And what to do about it, Iyengar Yoga

How come my hamstrings are so tight? How can I lengthen my hamstrings? I hear this all the time. In this short lesson I work with Lisa to show what is usually happening in a forward bend, and what you can do about it.

What a tight forward bend looks like

Usually the legs are relaxed. The back is rounding, the upper back is rounding, and oftentimes the head is moving back so you get compression in the neck. You also get compression through the abdominal area, and there’s no lengthening happening through the back of the leg.

Your hamstrings are tight because, first of all, you are sitting on your pelvis the wrong way.

Take some height

Sit on one blanket, or two, depending on your flexibility. Extend the legs. Bring your hands underneath the buttocks, spread the buttocks and find your sitting bones. Pull the back of the thigh back until it connects to the sitting bone. This puts you on the pelvis the right way. The pubic bone lifts, the hips and thighs move down.

Taking height creates release in the hamstrings. When you sit rounded, the hamstrings are shortening and they can’t help you go forward, because you need access to the spine.

Make the legs active

The legs are straight, and they’re firm too. Spread the toes, and look at your ankles: they should be parallel to one another. Extend from the calf toward the heel. Then tighten your kneecaps. So many people don’t know how to do this. Look at your kneecap, bring your mind and your awareness into it and suck it up into the thigh. When the quadricep is active, you connect the femur, the upper leg, with the pelvis, and you get access to the pelvis and the lower back.

Press the fingers down and lift up through the chest. The sacrum doesn’t move toward the floor and the back doesn’t round. You may not get as long a trunk as Lisa has, but the height helps.

Use a strap instead of grabbing your feet

Reaching for your feet and holding on in the wrong posture won’t help you. There’s no cheese down that tube! Better to learn to bring the thoracic spine in, lift the chest and come into more of a concave back action. If you can’t touch your feet, bring a strap around them and hold it so you can pull back and reach into the upper back. Your spinal column goes from the tailbone all the way up to the brainstem, so lengthen all the way up, crown of the head lifting.

The front thigh matters too

The front body and the back body work together, the hamstring and the quadricep. Often we only pay attention to the hamstrings and don’t lengthen the front thigh at all. Both have to be stimulated so they can work together. If your quadriceps are hard, your hamstrings will become hard, and then it’s a never-ending story.

A supported front-thigh stretch on blocks

Lisa uses three blocks: one for the head, one for the shoulder blades, and one under the hips. Tilt the pelvis so the lower back lengthens and the buttocks move away. Keep the feet on the floor, bend the knees, lift up and slide the block underneath you. If it’s too high, turn the block on its side.

Keep one foot on the floor to balance and take the other foot back, holding the ankle. Let the extension come through the quadricep. You’ll also feel the front groin opening. When you sit a lot you can get some jamming here. The front hip bone and the groin move away from one another, the chest opens and the whole spinal column lengthens from the tailbone. Roll the shoulders under, then change sides.

Hold it as long or as short as you like. Do this on a regular basis and you’ll start to feel that length coming. It’s a preparation for Supta Virasana.

To finish, stretch the legs out. Press the heels away with the toes back toward you, and lengthen the whole back of the leg. Hold the sides of the mat, roll the shoulders under, collarbones wide. Then stretch the toes down toward the floor and tighten the kneecaps.

See if that doesn’t help with those tight hamstrings. Enjoy.

This lesson includes:

Seated forward bend on a blanket, with a strap

Supported front-thigh and groin stretch on three blocks (preparation for Supta Virasana)

Lengthening the backs of the legs on the blocks

Why Your Hamstrings Feel Tight in Forward Bends
Kathy Cook

A Quieting Practice

Emotional stability does not necessarily come from trying to make the mind quiet. Sometimes we first need to create the physical conditions that allow quietness to arise.

In this slower Iyengar Yoga practice, we use support, alignment, inversions, forward bends, twists, and restorative poses to observe the relationship between the body, breath, senses, and mind.

Supporting the head

One of the recurring elements throughout this sequence is support for the head.

When the head is properly supported, unnecessary effort in the neck, face, and eyes can begin to release. In forward bends, for example, the forehead rests on a blanket, bolster, arms, or chair rather than hanging unsupported.

But the support has to be appropriate. If the head is too low, the face may become compressed. If the head is positioned so that the chin and eyes lift upward, the mind may remain more active.

