Whether or not you’ve tried yoga, you’ve probably come across a move known as downward-facing dog. It’s often used in the warm-up before fitness classes and it’s one of the best movements for stretching and strengthening your hamstrings, hips and shoulders.

To do a downward dog, begin on your hands and knees, then move your hips up and back, and extend your legs to form an inverted V with your body. 

It seems simple, but it’s a pose that requires flexibility and mobility. Some people will find it uncomfortable to begin with while others will be unable to bring their heels to the floor. 

I asked Helen O’Leary, physiotherapist and clinical director at Complete Pilates, what you can do to improve your range of motion and make the movement more comfortable.

“It is important to realize that it may not be possible for everyone to touch their heels to the floor simply due to their own genetic makeup and what range they have within their skeleton,” says O’Leary.

Even if you’re one of those people, moving your feet closer to the floor in the downward dog pose is a good goal to set yourself, in order to get the most out of the exercise.

“Generally to improve your downward dog, you need to do mobility work around your calves, the backs of your legs and the lower back,” says O'Leary.

O'Leary recommends dynamic exercises instead of static stretching to strengthen and lengthen the muscles in the back of your body. Here are three to get you started.

1 Romanian deadlift

Reps 8-12

Hold a barbell or two heavy dumbbells in front of your thighs and stand with your feet hip-width apart. Keeping a slight bend in your knees, a straight back and the weight close to your body throughout, push your hips back to lower the weight until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, then push through your feet to return to the start. Aim to lower slowly and return to the start powerfully. 

2 Thread the needle

Reps 4-5 each side

Start on your hands and knees. Thread your right arm between your left arm and leg, rotating your torso to reach as far to the left as you can. Bend your left elbow so that your right shoulder reaches as close to the floor as possible. Return to the start then repeat on the other side, alternating sides with each rep.

3 Lateral lunge

Reps 8-12

Stand with your legs wider than shoulder-width apart. Bend your right knee and sit your hips back as you lower to the right, while keeping your left leg extended. Push through your right foot to return to the start and repeat on the other side, alternating sides with each rep. 

Some days it can all feel like too much. When you’re not sleeping well, whether that’s because of stress, taking on too much, or a young baby or sick child keeping you up, things can feel even worse.

Recognizing that you need to slow down and seek rest is key, especially if you’re trying to avoid burnout. Even if a solid eight hours of sleep is unlikely, making time for a short spell of relaxation can make a world of difference. Yoga teacher Naomi Annand recommends this sequence of restorative yoga poses for anyone feeling exhausted.

Taking a moment to acknowledge your exhaustion and commit to a sequence like this can help send positive messages to your nervous system. “Often we’re just masking the tiredness, we’re pushing through,” says Annand. “So by actually lying down, it feels like your body immediately says, ‘Thank you. You’re listening.’ Then maybe you can start to respond to that.”

Restorative Yoga Poses

Spend three to 10 minutes in each pose.

1 Supported Savasana

You’ll need a bolster (if you don’t have one you can use cushions or a couple of rolled-up blankets). Place the bolster on your mat and lie back over it so your chest is raised and your bottom rests on the mat. You can tuck an extra blanket or cushion under your head. Open your arms wide, turn your palms up and feel your chest opening up. 

2 Simple side rest

Place a folded blanket across your mat and lie on your right side over it, so it supports your ribs. Extend your right arm forward so it rests on the floor and place your left hand on your left ribs. Breathe into your hand, feeling your ribs expand. After three to 10 minutes, switch to the other side.

3 Reclined bound angle pose

Lie on your back on the mat with your feet together and knees bent. Allow your knees to fall apart and rest your thighs on a bolster or cushions so your hip flexors are relaxed and not contracting. Spread your arms wide, in a T shape with palms facing up. Here you can fully let go. If you wish, place a blanket over your abdomen for extra comfort.

4 Seated meditation

Sit with your legs crossed—sometimes sitting on a block can be helpful to get more comfortable, or you can lie down if you prefer. “Take a deep breath and try to connect with the feeling of your body,” says Annand. “Listen as it gurgles, bubbles, creaks and pops. This practice is about paying attention to the subtle sensations. Focus on them and away from big narrative-led thought.”

