Scott Anderson, Ph.D.

In Andrea's second video, she presents the Alignment Yoga approach to Uddiayana Bandha, and a simple Pre-Yoga technique to begin accessing it. This exercise helps wake up vital energy in the lower belly, and can help ease tension in the lower back, jaw, neck and shoulders.

We're overjoyed to welcome Andrea Russell, Assistant Director of AY Trainings, to our blog. She has taught yoga for over 10 years and been involved in Alignment Yoga trainings since they began. In her first video, she demonstrates a classic Pre-Yoga technique of Alignment Yoga - the Dead Bug series. This invigorating exercise develops your core and increases coordination, especially between the right and left sides of the body (and the brain).

Gravity Juice on the feet is one of the most unique and effective of all the Pre-Yoga techniques. While I've been using this technique and teaching students in the studio for years, I'm excited now to share this tool with the larger yoga community. Try it out, and let us know your results. Here's an excerpt from the video below: The sole of the foot relates to the whole rest of the body. In reflexology, the top of the foot relates to the upper back between the shoulder blades. So many yoga students walk into class and complain about how stiff and tight they are between the shoulder blades. Quite often, these exercises begin to release those tight, stiff muscles. We can also consider the foot as our primary shock-absorber. If we step on an irregular surface, the foot absorbs the irregularity. If the foot is very stiff and rigid, it transmits that shock higher up into our system. This can cause knee strain and an unstable SI joint. Getting more pliability in the sole of the f...

My father would often say that the secret to life is flexibility. As a child I'd often bristle at this comment, as it often caught me occupying an unyielding position of unreasonableness. As an adult I am now thankful for this early lesson in Yoga. Despite my father's inability to stand on his head, he remains my original yoga teacher. Adaptability is the access point to contentment. When we're convinced how things have to be, we're less likely to enjoy things as they are . When we know how people should behave, we're less likely to appreciate who's in front of us. A regular practice of asana (postures) and pranayama (breathing) is a powerful way to uncover our latent adaptability. While it's often assumed I'm referring to the body-flexibility of Hatha Yoga practices, I'm actually referring to stability more than physical flexibility. Being steady in the body predicts a degree of ease in life. If we're at ease and comfortable in our own skin, ...

I often refer to the Three Fundamentals as Clandestine Yoga. We often think of yoga as something we do in a specific time and place, away from all distractions. While a disciplined practice is a powerful ally, we aren’t likely to bust out a triangle pose in the frozen-food aisle when we feel our hips stiffening up, nor are we likely to set aside our daily work to practice shoulderstand each time our neck aches. The Three Fundamentals are powerful medicine and can be practiced at any time and at any place. Alignment Yoga classes generally start with a meditation on the Three Fundamentals. This helps us drop the stresses and tensions we unconsciously burden ourselves with, and sets the stage for a focused, joyful yoga practice. Keeping the Three Fundamentals in mind while practicing the yogasana strengthens the muscles of inner awareness, and paves the way for moving through the day with more ease and equanimity. The Three Fundamentals are uniquely applicable to Westerners – the yo...