Yoga Meets Movement Science: Recent Episodes

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen are joined by Jules Mitchell, MS to discuss yoga and artificial intelligence (AI).

Points of discussion include:

• What is AI?
• How do we commonly interact with AI in today’s world?
• What would an AI for yoga look like on a practical level?
• What was Jules’ experience like consulting with a company that wanted to develop AI for yoga?
• What are the strengths of AI for yoga?
• What are the limitations of AI for yoga?
• Is AI yoga safer than practicing to non-AI prerecorded yoga video classes?
• Is AI yoga more personalized than non-AI prerecorded yoga video classes?
• What does Jules see as far as the future of AI and yoga?
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Jules Mitchell leads advanced continuing education programs in biomechanics for intellectually fearless yoga teachers. She helps them integrate principles of exercise science and applications of pain science into their classes. Jules is the author of Yoga Biomechanics: Stretching Redefined, a unique, evidence-based exploration into the complexities of tissue mechanics and the human body’s resilience and adaptability. She leads workshops and courses online and worldwide, runs a popular 300 hour yoga teacher training, frequently serves as guest faculty, and hosts a comprehensive mentoring program to support teachers in both education and business. Visit her at julesmitchell.com.

Resources mentioned in this episode:Jules Mitchell’s website / Jules on Instagram / Jules’ book Yoga Biomechanics: Stretching Redefined

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni

Strength for Yoga email newsletter

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

Fit, Healthy & Happy Podcast
Welcome to the Fit, Healthy and Happy Podcast hosted by Josh and Kyle from Colossus...
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Support the show

**Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast – starting at $3/month!

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen are joined by Dr. Jessica Steier and Dr. Andrea Love (co-founders of the Unbiased Science Podcast) to discuss wellness myths in the yoga world.

Jessica Steier, DrPH, PMP is a public health scientist and data scientist, and Andrea Love, PhD is an immunologist and microbiologist.

Together, they run the Unbiased Science Podcast and all of its associated educational resources. Through their work, Jessica and Andrea are devoted to objective, critical appraisal of available evidence on science and health-related topics. They are a much-needed powerhouse of credible, science-based information in a world of social media health misinformation.

Points of discussion include:

• Why did Jess and Andrea start the Unbiased Science Podcast?
• What is the wellness industry?
• What is the “risk perception gap”?
• The challenge that exists for laypeople to discern whom to trust for health information
• What is the difference between the wellness industry and conventional medicine?
• How are wellness products regulated? Does the FDA consider supplements medicine or food/dietary products in terms of regulation?
• How does the U.S. compare to other countries in terms of regulation of wellness industry products?
• What is a wellness coach/health coach? What’s the difference between a nutritionist and a registered dietician?
• Are multivitamins (pills or powder) effective in terms of supporting health – or do they just make expensive pee?
• Are organic foods truly healthier for us? Are organic foods really better for the environment?
• Is the list of “dirty dozen” foods that should always be purchased in organic form – never conventional – evidence-based?
• Is the statement “yoga boosts the immune system” evidence-based?
• What are actual evidence-based tips for optimizing our health?
• What are Jess and Andrea’s tips for how to discern whether the info you see on social media is credible?
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Follow and learn from Jess and Andrea on Instagram

Jess and Andrea's Unbiased Science Podcast website

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni

Strength for Yoga email newsletter

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

Fit, Healthy & Happy Podcast
Welcome to the Fit, Healthy and Happy Podcast hosted by Josh and Kyle from Colossus...
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Support the show

**Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast – starting at $3/month!

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Jenni and Travis discuss the top 7 most misused movement terms in yoga. Why did each of these movement terms make the list? How are their common uses in the yoga world unhelpful? How can we update our movement-based yoga language to be more in line with movement science?

Jenni and Travis are also offering a free written guide to the top 7 most misused movement terms! Grab your free guide here: https://www.jennirawlings.com/yoga-language-clarified-sign-up

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Free written guide: Top 7 Most Misused Movement Terms in Yoga!

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Blog post: End-Range Training: Does Closing the Gap Between Active and Passive ROM Prevent Injuries?

Research article: Is There Any Non-functional Training? A Conceptual Review

Podcast episode: Fascia Myths & Fascia Facts Part 2: Yin Yoga & Myofascial Release

Podcast episode: Interoception, Emotions, Pain, & Yoga

Podcast episode: Should We Always Listen to Our Body?

Podcast episode: Is Yoga Functional Movement?

Podcast episode: Can Stretching Make You Strong? w/ Greg Nuckols

Podcast episode: Stability: Clearing Up a Confusing Term!

Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni

Strength for Yoga email newsletter

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

Fit, Healthy & Happy Podcast
Welcome to the Fit, Healthy and Happy Podcast hosted by Josh and Kyle from Colossus...
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Support the show

**Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast – starting at $3/month!

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen are joined by special guest Alec Blenis to discuss what yogis should know about cardio.

Alec Blenis is a hybrid athlete, strength and conditioning coach, and science nerd. He holds a B.S. in physics from Georgia Tech and is a former professional obstacle course racer and ultrarunner (he’s completed over 50 ultras.) Alec is also the current world record holder in Murph, a CrossFit workout we discuss in the show. As a coach, he’s worked with everyone from endurance athletes to powerlifters, first responders, weekend warriors, and everyone in between.

Points of discussion include:

• How does Alec’s physics background inform his approach to athletic training?
• What is the cardiovascular system?
• Is heart rate always an accurate measure of actual exercise intensity?
• Does hot yoga require more metabolic demand (and therefore burn more calories) than room temperature yoga?
• What is “metabolic conditioning”? What is HIIT (high intensity interval training)?
• Can yoga be considered a form of cardio?
• How can we measure our own personal level of cardiovascular fitness?
• Which is a better predictor of mortality risk: cardiovascular fitness level or strength?
• How well do cardio activities, strength training, and yoga improve bone density?
• Is there an optimal dosage of cardiovascular stimulus beyond which it’s diminishing returns?
• Can cardio interfere with strength gains? (a.k.a. the interference effect)
• Which should you do first (in a single exercise session): strength training or cardio? What about strength training and yoga?
• Is light cardio a helpful form of recovery after strength training?
• Is “active recovery” helpful or important?
• What are good tips for people who practice yoga and strength train to start bringing cardio into their movement repertoire?
• What’s the minimum effective dosage of cardio?
• …And much more!

Resources mentioned in this episode:Follow and learn from Alec on Instagram

Train with Alex in his Sex & Zombies program

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni

Strength for Yoga email newsletter

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

Support the show
**Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast – starting at $3/month!

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss yoga myths about the knees.

Points of discussion include:

• Will running wear out your knees?
• What is a systematic review with meta analysis?
• Should we avoid locking our knees in yoga?
• Are knee pops and clicks bad?
• Are open chain knee extension exercises bad?
• What’s the deal with knee alignment in chair pose?
• Is knee valgus in our standing yoga poses bad?
• Should you not square your hips in warrior 1 in order to protect your back knee?
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Episodes of this podcast covering the yoga myths we didn't get to in this episode:

Should we avoid letting the knee track forward over the toes? Podcast episode: Chair Pose: Knees Over Toes and Other Hot Topic Woes

Should we flex the foot in pigeon pose to protect the knee? Podcast episode: Pigeon Pose: Friend or Foe?

Is it bad to place your foot on your knee in tree pose? Podcast episode: Yoga Alignment Rules That Don’t Make Sense

Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni

Strength for Yoga email newsletter

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

Support the show
**Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast – starting at $3/month!

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss the anatomy, biomechanics, and cueing of the knees.

