Episode Summary

In this episode, we step back from poses and choreography to explore how the pelvic floor and core actually function as a responsive system. Rather than focusing on strengthening or engagement cues, this conversation looks at breath, pressure, posture, and adaptability—and why these elements matter so deeply in therapeutic yoga.

This episode lays the groundwork for understanding pelvic floor support before applying it to movement. It’s especially relevant for teachers and students who notice instability, downward pressure, or fatigue in flowing practices and want a more sustainable approach.

In This Episode, We Explore:

• Rethinking the core as a dynamic container, and occasionally as a set of muscles to brace
• How breath and internal pressure influence pelvic floor function
• Why “engage your core” often falls short therapeutically
• The importance of posture and alignment before movement
• Letting the pelvic floor respond rather than forcing control

Who This Episode Is For:

• Yoga teachers and therapists
• Curious students interested in pelvic floor health
• Anyone who feels unsupported or strained in vinyasa-style practices

Listen to Part 2: Surya Namaskar A as Pelvic Floor Practice
Read the companion blog post: Adapting Surya Namaskar A for Pelvic Floor & Core Support

In Part 2 of our Gate Pose deep dive, we explore the biomechanics that make this pose either brilliant or problematic for your joints. We tackle the pointed vs. flexed foot debate, examine how hip positioning affects your entire kinetic chain, and discover why this pose might be your secret weapon for safer Triangle and even Wild Thing.

You'll learn how plantar flexion limitations affect your gait, why flexible students collapse into their heels, and how to maintain hip integrity instead of dumping into the joint. We explore creative variations including chair adaptations for anxious back benders, wall work for functional strength, and how Gate Pose becomes a gateway to more advanced shapes when you understand the mechanics.

This episode reveals why detailed anatomical understanding isn't about grinding the joy out of yoga—it's about problem-solving so you can practice without pain. Whether you're a teacher sequencing intelligently or a student trying to figure out why your hip feels "dumpy" in certain poses, this breakdown gives you the tools to work with your actual body instead of forcing an ideal shape.

Timestamps & Chapters

0:00 - Introduction: Beyond the Surface of Gate PoseThe specificity conversation - why detailed biomechanics matter for teachers and problem-solving students

3:45 - The Lateral Line: What This Pose Actually Addresses Understanding the stabilizing line of the body and bringing animation to compressed tissues

5:30 - Standing Pose Connection How Gate Pose creates spaciousness in Warrior 2 and Triangle through proper hip mechanics

7:15 - The Ankle Debate: Pointed vs. FlexedPlantarflexion vs. dorsiflexion - which serves the pose and why it matters for your gait

12:40 - Flexible People's Achilles ProblemWhy hyper-mobile students collapse into the heel and how to maintain integrity

15:20 - Jane's Hip Discovery Real-time exploration of asymmetry, pelvic rotation, and limitations

20:10 - Gait ImplicationsHow plantar flexion weakness in Gate Pose reveals problems in your walking pattern

23:00 - The "Step on the Gas" ActionUsing blocks or walls to create functional strength instead of passive stretching

25:45 - Foot Drop PreventionHow dorsiflexion work in this pose helps seniors avoid tripping and falling

27:30 - Teaching Perspective: The Side ViewWhy standing at students' side body reveals compensation patterns in all standing poses

31:00 - The Tadasana Stack ChallengeMaintaining neutral alignment while tilting - the scary part of Triangle that Gate Pose prepares you for

35:15 - Creative Variations: Flipping Dogs Exploring Camel variations over the straight leg and gateway to Wild Thing

40:20 - Chair Yoga Innovation Using the corner of the chair for safe back bending access

45:00 - The Energizing QualityWhy this "simple" warmup rates as a 6 out of 10 on the energizing scale

47:30 - Sanskrit and RespectThe cultural conversation around language, accessibility, and honoring yoga's roots

52:40 - Community and Creative Discovery How collaborative exploration breaks us out of habitual patterns

55:20 - The Side Bend Question How close to get to the leg, when to let the bottom line shorten, and the advanced foot-holding variation

59:00 - Gateway Symbolism Gate Pose as threshold work - stepping through fear into deeper practice and community

1:03:00 - Closing Thoughts The gift of this humble pose and its potential to unlock so many deeper manifestations

We walked into the studio thinking Gate Pose would be a simple 20-minute episode. Two hours later, we'd discovered why this "basic" side bend is actually a peak pose.

In this episode, Jane and Sarah completely reframe Parighasana, revealing the biomechanical goldmine hiding in this kneeling position. If you've been treating Gate Pose as a throwaway warm-up, prepare to have your mind changed.