Become aware of how your body connects with the ground and notice the details. Tell yourself, “May I be well as I am. May I be content in this moment.” Stay here for three to 10 minutes. As you move on with your day, try to keep the essence of this meditation in mind, noticing sensations and moving slowly and deliberately.

This sequence appears in Yoga For Motherhood by Naomi Annand, published by Bloomsbury.

If, like me, you work at a desk you may find your shoulders get tight and sore as the day goes on. As I hunch forward over my keyboard I can feel the tension building until I straighten up and they shriek with pain.

There are ways to find relief. Yoga teacher Naomi Annand recommends these four exercises to mobilize your shoulders, stretch out muscles and release tension. It took me just 10 minutes to do and afterwards my shoulders felt wonderfully supple, relaxed and pain-free. The last pose was especially relaxing—I could have stayed there for hours. Next time my terrible desk posture gives me grief, I’ll know exactly how to curb the pain and release the tightness in my shoulders. Hopefully, though, I’ll catch my poor posture in time using the tips Annand provides below.

Exercises For Tight Shoulders

Gliding shoulder flow

Sit on a chair, making sure you have some space in front of you, or stand with your feet hip-width apart, with your hands by your sides. As you inhale, lift your arms forward, and as you exhale, lower your arms back to your sides. Allow your shoulder blades to lift when your arms lift and notice how they glide up your back as you move. If your shoulders are making clunking sounds or you’re experiencing any discomfort, take your arms a little wider and move more slowly. After four or five rounds, find stillness again and see how your shoulders and chest feel.

Overhead shoulder stretch

Stand with your feet hip-width apart or kneel on a mat. Hold a strap or a towel in front of you with your hands wider than shoulder-width apart. Lift the strap above your head (move your hands further apart if you need to) and allow your hands to sink behind you a little. Keep your arms balanced so you’re not pulling more to one side. Ensure your ribs are tucked in and down; don’t let them pop out. Take five slow breaths here.

To come out of the pose, breathe in, reach your hands straight up and breathe out as you let your arms float back down to your sides. Drop the strap on the floor and stand in mountain pose (balanced, relaxed and upright, with feet hip-width apart) to feel the effect on your shoulders.

Clock

Stand next to a wall, with your right shoulder around 4 inches away from it. Reach your arm straight up the wall, pointing to 12 o’clock, then gently move your hand back to 10 past. Stretch your fingers wide and find length in your middle and fourth finger. Move your hand down to quarter past and take a few breaths here, feeling an opening sensation in your chest and arm. You can take this stretch further by turning your feet and torso away from the wall.

Stand in mountain pose for a few breaths before repeating the stretch on the other side. Notice how the two sides feel different.

Supported Savasana

Place a bolster lengthways on your mat or the floor. If you don’t have a bolster, you can use cushions or a couple of rolled-up blankets. Raise one end with some blocks or books under it. Lie on your back along the bolster with your head on the raised end. You can add another blanket or cushion to support your head. You’ll need more cushions or blocks to support your arms so your shoulders can relax fully. Allow your arms to spread out, palms up and elbows bent. Bending your knees, place your feet flat on the ground, hip-width apart, and let your knees rest against each other. As you settle into this restorative pose, take some deep breaths into your belly and feel any tension release from your chest, like water flowing out across your collarbones, down your arms and into the palms of your hands. Rest here for three minutes, or up to 15 minutes if you can.

These exercises are featured in Yoga: A Manual For Life and Yoga For Motherhood, by Naomi Annand, published by Bloomsbury.

Tips To Improve Your Posture

If you notice you’re hunching forward and rounding your shoulders during the day, be careful not to overcorrect your posture. “Don’t thrust your shoulders back and pinch your shoulder blades together,” says Annand. “Imagine your shoulders are a coat hanger. You want to be broad and wide, rather than pinched and tight or collapsed and rounding forward.”