Points of discussion include:

• What is the structure of the knee joint?
• What are the ligaments of the knee?
• Are quadriceps-targeted exercises the only way to strengthen the knee?
• Is the knee joint only a hinge joint?
• What’s the screw home mechanism of the knee?
• What are knee valgus and knee varus?
• What is knee hyperextension and what is terminal knee extension?
• How can we load or target the knee in our yoga, strength, and/or movement practice?
• The meniscus of the knee and common conditions of this structure
• Is exercise good or bad for knee osteoarthritis?
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

The “body curl” YouTube video

Jenni & Travis’ program: 5 Weeks to Strong & Flexible Hamstrings

Travis’ ACL Care business

Research study: Effect of High-Intensity Strength Training on Knee Pain and Knee Joint Compressive Forces Among Adults With Knee Osteoarthritis: The START Randomized Clinical Trial

Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni

Strength for Yoga email newsletter

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

Support the show
**Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast – starting at $3/month!

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen are joined by the amazing Catherine Wilkinson to discuss a yoga teacher’s scope of practice.

Catherine Wilkinson is the founder of Wellness Connection Yoga School, where she also serves as the course designer and lead trainer for their 200hr and 500hr yoga teacher trainings (offered both in-person and online). Catherine holds a BSc/MSc in Health Sciences, and she strives to be as evidence-based as possible in her approach to training yoga teachers.

Points of discussion include:

• How has Catherine’s opinion about the scope of practice of a yoga teacher changed over time?
• Should yoga teachers ask yoga students if they have any injuries?
• What are some common ways that yoga teachers “step outside their lane”?
• Is using polyvagal theory in a yoga class to help students treat their trauma within a yoga teacher’s scope of practice?
• Is telling yoga students that they store their trauma in their hips within a yoga teacher’s scope of practice?
• How do publications like Yoga Journal and Yoga International help foster confusion about a yoga teacher’s scope of practice?
• The important distinction between teaching yoga for a certain condition and teaching yoga for people with a certain condition
• Understanding movement science does not mean that you’ll teach a yoga class that’s “safer”
• The contradiction between the widespread belief that yoga is dangerous and the widespread belief that yoga is so good for a multitude of conditions
• What’s a better approach to keeping students safe than “alignment”?
• Is advising students on their daily-life posture within a yoga teachers’ scope of practice?
• If we stop using fearmongering language in our yoga teaching about alignment and pain, what should we say instead?

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Learn more about Catherine Wilkinson’s online, self-paced yoga teacher trainings

Learn more about Catherine Wilkinson’s in-person and live online yoga teacher trainings

Follow Catherine Wilkinson on Instagram

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Blog post: What Is a Yoga Teacher’s Scope of Practice?

Podcast episode: Should We Stop Teaching Yoga for Low Back Pain? w/ Paul Ingraham

Podcast episode: Is Rounding Your Back Dangerous? w/ Dr. Sam Spinelli

Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni

Strength for Yoga email newsletter

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

Support the show
**Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast – starting at $3/month!

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss the topic of fascia in part 2 of a 2-part series. This second episode of this 2-part series focuses on the questions:

1) Does Yin Yoga target fascia?

2) Does myofascial release work?

(Part 1 of this series focused on the questions: What is fascia? And: Can we train fascia through active movement?)

Points of discussion in this episode include:

• A review of the definition of fascia
• What claims does Yin Yoga make about fascia?
• What is Yin Yoga?
• What’s the difference between Yin Yoga and Restorative Yoga?
• What are the viscoelastic properties of connective tissue, and what role do they play in Yin Yoga and Restorative Yoga?
• Does Yin Yoga specifically target fascia?
• What specific fascial tissue does Yin Yoga claim to target?
• What biomechanical effect does Yin Yoga claim to have on fascia?
• Does Yin Yoga target the joints and not the muscles?
• Does Yin Yoga “stress” the connective tissue of the joints?
• What is myofascial release?
• What is a trigger point (a.k.a. a knot or adhesion)?
• What effects does myofascial release have on the body?
• What is a pain pressure threshold?
• Does myofascial release actually release myofascia?
• …And much more!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Article: Redefining Self-Myofascial Release

Research article: Do Self-Myofascial Release Devices Release Myofascia? Rolling Mechanisms: A Narrative Review

Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni

Strength for Yoga email newsletter

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

Support the show
**Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast – starting at $3/month!

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss the topic of fascia in part 1 of a 2-part series. This first episode focuses on the questions:

1) What is fascia?

2) Can we specifically train fascia through active movement?

(Part 2 of this series focuses on the questions: Does Yin Yoga target fascia? And: Does myofascial release work?)

Points of discussion in this episode include:

• Travis and Jenni’s personal backgrounds with the fascia community
• The “Fascial Fitness” system designed by Robert Schleip
• The “Fuzz Speech” by Gil Hedley
• What is fascia?
• The 4 tissue types of the body
• A deeper dive into connective tissue
• How is fascia related to connective tissue?
• Compressive vs. tensile connective tissue
• Can we treat/target fascia in an isolated, specific way?
• How can we train fascia through active movement?
• How does connective tissue transmit force?
• What is the stretch shortening cycle?
• How to tendons adapt to training?
• …And much more!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Podcast episode: Should We Stop Teaching Yoga for Low Back Pain? w/ Paul Ingraham

Podcast episode: Can Stretching Make You Strong? w/ Greg Nuckols

Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni

Strength for Yoga email newsletter

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

Support the show
**Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast – starting at $3/month!

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss wild thing – a yoga pose that many yoga practitioners have strong opinions about! Jenni and Travis discuss the anatomy and biomechanics of wild thing, as well as a controversial kerfuffle that happened in the yoga community surrounding this yoga pose a few years ago.

Points of discussion include:

• The anatomy & biomechanics of wild thing
• The controversial kerfuffle about wild thing in the yoga community
• The difference between “wear and tear” vs. “wear and repair”
• How would one go about researching the prevalence of yoga injuries in a scientific manner?
• Does injury prevention in yoga have more to do with alignment or preparation?
• How can we build strength to support wild thing?A brief intro to hip joint anatomy
• …And much more!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni

Strength for Yoga email newsletter

Podcast episode: Are Headstand and Shoulder Stand the King and Queen of Yoga Poses?

Podcast episode: Can We Prevent Yoga Injuries?

Article: How Common Are Yoga Injuries? The Science Weighs In

Podcast episode: Language, Fear, & Science in the Yoga Studio

Podcast episode: Which Yoga Educators Should I Trust?

YouTube video: Where Should the Shoulder Blades Be In Down Dog?

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

**Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast – starting at $3/month!

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen are joined by Greg Nuckols to discuss whether stretching can make you strong. Greg has an M.A. in exercise and sports science and is the co-founder of Stronger by Science and MacroFactor (the best nutrition app on the market). He’s held three all-time world records in powerlifting, is an international speaker, and is the author of multiple books. He’s also the co-host of the Stronger by Science podcast.

Points of discussion include:

8:50 What is strength?

12:25 When muscles grow in size, is it because individual muscle fibers grow larger (hypertrophy), or is it because we gain more muscle fibers (hyperplasia)?

19:08 What does evidence from animal research suggest about whether stretching can lead to muscle growth?

36:20 What is the current scientific perspective on the mechanism(s) of hypertrophy / muscle growth?

39:22 What is blood flow restriction training?

44:37 Is muscle damage a driver of muscle growth?

50:10 What role does tension play in causing muscle growth?

50:30 The anatomical continuity between muscle, intramuscular connective tissue, tendon, and bone

55:36 The tendency to take a “tension reductionist” point of view on muscle growth / hypertrophy

58:15 What’s the difference between active tension and passive tension in a muscle?

1:05:03 What is the length-tension relationship?

1:12:26 Why does strength training at longer muscle lengths produces greater muscle growth / hypertrophy?

1:20:26 Does research suggest that stretching can lead to muscle growth in the human body?

1:37:28 Do we know what the mechanism is for why long duration, intense stretching can cause muscle growth?

