Yoga, Health, and Wellness Articles + Recipes

Many triathletes have told me they would love to try yoga but can't squeeze it into their intense training regimens. The swimming, biking and running leaves little time in a triathlete's schedule, but those who find time for yoga agree the benefits can be considerable.

In my role as a yoga instructor, I've been able to help numerous runners who are seeking to cross-train, improve flexibility and alleviate pain they experience during and after running.

As a private trainer and yoga instructor, I meet a lot of athletes and workout fanatics. When asked if yoga is part of their workouts, many athletes will tell me they don't have the time to add yoga to their already intense training schedules. Some say they don't see how "stretching and breathing" would be of any benefit to them. Others say they've discovered yoga while recuperating from an injury.

Yoga is a beautiful thing, but the older I get, the more I wonder if we can age gracefully in spandex.

If you’re a guy who grew up in America, you most likely competed in sports. It’s part of our upbringing and a large part of who we are as a culture. Sports prepare you for life. They teach work ethic, how to win respectfully and how to lose with dignity and seek redemption. We like to work hard, physically compete and earn our victories. As the yoga trainer for Major League Soccer's Philadelphia Union and other professional athletes, I’m inspired to hear them rave about the benefits of yoga on their athletic performance.

I love teaching beginners. Here are seven easy tips to help you survive your first yoga classes.

I wrote this blog last night and then completely changed it this morning as the ultimate test of my own integrity came into play … as the themes always do.

If you’ve been around this blog for a while, you’ll know that I’m a big advocate of practicing your yoga in whatever way works best for you.

Polarization seems rampant across all sectors of modern life. Debates on money, politics, religion, and even yoga, readily devolve into diametrically opposed camps. Moderate voices are lost in the din of intolerance and most folks understandably turn away from the discussion with disgust or lament. But without someone staking the middle ground, and others who embrace and support it, chances are the problems of the day will continue unabated.

My daily yoga practice is absolutely ordinary. It is as ordinary and common place as brushing my teeth.

Are we working out? Or are we working in? When I was asked what I’d like to see in a yoga magazine, I said without hesitation: Reality.

What is Vedic Astrology? Jyotisha, or Vedic astrology, is the ancient astrology of India. It has an unbroken lineage going back over five thousand years. Jyotisha is derived from the Sanskrit word Jyoti meaning “light”. Thus, Jyotisha is often referred to as the science of light, for it helps us to see the past, present and future clearly as well as giving us insight into who we are and how to best actualize our potential.

We have thousands of classes, whether you’re looking for a specific teacher or anatomical focus or just want to see what’s out there. These are the classes you gravitate to the most – your top downloads this year. Try them all to see what your fellow YogaDownloaders are loving!

While women are still the majority in yoga classes, there's a strong movement of men not only trying yoga, but striving both on and off the mat.

You have probably already heard or read about it, yoga seems to be everywhere these days. There are a lot of pre-conceived notions about what yoga is, ranging from a strenuous, acrobatic endeavor only for the very strong and flexible; to some sort of new age, spiritual practice where you sit around chanting. Sure, those are out there, but the vast majority of yoga classes are fun, relaxing and full of normal, practical people just like you.

Spring is almost here. The grass is getting greener, the days longer and brighter and the weather is getting warmer. This change in season is the perfect time to reawaken and rejuvenate from a long winter of hibernating indoors. This is a perfect time to bring back freshness into every aspect of your life. So let's spring it on to a better way of living by clearing away all the clutter that no longer serves you and cleaning house from the inside out.

Do you have Sochi fever, YogaDownloaders? Seeing the world gather in one place, in a global celebration of fitness and human potential, has been truly inspiring. We've been watching all of it: the figure skating, the snowboarding, the luging, even the curling. And what we've seen in almost every event is YOGA. Maybe we’re watching the games through yoga-colored lenses, but every event reminds us of the asanas. Yoga is not about competition, but what we practice on the mat – strength, balance, focus, flexibility, awareness, stillness – will help make us more potent and powerful skaters, skiers, lugers, curlers. So without further ado, please enjoy this round up of Sochiasana, with YogaDownload classes to help you reveal these poses in your own practice.