Chest openers are some of the most rewarding stretches in yoga practice. They are a great way to open up the muscles in the chest to reverse forward leaning posture and they are great for creating freedom and space around your heart.

It is important to maintain an open chest especially if you sit at a desk all day or if you are an athlete. If we’re hunched over a computer all day or not sitting in the correct chair, sharp pain between the shoulder blades or chronic feelings of tightness in the back may occur. This can create poor posture. So when we huch over, we are compressing the lungs, making them harder to expand with deep breaths. If you are an athlete, activities like lifting weights or strength training can shorten, tighten and dehydrate these muscles which can cause poor posture, which can in-turn, inhibit breath function.

Don’t worry though! Some studies show how chest openers can help correct overly rounded shoulders and upper back pain, resulting in better posture, which can lead to better breathing.

You can use our Search Feature to search through all of our Yoga for the Chest classes on your own. To get you started without searching, we’re highlighting six chest classes in a variety of styles, levels and durations that will be sure to help open the chest and upper back to create freedom and space around your heart.

• Open Upper Chest, Shoulders & Spine with Stephanie Snyder: This sequence is designed for the athlete (or anyone) who has tight upper chest, shoulders, and spine. Activities like swimming, weight lifting, and strength training can shorten, tighten, and dehydrate these muscles. This can cause upper back pain and poor posture that can inhibit breath function which will limit you in all ways. We will move through a vinyasa-based class that will open the shoulders, chest, and upper back to create freedom and space around your heart!
• Open Your Upper Body with Jason Crandell: A class for all the desk workers, cooks, baby holders, body workers, car commuters–and, we’ll just about everyone else out there! This class is designed to open the chest while strengthening the upper-back, arms and neck. Consider this your “go to” 30 minute practice for balancing your upper-body from the day-to-day challenges of the modern world.
• Open Up to New Possibilities with Kia Miller: Open your chest and heart with this strong kriya designed to open you up to new possibilities! This is a strong practice. Please go at your pace and modify if you need to.
• Rhomboid Strength with Tiffany Cruikshank: This class focuses on rhomboid strength to open the chest, cultivating awareness around the back of the heart to expand the chest. For those who struggle with backbends, learn how to use your strength to create the opening needed for the big chest opening postures and for those looking to work deeper into their backbends & chest. Useful for learning how to cultivate the strength needed to open yourself up to life.
• Camel Poses Tutorial with Kathryn Budig: This chest opening tutorial focuses on Camel Poses and all of its close friends. We begin in a chest opener and get right into business. 2 versions of Camel followed by a Camel drop-back, Pigeon Droppings and two versions of Half Camel. Get ready to open your heart! Prop needed, block.
• Rhomboid Flow with Jo Tastula: ’Rhomboids’ is the buzz word for this class. The rhomboid’s function is to pull the shoulder blade (and with it, your shoulder/arm) back and inwards toward the midline of your body, and in doing so bringing space and openness to the chest, lungs and heart. We do some very specific exercises to ‘switch on’ and activate these muscles (there are 2 each side) which may be very helpful to those of you with upper back stiffness, tightness and general lethargy. Get into Cow Face pose (gomukhasana) and postures with hands interlaced behind the back and twists to open the shoulders and chest. With this a nice steady flow through sun salutation variations (surya namaskar) to build head and strength.

The wrists are among the weakest parts of the body, so it’s very common (especially if you are at a computer all day or you are doing a lot of weight bearing yoga postures) to experience some kind of wrist pain.

Looking for a way to relieve wrist discomfort or just looking to give your wrists a break? Well, yoga to the rescue! This week’s featured classes will help to build strength and flexibility in the wrists, as well as help to eleviate any tension or discomfort due to overused wrists.

You can use our Search Feature to search through all of our Yoga for the Wrists classes on your own. To get you started without searching, we’re highlighting six wrist classes in a variety of styles, levels and durations that will be sure to help you build strength and flexibility in your wrists.