Get yourself into the right posture from the start. “Align your head above your ribcage, your ribcage above your pelvis, and feel your diaphragm moving as you breathe.” Becoming aware of your posture throughout the day can help your body remember this shape more easily.

Yoga is good for you. Not only does it improve mobility, balance and posture but it’s also a great way to build strength without weights.

However, not everyone enjoys yoga. It can feel too slow for some and most types of yoga don’t incorporate cardio. If that sounds familiar, you may find DDP Yoga more your speed. 

It’s named after its creator, former wrestler Diamond Dallas Page, and the practice combines some of the poses and sequences from yoga with low-impact cardio.

I do slow, relaxed yoga sessions every week, mostly because I find it supports my mental health and improves my mobility. I was interested to see how a more intense DDP Yoga workout would make me feel.

I chose a 25-minute workout, which began with 10 minutes of light stretching and breathing. Generally speaking, the types of yoga I’m familiar with encourage mindfulness and relaxation, but DDP Yoga is focused on building strength and boosting health, which was evident during this routine as the instructor spent a lot of time speaking about the benefits of each exercise.

Even during the stretching part of the workout, there were options to modify the movements, so DDP Yoga is suitable for beginners. The exercises in this section included downward-facing dog, cat-cow pose and tabletop.

There were then a number of strength-based exercises, including planks, a three-legged-dog hold and lunges. Most of the workout involved holding positions, rather than moving in and out of them, and there was lots of stretching as well as strength exercises.

It certainly got my heart rate up and engaged muscles all over my body, while also helping me to stretch. However, DDP Yoga seems mostly aimed at beginners looking to incorporate low-impact cardio and mobility work into their routines and I didn’t find it as challenging as some of the HIIT and strength sessions I usually do.

That said, I’m aware I need to incorporate sessions which boost mobility and stability into my regime, so I may return to DDP Yoga for that purpose.

The easiest way to try DDP Yoga for yourself is to use the seven-day trial of the app.

Think you need a stacked weights rack to enjoy a full-blooded full-body workout? Think again. This yoga-inspired bodyweight circuit from Daniel Moheb Choucri, trainer, presenter and assessor for Les Mills, will strengthen your body from head to toe, while delivering bonus benefits of improved flexibility, mobility and joint stability.

The workout is adapted from the global fitness company’s trademark BodyBalance class, harnessing slow tempos, isometric holds and a continuous flow of exercises that can be repeated and tweaked to suit all abilities and experience levels. 

“This full-body flow is simple but incredibly effective,” says Choucri. “It’s a superb way to activate every muscle in the body while developing deep core strength, shoulder stability, spinal flexion and extension and challenging the much-neglected postural muscles of your back.” 

Given the circuit draws on the fundamentals of yoga, matching inhalations and exhalations with precise movements of the joints and muscles, it should help alleviate aches and pains while unlocking areas of tightness as you flow, stretch, breathe and unwind.

How To Do This Full-Body Yoga Workout

There are seven phases that make up this full yoga-inspired workout. Here Choucri has broken down each section, describing how to move into position, how long to hold each pose and how to transition into the next movement. 

“Take your time to not only practice and perform each stage of this sequence, but also feel every stage as well,” he says. “Work smoothly and precisely. The more smoothly the activity is performed, the better the results will be.” 

Once you’re feeling confident with each element, you can then knit the movements together to create one continuous flowing sequence. “Play with the holds and timings of each stage as you get more comfortable, challenging your range of motion, your core strength and your stamina, to keep progressing,” Choucri says.

Les Mills has a BodyBalance tutorial on YouTube which demonstrates the moves below as well as other positions used in the class. 

Choucri says this flow can be performed morning, noon and night to open the mind, invigorate the body, and refresh the senses. Repeat it as many times as your strength, stability and flexibility require. 

1 Extended mountain

Breathe in through your nose. Lift your arms above your head. Press your palms together if shoulder mobility allows. Brace your abdominals gently. Slide your shoulder blades down to release tension in your neck. Keep looking forward. Complete this series of movements just once to initiate the flow.