1:48:23 Do we have a natural propensity to seek explanations for phenomena even when no science-based explanation exists yet?

…And much more!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Stronger by Science website (free articles by Greg Nuckols)

Stronger by Science Facebook group (ask Greg Nuckols questions here)

Stronger by Science podcast (free audio learning with Greg Nuckols)

MacroFactor nutrition app (the best nutrition app on the market)

Follow Stronger by Science / Greg Nuckols on Instagram

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Article: Influence of Long-Lasting Static Stretching on Maximal Strength, Muscle Thickness and Flexibility

Article: Stretch training induces unequal adaptation in muscle fascicles and thickness in medial and lateral gastrocnemii

Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni

Strength for Yoga email newsletter

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Disc

**Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast – starting at $3/month!

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss the anatomy, biomechanics, and cueing of hip rotation.

Points of discussion include:

• A brief intro to hip joint anatomy
• Open vs. closed chain hip rotation
• What is the average ROM of hip external & internal rotation?
• What are hip anteversion and retroversion?
• What does research suggest about the connection between lack of hip rotation and hip pain?
• The difference between alignment/position and muscular action in a yoga pose or movement
• What’s the hip rotation alignment in warrior 1?
• What’s the hip rotation alignment in warrior 2?
• What’s the hip rotation alignment in gomukhasana?
• What’s the hip rotation alignment in the 90/90 position?
• What’s the hip rotation alignment in half moon?
• How could you work on hip internal rotation in yoga?
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni

Strength for Yoga email newsletter

Podcast episode: “Posture is Overrated” w/ Todd Hargrove (Yoga Meets Movement Science episode 25)

Blog Post: End-Range Training: Does Closing the Gap Between Active and Passive ROM Prevent Injuries?

Research study: Is lower hip range of motion a risk factor for groin pain in athletes? A systematic review with clinical applications

YouTube video: Warrior 1 vs. High Lunge: What’s the Difference?

YouTube video: Hip Anatomy Lesson in Warrior 2

Podcast episode: “Pigeon Pose: Friend or Foe?” (Yoga Meets Movement Science episode 18)

Instagram post on the 90/90 position

Podcast episode: “Yoga Alignment Rules That Don’t Make Sense” (Yoga Meets Movement Science episode 33)

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

**Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast – starting at $3/month!

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss what research suggests about whether we should truly “always listen to our body”.

Points of discussion include:

• A review of interoception
• Do yoga & mindfulness practices actually improve interoception?
• What’s the connection between interoception and anxiety?
• Does what we feel in our body necessarily reflect what is actually taking place in our body?
• Do feelings of back stiffness correlate to actual biomechanical back stiffness?
• The conundrum of treating pain in a rehab context when pain does not necessarily correlate with tissue damage
• Should rehab exercises be painful or not painful?
• Is the sensation we feel at the end of a stretch an accurate reflection of the mechanical end range of our tissue’s length?
• What role does interoception play in athletic performance?
• Do elite runners have better interoception than non-runners?
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Research study: Feeling stiffness in the back: a protective perceptual inference in chronic back pain

Research study: Interoceptive differences in elite sprint and long-distance runners: A multidimensional investigation

Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni

Strength for Yoga email newsletter

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

**Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast – starting at $3/month!

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss the phenomenon of “magic muscles”: the tendency in the yoga, fitness, and rehab worlds to treat some muscles as more important or more special than other muscles.

Points of discussion include:

• What is a magic muscle?
• Muscle-based approaches in strength training & bodybuilding
• Teaching yoga with a “teach movement, not muscles” approach
• What research suggests about these specific magic muscles:
  • Quadratus Lumborum (QL)
  • Vastus Medialis Obliquus (VMO)
  • Transverse Abdominis (TvA)
  • Psoas
  • Glutes
  • Piriformis
• What do all magic muscles have in common?
• Is the practice of labelling certain muscles as “stabilizers” and others as “movers” somewhat outdated?
• The trend in evidence-based rehab to use non-specific vs. specific diagnoses for persistent pain conditions
• What are “corrective exercises”, and are they evidence-based?
• How well does yoga, specifically, help with low back pain?
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast! Starting at $3/month.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Take Jenni’s course: “When to Be Anatomically Specific in Yoga” for free!

Podcast episodes referenced in this episode (in order of appearance on the show):

• Ep 35: Nasal vs. Mouth Breathing: Does it Matter:
• Ep 6: Is Ashtanga Yoga a Cult? And the Value of Strength
• Ep 4: The Truth About Core Training
• Ep 9: Do We Store Emotions in Our Hips?
• Ep 13: The Glutes: Peachy Keen or Not All They Seem?
• Ep 18: Pigeon Pose: Friend or Foe?

Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni

Strength for Yoga email newsletter

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

**Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast – starting at $3/month!

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen are joined by special guest Joe Miller, MS to discuss the physiology of breathing.

Joe Miller has been teaching yoga since 2000, and he has a master’s degree in applied physiology from Columbia University. He teaches anatomy and physiology in yoga teacher trainings nationally and worldwide. He’s also a Guild Certified Feldenkrais® Practitioner and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA.

Points of discussion include:

• Joe’s yoga backstory and how he got into physiology
• Has the yoga world historically been insular by nature, and is that changing?
• Why do we breathe?
• How is breathing controlled?
• What is anaerobic vs. aerobic respiration?
• Is it helpful to teach yoga students to breathe “fully and deeply” all throughout their yoga practice?
• Do we have “stale” air in our lungs that we clear out with full exhales?
• What different effects do breathing into the belly, rib cage, and upper chest have?
• What physiological effects does ujjayi breathing have?
• Is it helpful for yoga teachers to remind people to breathe?
• Is it helpful to pair specific movements in yoga with specific phases of the breath (inhale or exhale)?
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Learn more from Joe Miller: website / Instagram / YouTube

YouTube video (Joe Miller): Does Deep Breathing Increase Blood Oxygen?

Breathing 101 Course with Joe Miller

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni

Strength for Yoga email newsletter

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

**Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast – starting at $3/month!

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss what scientific research suggests about nasal vs. mouth breathing.

In addition to nasal vs. mouth breathing as a general topic, Jenni and Travis also take a closer look at the Buteyko Breathing Method, as well as and 2 popular books on breathing: Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor (2020) and The Oxygen Advantage by Patrick McKeown (2015).

This episode features a special guest interview at the end specifically about the book Breath by James Nestor. Jenni and Travis are joined by the amazing science communicator Dr. Rachel David to discuss this book. Rachel has a PhD in immunology and a master’s degree in science communication, and she’s also a yoga teacher.

Points of discussion include:

• What claims are commonly made about nasal vs. mouth breathing?
• Outlining the difference between breathing practices (acute) vs. day-to-day breathing (chronic)
• What type of research would need to be done in order to investigate a possible causal link between mouth breathing and negative health effects?
• What does research suggest about the health effects of nasal breathing techniques or practices (i.e. pranayama)?
• Day-to-day breathing is autonomic (unconscious)
• What percentage of people breathe 100% nasally?
• What are the benefits of nasal breathing?
• When our mouth is open, do we still breathe through our nose?
• Does an open mouth indicate that someone is a “mouth breather”?
• What does the research on the effects of mouth breathing suggest?
• A closer look at the Buteyko Breathing Method and 2 books: The Oxygen Advantage by Patrick McKeown (2015) and Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor (2020)
• How popular is the book Breath by James Nestor in the yoga world?
• Did any scientific organizations endorse the book Breath?
• Is the basic premise of the book Breath scientifically-based?
• …And much more!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Dr. Rachel David’s website: https://geeky.yoga (**sign up for her email list in the footer of her website!)