• Wrist Love with Amy Ippoliti: Have wrist issues or trouble doing things with or on your hands? This sequence may be used regularly to help build strength and flexibility in your wrists. Opens the shoulders and neck, and includes a restorative with a blanket. Have a block and a strap available if you like.
• Give Your Wrists a Break with Jason Crandell: Back by popular demand–and, even longer! This 45-minute practice will take you through a strong, satisfying vinyasa practice without bearing any weight on your wrists. If you’ve been wanting a strong practice and you’re giving your wrists a break, this is tailor-made for you.
• Help for Your Wrists with Tiffany Cruikshank: Ten minutes of help for your wrists. This is a quick series of exercises for your wrists. You can use it every so often preventatively or as needed for tension or discomfort. This practice is helpful if you spend a lot of time at the computer or play sports that use the forearms or wrists a lot. It is also helpful if you are new to inversions or are doing a lot of inversions in your practice.
• Eleviate Wrist, Hand & Elbow Pain with Elena Brower: If you’re having wrist/hand/elbow pain and would like to explore a practice to alleviate the issue, this 20 minute practice may help. We’ll explore ways to strengthen shoulders, elbows and wrists, using only a couple of carefully instructed weight-bearing postures, and some standing poses without hands/wrists at all.
• Suffer From Computer Hands? with Felicia Tomasko: Stretch out the forearms, wrists and shoulders: parts of the body that get overused when we’re on the computer all day (or text messaging profusely).
• Listen to Yourself & Accept Yourself with Christina Sell: This level 1 class is great for those days when you need to rest your arms and take the weight-bearing load out of your wrists and shoulders. With focused work in the legs and plenty of alignment cues, this practice offers encouragement to listen to yourself, to accept yourself, and to practice yoga in a way that is mindful and healing.

Our feet are our body’s foundation, our connection to the earth. They  keep us mobile, aligned and balanced, yet they are often one of the most neglected and abused parts of the body. How often do we actually stop and  think about our feet and what we put them through EVERY DAY? Probably only when they start aching after standing or wearing uncomfortable shoes all day.

Our body reflects everything we do with our feet. When our feet are tired, our whole body is tired. When our feet hurt, even the simplest of tasks might be hard. Whether we realize it or not, because of the way we treat our feet, most of us have feet and ankles that are no longer in balance. Because of the misalignment of our feet, our body now has to make adjustments in order to keep its balance. This means that our overall posture changes. When our posture changes to compensate for foot problems, our joints become misaligned which in turn, can lead to chronic joint inflammation in addition to other health related problem.

The good news is that practicing yoga can help. Several studies show how yoga helps bring flexibility and strength to our feet, toes and ankles, leading to overall better alignment and health of the body.

 You can use our Search Feature to search through all of our Yoga for Feet classes on your own. To get you started without searching, we’re highlighting six feet classes in a variety of styles, levels and durations that will be sure to help us learn to navigate mobility and stability through the foundation of the feet.

