Hot Yoga How-Tos

How To: Do a yoga hip flexor stretch to improve advanced poses

In this video, we learn how to do hip flexes with Dina Prioste. First, bring your right foot up and get into the downward facing dog position. Your right toe should be pointing towards the front and your left leg should be facing toward the back. Now, raise your arms high into the air so they are raised above you. To feel the stretch more deeply, lift up and stretch down further than before. You can also press into the top of the left foot and bring the right foot up if you are a more advance...

How To: Do yoga hand and wrist stretches

In this video, we learn how to do screaming hand stretches with Dina Prioste. This will help loosen up your hands and wrists so you can achieve better yoga poses. First, come into a tabletop position with your hands under your shoulders. Now, bring your fingers to point backwards with your palms flat on the floor. Lean back until you feel a stretch in your hands and wrists. For the second stretch, bring the tops of the hands down on the floor with the hands pointing down, then stretch back. L...

How To: Do a yoga tittibhasana or the firefly pose

In this tutorial, we learn how to do a firefly yoga pose with Dina Priost. Place a folded up blanket under your hands to provide support if you have tight wrists. Begin with arm pressure pose, squat on your blanket so it's behind your feet. Take your arms through your legs and place the hands down on the blanket so they are on the edge. Move your thighs up as high as you can and lean back while bringing the fee forward. Now, pick your feet up off the floor while deep breathing. Now, bring the...

How To: Do a yoga flow into a handstand with Tara Stiles

Despite common misconception, yoga is extremely intensive and a challenge for core stability and muscle stability, especially when you encounter poses like handstands. Not easily done by even the most experienced yoga experts, handstands are a true test of your yoga prowess and ability to say "ohm" with two feet up in the air, arms aching and trembling.

How To: Do the splits using the yoga Monkey pose

Splits are easy when you're a little kid and flexibility is your friend. But joints and muscles naturally stiffen as you get older, making extreme stretching - including splits - increasingly difficult. You also get jipped of that wonderful hyperactive playtime called recess, when such physical tricks usually take place.

How To: Lose weight with yoga for beginners

We all know that we should exercise daily, but few of us have the time or energy to commit to a consistent exercise routine. If your schedule barely gives you enough time to breathe, try this video's easy yoga-based exercise, which takes less than ten minutes to complete.

How To: Do yoga exercises to sleep better

If you ever have trouble sleeping, you may feel like you are running out of options. If counting sheep and drinking warm milk aren't helping, check out this video. In it, you will learn some tips from Cindy Mastry, a professional yoga and fitness instructor, on how to use yoga moves to induce sleep and help you get more rest.

How To: Increase your lung capacity with full yogic breath

In this how to video, you will learn how to perform the full yogic breath with retention. Lengthen your spine and feel the back of the head extend towards the ceiling. Feel your shoulders move out towards the sides. Place your right hand on your abdomen and left on the chest to feel the movement of the body as you practice this. Inhale into the abdomen and feel it expand into the rib cage. Keep inhaling into the chest and collar bone. Exhale from the chest only and contract the rib cage. Last...

How To: Do a Half Frog Stretch Out

Dina Prioste teaches viewers how to do a half frog stretch out. Now, lie down on your stomach with your elbows right under your shoulders. Now grab your left leg and pull this towards your right butt cheek. You can also lay all the way down on the floor. You can also bring the heel outside of the hip if you are very flexible. This is a great stretch for your quad and hip. This will stretch the entire front of your body as well as your core. The more open you get with this pose, you can do bot...

How To: Do Hindu pushups

This video shows you how to do Hindu push-ups which have been used by wrestlers and martial artists for many centuries. It works all major muscle groups at the same time. You begin with the mountain pose, also known to yoga fans as the downward dog, with your hands and feet spread out. You go down by bending your elbows, until your body is on the ground. Then go into cobra pose, and as you push up into this pose you should inhale. Then push exhale as you push back to the starting position. Ke...

How To: Do a goddess-pose breathing exercise

Wind down with the simple yoga relaxation exercise outlined in this free video lesson. As an added bonus, unlike most yoga exercises, which require some bare minimum of athleticism, the "goddess pose" demonstrated in this tutorial is as simple as reclining. Find out how to do the goddess pose with help from a yoga instructor in this free video on yoga relaxation exercises.

How To: Do a proper shoulder stand

A shoulder stand is an important move in yoga. In this tutorial, learn how to perform and practice a proper shoulder stand in Vinyasa. The shoulder stand is great for exercising your neck, back and shoulder muscles.

How To: Improve your blood pressure with yoga

Do you suffer from high blood pressure and hyper tension? Do you happen to suffer from low blood pressure? In this excellent video, you'll learn some breathing techniques and yoga moves to help stabilize your blood pressure. Improve you energy and feel all around more centered. This is a great video to help release all your tension and stress.