Dr. Rachel David’s article about the book Breath by James Nestor

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni

Strength for Yoga email newsletter

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

**Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast – starting at $3/month!

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen are joined by the knowledgeable science educator Jonathan Jarry, MS to discuss complementary and alternative medicine.

Jonathan Jarry is a science communicator for McGill University’s Office for Science and Society. He has a master’s degree in molecular biology, and he brings his experience in cancer research, human genetics, rehabilitation research, and forensic biology to the work he does for the public. Jonathan also co-hosts the award-winning medical podcast The Body of Evidence, and he is frequently quoted in local, national and international media on issues of science and pseudoscience.

Points of discussion include:

• What is evidence-based medicine? What is science-based medicine?
• What is a randomized clinical trial?
• What is complementary & alternative medicine (CAM)?
• What is the wellness industry?
• What are some qualities that all complementary & alternative medicine modalities have in common?
• Specific alternative medicine modalities discussed include:
  • Chiropractic
  • Naturopathy
  • Homeopathy
  • Acupuncture
• What is the placebo effect?
• What is regression to the mean?
• What’s the difference between correlation and causation?
• Is using yoga as “medicine” or “therapy” evidence-based?
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Find Jonathan Jarry’s work at the Office for Science and Society at McGill University

Follow Jonathan Jarry on Twitter

Listen to Jonathan’s award-winning podcast The Body of Evidence

Book recommendation by Jonathan: Trick or Treatment

Jonathan Jarry on the Adaptabilia podcast

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni

Strength for Yoga email newsletter

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

**Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast – starting at $3/month!

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss a selection of yoga alignment cues that don't make sense! These cues all have one thing in common: they are each used inconsistently across similar (or the same) positions. By examining these carefully-chosen examples, we gain insight into whether or not these cues are actually important. And we improve our ability to think critically about the information we’re taught!

Yoga alignment rules covered in this episode include:

• Stack the shoulder over the wrist in plank pose
• Stack the shoulder over the wrist in side plank pose
• Don’t let the feet turn out in wheel pose
• Don’t jump back to straight-arm plank pose; instead, jump into bent-elbow chaturanga
• Don’t transition from closed-to-open hip poses or vice versa
• Don’t place your foot on your inner knee in tree pose
• Ground your inner hands down in down dog
• Internally rotate your hips in forward folds
• Catch the outer ankle in bow pose

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni

Strength for Yoga email newsletter

Sara Paige, who inspired the idea for this episode! website / Instagram

YouTube video: Should We Shift Forward Onto Our Toes in Chaturanga?

YouTube video: Is Turning Your Feet Out in Wheel Bad?

YouTube video: Is Jumping Back to Plank Bad for Our Shoulders?

Blog post: No Foot on the Knee in Tree Pose? Questioning the Cue

YouTube video: Should We Avoid Closed to Open Hip Transitions in Yoga?

YouTube video: Should We Ground Our Inner Hands in Down Dog?

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

**Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast – starting at $3/month!

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen are joined by the knowledgeable and inspiring Claire Zai, a strength coach with Barbell Medicine and a competitive powerlifter with her bachelor’s degree in physiology & neuroscience and her master’s degree in physiology with a focus on biomechanics.

They discuss myths and evidence-based information about women & strength training, including these topics:

• How societal gender stereotypes influence how we view women’s and men’s bodies
• Strength training around the menstrual cycle – is this something women should think about?
• What role do hormones like estrogen and progesterone play in our ability to generate force and strength train?
• Strength training and menopause
• Does our metabolic rate (i.e. our metabolism) decrease when we reach menopause?
• Strength training and osteoporosis
• Are claims that yoga can improve bone density evidence-based?
• Strength training and pregnancy
• Does strength training make women “bulky”?
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Follow and learn from Claire Zai, MS: Instagram / website / email

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni

Strength for Yoga email newsletter

Research article: The Effects of Menstrual Cycle Phase on Exercise Performance in Eumenorrheic Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Research article: Variations in Strength-Related Measures During the Menstrual Cycle in Eumenorrheic Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Research article: The Impact of Menstrual Cycle Phase on Athletes’ Performance: A Narrative Review

Research article: The effect of the menstrual cycle and oral contraceptives on acute responses and chronic adaptations to resistance training: a systematic review of the literature

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

**Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast – starting at $3/month!

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss the anatomy, biomechanics, and cueing of the yoga asana downward facing dog (adho mukha svanasana).

Points of discussion include:

• The anatomy and joint positions of down dog
• The biomechanical effects that down dog has on the body
• Should we externally rotate our shoulders in down dog?
• What is “shoulder impingement”, and why is this an outdated model for shoulder pain?
• Should we ground our inner hands down in down dog?
• What’s the right hand-to-feet length in down dog?
• Should our heels be on the ground in down dog?
• Should our knees be straight in down dog?
• Is down dog a resting pose?
• How can we regress and progress down dog?
• What are strategies for working around pain in down dog?
• Is down dog OK to practice during pregnancy?
• Do we need to anteriorly tilt our pelvis in down dog in order to stretch our hamstrings?
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

YouTube video: Should We Ground Our Inner Hands in Down Dog?

YouTube video: 3 Tips for Shoulder Pain in Down Dog

YouTube video: What’s the Right Length for Downward Dog?

Blog post: Top 4 Myths About Yoga During Pregnancy by Lauren Anderson

Research article: Surgery for shoulder impingement: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni

Strength for Yoga email newsletter

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

**Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast – starting at $3/month!

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen are joined by the legendary Paul Ingraham, owner and operator of www.PainScience.com, to discuss the connection between yoga and low back pain.

Points of discussion include:

• How and why pain is weird
• What’s the difference between acute, chronic, and persistent pain?
• When back pain is connected to a serious medical condition (which is rare), what are some of these possible conditions?
• Is back pain usually a biomechanical or structural problem, or is it caused by something else?
• How well does general exercise help with low back pain?
• What are “corrective exercises”, and are they evidence-based?
• How well does yoga, specifically, help with low back pain?
• Is a weak core a likely cause of back pain, and does strengthening the core cure back pain?
• Are inflexible hamstrings a likely cause of back pain, and does stretching them cure back pain?
• Why are most “Yoga for Low Back Pain” classes not evidence-based?
• Is it possible to teach a “Yoga for Low Back Pain” class in an evidence-based manner?
• What is a nocebo, and how is it different from a placebo?
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Paul Ingraham’s article for Jenni’s blog: Yoga Has No “Active Ingredient” for Back Pain

Paul Ingraham’s e-book The Complete Guide to Low Back Pain

Paul Ingraham’s website: www.PainScience.com

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni

Strength for Yoga email newsletter

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss helpful tips for how to discern whether or not to trust a source of information in the yoga, fitness, and rehab worlds.

Points of discussion include:

• Concrete tips for how to think more scientifically
• Jenni and Travis’ personal experiences with being taught misinformation in trainings they’ve taken
• How to look on the bright side about having been taught misinformation in the past
• Common biases we are all prone to that we should be aware of
• What is “bro science”?
• What is pseudoscience?
• Common logical fallacies and examples of their use in the yoga, fitness, and rehab worlds
• Top takeaway tips for how to discern whether to trust a yoga, fitness, or rehab educator
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni

Strength for Yoga email newsletter

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen are joined by the knowledgeable Dr. Sam Spinelli to discuss all things lumbar flexion!

Sam is a doctor of physical therapy (DPT), a certified strength & conditioning specialist (CSCS), co-founder of E3 Rehab, and co-founder of Citizen Athletics. He does a fantastic job bringing evidence-based education on the topics of rehab and exercise to the general public through his social media presence (especially on his E3 Rehab channel on YouTube), and he is very respected in the rehab community.