2 Forward fold

As you exhale, bend your knees and fold your body from the waist, bracing your abs strongly. Place your fingers or palms on the floor, bending your knees as much as required. Breathe through your nose at a steady rate and hold this position for 30-60 seconds.

3 Downward-facing dog

Place your palms on the floor outside your feet and take a big step back with one foot into a lunge position, keeping your front knee over your ankle. Step your opposite foot back and place it so your feet are hip-width apart. Brace your abs and lift your hips to create an upside-down V-shape with your body. Tuck your chin into your chest to protect your neck. Bend your knees slightly, and press your chest towards your thighs to activate the spinal extensors running down your back. Hold this position for 60 seconds.

4 Roll-out into plank and reset into down dog

Maintaining the position of your hands and feet, and keeping your chin tucked into your chest, round your upper back and shift your body forward to finish in a straight-arm plank, with your shoulders over your hands and your body in a straight line from head to heels. Brace your abs strongly and push the floor away powerfully to activate your chest and create space in your upper back. Hold for 20-30 seconds, then lift your hips to reset into the downward-facing dog position. Repeat 10 times in total.

5 Crocodile into triceps press-up into plank 

From the top of the straight-arm plank position, lower your knees to the floor. Brace your abs strongly, tuck your chin into your chest and bend your elbows to slowly lower your body to elbow height. Draw your shoulder blades back and down to maintain scapula stability. Keeping your abs engaged and elbows tucked tight into your ribs throughout, press the floor away to return to the plank position on your knees. Repeat for 10 reps. If your upper-body and core strength allows, perform this move without lowering onto your knees at the start.

6 Baby cobra / upward-facing dog

From the kneeling variation of the crocodile pose, tuck your chin into your chest and lower your body to the floor. Draw your shoulder blades back and down and squeeze your glutes.

Pressing through your hands, slowly lift your chest, bracing your abs strongly. Hold this baby cobra position for 30 seconds, then return to kneeling crocodile pose. Repeat 10 times in total.

If your upper-body and core strength allows, try upward-facing dog instead. From the full crocodile pose, with your knees off the floor, tuck your chin into your chest and lower your body to just above the floor. Go from your toes to pressing the tops of your feet into the floor, one at a time. Press your hands and feet into the floor as you extend your arms and lift your torso, squeezing your glutes, quads, triceps and abs strongly. Your knees and thighs should be just off the floor. Hold this upward-facing dog position for 30 seconds. Return to the starting position of the full crocodile with knees off the floor. Repeat 10 times in total.

7 Reset downward-facing dog into forward fold into extended mountain

From the final rep of the baby cobra or upward-facing dog, lift your hips to return to the downward-facing dog position. Keep your hands shoulder-width apart and feet hip-width apart and brace your abs. Hold the downward-facing dog for 30 seconds. Step your feet forward to your hands and bend your knees, finishing in the forward fold position. Hold for 30 seconds. Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes as you gently and slowly roll back up into the mountain pose to reset the whole flow sequence.

Sure, you can pull on any old thing for a yoga session, but the best yoga pants or leggings will allow for greater freedom of movement and keep you comfy on the mat. 

While some people use the terms “yoga pants” and “yoga leggings” interchangeably, we use the term yoga pants to denote loose-fitting activewear bottoms and refer to skin-tight ones as yoga leggings.

When deciding on the right pair for your practice, it’s all about the fit, the fabric and the style. In terms of fit, the waistband is all-important – it should be comfortable and not restrictive, but not roll down or need hitching up mid-class.

You’ll want to check the fabric is breathable and sweat-wicking, but make sure it doesn’t go see-through when you’re in a forward fold. And then there’s the style ­– whether you gravitate to high-waisted compression-fit leggings, slouchy harem pants or flared leggings is a matter of personal choice.

To compile this list, we put numerous pairs to the test and used our experience to assess the qualities of ones we haven’t tried. Below you’ll find our definitive ranking. 

Looking for more recommendations? We’ve also rounded up the best yoga mats and the best yoga apps for yogis who need some new accessories.