How To: Get rid of shin splints with Tara Stiles

Do you keep pull a muscle? Or suffering from pesky shin splints? In this video, the beautiful and talented yoga expert and instructor Tara Stiles teaching you what you can do and how to get rid of shin splints. With proper breathing and some simply yoga moves anyone can perform you'll learn how to avoid these painful shin splints.

How To: Stretch out your stress before bed

A quick and effective sequence, to get your body de-stressed before bed and help relieve restless legs syndrome, with Sadie Nardini, founder of Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga. No more restless nights, no more medication this video shows how stretch and fall asleep comfortably.

How To: Meditate with Tara Stiles

In this video Tara Stiles gives an introduction to basic meditation. Meditation can be done while doing the physical yoga poses, or really any time when you have a few moments. Even while you are in line at the grocery store you can practice simple meditation by bringing your attention to your breath. Observe your thoughts and focus on breathing in and out. The intent is to bring yourself back to yourself. Tara leads a guided meditation which begins by encouraging the listener to find a comfo...

How To: Do yoga exercises that help you lose belly fat

In this video from modernmom Cindy Mastry shows how to lose belly fat using yoga. Bring your right knee to your chest, holding it with your hands. Flex both feet, and as you inhale lift left foot off the ground and press it out towards the heel. Hold it here using your belly strength. As you exhale, send energy out the crown of head and out the foot. As you inhale next slowly bring the leg up to the sky and as you exhale lower the leg back down, pushing the energy out hovering the leg off the...

How To: Perform hip opening tiger stretches

In this video from Shiva Rea we learn how to perform hip opening tiger stretches in yoga. Shiva oozes with sensuality and loves what she does. Coming forward into a lunge, take right arm in front of right shin, turn head to right side, and come back into the runner's stretch. Next time you come forward you can tuck the left toes under and turn to the left, a give a HA HA cough. And last, come forward, you can come to the edge of the right foot, turn head to the right, and get even lower, and ...

How To: Chill out using yoga with Tara Stiles

Chill out with Tara Stiles especially your upper back and shoulder tension. This is a four part yoga based routine specifically designed to chill you out. Use these instructions to help develop a healthy, relaxed, lifestyle and a better you. Take long, deep breaths and enjoy!

How To: Do easy yoga poses

This video details how to do easy yoga poses for beginners. To start out, assume 'mountain pose' which involves placing the feet at about a hip width distance apart. After the feet are placed, lengthen up through the spine and roll the shoulders back while also tucking the chin slightly back. Arms are then raised upward while inhaling, and lowered while exhaling and in the same exhale lift out of the hips, hinge, then enter a forward bend. Note, it is acceptable to bend the knees in this proc...

How To: Awaken your kundalini

Awakening the female energy that resides in the base of your spine is not a process that can be done in an afternoon but is something you work towards though lots of work in kundalini yoga and work toward an enlightened state of being.

How To: Do a head stand without snapping your neck

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to perform a headstand. Begin by going on the knees. Then put your hands down in a crawling position. The hands should be shaped together as a triangle. Now put the head on the floor and push up with the toes. Once up, make your body as straight as possible. This video will benefit those viewers who want to learn how to headstand for things such as: break dancing, yoga or gymnastics.

How To: Do yoga handstands with Tara Stiles

Tara Stiles shows us how to work on yoga handstands. Don't worry if you're afraid of handstands, as Tara Stiles will show us how to build slowly with tips and tricks to overcome any fears. We begin with our hands on the floor, about a foot away from a wall, and then kick your legs over and up against the wall so you re upside down. Don't worry about your form yet; this is to get comfortable with the position. When that feels comfortable, the video shows different positions to try that will bu...

How To: Do a forearm stand with Tara Stiles

Having a healthy lifestyle is very important. In this video, learn how to do a forearm stand with Tara Stiles in her "Let's Get Physical" Challenge. First, lay your forearms on the ground. Make sure your elbows are directly below your shoulders. Have the rest of your body in plank pose (your feet on the ground and your body flat.) After a little bit, walk your feet back up so that your body now forms an arch with your butt in the air. Walk back to your plank pose and stay there. If you're loo...

How To: Perform a crow pose in Vinyasa yoga

With this free two-part video yoga lesson from Manhattan yogi extraordinaire Sadie Nardini, you'll learn how to get into a simple crow pose while minimizing fear and maximizing success. The key, it seems, is to focus on your foundation and then squeeze into your core.

How To: Do alternate nostril breathing in yoga

Yoga teacher Tara Stiles gives an informative video tutorial on how to do alternate nostril breathing in yoga. Tara warns that some first-timers might find this particular exercise a bit weird, but once they get a hang of it, it can be a boon for kick-starting one's day and relaxing one's mind and body. Then, she demonstrates the simple steps of breathing in and out, alternating the closing and opening of the nostrils. In closing, Tara cautioned that people who experience dizziness in the beg...