• Foot Alignment Tutorial with Tiffany Cruikshank: This class is more of a tutorial on foot alignment and how it applies to our practice of asanas. We’ll look at the foot alignment in standing, seated and supine poses and how it applies to the pelvis and the rest of the body. This is an important practice for beginners and advanced students alike to take with you into your other classes.
• Happy & Strong Feet with Jo Tastula: Worshiping feet is considered a very selfless act of service in many cultures. Today, we worship our own feet as a form of deep self care! Our modern day foot has been squashed, stifled and weakened by shoes and walking on predictable terrain (i.e. horizontal flat surfaces) so this class focuses on gaining full mobility and range of motion in the feet as well as strengthening and toning exercises. Props: Warm Towel
• Relearn Your Feet with Tara Judelle: Relearn the feet – Class focusing on standing balancing poses introducing the concept of “heel foot” and “ankle foot”. Using meticulous instruction around the mechanics of the foot we learn to navigate mobility and stability through the foundation of the feet. Includes Garudasana (Eagle pose), Warrior III, Padagustasana (Hand to foot pose), and Sirsasana (headstand).
• Yoga for Your Calves & Feet with Jason Crandell: It’s easy to forget about your calves and feet—especially with the constant focus on hips, hamstrings, shoulders and spine in yoga class. The feet and calves, however, need some serious TLC since they both become tense quite easily. This practice will open the calves and articulate the feet in essential, satisfying ways. This practice also shows you exactly what it means to “lift your inner-arches” and how to create this vital action in your standing poses. (You will need a belt for this practice).
• On Your Feet All Day with Felicia Tomasko: Do you stand on your feet all day? Nurses, teachers, doctors, firefighters, restaurant workers, vetrenarians, flight attendants, retail salespeople? This is the yin practice for you. Get grounded and rebalance the body with this slow yet powerful yin practice. We begin on the earth, supine, on our backs, with a sequence that works with flexibility and mobility of the feet, legs, and hips. The second part of this practice involves some seated feet stretches, cat stretch variations on our hands and knees and then ends with a pigeon pose to continue to allow ourselves to release the tension stored in the body after standing all day. By the time we get to savasana, we’ll be ready to stand up again.
• Healing Feet Practice with Elena Brower: Such a sweet, healing practice to end a long day on your feet. Standing poses and balances, vinyasa flows with variations for your feet, some nice stretches for the tops and soles of your feet, with reminders to keep your foundation – and your face – spacious and soft.

Your hamstrings are the three muscles that are located in the back of your thigh and are one of the largest and most powerful muscle groups in the body. Through the course of our lives, at one time or another, most of us will experience a pulled or a tight hamstring. Tight or “short” hamstrings are extremely uncomfortable and can be caused by long hours of sitting and driving, tension in the legs (most people hold their legs tensely. A great example of this is putting your feet back under your chair while sitting), back problems (can be a direct correlation with tight hamstrings), lack of core strength (the hamstrings try and take on the role of stabilizing the core) and poor coordination and habitual movement patterns.

The good news is that several studies show how yoga can help stretch, strengthen and lengthen your hamstrings.

You can use our Search Feature to search through all of our Yoga for Hamstrings classes on your own. To get you started without searching, we’re highlighting six hamstring classes in a variety of styles, levels and durations that will be sure to help strengthen and lengthen your hamstrings!

• Hamstring Opener with Marc Holzman: Props needed: Chair, two blocks, strap. This is a very basic sequence of poses to open the hamstrings for new practitioners.
• Powerful Hamstring Flow with Tiffany Cruikshank: Find a whole new meaning to working the hamstrings in this 90min class. We’ll work on the strength & length of the inner & outer hamstringsin multiple dimensions. With standing, folded, seated, supine and inverted variations looking at how the hamstrings affect the movement of the pelvis.
• Primary Series for Tight Hamstrings with Jodi Blumstein: A 90-minute class designed specifically for people who are challenged with tight hamstrings. This class gives modifications and tips for moving through the first half of the Primary series, in a traditional manner and in a way that is safe and effective for students working through some basic stiffness.
• Open Your Hamstrings with Jason Crandell: This practice focuses on using the leverage of the hip-flexors and abdominals to fold you body more deeply into forward bends. With a soothing start that stretches your hamstrings and hips, this practice proceeds to awaken your abdominals, hip-flexors, and quads. It continues with salutations and standing forward bends and concludes with seated forward bends. Expect to open your hamstrings and learn the hinging action of your front body.
• Yoga for Tight Hamstrings with Tara Judelle: In this 30 minute class we practice a slow, thorough sequence for opening the hamstrings. Includes supine leg stretch sequence (supta padagusthasan series), Standing forward bend (uttansasa), downward facing dog (adho mukha swanasana), wide legged forward bend (pasarita padotanasana), Head to knee pose (Janu sirsana), and seated forward bend (pascimottanasana).
• Hamstrings Flow Yoga with Dice lida-Klein: Tight hamstrings? This hamstring focused class will help open and strengthen the back of your legs, releasing any tension from continuous walking or sitting. Standing forward fold (uttanasana) variations, standing splits, pyramid pose (parsvottonasana), standing wide-legged forward fold (prasarita padottonasana), seated forward fold (paschimottonosana) and Janu Sirsasana help to get us to happy hamstrings! Tripod headstand options are given as well.