Points of discussion include:

• The basic anatomy and biomechanics of the low back region
• What are some common “pathologies” or changes that can take place in the lumbar spine region?
• Why it’s time to redefine what “normal” structure for the lumbar spine is
• What is a “neutral spine”?
• The backstory of Dr. Stuart McGill’s famous research on lumbar spine mechanics and disc herniations and how it has influenced the general public’s beliefs about protecting the low back
• Are forward folds in yoga a likely cause of low back injury?
• Even if we consciously try to maintain a neutral spine as we move into a deadlift, squat, and many other exercises, our lumbar spine will move into flexion
• Does current research support the longstanding advice that we should always “lift with our legs and not with our back”?
• What is the technical definition of “loaded lumbar flexion”?
• Is “buttwink” (the posterior tilt of the pelvis in the bottom position of a squat) a risky position for the low back?
• After a backbend in yoga, should we “neutralize the spine” before moving into a forward fold?
• Is lumbar flexion a dangerous position for people with osteopenia and osteoporosis?
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Follow and learn from Dr. Sam Spinelli: Instagram / E3 Rehab website / E3 Rehab YouTube

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis created by Jenni & Travis

Strength Training for Yoga – book by Jenni & Travis

Online yoga classes & continuing ed workshops with Jenni

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss all things shoulders!

Points of discussion include:

• The anatomy and biomechanics of the shoulder joint complex
• Common micromanaging shoulder cues we hear in the yoga, movement, & fitness worlds
• The biomechanics of how to strengthen the shoulders
• Does yoga really strengthen the shoulders?
• How can we protect the shoulders from pain and injury in yoga?
• Why do many people’s shoulders pop and click so much?
• Should we fix rounded-forward shoulders?
• Is transitioning from side plank to wild thing inherently risky for the shoulder?
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Brand new program! 5 Weeks to Strong & Flexible Shoulders

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis created by Jenni & Travis

Strength Training for Yoga – book by Jenni & Travis

Online yoga classes & continuing ed workshops with Jenni

Podcast episode: Posture is Overrated w/ Todd Hargrove

YouTube video: Should We Avoid Closed to Open Hip Transitions in Yoga?

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss all things hamstrings!

Points of discussion include:

• The anatomy of the hamstrings muscles
• The biomechanics of how to strengthen the hamstrings
• Does yoga strengthen the hamstrings?
• What’s the connection between hamstring strengthening and hamstring flexibility?
• What is “yoga butt” (a.k.a. proximal hamstring tendinopathy)?
• What causes yoga butt? Who tends to develop this condition?
• How is yoga butt generally treated? What measures can be taken to reduce the risk of developing yoga butt?
• Does bending the knees in forward folds protect the hamstrings?
• Why do the hamstrings commonly cramp, and what are cramps?
• Does sitting shorten the hamstrings?
• Do tight hamstrings cause anterior pelvic tilt?
• Does stretching the hamstrings cause sciatica?
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Brand new program! 5 Weeks to Strong & Flexible Hamstrings

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis created by Jenni & Travis

Strength Training for Yoga – book by Jenni & Travis

Online yoga classes & continuing ed workshops with Jenni

Podcast episode: The Connection Between Strength Training & Range of Motion w/ Greg Nuckols

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen are joined by Todd Hargrove to discuss the controversial topic of posture and alignment in the yoga, movement, and fitness worlds. Todd is a Feldenkrais practitioner, Rolfer, former attorney, author of the books A Guide to Better Movement and Playing With Movement, and more.

Points of discussion include:

• What do the terms “posture” and “alignment” mean?
• What does society’s idea of “good posture” look like?
• The distinction between seeing posture through societal vs. biomechanical lenses
• Does research support the widespread claims that bad posture has causal links with pain and health?
• How is viewing the human body like a machine unhelpful?
• Movement variability vs. the belief that there is “one right way” to move
• What does the importance of movement variability suggest about the field of ergonomics?
• What types of exercises can help with low back pain?
• Why do we tend to hear about anterior pelvic tilt and forward head posture as examples of bad posture so frequently in the yoga world?
• The difference between external and internal cues and why they matter for yoga/movement teachers
• What sorts of factors influence our habitual posture?
• Why do some areas of the body seem to be more common sites of pain than others?
• In what contexts could attempting to change one’s posture be helpful?
• …And much, much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Todd Hargrove’s blog

Todd Hargrove’s first book: A Guide to Better Movement

Todd Hargrove’s second book: Playing With Movement

Todd Hargrove on Twitter / Instagram

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis created by Jenni & Travis

Strength Training for Yoga – book by Jenni & Travis

Online yoga classes & continuing ed workshops with Jenni

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss the fascinating and hugely relevant topic of interoception and its connection to yoga, mindfulness practices, emotion, pain, and more.

Points of discussion include:

• Pain science and interoception science are intimately related
• The hugely integral role that interoception plays in how we experience and feel our bodies in the world is generally overlooked
• Interoception research is rapidly evolving, and it’s important for yoga teachers to stay on top of these developing insights
• Common claims we hear about interoception and yoga & mindfulness practices may be questioned by science
• There’s a plethora of outdated information about the brain in the yoga world (i.e. “neuromyths”)
• Emotions and pain are much more related than we realize – and their link is interoception
• Interoception science tells us that we don’t store emotions or trauma “in our body” or “in our hips”, etc.
• What is proprioception? What does having poor proprioception look like?
• Your entire experience of your body in the world is a construction of your brain
• What does it mean to have “good” interoception?
• What does it mean to “improve” interoception?
• It's commonly stated that yoga & mindfulness practices improve interoception, but this claim may not be accurate!
• …And much, much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Jenni’s email newsletter

Take Jenni’s Welcome to Your Brain course for free w/ 7-day free trial

Book: How Emotions are Made by Lisa Feldman Barrett

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis created by Jenni & Travis

Strength Training for Yoga – book by Jenni & Travis

Online yoga classes & continuing ed workshops with Jenni

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss whether yoga can be considered “exercise” – and why this is a much more complex and nuanced question than it might appear to be on the surface!

Points of discussion include:

• Is a yoga practice challenging enough to be considered “exercise” by exercise science definitions?
• What is the technical definition of “exercise”, and how is it different from “physical activity”?
• Can a yoga practice by itself give our body everything it needs to be healthy from a movement/exercise perspective?
• How a person can be considered both an “exerciser” and “sedentary” at the same time.
• What is body composition? Can a yoga practice affect body composition?
• Can a yoga practice improve muscular strength, and can it improve muscular endurance? (These are two different variables!)
• What is cardiorespiratory fitness, and how is it measured?
• Can a yoga practice improve cardiorespiratory fitness?
• Can a yoga practice improve other components of fitness such as balance, agility, speed, power, and coordination?
• What are the official guidelines for quantity and quality of exercise for healthy adults?
• Can a yoga practice on its own satisfy these guidelines?
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Jenni’s email newsletter

Podcast episode: Is Ashtanga a Cult? And the Value of Strength

Podcast episode: Stability: Clearing Up a Confusing Term!

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis created by Jenni & Travis

Strength Training for Yoga – book by Jenni & Travis

Online yoga classes & continuing ed workshops with Jenni

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen are joined by Greg Nuckols to discuss the connection between strength training and range of motion. Greg has an M.A. in exercise and sports science and is the co-founder of Stronger by Science, MASS (a monthly research review on strength sports), and MacroFactor (a nutrition app). He’s held three all-time world records in powerlifting, is an international speaker, and the author of multiple books.