The Best Yoga Leggings

A combination of comfort, support and freedom of movement means the Align leggings are widely regarded as the ultimate yoga pants. The delightfully soft, lightweight Nulu fabric has a muted matt finish, and although they feel “barely there”, they pass the squat test easily. The very high, wide waistband doesn’t roll down, and has a secret pocket on the inside for a card or a key. The Align comes in various lengths, from 17in to 28in, and sizing is inclusive (UK 4 to 24). Yes, they are expensive, but are you even a yogi until you’ve complained about the price of Lululemon leggings?

We’ve been on the lookout for eco-friendly leggings that are comfy and stretchy rather than restrictively tight, and have a high waist that doesn’t roll down or slide slowly southwards – a combination that’s rarer than hen’s teeth. Made from breathable and naturally sweat-wicking bamboo viscose, these seamless, non-see-through leggings are incredibly comfortable, and crucially, the waistband stayed put for us. This all-too-uncommon feature puts these leggings among our top picks.

These super-high-rise waist-sculpting leggings score high on the stay-put scale. The breathable, sweat-wicking fabric is squat-proof and non-shiny, with mild compression. At less than half the price of Lululemons these leggings are excellent value, and they’re made with recycled ECONYL yarn – a win for both your bank balance and the environment.

Smooth and matte with just the right amount of support, these are among our all-time favourite leggings. The flattering seams combined with the practical pockets make them ideal for both on and off the mat.

They’re available in a wide range of earthy and muted tones. Unlike many of the leggings sold by other brands, these ones are made with recycled polyester sourced from post-consumer waste. And the cherry on top is that Tentree plants 10 trees for every pair you buy.

While we love both BAM’s supportive Enduro leggings and the super-soft Balance leggings for yoga, they’re at the extreme ends of the support scale. So we were excited to try these happy-medium leggings made with Mallea, a new type of fabric that was developed specifically for yoga. It’s very stretchy and soft, breathable and offers a perfectly balanced amount of support, especially around the waist.

These compressive leggings are soft to the touch and breathable. They also offer Sweaty Betty’s famed bum-sculpting ability and feature flattering seams. The high-rise waist has a hidden drawstring for extra staying power and there’s a useful phone-sized pocket on the leg. You’ll find plenty of colours and prints to choose from, too.

LA brand Alo Yoga has a cult following that includes the likes of Gigi Hadid and Taylor Swift – both have been papped in the “studio-to-street” yoga wear. Although pricier than the Lululemon Align, Alo Yoga’s Airlift Leggings are proving popular since they’re bang on trend with a high waist and minimal seams, and are made with soft, fine fabric with a slight sheen to it. Although the luxe fabrics aren’t recycled, Alo calls itself “eco aware”, uses low-water dyes and has earned a WRAP certification for its ethically run factories. The Insta-ready Airlifts – available in full length and 7/8 styles – come in a core collection of earthy tones, with limited-edition runs in more unusual colours. 

The Seattle-based luxe sportswear brand is serious about sustainability and transparency with information on the production process on its website. Who knew you could turn waste products from dyes into paving stones? So of course, this pair is made from recycled plastic, and the fabric is lightweight, extra soft, matt and squat-proof. As well as being super-high-waisted, they have a small back pocket and come in a range of earthy tones.

If you’re all about the boot cut, you’ll love these oh-so-flattering boot-cut leggings from studio-to-street brand Alo Yoga. Although Alo makes a full-length version, some people – particularly those smaller in stature – find they get in the way during their yoga practice, in which case these 7/8 flares are perfect.

The original Good Karma leggings with their wide, ribbed waistband are just as popular as ever, and they’re now available with two slip-in pockets. Perfect for stashing your essentials and heading off for the sunrise mountaintop yoga sesh of your dreams… or just for brunch with friends after yoga.

A steal at £16.99, these leggings from Decathlon tick all the right boxes. Seamless, stretchy and comfortable, they have a high waistband and a subtle pattern. Some reviewers say the lighter-coloured leggings can be see-through, so give them the squat test before you rip the labels off.

