Yoga has been around for eons, but that doesn’t mean it never changes. Within the past decade, we’ve seen the rise of hip hop yoga, shorter yoga flows that you can stream on your phone, and, well, even horseback yoga.
Needless to say, although it’s an ancient practice, we’re still learning new things about it (and new ways to practice it) all the time. Take downward dog, for example. It’s one of the most foundational and basic yoga poses in pretty much every yoga class, but in 2019, a yogi revealed that simply shortening your stance can completely alter how the stretch feels.
Whether you’re totally new or have been flowing for years, we can guarantee that the following #yogafacts will bring new light to your mat. Keep scrolling for the 10 most surprising facts about yoga we learned this past year.
1. Your downward dog can morph into a dreamy hip stretch
Downward dog is one of the most fundamental yoga poses. But by shortening the stance of your dog, your hips and always-tight IT band will get sweet relief.
2. “Leg flossing” can help with mobility after sitting all day
Our yoga instructor friend Kylie Miller of Love Yoga in Los Angeles taught us a feels-so-good lower body-opening sequence that melts away muscle tension by moving your legs in all different directions.
3. Half frog pose is the most relaxing yoga pose of all time
Plenty of yoga poses fall into the relaxing category (hey, child’s pose and savasana), but there’s one that so many yogis have told us is the absolute top of the list: half frog pose. Add it to your flow and you’ll see why.
4. There are a bunch of yoga poses to stretch your feet
We tend to think of vinyasa flow as benefitting our bigger muscle groups, but that’s not always the case. Just take this roundup of 10 yoga poses that give your feet and your toes the love they deserve.
5. Flowing between these three stretches will target back pain
Physical therapist and yoga pro Lara Heimann told us about the three sections of your back that are prone to the most tightness—but also shared the DL on the perfect three-move yoga flow to get rid of it.
6. Everyone shares this common misconception about child’s pose
Despite child’s pose being one of the most chill yoga poses, sometimes people tend to overthink it. So learning about this common misconception will blow your mind and make it even more chill.
7. You can get strength and full-body stretching with certain yoga poses
It’s easy to forget that yoga isn’t just about stretching the body and boosting your flexibility, but we’ve rounded up the best yoga poses that combine stretching with full-body strength training.
8. You technically don’t even have to stand up to do yoga
Fun fact: Seated yoga poses are here for you to flow through in your chair. And yes, they’ll still challenge your entire body.
9. It’s not all that uncommon for people to do forward fold incorrectly
After talking with a bunch of yoga instructors, we learned that there are a number of common mistakes they see people make in forward fold, which isn’t as straightforward as you’d think.
10. Doing some yoga can help banish bloat
Feeling gassy doesn’t mean you have to skip out on your yoga. We’ve got a five-move flow that gets things moving and help banish bloat.
If you’re ready to start flowing, here’s a seven-minute beginner’s yoga sequence to try for yourself.
And for more yoga (yes, more!), these are the best back stretches for your spine, according to a yogi. And here’s what to know about the brain benefits of yoga.
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