What you'll learn:

• Why the kneeling position gives you better feedback than standing poses (less wiggle room = better learning)
• How to stop kneeling knee pain by shifting pressure from patella to shin belly
• The lateral pelvic tilt training that directly translates to Triangle and Side Angle
• Why flexible students need Gate Pose for stability work more than anyone
• The "corn cobbing" hip action that drives femur into socket for safe opening
• How Gate Pose connects to Tree Pose through glute medius activation

Progressions explored:

• Captain Morgan prep stance for hip mobility
• Block work for lateral pelvic tilt training
• Extended tabletop variation with pelvic tilts
• Kneeling Half Moon with leg lifts
• One-legged Camel (Ustraparighasana)—yes, we invented a new pose!

Jane shares why she regrets 30 years of not using blankets for kneeling, Sarah breaks down the glute medius vs TFL debate, and together they prove that whatever practice you attend, you can make any pose as challenging as you need it to be.

Key concepts: Healthy boundaries (Aparigraha), respiratory diaphragm support, lateral vs rotation in the pelvis, external rotation strategies, and why this pose is secretly a TFL stretch.

Perfect for teachers wanting to maximize "simple" poses and students dealing with knee discomfort in kneeling positions.

TIMESTAMP CHAPTERS

[00:00] Introduction & Happy New Year
[01:45] Gate Pose & Healthy Boundaries (Parighasana & Aparigraha)
[03:00] The Body Wants Stability Over Mobility
[03:45] Brain Hemispheres & Boundaries (Jill Bolte Taylor)
[04:30] Why Side Bending Matters: Creating Space Between Ribs & Pelvis
[05:45] Common Complaints: The Two Types of Knee Pain
[06:30] Getting Into Gate Pose: Setup & Entry Options
[08:00] The Blanket Fix: Leveling Your Pelvis
[09:00] Foot Placement & The Captain Morgan Prep Stance
[10:15] Gate Pose as Perfect Prep for Standing Poses
[11:00] Which Direction First: Kneeling Shin vs Extended Leg
[12:30] Maintaining Length: Don't Collapse the Side Body
[13:45] Lateral Pelvic Tilt (The Teapot) & Hip Flexion Control
[15:00] External Rotation Options for the Straight Leg
[16:15] Extended Tabletop Variation with Pelvic Tilts
[17:30] The Line: Sit Bone to Knee to Heel Alignment
[18:15] "Corn Cobbing" Hip Action Explained
[19:30] Energy Direction: Pulling Into Core vs Spilling Out
[20:15] Block Prep for Lateral Pelvic Tilt (Standing)
[21:00] The Tree Pose Connection
[21:45] Making Any Pose Work for You: Student Agency
[22:30] The TFL Stretch Hidden in Gate Pose
[23:00] Solving Kneeling Knee Pain: Shins Not Kneecaps
[24:00] Kneeling Half Moon Variation & Glute Medius Work
[25:30] Inventing Ustraparighasana: One-Legged Camel!
[26:45] Wrap-Up: Peak Pose Status Confirmed

Master how to teach thoracic rotation in twisting poses. Learn teacher cues that protect students' lower backs and create genuine rotation from the rib cage.

Here's what your teacher training didn't tell you: when you cue "twist deeper," most students collapse their chest, round their spine, and crank on their lower back. And if you don't understand the biomechanics of thoracic vs. lumbar rotation, you're inadvertently teaching them to injure themselves.

In this episode specifically designed for yoga teachers, we break down the fundamental anatomical principle that separates safe, effective twisting instruction from the kind that creates SI joint dysfunction and chronic lower back pain: teach your students to twist from their ribs, not their spine.

You'll discover why "inhale lengthen, exhale twist" is a good start but completely insufficient on its own, how triangle pose becomes a corrective twist through rib cage mechanics, and the precise cueing strategies that help students feel the difference between lumbar compensation and genuine thoracic rotation.

Twists are essential for spinal health and fall prevention, but most yoga students twist incorrectly—creating low back pain and SI joint dysfunction instead of the mobility and freedom twists should provide.

In this episode, we break down why the standard cue "initiate from the lumbar spine" is dangerous, how to distinguish between a safe "turn" and an isolated "twist," and why your core engagement matters more than how far you can rotate.

