort to rebalance where your body is engaging muscularly to help your low back release.

I鈥檓 often asked how long to stay in these stretches. There isn鈥檛 a set amount of time. About 12 breaths is a good amount of time, but always give yourself what it feels like you need.

Dead Bug

Why this pose helps with low-back pain: This stretch illustrates how reciprocal inhibition assists with stretching. When you engage your core, you release its opposing muscle group, which is your low back.

How to: Lie down on your back, bring your knees over your hips, and straighten your arms above your shoulders or rest your arms along your sides with your palms facing up. Keep your knees bent 90 degrees as you extend one leg down until your heel touches the ground. Draw the navel into your core to lightly engage the belly to help you engage your transverse abdominus. You also want to . I explain to students that it鈥檚 like you鈥檙e trying to hold in a fart. If you find your belly pops out, you鈥檙e not properly engaging your core. Repeat on the other side.

Lazy Pigeon

Why this pose helps with low-back pain:听It鈥檚 useful to keep in mind that where we experience pain is not always the problem area. In this posture, you engage your outer , which for a lot of yogis tends to be a weak area, so it鈥檚 a muscle group that needs to be strengthened. I do this pose even when I鈥檓 not injured.

How to: Face the front of your mat with your weight on your left hip and your left thigh parallel to the short side of the mat. Keep your knee in line with your hip. Bend your back knee a comfortable amount and let that leg rest on your left leg. Bring your hands to the mat, fingers pointing toward the front of the mat, and start to twist and turn your chest toward the ground any amount as long as you don鈥檛 feel discomfort. Press the left knee into the ground while engaging your core to engage your glutes. To deepen the stretch, you can twist your chest a little more and bring both hands or forearms to the mat. You want the same pelvic floor engagement as in Dead Bug. Repeat on the other side.

Runner鈥檚 Stretch

Why this pose helps with low-back pain: This stretch targets the glutes. Depending on the severity of the injury, a lot of time low-back pain radiates into the hips, and you feel like they鈥檙e pretty tight, as well. This is a great way to stretch any referral pain. Also, if tight hips were the issue to begin with and caused the low back pain, this stretch can bring relief.

How to: From standing at the front of the mat, cross one leg behind the other and slowly bend forward. If you don鈥檛 feel any discomfort, then you can start to bring more weight to the foot that鈥檚 crossed behind you. For an even deeper stretch, press through your back heel. Repeat on the other side.

Tabletop With One Leg Extended

Why this pose helps with low-back pain: The challenge in this pose is keeping your core engaged and not backbending while you鈥檙e extending the leg back. This will help retrain any postural misalignments that may have caused the injury. It鈥檚 actually more challenging than people think, because there are so many ways the body compensates that we鈥檙e unaware of. Keeping the back leg lifted any amount without backbending is extremely beneficial, not just to recovering from back injury but also for your movement patterns in general. This stretch incorporates strength and mobility, especially in the hip complex.

How to: Come to Tabletop. Draw your navel in and engage your core and pelvic floor as if you were holding in a fart. Extend one leg straight back but keep the ball of the foot on the mat. From there, keep your leg straight and your core engaged as you slowly lift the leg using just your glutes or hamstrings and without coming into a backbend. Breathe here. Repeat on the other side.

Bridge Glute Raises

Why this pose helps with low-back pain: A lot of low back pain, especially for yogis, can come from overfocusing on stretching the glutes with little attention to strengthening them. This variation of Bridge Pose isn鈥檛 about the backbend. Instead, it鈥檚 about reintroducing strength into the glutes and hamstrings. Rather than lifting your chest as high as possible, your goal is simply to engage the glutes. That鈥檚 it. Even if you don鈥檛 have low back pain but just experience tightness, strengthening your glutes can help prevent low-back pain.

How to: Come onto your back, bend your knees, and bring your feet toward your hips. They don鈥檛 need to be underneath your knees. Bring your arms alongside your body, bend your elbows, and then really press your triceps down into the ground. This provides you with support from the chest up through the thoracic spine. Push your feet down into the ground and lift your hips. Instead of thinking about backbending, think hip extension, like you鈥檙e trying to drive your feet down into the ground more. That鈥檚 going to help you engage your glutes. If you want to introduce more hamstring engagement, you can think about trying to drag your heels toward your butt, which will also help engage your glutes more.

Reclining Twist

Why this pose helps with low-back pain: In my opinion, this stretch is actually more about learning to trust your body again more than it is the physical stretch. There鈥檚 always an element of fear after injury about how far you can move without pain, especially with a twisting action in your spine.

