Looking Back: Yoga U Online’s Most Widely Read Articles of 2018

As 2018 winds down, we at Yoga U Online invite you to revisit—or visit for the first time—the eight articles on our site that garnered the most attention and discussion on our social media sites. The articles vary in scope from in-depth anatomical information to healthy approaches to asana practice that focus on specific areas such as the core, low back, and hips.

These articles contain a wealth of inspiration for yoga practitioners and teachers of all experience levels. Treat yourself to the wisdom of these expert authors and teachers. And have a warm and wonderful holiday season!     

1. Eva Norlyk Smith’s article, “Yoga, Osteoporosis & Vertebral Fracture Risk: Pros and Cons of Twisting Yoga Postures” will teach you about different types of osteoporosis and give practical tips on how yoga practice can help you keep your bones healthy and strong throughout your life.

2. Listen to a four-part interview with John F. Barnes: “Yoga for Myofascial Release: A Visionary’s Guide to Healing from Within.” Dubbed the “Father of Myofascial Release,” Barnes developed an innovative technique that has changed the world of therapeutic bodywork.       

3. In “A Cool Tip for Deeper Breathing in Yoga,” Dr. Ray Long combines his anatomical expertise with tried-and-true pranayama techniques from BKS and Geeta Iyengar to promote deeper breathing.

4. Anatomy Ph.D. Sara Doyle explains the anatomy and physiology of spinal rotation and how twisting can fortify your low back in “The Benefits of Twists: 5 Great Twisting Yoga Postures for a More Resilient Low Back.”

5. Our psoas muscles are not only hip flexors; they are key postural muscles that contribute to core stability and mobility. In “Relax Your Core: 5 Poses to Release Your Psoas,” Christine Malossi explains how the psoas muscles work and shares a short practice to access and release tension in these important muscles.

6. Excessive sitting—and we all do it—can wreak havoc on our bodies, weakening our backs and compressing our joints. In “The Opposite of Sitting: A Quick Yoga Sequence to Reverse the Effects of Sitting Too Much,” Leah Sugarman shares a sequence of yoga asanas that can balance the deleterious health effects of excessive sitting.

7. Sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction may be the most common yoga-related injury. Olga Kabel’s article, “Yoga for Back Pain: Tips for Maintaining SI Joint Health” explains the anatomy and function of the SI joint and shares practice tips for keeping your SI joint stable and pain-free.

8. Hip opening is often considered to be the “holy grail” of yoga practice. In “Hip on Yoga: 3 Golden Rules for Happy Hips,” Dr. Ginger Garner pokes a few holes in this belief and promotes the importance of stabilizing the hips. Her practice tips will help you maintain healthy hips no matter what style of yoga you practice.

Charlotte Bell began practicing yoga in 1982 and began teaching in 1986. She was certified by B.K.S. Iyengar in 1989 following a trip to Pune. In 1986, she began practicing Insight Meditation with her mentors Pujari and Abhilasha Keays. Her asana classes blend mindfulness with physical movement. Charlotte writes a column for Catalyst Magazine and serves as editor for Yoga U Online. She is the author of two books: Mindful Yoga, Mindful Life and Yoga for Meditators, both published by Rodmell Press. She also edits Hugger Mugger Yoga Products¹ blog and is a founding board member for GreenTREE Yoga, a non-profit that brings yoga to underserved populations. A lifelong musician, she plays oboe and English horn in the Salt Lake Symphony and the folk sextet Red Rock Rondo whose 2010 PBS music special won two Emmys.