Do you still remember your first yoga class?  The challenges to your mobility, your balance, your strength? Don't you wish it could have been easier?

When I first went to yoga classes, I was so disappointed with myself. I thought I was fit and capable. I was running, cycling, surfing and doing some...

As it turns out, not very much.
Alignment can look good.
Sometimes it makes postures and movements easier.
But what get’s us to a certain alignment?
It’s the actions and engagements of muscles.
Maybe let’s focus on that. Engagement is important.

Let’s take a step back to get the bigger picture.

Alignm...

Oslo Yoga, www.osloyoga.no  hosted a panel discussion on yoga anatomy as part of their international yoga festival www.yogafestivalen.no on January 4, 2021.
On the panel were:

Mark Stephens www.markstephensyoga.com

Anna Kristina Kavli www.iyoga.no,

and me, Chris Kummer www.anatomyshow.com/about...

Modern hips.

Modern hips are hips used to sitting on chairs. Or simply sitting a lot.

How many people have told you already that sitting too much can make your hip area tight? This tension can include the hip ligaments, the hip-flexor muscles and a lot of  other associated muscles and fascia membr...

This yoga anatomy tip will help you improve your balance in handstand and othert balance postures.

Anytime you want to attempt to practice a balance yoga posture you need to follow this principle to be successful. if you aim to balance for longer than it takes to take a quick photo.
These balance pr...

Your Ankle Position Influences Your Knee Function

The inside structure of your feet is not clearly visible from the outside. When you learn about the significance of the foot structure at the ankle joint you can understand the influence of your foot arches and the ankle position on the knee joint.
The...

In the range of postures associated with modern yoga practice, front splits are one of the most frequently aspired to, along with wheel pose, and head- and hand stands.

Difficulties accessing and practicing  front splits / forward splits / hanumanasana, are often considered to be tight hamstrings.

O...

It’s quite common to hear people say ‘I’m going to my yoga class now’ or ‘I'm going to practice yoga’.
Many teachers and instructors also promote ‘yoga off the mat’.
All this sometimes really puzzles me.

Even if we were to reduce yoga practice to postures and movements - don’t tell me sitting on a des...

Watch this video for a look at locust pose to support your sitting posture.

Don't we often find ourselves sitting slumped using our arm or hand to prop us up when at a desk or table? This is quite an external body support.

In this video, we’ll take the first step and focus on the muscles along the spi...

Hi my friends,

let’s take a look at a practical application for yoga poses.

When we’re honest, many yoga poses are positions we’re not really encountering in our daily life.
But when we pay attention, we can notice how some postures, especially transitions or elements of the pose are great preparatio...

What do do about clunks in loose joints

Recently a few people have asked me about clunks and instability in their joints.
The people described themselves as hypermobile.
Joints can crack and ‘clunk’ for a number of reasons. This video examines these clunks in more mobile people.

Anatomically, extra mob...

You might be wondering what skipping rope has to do with yoga.

Well, it doesn't and it does.

On the one hand it's quite obvious we do not do skipping and hopping movements, especially not repeatedly, in yoga practice.

On the other hand, you can also see from skipping rope, or in fact, any kind of...