How to: Lie on your back and drop your legs to one side, stacking your knees. You鈥檙e trying to keep your spine in a straight line, but often the hips are pretty off from the middle of the mat in this pose, so after you stack your knees, you might need to shift your bum a little to keep your spine aligned. From there, find your core engagement. Bring one hand on top of the other. Then open and reach your top arm to the side to open the chest. You鈥檙e simply twisting within your range of comfort without trying to get your top shoulder down onto the ground. Only twist as far as you have control in your core. For this move, it鈥檚 about repetition more than depth, because your trust grows stronger with repetition and evidence that you can move without pain. So if you do a movement and notice you鈥檙e safe, keep repeating it. Even if you go a single percent deeper, you鈥檙e going to feel a lot more confident and your nervous system is going to feel a lot more regulated.

More from Hiro Landazuri:

About our contributor

Hiro Landazuri is the founder of . He empowers others with the necessary tools to grow into their ideal selves. He regularly teaches in-person and online workshops and shares teaching videos .

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Got lower back pain? Join the club. According to the National Institutes of Health, will experience lower back pain at some point during their lives. But just because it鈥檚 common doesn鈥檛 mean that it鈥檚 something you have to live with. Your lower back is designed to stabilize and support your every movement. When it鈥檚 out of whack, not only does your back feel awful, but it mental health can be impacted, as well. The good news is that can help you find some sweet, sweet relief.

What Actually Hurts When You Have Lower Back Pain?

Your lower back consists of the five lumbar vertebrae at the bottom of your spine (L1 to L5). The lumbar vertebrae are the largest when compared to the rest of your spine and help support your upper and lower body, allow you to twist and move your torso, and protect your spinal cord. There is also a complex network of ligaments, muscles, and tendons here to help everything move properly and stay in place.

The lumbar region handles high stress and heavy loads when you鈥檙e walking, running, lifting, carrying, or doing just about anything鈥攚hich is why it鈥檚 no surprise that lower back pain is so common.

There are a few issues that can cause lower back pain. A bulging disk happens when the cushioning between your vertebrae gets compressed and can鈥檛 do its job properly. Herniated disks can cause pinched nerves. But often, lower back pain is a symptom of a strain or tear that occurred as a result of weakened muscles.

What Causes Lower Back Pain?

国产吃瓜黑料 of the more common medical reasons, such as a bulging disk or osteoarthritis, a major cause of lower back pain is prolonged sitting or standing (yes, we鈥檙e looking at all of you working from home!). The more you sit, the less you use your stabilizing muscles, causing them to weaken and have difficulty doing their job when you need them, leading to pulled/strained or sprained muscles (and lots of pain).

When your muscles are weak, the simplest actions can cause lower back pain: picking up your child, carrying something heavy, or twisting the wrong way in the car.

These yoga poses help relax tight muscles, strengthen weak muscles, and . But remember鈥攖ake your time getting into each pose, and if something hurts at any point, stop! Adapt your practice to how your body feels in each moment, and be gentle with yourself to ensure you don鈥檛 make your back pain worse.

8 Poses to Relieve Lower Back Pain

1. / (Cat-Cow Pose)

Cat-Cow is a great way to stretch your hips, chest, and back during your warm-up.

Start on your hands and knees in Tabletop position. Make sure your knees are set directly below your hips and your wrists, elbows, and shoulders are in line and perpendicular to the floor. Center your head in a neutral position, eyes looking at the floor.

As you inhale, lift your sitting bones and chest toward the ceiling, allowing your belly to sink toward the floor. Lift your head to look straight forward. As you exhale, round your spine toward the ceiling, making sure to keep your shoulders and knees in position. Release your head toward the floor, but don鈥檛 force your chin to your chest.

Repeat as many times as needed (10鈥�20 inhales and exhales is a good number), following the pace of your breath.

2.

If there is one that most everyone knows, it鈥檚 probably Downward-Facing Dog Pose. Offering lengthening and strengthening, this one can hit all the tight spots to loosen up your shoulders, back, hamstrings, and more.

Start on your hands and knees in Tabletop. Curl your toes under, press into your shoulders, and lift your hips up and back.

Press down firmly with your fingertips and palms to pull your forearms toward the front of the room. Roll your inner upper arms toward the wall in front of you while engaging your outer upper arms. Engage your shoulders, allowing your shoulder blades to spin out and up, away from your spine and toward your outer armpits (upward rotation).