Points of discussion include:

• What is Greg’s surprising personal connection to the yoga world?
• How does strength training affect one’s range of motion?
• What caveats should we be aware of when it comes to the research on strength training and ROM?
• How do the short term and long term effects of stretching differ?
• What’s the scientific definition for the term “stiffness” and how is it different from the typical layperson’s understanding of this term?
• How might active and passive stretching affect ROM differently?
• Are active and passive stretching actually distinct categories?
• How do researchers measure how hard a muscle is contracting?
• What factors play a role in ROM besides tissue extensibility?
• What are the mechanisms by which we increase ROM?
• What is a sarcomere? What role does it play in flexibility?
• What is stretch tolerance? What role does it play in flexibility?
• How does PNF stretching affect flexibility?
• In warm up, is it better to do active or passive stretching first?
• What’s the connection between eccentric strength training and ROM and injury prevention?
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Stronger by Science (co-founded by Greg Nuckols)

MASS research review (co-founded by Greg Nuckols)

MacroFactor nutrition app (co-founded by Greg Nuckols)

Follow Stronger by Science / Greg Nuckols on Instagram

Article: Strength training is as effective as stretching for improving range of motion: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Article: Range of Motion Predicts Performance in National-Level New Zealand Male Powerlifters

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis created by Jenni & Travis

Strength Training for Yoga – book by Jenni & Travis

Online yoga classes & continuing ed workshops with Jenni

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss the topic of asymmetry in yoga, rehab, and fitness contexts.

Points of discussion include:

• The nature of the major asymmetry that exists in Travis’ own body
• Asymmetries with regard to body alignment
• What is a leg length discrepancy?
• How is a leg length discrepancy measured? How is it treated?
• Are common treatments for leg length discrepancies and other minor body asymmetries evidence-based?
• Can “correcting” body asymmetries have unexpected negative consequences?
• Do we always need to do the same thing on both sides in our yoga sequences?
• Do side-to-side asymmetries increase one’s risk on injury in athletic activities?
• Do side-to-side asymmetries impair one’s performance in athletic activities?
• Is there an ideal “push pull ratio” for upper body pushing vs. pulling exercises?
• Does the upper body pushing/pulling imbalance in yoga predispose yogis to injury and pain?
• Travis’ experience attending yoga classes in a body that was born missing half of one leg
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis created by Jenni & Travis

Strength Training for Yoga – book by Jenni & Travis

Article: Anatomic and Functional Leg-Length Inequality: A Review and Recommendation for Clinical Decision-Making (Knutson 2005)

Article: Does Lower-Limb Asymmetry Increase Injury Risk in Sport? A Systematic Review (Helme et al. 2021)

Article: The Relationship Between Asymmetry and Athletic Performance: A Critical Review (Maloney 2019)

Online yoga classes & continuing ed workshops with Jenni

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss chair pose (utkatasana), squats (malasana), and the common alignment questions and confusions that arise about these poses.

Points of discussion include:

• The anatomy and biomechanics of chair pose
• The differences and similarities between yoga’s chair pose and the strength world’s squat
• Variations of chair pose
• Is a bodyweight yoga practice a good way to build strength for chair pose?
• The difference between a knee-dominant or hip-dominant chair pose and why you might choose one over the other
• Jenni’s personal evolution about chair pose alignment in her yoga teaching over time
• Is knees over toes an injurious alignment? In chair pose? In squats in the gym? In yoga’s standing poses like warrior 1 and lunges?
• Should we tuck or untuck our tailbone in chair pose?
• Does “buttwink” in a squat matter?
• What’s the correct foot width in chair pose?
• In twisting chair pose, should the knees stay flush, or should one knee track forward of the other?
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis created by Jenni & Travis

Podcast episode: The Glutes: Peachy Keen or Not All They Seem?

Video: How to Find Your Perfect Squat Stance

Online yoga classes & continuing ed workshops with Jenni

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen are joined by Matthew Huy, MSc to discuss his recent dissertation: “Language, Fear, and Science in the Yoga Studio”. Matthew is a longtime yoga teacher and an anatomy and physiology teacher in yoga teacher trainings worldwide. He also holds a master’s degree in Exercise Science and is the co-author of the book The Physiology of Yoga, published by Human Kinetics in June 2022.

Points of discussion include:

• How can the yoga world improve its scientific literacy?
• What type of content has historically been included in yoga anatomy/physiology modules of yoga teacher training programs?
• The fact that nearly all popular yoga anatomy books do not include scientific references
• What is the hierarchy or pyramid of scientific evidence?
• The impact that the infamous New York Times article How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body by William Broad had on societal perceptions of yoga
• What is a nocebo and how is it different from a placebo?
• Do forward folds in yoga cause “yoga butt” (proximal hamstring tendinopathy)?
• Is placing the foot on the knee in tree pose (vrksasana) injurious?
• If we flex and extend our spine repeatedly, can it snap like a credit card?
• The research-based connection between psychological beliefs and pain
• The potential that yoga teachers have to influence students’ beliefs via the language they use when teaching
• Should pain be avoided during exercise?
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Order Matt Huy and co-author Andrew McGonigle’s book The Physiology of Yoga

Matt Huy’s website / Instagram

New York Times article: How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body

Huffington Post article: Stop Stretching Your Hamstrings!

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis created by Jenni & Travis

Online yoga classes & continuing ed workshops with Jenni

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss the ins and outs of pigeon pose.

Points of discussion include:

• A description of the anatomy and biomechanics of pigeon
• The different variations of pigeon pose and their unique effects on the body
• Is pigeon pose risky for the front knee?
• The relationship between pigeon pose and the piriformis muscle of the hip
• Do we ever realistically stretch one muscle in isolation?
• Is pigeon pose a good treatment for sciatica?
• Should the front shin be parallel to the front edge of the mat in pigeon?
• Should we flex the foot to protect the knee in pigeon?
• Are active variations of pigeon superior to traditional passive pigeon?
• Is pigeon pose the main form of “hip opener” that we practice in yoga?
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Free yoga class from Jenni: “Pigeon is Our Friend”! (Through 6/30/22)

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis created by Jenni & Travis

YouTube video: Does Flexing the Foot Protect the Knee in Pigeon Pose?

Research article: Is it painful to be different? Sciatic nerve anatomical variants on MRI and their relationship to piriformis syndrome

Podcast episode: Do We Store Emotions in Our Hips?

Podcast episode: Stretching Myths & Stretching Facts w/ Greg Lehman

Blog Post: Physical Touch in Yoga: Do Teachers & Students Agree?

Blog Post: End-Range Training: Does Closing the Gap Between Active and Passive ROM Prevent Injuries?

Online yoga classes & continuing ed workshops with Jenni

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss the topic of micromanaging in yoga and movement classes.

Points of discussion include:

• What does “micromanaging” mean in a yoga or movement context?
• Do we see micromanaging tendencies in other movement fields, such as personal training, physical therapy, or somatics-based practices?
• What are some examples of micromanaging that we see in yoga classes?
• Why is it common for yoga instructors to use a micromanaging approach in their teaching?
• How can micromanaging in yoga be unhelpful?
• In what contexts can teaching in a detailed manner (which is not necessarily the same thing as micromanaging) actually be helpful?
• Are these common alignment cues in yoga examples of micromanaging? “Externally rotate your shoulders in down dog”, “pull your navel to your spine”, and “find a neutral pelvis”?
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

YouTube video: 3 Tips for Shoulder Pain in Down Dog

Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis created by Jenni & Travis

Online yoga classes & continuing ed workshops with Jenni

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss verbal, visual, and kinesthetic cueing in yoga and movement teaching. Using the tool of movement science, they examine what scientific evidence suggests about how these various teaching tools can best be utilized in a yoga/movement setting to optimize learning.