You'll learn:

• Why your lumbar spine barely rotates (5-15 degrees) and where you SHOULD be twisting
• The difference between SI joint pain vs lumbar pain (and why it matters)
• How to lengthen on the inhale to prevent vertebral grinding
• Core activation cues that actually work (what you should FEEL)
• Warm-up sequences for safer twists
• Open vs closed twists: when to use each
• Why elderly people lose arm swing and shuffle (and how twists prevent falls)
• The "block between legs" technique for isolating thoracic rotation

Perfect for yoga teachers seeking evidence-based cueing and students dealing with twist-related pain or limitations.

Learn why frozen shoulder blades destroy your rotator cuff—and how to restore the scapular movement that prevents injury in overhead poses.

Most yoga students have been told to "squeeze shoulder blades together" and "pull shoulders down" so many times that they've frozen their scapulae in place—and they're gradually shredding their rotator cuff muscles as a result.

This guide breaks down the critical 2:1 ratio of humeral-to-scapular movement that's essential for healthy shoulders. When your arm moves overhead into shoulder flexion, your scapula needs to upwardly rotate and widen. But most practitioners are doing the exact opposite—keeping their scapulae fixed while forcing all movement through the glenohumeral joint.

Discover why the "squeeze your shoulder blades together" cue only works for hyperkyphotic posture (and never when arms go overhead). Learn what upward rotation actually looks like, why the area around your scapulae is a "dead zone" with minimal nerve endings, and how to build proprioceptive awareness through tactile feedback and floor work.

You'll find practical guidance on the catcher's mitt principle for armpit positioning, how to check scapular position using the inferior angle test, and when to widen versus when to squeeze. We cover essential poses where scapulae must upwardly rotate (downward dog, handstand, warrior one), therapeutic practices for mobilizing frozen shoulders, and proper shoulder extension work including the carrying angle that matters especially for women.

This is your complete reference for understanding scapular movement, protecting your rotator cuff, and teaching overhead arm positions with anatomical accuracy.

Chapter Timestamps

00:00 - The Number One Shoulder Problem in Yoga02:30 - Why Students Think Moving Scapulae Is Wrong06:15 - The "Squeeze Shoulder Blades Together" Myth Debunked10:45 - Understanding the 2:1 Movement Ratio15:20 - How Frozen Scapulae Destroy Your Rotator Cuff19:40 - Six Essential Scapular Movements24:10 - The Scapula "Dead Zone" and Building Awareness28:35 - The Catcher's Mitt Principle for Armpit Position32:50 - When Ignoring "Squeeze" Saved Shoulders37:15 - The Inferior Angle Test for Scapular Position42:00 - When to Squeeze vs When to Widen46:30 - Critical Poses Requiring Upward Rotation51:20 - Side-Lying Arm Circles for Frozen Shoulders55:40 - The Hello Kitty Exercise: Isolating Humeral Rotation60:10 - Understanding the Carrying Angle in Women64:45 - Shoulder Extension: Straps vs Interlaced Hands68:30 - Best Poses for Shoulder Extension Work72:15 - Red Flag Sensations and Where to Feel the Work76:40 - Reverse Namaste and Gomukhasana Arms Done Right80:25 - Pointer Dog for Non-Weight-Bearing Arm Training84:10 - Arms Overhead Checklist for Healthy Shoulders87:50 - Myofascial Release Techniques for Scapular Freedom

Eagle Pose is officially yoga's most hated pose—ranking even higher than chinstand among yoga teachers. But the problem isn't you, it's how shoulder binds are taught. In this episode, we expose why "push your shoulders down" is one of the most damaging cues in yoga, what to do when your arms won't wrap in Eagle Pose, why Gomukhasana feels impossible, and why reverse namaste might never be accessible (and that's okay). We dive deep into collarbone mechanics, scapular rotation, and why most yoga teachers are cueing shoulders completely wrong.

Chair Pose doesn't get the respect it deserves. In this deep dive into Utkatasana Part 2, Jane and Sarah reveal why this underappreciated powerhouse might be the most functionally important pose in your practice—especially as you age.

We cover the real mechanics of Utkatasana: engaging the posterior chain, understanding the "scissors" action at the knee, and why your Dobermans (yes, your femur heads) need a proper harness. You'll learn why flexible yogis need to stop collapsing into poses, how body proportions affect your version of the pose, and why ankle dorsiflexion might be the missing link in your practice.

This episode is packed with practical prep work including supported squats, downward dog variations, and low lunge dynamics. We discuss therapeutic applications for older students who've stopped bending their knees, and reveal why single-leg squats should be in everyone's practice.

Whether you're a teacher looking for safer cueing strategies or a practitioner tired of knee pain in Chair Pose, this episode gives you the tools to transform this challenging posture into your secret weapon for lifelong strength and mobility.