This becomes particularly important in Savasana. We arrange the support so that the forehead is slightly higher than the chin. The eyes can then soften and descend rather than continually being drawn upward and outward.

Stability before relaxation

A quiet practice does not mean that the entire body becomes passive.

In supported standing forward bends and inversions, the legs continue to work. The feet remain grounded, the kneecaps lift, and the thighs move in their appropriate direction. The shoulders and arms also maintain actions that create length through the trunk.

This stability allows other areas to release.

Rather than collapsing into a pose in an attempt to relax, we establish the necessary actions and then observe what can become quiet.

Creating space for the breath

Support for the chest is another important part of the sequence.

In Supta Baddha Konasana, for example, the bolster supports and lifts the chest while the neck and head are carefully arranged. The back ribs have space, the chest opens, and the breath can be observed without deliberately forcing it.

Elsewhere in the sequence, the relationship between the legs, pelvis, abdomen, and chest creates space through the trunk.

As Kathy explains during the practice, the breath does not need to become an active exercise. We can simply observe it becoming softer, slower, smoother, and eventually longer.

Supported inversions and emotional steadiness

The class also includes supported Sirsasana and chair Sarvangasana.

The use of the wall, chairs, blankets, and other props is not simply to make the poses easier. The support reduces uncertainty and provides physical stability.

This is especially relevant in inversions. Going upside down can initially create apprehension, particularly for someone without much experience. The purpose is not to force yourself through that response.

Instead, the pose should be arranged so that you feel sufficiently stable to observe the breath and remain attentive. If the inversion is not appropriate, a supported alternative can be used.

Turning inward

Toward the end of the sequence, the poses become increasingly quiet. Supported forward bends lead toward Savasana, where the body is carefully positioned to reduce unnecessary sensory stimulation.

This introduces the principle of pratyahara, often described as drawing the senses inward.

Our eyes, ears, tongue, skin, and other senses continually pull our attention toward the external world. In a quiet practice, we begin to reduce that outward movement.

The eyes soften. The breath settles. The body is supported enough that it no longer continually asks for adjustment.

Attention can gradually turn inward.

This is one of the valuable lessons of a restorative Iyengar Yoga practice: emotional quietness is not created by simply telling ourselves to relax. Through intelligent sequencing, appropriate support, and careful attention to the body and breath, we create an environment in which the mind has an opportunity to become quiet.

Iyengar Yoga for Emotional Stability
Kathy Cook

In Utthita Parsvakonasana, it is easy to focus on getting the hand to the floor or extending the top arm overhead. But the quality of the pose depends greatly on what is happening underneath—in the feet, legs, and pelvis.

As the front knee bends, it should remain aligned with the foot rather than moving inward or too far forward. At the same time, the front femur needs to draw back into the hip socket. The back foot remains grounded, the back thigh lifts, and the back leg continues to connect firmly into the pelvis.

These actions help prevent the pelvis from simply sinking downward.

There is also an important relationship between the tailbone and pubic bone. Rather than allowing the tailbone to lift and the lower back to shorten, the tailbone descends while the pubic bone and lower abdomen lift. From this organization of the pelvis, the spine and side trunk can extend more freely.

The use of props can make these relationships much clearer. A block under the lower hand prevents unnecessary collapse. Practicing against a wall provides feedback about the position of the trunk, pelvis, and legs. A chair gives even more stability, allowing you to remain in the pose longer and observe whether the pelvis is level and the spine is truly lengthening.

The purpose of support is not simply to make Utthita Parsvakonasana easier. It gives us more information. With that information, we begin to understand how the actions of the legs organize the pelvis—and how a well-organized pelvis creates the conditions for extension and rotation throughout the pose.

Understanding the Pelvis in Utthita Parsvakonasana
Kathy Cook

A Restorative Practice for Anxiety

We all experience moments when the mind feels unsettled. Stress, worry, or simply the demands of everyday life can leave us feeling disconnected from ourselves. At these times, restorative yoga offers something profoundly valuable—not by asking us to do more, but by providing the support needed to let unnecessary effort fall away.

In this practice, two supported restorative poses use bolsters, blankets, and optionally a chair to encourage deep physical and mental release. Careful support beneath the thighs, pelvis, and spine allows the muscles to soften while maintaining length through the spine and openness across the chest.

A key feature of both poses is the gentle lengthening of the back of the neck and softening of the throat, naturally encouraging Jalandhara Bandha. This helps quiet the senses and supports slower, more relaxed breathing.