The Sun Salutations or Surya Namaskara are a fundamental part of the yoga tradition. Ultimately, it is the sun that provides the energy for all life on earth and Sun Salutations are a celebration of this life force within us.

Several studies show that Sun Salutations have tremendous mental and physical benefits. They stimulate the endocrine system (especially the thyroid), increase blood oxygenation, cleanses the digestive system, increases mental focus and concentration, reduces depression, anxiety and stress by reducing cortisol and the can increase the quantity of neurotransmitters, like Serotonin.

You can use our Search Feature to search through all of our Sun Salutation classes on your own. To get you started without searching, we’re highlighting six sun salutation classes in a variety of styles, levels and durations that will be sure to help you get your day started off on the right foot!

• Breathe & Salute the Sun with Noah Maze: This short (22 minute) and sweet session will connect you deeply to your breath and body. Progress from seated Ujayii, to simple movements, to Surya Namaskar A and B, back to seated. This practice can stand alone (if you only have 20+ minutes), or warm you up for a longer practice, or run/ride/hike etc.
• Salute the Sun & Those Who Matter with Kathryn Budig: Salute the sun, yourself and everyone important in your life. Remember everything that has impacted you as the year draws to an end. This flow incorporates sun salutations in between every standing posture with each salute dedicated to a different person of event in our lives. Manifest your internal drive through the strength of your physical practice.
• Sun Salutation Flow with Jason Crandell: Designed for level 1 students looking for an accessible challenge that will deepen their practice, this flow practice will guide you through sun-salutations, lunges and standing poses. It will help synchronize your breath with movement, open and strengthen your legs, and cultivate greater vitality in your entire body. This sequence will also teach you the most effective way to of step forward into lunges from down-dog when practicing sun salutations.
• Sun Salutations to Embody Your Passions & Truth with Jo Tastula: Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar) are a wisdom tradition in and of themselves. Traditionally practiced in the morning, but can be done at any time, they are a way of opening into the major muscle groups of the spine, legs and arms whilst also celebrating the dawning of a new day. This daily ritual teaches us that every day is like a rebirthing ~ and we are also constantly being rebirthed and evolving to more fully embody our passions and truth. Our slow beginning builds into classical Sun Salutation B (Surya Namaskar) and then the flow really takes flight through triangle (Tirkonasana), Warrior (Virabhadrasana 2) & Extended Side Angle (Utthita Parsvakonasana), Temple (or is it Horse??), twists and yes, handstands (Adho Mukha Vrksasana) in the center of the room thank you very much!! Blessings and love xo.
• Elements of Flow: Sun Salute A with Seane Corn: This mixed level vinyasa flow is the first of eight classes in a series that break down the different components that make up a “flow” class. These classes will look at proper alignment, fluid transitions, modifications and the use of props preparing the student to understand how to approach this powerful practice more mindfully. These classes can be practiced by beginners to advanced students to teachers who are looking for specific skills to offer their students. This first class will explore the benefits of ujjayi prananyama, how to link the movement with the breath and a full breakdown of sun salutes A. Optional – 1 or 2 blocks.
• Seva Sun Salutations Series with Tara Judelle: Using our practice as means to generate energy for Seva (Selfless Service)- Inspired by teaching yoga to Bali Street Kids Orphanage, (Yayasan Kasih Pedule Anak), this class uses the doorway of practice to channel energy toward service for collective body. Includes 11 Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar A), Tree (Vrksasana), Warrior 3, (Virbhadrasana III), and Upward Facing Bow (Urdhva Danurasana) and variations.

Having a hard time getting a morning yoga practice in? Don’t worry, you’re not the only one! With all of life’s responsibilities, most of us don’t get enough sleep as is, so the last thing we want to do is get up early when we don’t have to! The good news is that having an evening yoga practice is important as well. Several studies show how an evening yoga practice can help calm the nervous system, reduce physical and mental tension, helps you to unwind after a long day and can even help with sleeping issues.