Points of discussion include:

• Is it true that there are 3 types of learners: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic? Or is this a neuromyth?
• Is teaching yoga or movement without demonstrating (or minimizing demonstrating) a superior method?
• Is there a difference in attitudes about verbal cueing vs. physical demonstrating in the yoga world vs. the strength and conditioning world?
• What are mirror neurons?
• What does observational motor learning research suggest about the value of physical demonstrations?
• Is sensory information processed in the brain in an isolated or integrated manner?
• What are some common examples of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic modes of teaching we might see in classroom settings and yoga/movement settings?
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:Jenni’s email newsletter

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis created by Jenni & Travis

Online yoga classes & continuing ed workshops with Jenni

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss the widely varying viewpoints on headstand and shoulder stand in the yoga world. On the one hand, these two inversions are often proclaimed to be the “king and queen of yoga poses” and are therefore treated as almost essential yoga poses. On the other hand, there’s a growing belief in the yoga world that these two poses are inherently injurious and should not be taught in yoga classes.

Jenni and Travis examine both of these extreme points of view (and everywhere in between!) using the helpful tool of movement science.

Points of discussion include:

• What are the 3 most common yoga poses associated with injury, according to scientific research?
• How prevalent are yoga injuries in general, according to scientific research?
• How safe or unsafe is headstand?
• How delicate is the human neck with regard to being loaded?
• Can we and should we strengthen our neck in a direct, targeted way?
• Does practicing headstand increase blood flow to the brain?
• How safe or unsafe is shoulder stand?
• Is practicing shoulder stand on blankets safer than practicing shoulder stand flat on the floor?
• Does practicing shoulder stand reverse one’s cervical curve?
• Does shoulder stand stimulate the thyroid gland?
• Do headstand and shoulder stand confer any specific benefits for those who practice them?
• Are there contraindications we should be aware of for practicing either of these poses?
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Blog post: How Common Are Yoga Injuries? by Jari Karppinen

Research article: Headstand (Sirshasana) Does Not Increase the Blood Flow to the Brain

Research article: Intraocular Pressure Changes and Ocular Biometry during Sirsasana (Headstand Posture) in Yoga Practitioners

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis created by Jenni & Travis

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss the nervous system and take a science-based look at the popular polyvagal theory with Dr. Laura Baehr, PT, DPT, and PhD candidate in Rehabilitation Sciences.

Points of discussion include:

• A brief primer on nervous system structure and function
• The relationship between the “fight or flight” and “rest and digest” nervous system responses
• The definition of “resilience” and how a movement practice can enhance this quality
• A brief summary of polyvagal theory, which was introduced by Stephen Porges in 1994
• The widespread prevalence of polyvagal theory and its concepts today in yoga, yoga therapy, mental health fields, somatics-based practices, and more
• Does increased vagal tone correlate with increased emotional resilience and vice versa, as put forth by polyvagal theory?
• Is heart rate variability an accurate measurement of vagal tone or vagus nerve activation?
• Can we realistically stimulate the vagus nerve in isolation in yoga and movement settings?
• The connection between polyvagal theory and beliefs that emotions and trauma can be stored in the tissues of the body
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Research article: Direct measurement of vagal tone in rats does not show correlation to HRV

Dr. Laura Baehr’s Instagram page

Dr. Laura Baehr’s website

Jenni Rawlings’ online yoga class library (featuring Dr. Laura Baehr as a special guest contributor)

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis created by Jenni & Travis

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss the glutes and the many beliefs and claims about this area of the body we tend to hear in the yoga, fitness, and therapeutic worlds.

Points of discussion include:

• A brief overview of the functional anatomy of the glutes
• Should we relax or contract our glutes in backbends in yoga?
• The difference between internal and external movement cues
• Is glute strengthening important for preventing and treating pain?
• What’s the connection between anterior pelvic tilt and back/hip pain?
• Is gluteal amnesia a widespread issue we should be aware of?
• The difference between muscle activation and muscle strength
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis created by Jenni & Travis

Blog post: What’s the Best Way to Cue Movement in Yoga?

YouTube video: Knee Pain & Hip Strength: What’s the Best Approach?

Research article: Anteromedial versus posterolateral hip musculature strengthening with dose-controlled in women with patellofemoral pain: A randomized controlled trial.

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss a controversial study that found that stretching was more de-stressing than restorative yoga. Could this assertion possibly be true?

Points of discussion include:

• The temptation to make definitive conclusions based on the results of a single study
• What is the “stress response” (a biological process in the human body)?
• What’s the relationship between restorative yoga and the stress response?
• What’s the relationship between exercise in general and the stress response?
• Foundational tips for reading and analyzing a research article
• What did the researchers in this study do, and what did they find?
• What are some practical applications we yoga practitioners might take away from this study?
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis created by Jenni & Travis

Article: Effect of restorative yoga vs. stretching on diurnal cortisol dynamics and psychosocial outcomes in individuals with the metabolic syndrome

Article: The Rise of Online Yoga

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss how hot yoga and cold yoga affect the body and the eye-opening and geeky science of body temperature!

Points of discussion include:

• How does temperature affect our bodies in general, and what role does it play when we’re moving our bodies in yoga or any other movement practice?
• Is hot yoga a safe type of yoga, or does it pose significant risks we should be aware of?
• Does the sweating that we do in hot yoga detoxify our body?
• Do hot yoga and cold yoga require more energy expenditure than room temperature yoga? (In other words, do we burn more calories in hot and cold yoga?)
• What do we know about the benefits of heat exposure in a sauna and cold exposure in cold water immersion or cryotherapy? Can we assume that we’d get these same benefits from hot or cold yoga?
• How does the human body regulate temperature anyway?
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis created by Jenni & Travis

Strength Training for Yoga book & 8-week training program by Jenni & Travis

Article: Constrained Total Energy Expenditure and Metabolic Adaptation to Physical Activity in Adult Humans (Pontzer et al. 2016)

Instagram Post: Do Yoga Twists Detoxify the Body?

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss the many nuanced connections between strength and pain with Adam Meakins, a brilliant and influential physiotherapist and strength and conditioning coach.

Points of discussion include:

• What is strength, and what parameters need to be met in order for an activity to be strengthening?
• If someone adds strength work into their movement practice and they end up feeling better in their body, why do they feel better?
• Do weak muscles cause pain?
• Are “tight” muscles simply weak, and is the solution always to strengthen them?
• What’s the relationship between muscle imbalances, poor posture, and pain?
• Is regional interdependence a well-supported explanation for why people have pain? (We define this term in the podcast for those who aren’t familiar with it.)
• What are some limitations of using strength training to treat people in pain?
• …And much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Adam Meakins is a specialist physiotherapist, sports scientist, and strength and conditioning coach working in the National Health Service and private practice in the UK. He is internationally recognized for calling out B.S. Many newcomers in the physiotherapy field cite Adam as their #1 influence. He shares excellent educational content through his social media platforms and his continuing ed courses online.

Find and follow Adam here: website / Twitter / Instagram

The Better Clinician Project w/ Adam Meakins & Ben Cormack – A unique online learning resource for all healthcare professionals who want high-quality low-cost education that's engaging and entertaining.

The NAF Physio podcast w/ Adam Meakins & Greg Lehman

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis created by Jenni & Travis

Strength Training for Yoga book & 8-week training program by Jenni & Travis

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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In this episode, yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen dive into the topic of whether or not we store emotions in our hips (or in our body in general).

Points of discussion include:

• Is this claim accurate?
• What’s the explanation for why and how emotions are stored in our hips or in our body, and does this explanation hold up to scrutiny?
• Is the psoas muscle a magic muscle?
• What’s the connection between “hip-openers” and emotion?
• The “recovered-memory therapy” movement from the 1980s and 90s and what lessons and insights it has to offer us today
• What do the terms “tight” and “release” really mean?
• What does an evidence-based approach to self-myofascial release look like?
• …And lots more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis created by Jenni & Travis

Article: The Return of the Repressed: The Persistent and Problematic Claims of Long-Forgotten Trauma

This American Life Episode: An Epidemic Created by Doctors (About the recovered memory movement of the 1980s & 90s)

”Repressed memory” entry on Wikipedia

“Day-care sex-abuse hysteria” entry on Wikipedia

Stretching Science 101 online course by Jenni

Article by Chris Lieb: Self-Myofascial Release: What Does It Do? (And What Doesn’t It Do?