Rather than trying to control the breath, allow the exhalation to gradually become longer and softer. As the exhalation settles, the body follows. The forehead softens, the jaw releases, the tongue relaxes, and attention moves away from mental activity toward direct experience of the breath.

Restorative yoga reminds us that calm is not something we force—it is something we create the conditions to receive.

Calm the Mind Through Support and Breath
Kathy Cook

It Starts in Your Legs

Some students believe that improving a standing twist simply means turning further. In reality, the quality of the twist depends on everything that happens before the rotation begins.

When the legs are not fully engaged or the pelvis loses stability, the front body shortens, the chest collapses, and the twist becomes compressed rather than expansive.

In this lesson, Kathy Cook demonstrates how creating length first changes the entire pose. By grounding through both feet, organizing the pelvis, and extending the spine before rotating, the twist becomes lighter, steadier, and more spacious.

Props such as blocks, walls, and straps are used not as shortcuts, but as valuable feedback. They help maintain the relationship between the legs, pelvis, and spine while allowing the chest to rotate with greater freedom.

One of the most valuable reminders from this practice is that a twist is never static. Even after arriving in the pose, you continue to lengthen and subtly refine the rotation from within.

When the foundation is stable, the twist becomes an expression of extension rather than effort.

Why Standing Twists Collapse—and How to Find Stability
Kathy Cook

Three Restorative Techniques

Many people experience neck tension after long hours sitting at a desk or looking down at a phone. It often feels like the neck itself is the problem, but in reality, compression develops through the entire body.

When the shoulders creep upward, the chest collapses, or the pelvis loses its support, the cervical spine has little choice but to compensate.

In this lesson, Kathy Cook demonstrates three supported Iyengar Yoga approaches that gently decompress the neck without aggressive stretching.

The first variation uses a chair, wall, blankets, and blocks to create support from the ground up. As the feet press into the wall, the legs organize the pelvis, the trunk lengthens, and the neck naturally begins to soften. Rather than isolating the neck, the whole spine participates.

A rolled blanket placed beneath the occipital bones provides gentle traction while supporting the natural curve of the cervical spine. Combined with the broadening of the chest and the downward movement of the shoulders, this creates space where compression often accumulates.

The second variation uses a yoga strap while seated. Instead of pulling the head forward, the strap offers gentle resistance that encourages the back of the neck to lengthen while the shoulders remain quiet and relaxed.

Finally, a supported Savasana variation uses a strap behind the occipital bones to create subtle traction. With the head lightly supported, the throat softens, the shoulders release, and the neck can truly rest.

These techniques reflect an important Iyengar Yoga principle: lasting relief comes from intelligent organization, not force. When the feet, pelvis, trunk, shoulders, and head work together, unnecessary tension gradually disappears.

Sometimes the most effective way to help the neck is to improve the support beneath it.

Relieving Neck Compression Starts with the Whole Spine
Kathy Cook

Adho Mukha Svanasana is one of the most recognized yoga postures, yet it is also one of the most misunderstood.

When students struggle in Downward Dog, the assumption is often that the shoulders are tight or the hamstrings are short. While those factors may contribute, the challenge is usually more complex. The pose depends on a coordinated relationship between the hands, arms, shoulders, spine, pelvis, and legs.

In this lesson, Kathy demonstrates how preparation and prop work can reveal those relationships more clearly.

A key preparation is Forward Virasana. In this position, the hips move back while the arms extend forward and the side trunk lengthens. These same actions are required in Downward Dog. By exploring them in a simpler position first, students can understand the direction of the pose before adding the demands of weight bearing.

One of the most important themes of the class is weight distribution. When the hips remain too low or the shoulders are restricted, excessive weight falls into the hands and arms. The shoulders become compressed and the pose feels heavy.

By elevating the hands on blocks, standing with the feet on blocks, or using rope wall support, students can create more lift in the pelvis and more length through the spine. As the pelvis moves back and up, the shoulders become lighter and the trunk can extend more fully.

The lesson also highlights the role of the legs. Broadening the thighs, lifting the kneecaps, extending through the backs of the knees, and pressing through the heels all contribute to the stability of the pelvis and the length of the spine.

What emerges is a broader understanding of the pose. Downward Dog is not simply a shoulder stretch or a hamstring stretch. It is an integrated action in which the entire body participates.