You can use our Search Feature to search through all of our Evening Yoga classes on your own. To get you started without searching, we’re highlighting six evening yoga classes in a variety of styles, levels and durations that will be sure to help you unwind from a long day.

• Evening Yoga with Marc Holzman: Nighttime Yoga. Full range 30 minute practice to ease you from your busy day into the evening.
• Goodnight Meditation with Harshada Wagner: Goodnight Meditation. Designed for the end of the day, this meditation guides the viewer through a deep relaxation and release.
• Evening Sleep Prep Flow with Tiffany Cruikshank: Unwind with a flow that will get you moving right away and then ease off into stillness. We’ll meet the restlessness of the mind with movement and then slowly ease in so the mind settles and prepares for a deep restful sleep.
• Evening Restorative with Noah Maze: This offers a calming sequence of standing and seated supported forward bends and inversions (supported shoulderstand), perfect at the end of a busy day, to restore and come into a deep state of quiescence. We use 3+ blankets and a folding chair in this sequence.
• Evening Simmer Down with Amy Ippoliti: A delicious practice designed with specific poses to help you release your day and create the kind of tomorrow you dream of, while setting yourself up for a restful slumber. A block and a blanket might be helpful and make sure you have some wall space as we use it for a couple minutes.
• Evening Wind Down with Tara Judelle: A quick evening practice to release your day, and settle into night. Includes, standing forward bend (uttanasana), headstand (sirsasana), seated wide legged forward bend (upavista konasana), supine leg stretches (suptapadangusthasana series), supine bound angle pose (supta baddhakonasana), Corpse pose (savasana).

The Spine: “Performs for the good of the whole body. It’s a strong, flexible column allowing movement in all directions with strength and endurance well beyond what is adequate to support several times your weight. It is a shock absorber, an anchor for your limbs, and a protector of the central nervous system.” Since the spine houses the nerves, ligaments and muscles that connect to your entire body, it is essential to keep it in tip-top condition.

There are a number of a ways that you can you can keep your spine healthy and happy. Selecting the right pair of shoes, sleeping a certain way and having good posture are all preventive measures you can take to keep your spine strong and flexible. Another way is to twist. Yes, twist!

Several studies show that Yoga Twists not only keep the vertebrae supple, helping to prevent herniated disks and compressed nerves, but it helps you to maintain a long, flexible spine. In addition, yoga twists are known for stimulating circulation and cleansing your organs.

This week’s featured classes will be sure to open your spine and detox your body:

You can use our Search Feature to search through all of our Yoga Twist classes on your own. To get you started without searching, we’re highlighting six classes in a variety of styles, levels and durations that are all twist based.

• Twist & Shout with Noah Maze: Wring, twist and rinse your entire being with this class of DEEP forward bends and twists.
• Mental Clarity Flow with Stephanie Snyder: This is a beginners flow that focuses on twists. A quick detox and wringing out that will create some fire and also balance. A great practice for mental clarity.
• Horizontal Axis with Tara Judelle: Using the play of the Liver and the Spleen to define the digestive band, this class focuses on deep internal twists to feel into the organ body. Includes Parivrtta Parsvakonasana, Ardha Mastyendrasana, and Parivrtta Trikonasana.
• Detox Twisting Flow with Jo Tastula: This detoxifying twisting flow is great for wringing out any heaviness and lackluster from the muscles and the tissues. We start slowly with some reclined postures (2 blocks and a strap is helpful) and then warm up with Sun Salutations C variation (Surya Namaskar). We work towards some of the deeper twists including Revolved Triangle (Parivrtta Trikonasana) and Revolved Hand to Big Toe Pose (Parivrtta Hasta Padangusthasana). Lateral stretches to balance are Triangle (Trikonasana), Half Moon (Ardha Chandrasana) & Revolved Head to Knee Pose (Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana). To your health yogis!
• Twist Tutorial with Jason Crandell: Make sure that you are getting the most from this all-levels, utilitarian twist. This tutorial will prepare your hips before showing you the optimal alignment, pelvic position and various arm-positions needed to maximize this posture’s benefits.
• Twisting Refresh with Kathryn Budig: Twists are woven through this entire sequence from sun salutations, to flowing transitions all the way into arm balances and inversions. Use this heat inducing class to open your spine, detox your body and step forward feeling refreshed.