The Best Yoga Pants

Lightweight, stretchy and soft, with a mid-rise waist and side pockets, these yoga pants are very similar to Sweaty Betty’s Gary yoga pants – they’re even made of a similar blend of polyester and elastane – but cost less than a third of the price. The tapered legs with well-placed seams and cuffed ankles give wearers a flattering silhouette – we may never take them off! Currently they are available in black and in one leg length only.

These are great for those days when you’re not in the mood to be squeezed. The super-soft and stretchy bamboo blend is moisture-wicking and antibacterial, while clever tailoring makes the waistband stay flat on your waist without gripping you like a python. Roomy, with deep pockets and a flattering drape, they may be designed for yoga but they’re also eminently suitable for lounging on the sofa.

A Sweaty Betty classic. The Gary Yoga Pants have legions of fans, although the newest version does differ from the original in that it’s made from thinner material with a slight sheen. The slouchy fit works well with the mid-rise waistband and tapered leg that ends in a fitted cuff. The pants come in a range of colours and there’s a choice of two leg lengths, so you can find the perfect fit.

Give yourself room to move in these supremely cosy pants. The organic cotton and Lycra blend is soft and comfortable against the skin, although not the most effective at wicking sweat. Urban Goddess uses stamps rather than annoying labels so there’s nothing to rub against your skin during your practice. The wide waistband is gathered at the sides, for a flattering fit, and the generous slouchy cut and long tapered cuffs are a vibe.

More Of Our Favourite Leggings

• Make sure the workhorses of your running wardrobe are thoroughbreds with our picks of the best running leggings
• Our pick of the best gym leggings for women who won’t sacrifice support for style

Once, before COVID-19, only people who had seriously caught the yoga bug considered buying their own mat – beginners could just use one of their studio’s communal mats. Now that we’re all using yoga apps to practise at home, more people may be persuaded to buy their own – but don’t fall into the trap of thinking you have to have one.

We asked Hannah Barrett, who teaches through her eponymous app for her advice. She said you don’t need one to practise yoga, and which to choose is down to the individual – it’s not as if one type of mat is especially well suited to a specific type of practice. 

“I prefer a thin mat so I can feel the ground beneath me and so it’s easier to carry around,” says Barrett. “If you have sensitive knees then a thicker mat is a good idea, or use a rolled-up blanket under the knees. Alignment lines can be useful for beginners to use as a prompt when needed, and one thing to note for those who love hot yoga is using a yoga towel over your mat reduces the chance of slipping. A towel will also prolong the life of the mat.”

If you decide you’d like a mat to practise on, browse our picks to find one that meets your preferred combination of thickness, grip, material, portability and price.

And if you find your normal workout wear is getting in the way, try options from our selections of the best yoga clothing for men and best yoga leggings for women.

The Best Yoga Mats

To their credit, yoga brands are more concerned about their environmental impact than most, and many mats are now biodegradable. Yogi Bare is next-level though: not only will it accept its mats back to recycle into playground surfacing and give you 15% off your next one, it will accept any mat made from PU rubber. Top marks.

The Paws is a great mat, with helpful alignment markings and a firm-gripping surface. We can’t emphasise that last part enough. We may not be advanced yogis but found you can push through your hands in downward-facing dog with no fear of slipping. Even at 4mm thick, we still found it stable enough to move confidently through one-foot balance poses. Unlike other mats, there’s no aroma either.

Towards the thicker end of the spectrum, this high-end mat was gentle on our knees, and that was on the non-slip side – flip it over and the rubber base is even softer. The flip side of a mat this thick is that it’s chunky when rolled, so it’s unlikely you’d want to lug it to a studio, but it’s ideal for home use. The textured rubber base stayed put on a rug, but did have the tendency to move on hard floors. We weren’t going anywhere, though, and found there was no danger of slipping during intermediate vinyasa. Even after a few years, a strong rubber smell remains, which we don’t mind, but some might. 

This brand has a pro mat that is in the same ballpark – quality- and cost-wise – as Liforme, so it’s nice to see a more affordable option designed for beginners. The textured surface means there’s plenty of grip and at 5mm thick it’ll go easy on your knees too. Its eco credentials are all in order and it’s light enough to transport easily.