If your lower back feels rounded, bend your knees slightly so that you can lift your hips higher. You want a straight line from your wrists to your shoulders to your hips鈥攄on鈥檛 worry about straightening your legs!

Glance back at your feet to make sure they are hip-width apart and parallel. Finally, let your head hang freely so there is no tension in the neck and gently gaze toward your feet. Hold for a few breaths and then release back to Tabletop or to Child鈥檚 Pose.

3.

Child鈥檚 Pose is not only a resting or calming pose, but it also provides a great stretch for your back and hips.

Kneel on the floor. Touch your big toes together and sit on your heels, then separate your knees about as wide as your hips. Exhale and lay your torso down between your thighs.

Broaden your sacrum across the back of your pelvis and narrow your hip points toward the navel, so that they nestle down onto the inner thighs. Lengthen your tailbone away from the back of the pelvis while you lift the base of your skull away from the back of your neck. Rest your forehead on the mat.

Stretch your arms forward with your palms down and fingers spread wide. Rest here for anywhere from a few breaths to a few minutes.

4.

This may seem like a very basic pose, but don鈥檛 be fooled鈥擲tanding Forward Bend stretches and releases your hamstrings, calves, and hips; strengthens your quadriceps; and relieves stress.

Stand straight up in , hands on your hips. Exhale and bend forward at your hips, not your waist, to lengthen the front torso.

If possible, with your knees straight, bring your palms or fingertips to the floor slightly in front of or beside your feet, or bring your palms to the backs of your ankles. If this isn鈥檛 possible, cross your forearms and hold your elbows. Press the heels firmly into the floor and lift the sitting bones toward the ceiling. Turn the top thighs slightly inward.

With each inhale, lift your body slightly. With each exhale, release into the pose a little more. Let your head hang from the root of the neck, which is deep in the upper back, between the shoulder blades.

5.

Garland Pose stretches just about everything around your lower back鈥攓uadriceps, groin, hips, and torso鈥攁s well as strengthens your ankles.

Squat with your feet as close together as possible. Keep your heels grounded on the floor if you can. If not, roll up your mat or put a towel under them. Separate your thighs slightly wider than your torso. Exhaling, lean your torso forward and fit it snugly between your thighs.

Press your elbows against your inner knees, bringing your palms to together in听, and resist the knees into the elbows to help lengthen your front torso. Hold for 30鈥�60 seconds.

6.

This gentle backbend is great for beginners or as a warm-up at the beginning of your practice to stretch your chest, shoulders, and abdomen while strengthening your back.

Lie on your belly, legs side by side. Firm your tailbone toward your pubis and lengthen it toward your heels. Then, rotate your thighs inwardly by rolling your outer thighs toward the floor. This helps broaden and lengthen your lower back and sacrum (the downward-facing triangular bone at the back of your pelvis) to protect it in a backbend. Continue lengthening as you move into this pose to protect your lower back and be sure to engage your buttocks.

Set your elbows under your shoulders and your forearms on the floor parallel to each other. Inhale and lift your upper torso and head away from the floor into a mild backbend. Very subtly鈥攏o sucking in, hardening, or rigidity鈥� draw your lower belly away from the floor to support and distribute the curvature of your backbend more evenly along the length of the spine, soothing your lower back. Stay for 5鈥�10 breaths and then lower your torso to the floor. Repeat if you鈥檇 like.

7. Apanasana (Wind-Relieving or Knees-to-Chest Pose)

The primary benefit of Knees-to-Chest Pose is that it stretches and relaxes your lower back, which can reduce lower back pain.

Lie fully extended on your back. Bend your knees and lift your feet off the floor one at a time, bringing your knees as close to your chest as possible. Use both hands to hold your shins or thighs as you hug your knees to your chest. Rock gently from side-to-side to give your lower back a massage. Stay here for as long as you鈥檇 like, then release back to the fully reclined position.

8. Supta Matsyendrasana (Supine Spinal Twist)

Twisting can irritate your lower back, so if you feel any pain in this one, skip it. That being said, the Supine Spinal Twist stretches your glutes and back muscles while lengthening and relaxing your spine, which is great for relieving a tight or sore lower back.

Lie fully extended on your back and make a T with your arms out to the sides at shoulder level. Bend your knees and inhale as you lift your feet off the floor, bringing your knees directly over your hips to create a right angle with your legs. Exhale and let your knees fall to your right. Keep your shoulders on the mat. Your left hip will lift as you twist to the right. Hold for 1鈥�2 minutes. Bring your legs back to center and switch sides.

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