A lot of us save our yoga practice for the afternoon or evening. With a long, stressful day behind us, we want nothing more than to clear our minds, shift our focus and release whatever stress that has accumulated throughout the busy day. By the end of our practice we are calm and relaxed, the stress has subsided and whatever seemed to bother us during the day is now a distant memory. What a great way to end the day, right?

Yes! But what if there was a way to start the day off right? Morning yoga to the rescue! Several studies show how a morning yoga routine can set the tone for the entire day. It helps to clear our thoughts so we can remain calm and clear headed throughout the day, it gives us more energy and endurance and it prepares us mentally and emotionally for our daily activities and interactions with other people, in turn making us more patient, less reactive and less likely to take things personal. What a great way to begin the day!

This week’s featured classes will be sure to help get your day started on the right foot. Rise and shine!

You can use our Search Feature to search through all of our Morning Yoga classes on your own. To get you started without searching, we’re highlighting six classes in a variety of styles, levels and durations that are designed to prepare your mind, heart and body for the day ahead!

• Invigorating Start to Your Day with Darren Rhodes: Rise and shine without the sun salutation. Start your day with some invigorating standing poses, such as warrior 1 and 2, tree pose, plank, and power posture. A great way to start and stay steady throughout your day.
• Good Morning Sunshine with Marc Holzman: When we start the day with a morning practice we have the opportunity to ‘begin again’ and set the pace for the day. Morning practices are more playful, lively, and experimental. This is a dynamic class which includes sun salutations, handstand hopping (with hands on blocks!), bird of paradise and backbend variations. Inserted within the class are Surya and Chandra Bhedana Pranayama. Greet the day. Greet your Self.
• Inspiring Morning Practice with Stephanie Snyder: This practice eases you out of bed and into a strong vinyasa practice in a way that feels complete. Includes gentle sun salutes for warm-up, moving into core strengthening work, a strong standing sequence that will open hips, hamstrings, and shoulders. We then ease into backbends, of course! And complete our practice with headstand, shoulderstand, and a forward fold. Set the tone for your day through this transitional and inspiring practice.
• Morning Meditation Practice with Harshada Wagner: In this 20 minute basic meditation, Harshada leads you through a practice designed to prepare your mind and heart for the day ahead. Perfect for morning practice.
• The Highest First with Christina Sell: Begin your day with a dynamic backbend practice designed to remind you to put your heart first no matter what comes your way. Inspiring, challenging and caring, this class will wake you up and get you going.
• Start Your Day with Connection & Peace with Kia Miller: This all-round balancing practice is a perfect way to start any day. It touches every part of your body encouraging a sense of connection and peace. Perfect for all levels.

The core is the foundation upon which all movement is based. It stabilizes your spine and allows the body to actually move. Every movement you make is initiated by the core and in order to prevent health problems, it is crucial to keep the core as strong and stable as possible. A strong core will reduce injuries (especially back injuries), improve posture, increase balance and stability and will even aid in digestion.

Looking to improve your core strength? Several studies show how practicing yoga can help build the underlying muscles to build abs that are both strong, stable and flexible. So this week’s featured classes will leave your core worked and full of strength!

You can use our new Search Feature to search through all of our Yoga for Core Strengthening classes on your own. To get you started without searching, we’re highlighting six classes in a variety of styles, levels and durations that are designed to work your core.