This mat may be expensive, but boy does it deliver bang for its buck. Boasting the “grippiest material available on Earth” even when wet, it should see serious yoga warriors through all types of practices. The alignment map in the design works as a navigational guide to help develop your skills and with a few inches more than your average yoga mat, it gives you the space to move freely. It’s also PVC-free and biodegradable, and there’s a neat carry bag included.

It also comes with Barrett’s seal of approval. “I love Liforme mats and use the regular mat when I need a little extra padding – it’s so thick and lovely – and the travel one for everyday use.”

French sports retailer Decathlon brings its affordable ethos to yoga with a new collection of clothes, props and, of course, a wide range of mats. As we learned at the launch, the French lean towards gentler styles like Yin and looser clothing, while the UK tends towards figure-hugging garments and dynamic disciplines like vinyasa. This 3mm mat is suited to the latter, with a rubber base to keep the mat in place and a top layer that will absorb sweat and aid grip. There are alignment marks too to keep you in line while you flow quickly from pose to pose.

Portability is the star feature of this mat, which can be folded into a neat little package (quoted as 16.5cm x 34cm x 5.5cm, but we got something like 15cm x 30cm x 10cm with an imperfect fold) and secured with the attached strap so it fits into a backpack. Of course, portability isn’t the only thing the mat offers: there’s no point carrying around a terrible or tiny mat no matter how easy it is – and the Carry Onwards is large enough to accommodate even taller yogi (even gangly six-footers like us will have no problems), with microfibre texture that provides all the grip you need for your flow.

If comfort and support are top of your list, look no further than this 10mm-thick mat. You may wonder why all mats aren’t this luxuriously thick, but it’s because it can make standing poses feel less stable. Of course, if you plan on indulging in only a bit of gentle yoga that’s not so much of an issue. The Meglio mat rolls up into a fairly small package, and it comes with a strap you can loop on to make it easy to carry around. It’s quite the bargain too, although it’s made from synthetic rubber so it’s not as environmentally friendly as our other recommendations.

There are a lot of reasons to make yoga part of your exercise routine, but one that you may not have considered is that it can help you get to sleep. We’re not talking about challenging inversions or hot yoga, where you’ll be sweating way too much to get sleepy, but instead the gentler side of yoga, which can encourage stillness and a calmer mind.

“There are a number of gentle movements and postures that are accessible to almost anyone, and can even be done while lying in bed,” says Kelsey Ravlich, a yoga instructor who’s on the Livekick app, which allows you to practise with a private yoga instructor (or work out with a PT) over a video call.

“Many people say that taking an evening yoga class helps them sleep better, but if you can't make it to the studio after work, here are four yoga poses and one breathing exercise to help with getting to sleep.

“Each of these poses can be held for as long as ten minutes, and should be maintained for at least five deep inhales and exhales. The goal of this practice is for you to start feeling calmer, more comfortable and more optimistic.”

Child’s pose (Balasana)

“This pose is a forward bend and mild inversion,” says Ravlich. “It’s wonderful for releasing tension and letting go. Feel your forehead against the mat and allow your weight to press into the floor.

“Start on your hands and knees with your knees directly under your hips and your wrists directly under your shoulders. Open your knees wider than hip-distance apart, and bring your big toes together. Move your hips back to sit on your open feet – or as close to your feet as possible – and walk your hands forwards until your forehead comes to rest on the floor.

“This is an easy pose you can do in bed. A pillow underneath your forehead is a great, comfy way to help shorten the distance between you and the mattress or the floor. If your hips are feeling tight and it’s challenging to bring them all the way back to meet your heels, slide a blanket between your hips and heels.”

See related

• How To Breathe Your Way To A Better Night’s Sleep
• Yoga For Beginners: The Benefits Of Yoga And How To Get Started
• A Beginner’s Guide To The Different Types Of Yoga

Bridge and supported bridge pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

“Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground,” says Ravlich. “Ensure that your knees are hip-width apart and pointed directly up. Your arms should be by your sides and your palms pressing gently into the floor.