When the legs support the pelvis, the pelvis supports the spine, and the arms connect effectively into the shoulders, the pose becomes more balanced, spacious, and sustainable.

Why Downward Dog Often Feels Difficult
Kathy Cook

The Hidden Cost of Sitting All Day on Your Hips and Spine

When people think about poor posture, they often focus on the shoulders or upper back. Yet many postural problems begin lower down, at the pelvis.

The pelvis acts as a bridge between the legs and the spine. When it is well positioned, the spine can lengthen naturally. When it becomes habitually tilted forward or backward, unnecessary strain develops throughout the body.

During long periods of sitting, the pelvis often falls into one of two patterns. The first is the familiar slumped posture where the pelvis rolls backward, the lower back rounds, and the chest collapses. The second occurs when people lean forward toward a screen or keyboard, creating excessive tension in the lower back as the pelvis tips forward.

Neither position is designed to be maintained for hours at a time.

One consequence of prolonged sitting is that the hamstrings remain in a shortened position. Because the hamstrings attach to the sitting bones, their condition directly influences how the pelvis moves. When they become chronically tight, simple movements such as standing upright or bending forward can become more difficult.

The groins are also affected. Sitting for long periods keeps the hips in flexion, which can create compression at the front of the hip joints and reduce freedom of movement.

Fortunately, small movements throughout the day can make a significant difference.

A simple seated twist helps restore mobility through the spine while encouraging the pelvis to remain grounded and balanced on the sitting bones. Extending the legs periodically can create length through the backs of the legs and relieve some of the shortening that accumulates during sitting. Using a wall to lift the chest and lengthen the side trunk can help counteract the rounded posture that develops while working at a desk.

The goal is not perfect posture. The goal is maintaining space, movement, and awareness throughout the day.

When the pelvis is balanced and the spine is supported, sitting becomes less of a strain and the whole body functions more efficiently.

How Sitting All Day Changes the Pelvis
Kathy Cook

When discomfort appears in the knees, the source is not always the knee itself.

The knee sits between the hip and the ankle and is influenced by everything above and below it. Tight calves, restricted quadriceps, stiff ankles, and limited movement in the pelvis can all contribute to sensations of compression or discomfort around the joint.

In this class, Kathy explores a simple but often overlooked approach: creating space around the knee by addressing the surrounding tissues.

The practice begins with a rolled mat placed behind the knees. While initially intense for many students, this technique helps release the calf muscles and creates additional room in the back of the knee. Once the calves soften, Virasana often becomes noticeably more accessible.

An important lesson throughout the class is the role of props. Rather than viewing props as modifications, they are used as tools for learning. A rolled mat, blanket, block, bolster, or strap each provides different information to the body. By experimenting with different heights and supports, students can discover the amount of assistance needed to maintain lift in the spine while allowing the legs to release.

The class also explores the relationship between the quadriceps and hamstrings. While many students focus on stretching the hamstrings, tightness in the front of the thighs can restrict movement throughout the entire leg. Lengthening the quadriceps helps create greater balance around the knee and pelvis.

The supported Supta Virasana at the end of the practice brings these ideas together. With appropriate support beneath the back and thighs, the pose becomes an opportunity to lengthen the front body, open the chest, and release accumulated tension while protecting the knees.

Perhaps the most valuable teaching is learning to distinguish between useful sensation and harmful pain. Sensation from stretching, opening, or releasing may be part of the process. Sharp or excessive knee pain is not.

The goal is never to force a pose. The goal is to create the conditions in which the body can gradually release and adapt over time.

Creating Space Around the Knees Through the Calves and Thighs
Kathy Cook

Seated poses provide an opportunity to observe how the entire body contributes to posture.

When the sitting bones are grounded and the legs are active, the spine has a stronger foundation from which to extend. The pelvis supports the lift of the trunk, the abdomen creates space, and the ribs broaden and rise without strain.

In this lesson, Kathy demonstrates how these actions work together across several seated positions, including Swastikasana, Dandasana, Virasana, and Baddha Konasana.

The use of props is also an important part of the discussion. A blanket beneath the sitting bones, a strap around the feet, support from a chair, or feedback from the wall can make the actions of the pose clearer and more accessible.

Rather than trying to sit taller through force, the practice encourages a balanced relationship between grounding and extension.

As the legs descend, the spine can rise. As the foundation becomes steadier, the body finds more space and ease.

How to Lift the Spine in Seated Poses | Iyengar Yoga
Kathy Cook