• All About Core with Kathryn Budig: It’s all about the core! Focused plank and stepping forward work starts out the class followed by core oriented standing poses and fun floor work leading up to crow and side crow. Inversions and backbends wrap up the class for a lovely savasana.
• Strengthen Your Core with Kia Miller: Enhance your capacity to move and act from your center. Balance your navel and heart energy and feel the power of coming home to your SELF. Familiarize yourself with this set and practice it regularly as a way to stay truly connected.
• The Core of You with Steven Espinosa: Many of us consider the abdominal as our core. But we also have our skeletal core, the core of our pelvis and the heart as the core of our deeper self. The focus of this practice to move from our many levels of core. Strong heat building opening warm up with emphasis on strengthening the abdominal core area while aligning our skeletal core for solid bio-mechanical movement. Standing Poses include Crescent, Warrior 1 & 2, Extended Side Angle and Triangle. Also includes brief explanation of “mula bandha” i.e., the drawing in and up of the internal organs to engage abdominal core. Continues with Arm Balance in Crow Pose (bekasana), Boat Pose (navasana) and pelvic core opening in Fire Log Pose (agnistambasana).
• Strong Core and Arm Flow with Dice lida-Klein: A strong core workout with focus on strengthening the shoulders and arms. Side plank (vashistasana) and forearm side plank variations along with a navasana sequence (boat pose). Also, a quick look at lolasana (pendant pose), which will help with the jumpback and pickup in the ashtanga primary series.
• Core Strengthening Practice with Jason Crandell: You will awaken, strengthen and integrate your core in this practice. You won’t do 10,000 sit-ups or crunches. Instead, you’ll examine how your feet, legs and abdominals work together to create greater strength, integration and depth in all of your poses. You can expect plenty of abdominal work woven into sun salutations, standing poses, forward bends and twists.
• Core Workout with Jo Tastula: Just new to yoga or coming back from injury and want to build some gentle strength through out the entire body? This is a simple little sequence starting with cat/cow and plank variations that strengthen the spinal muscles. Plank pushups on the knees are a great way to gently build upper body strength. We flow through a crescent sequence that works the entire body and then take it to the back where we will target key abdominal muscles finishing with bridge pose and a twist.

Despite our best intentions, most of us tend to overdo it during the holidays. By the time the New Year roles around we are left feeling completely depleted and in need of a serious mind/body overhaul. The good news is that some studies show how yoga helps facilitate your body’s natural detox process, wringing out all of the excess we accumulate during the holidays.

This week’s featured classes will help to release the toxins and stress that build up in your body during the holiday season.

To get you started without searching, we are highlighting six classes in a variety of styles, levels and durations that are designed to deeply rinse and cleanse you on every level.

• Clear Away Holiday Excess with Tiffany Cruikshank: A vigorous class to clear out the excess of the holidays. This class will give your metabolism a boost and balance out all the holiday indulgences.
• Deep Rinse & Cleanse Practice with Noah Maze: This sequence of twists and inversions will deeply rinse and cleanse you on every level. This sequence thoroughly prepares you to twist and invert, and deepen familiar poses as well as introduce some less familiar. Yoga turns us inside, to the source of wisdom, so that we can embody and live this wisdom to the fullest.
• Twisting Flow for Detox with Dice lida-Klein: This flow is aimed at detoxing the body via twists, hip and low back opening, as well as a decent amount of core work from our hands and backs. Tossing aside our usual Warrior 2, Parsvakonasana and Ardha Matsyendrasana, we explore Anjaneyasana, Crescent pose, revolved Crescent and revolved half-moon along with twists upside down and standing. Handstand options are given throughout of course! A light forward fold sequence follows to top it all off. No major backbends in this flow my fellow yogis. Enjoy!
• Reduce Excess Kapha Dosha with Felicia Tomasko: Need to stimulate your immune system? Need to remove internal stagnation? Need to open the heart and flush the lymphatic system? This practice combines supported backbends with twists and sequences that increase circulation through all the far-flung spaces in the body to support detoxification and cleansing any time of the year. This class incorporates principles of Ayurveda to reduce an excess of the kapha dosha and encourage greater lightness and internal space.
• Keep The Body Radiant with Kia Miller: This short detoxing kriya can make you a different person. Tap into your own inner radiance. This is a great set to do before meditating. It strengthens your thighs, opens the hamstrings and balances your energy.
• Mental Clarity Flow with Stephanie Snyder: This is a beginners flow that focuses on twists. A quick detox and wringing out that will create some fire and also balance. A great practice for mental clarity.