Article: Fascia Myths & Fascia Facts

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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In this episode, yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen dive into the topic of chaturanga, or yoga’s push-up-like asana.

Points of discussion include:

• The anatomy & biomechanics of chaturanga
• The differences between chaturanga and a typical push-up you’d find in the fitness world
• Why chaturanga is actually a much more difficult pose than many people realize
• Potential injury mechanisms of chaturanga
• Should the elbows hug in in chaturanga or not?
• Should we only lower halfway down (to 90°) or not?
• Should we shift forward onto the toes before lowering down into chaturanga?
• What should the shoulder blades be doing in this pose?
• The relationship between the common yoga pose knees-chest-chin and chaturanga
• …And so much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis created by Jenni & Travis

Strength Training for Yoga (digital book written by Jenni & Travis)

YouTube video: Is Knees-Chest-Chin a Good Prep for Chaturanga?

Instagram post: Do You Know How Much Weight You’re Pushing in Plank?

YouTube video: Should We Shift Forward Onto Our Toes in Chaturanga?

Yoga class & continuing ed course memberships on Jenni’s website

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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In this episode, yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss the hot topic of how to prevent yoga injuries. Travis is a recognized expert in the field of injury prevention, having researched and written his dissertation on the topic, as well as creating a masterclass on injury prevention for Physio Network. His insights on preventing injuries in yoga are therefore especially valuable and insightful!

Points of discussion in this episode include:

• How is an “injury” defined in the scientific literature?
• How are injuries classified and categorized in research on injury prevention?
• What are some common risk factors for injuries?
• The belief in the yoga world that “alignment” is the most important factor for yoga injuries
• Whether common yoga alignment rules about “joint stacking” are helpful for injury prevention
• The connection between strength training and yoga injury prevention
• A closer look at the popular FMS (Functional Movement Screen) and whether it’s a trustworthy tool for injury prediction
• Best practices for preventing yoga injuries
• And lots more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Strength Training for Yoga (digital book written by Jenni & Travis)

Infographic. Pain or injury? Why differentiation matters in exercise and sports medicine

International Olympic Committee Consensus Statement: Methods for Recording and Reporting of Epidemiological Data on Injury and Illness in Sports 2020

Improved reporting of overuse injuries and health problems in sport: an update of the Oslo Sport Trauma Research Center questionnaires

Yoga class & continuing ed course memberships on Jenni’s website

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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In this episode, yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen cover a ton of ground regarding yoga, strength, and movement, including these hot-button topics (and more!):

• Is Ashtanga Yoga a cult?
• Are repetitive movement activities a bad idea?
• 4 distinct phases that a movement science-based yogi might go through on their yoga journey over time
• The common tendency to see yoga as a magical practice that offers everyone everything they need
• How a strength training practice can be about so much more than aesthetics and how we look
• Is adding resistance bands and weights to a yoga practice a good way to get strong?
• And tons more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Article: Physical Touch in Yoga: Do Teachers & Students Agree?

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Yoga class & continuing ed course memberships on Jenni’s website

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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In this episode, yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss the science of stretching with one of their mentors and biggest inspirations, Greg Lehman, BKin, MSc, DC, MScPT. As is the norm with this podcast, an abundance of common myths about this topic are highlighted and busted. We hope this discussion helps inspire a change in the dialog around stretching in the yoga, movement, and fitness worlds!

Topics discussed include:

• What is stretching?
• What’s the distinction between active and passive stretching – and does it really matter?
• How does stretching affect the tissues of the body – in both the immediate, short term and in the bigger picture, long term?
• What’s the relationship between stretching and injury prevention?
• What does research currently suggest about stretching right before an athletic activity? Does it hinder performance or not?
• Is the practice of Yin Yoga and long-held passive stretches in general safe?
• Should people with systemic connective tissue disorders such as Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome avoid stretching?
• Should flexibility be retired as a major component of physical fitness?
• And so much more!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

NAF Physio Podcast episode with Greg, Adam Meakins, and Kara Gillett on Hypermobility

Jenni & Travis’ article: End Range Training: Does Closing the Gap Between Active and Passive ROM Prevent Injuries?

To learn more from Greg Lehman: website / Twitter / Instagram / YouTube

Greg’s Recovery Strategies Pain Workbook

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Article: The Case for Retiring Flexibility as a Major Component of Physical Fitness

Article: Strength Training Versus Stretching for Improving Range of Motion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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The core is a multifaceted and somewhat controversial topic in the yoga, movement, and fitness worlds. In this episode, yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen dive into the topic of the core, busting many myths about this region of the body along the way!

Points of discussion include:

• What is the core?
• What is the function of the core?
• Should the core be trained isometrically (without movement) or dynamically (with movement)?
• Is there a recommended order or progression for training the core?
• Do you need to do direct core training?
• Is core strength important for handstand and other inversions?
• Myths about low back pain and core stability
• The difference between abdominal hollowing and abdominal bracing
• Is it time to retire the “navel to spine” cue?

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Travis’ article: Do You Need Direct Core Training?

Jenni’s article: A Modern Approach to Core Stability: Is Navel-to-Spine the Best Cue?

Jenni’s YouTube video: What Should We Say Instead of Navel to Spine?

Everything I Thought I Knew About Low Back Pain Was Wrong by Dave Lasnier

The Role of Core Stability in Athletic Function (Kibler et al 2006)

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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In this episode, yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss the confusing and not-well-defined term of “functional movement” and whether this term should be used to describe yoga. Topics covered in this episode include:

• What does the term functional movement mean?
• How is the term functional movement commonly used both in the yoga world and in the fitness/strength & conditioning world?
• Are “pretzel”-like yoga poses non-functional?
• Are isolated, single-joint movements non-functional, while compound, multi-joint movements are functional?
• Is weight training in machines less functional than weightlifting with free weights?
• Is functional movement a yes/no, black/white concept, or does it exist on a spectrum?
• …and much more!

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Blog post: End Range Training: Does Closing the Gap Between Active and Passive ROM Prevent Injuries?

Instagram post: What is Functional Training?

Travis' article on handstand walking

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Yoga class & continuing ed course memberships on Jenni’s website

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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This episode might change the way you think about yoga sequencing!

In this episode, yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen have a thorough, nuanced discussion about yoga sequencing. Using a movement science lens, they cover what yoga sequencing is, why it matters, some common approaches to sequencing, and they include a special focus on “peak pose sequencing” – arguably the most popular style of sequencing out there!

Jenni and Travis cover some of the advantages of peak pose sequencing as well as some very surprising disadvantages of this sequencing style that seem to be largely overlooked in the yoga world.

Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Blog post: Yoga Pose/Counterpose Rules: Are They Necessary?

Blog post: 3 Claims About the Body Yoga Teachers Should Stop Making

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Yoga class & continuing ed course memberships on Jenni’s website

Catherine Wilkinson – excellent evidence-based yoga teacher trainings in South Africa (and online!)

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

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Learn all about the term “stability” as it applies to the human body and movement!

Stability is a buzz term in the yoga, movement, and fitness worlds today, and it’s often used in multiple different ways to mean different things, which can make for a confusing and not well-understood concept.

In this episode, yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen cover the varying definitions and uses of this complex term, including:

• the biomechanical definition of stability
• core stability
• joint stability
• the relationship between stability & mobility
• dynamic vs. static stability
• internal vs. external perturbations
• …and much more!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Jenni & Travis’ blog post they wrote in conjunction with this podcast episode

Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis

Yoga class & continuing ed course memberships on Jenni’s website

The Role of Core Stability in Athletic Function (Kibler et al 2006)

To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram

Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.