“Gently engage your glutes, press your feet into the floor and lift your hips into the air. This part is not necessary, but to further open your chest you can walk your hands towards each other underneath your hips and clasp them together. Either hold the pose here, or continue to return your hips to the floor and then back into the air.

“You can make this pose feel a bit more supported by placing a block, a pile of pillows or a stack of books underneath your sacrum [at the base of your spine].”

Reclined bound angle pose (Baddha Konasana)

“When we’re anxious, we often take quick, shallow breaths from our chest instead of from our diaphragm,” says Ravlich. “This can increase symptoms of anxiety and make your mind race when you want it to be shutting down. Sometimes, simply shifting our attention to your breath can make all the difference. Plus, since this is a great hip-opener, you’ll be more focused on the level of relative discomfort of your hips, especially if you’ve been sitting all day long. Be gentle with yourself as you encourage each inhalation and exhalation to be slightly fuller, deepening this stretch.

“Begin by setting up a tower of pillows – one or two stacked on top of each other and one perpendicular to create a T shape. Take a seat at the base of the T and bring the soles of your feet together, creating a basic bound angle pose. Keep your feet together and lean your torso backwards onto your pillows, allowing your arms to rest at your sides or on your hips.”

Legs up the wall pose (Viparita Kirani)

“If you don’t feel like bending forwards or backwards, this is the pose for you,” says Ravlich. “In Sanskrit, this pose is called Viparita – “inverted” – Karani – “in action”. The name proclaims its ability to invert our daily actions of sitting and standing.

“There is no non-awkward way to get into this one. Place your feet against a wall and use that leverage to wiggle your hips towards the wall until your hips are resting against it. Straighten your legs so that as much of your heels, calves, hamstrings and glutes as possible are against the wall. If you aren’t happy with where you end up on the wall, you can always shift your hips closer or further away.”

Four-part breathing

“Yogic breathing exercises are really excellent to work on while lying in bed, trying to quiet your mind and fall asleep,” says Ravlich. “Four-part breathing, sometimes called square breathing, is easy to remember and a great go-to.”

“Start by taking one mindful breath in and out. From that exhalation, your four-part breathing begins. Inhale a large belly breath through your nose to the count of four. When you get to the top, lock in that breath and hold it for a count of four. Then slowly release that breath through your nose, exhaling for a count of four. Finally, hold at the bottom of that exhalation, when you have no air left, for a count of four. Repeat this three times as a minimum to begin to notice a calming effect.”

If you’re a runner and you’re not already doing yoga, you’ll be amazed at how much you benefit from adding it to your schedule. Whether you’re an experienced marathoner or someone who enjoys a couple of 5Ks each week, yoga is a brilliant way to support your body, and it’s likely you’ll enjoy some mental benefits from it as well.

We asked Doug Robson, trainer on audio-led fitness app WithU, for a simple routine runners could do to ease their aching muscles after a run.

Post-Run Yoga Routine

“Move through the poses at a gentle pace, holding each pose for at least two minutes,” says Robson. “Inhale and exhale deeply throughout, and take each stretch deeper as your body warms up and loosens. Work through the sequence twice.” Do moves 2 to 4 on the right side the first time round, then on the left side on the second pass.

1 Downward-facing dog

How “Begin on all fours with your knees slightly behind your hips, and your hands stacked under your shoulders with your fingers spread out wide,” says Robson. “Inhale as you press your hands into the mat, tuck your toes under your feet, push your knees off the floor and send your hips back as you straighten your legs. Relax your neck and the muscles in your face, and elongate your back through your shoulders and arms. Try to lift your hips higher as you inhale deeply, pressing your heels and palms into the floor on a long exhale. Stay here for several minutes, pedalling more deeply into the legs as the muscles loosen.”

Why “This stretches the hips, hamstrings, calves and achilles as well as the back and shoulders. After using just one plane of movement for hours while running, this pose helps to release the build-up of lactic acid and cortisol from the muscle tissue, as well as creating space in the joints.”

2 Crescent lunge

How “From the downward-facing dog position, lift your right leg and then carefully place the foot between your hands, soften your back knee and bring your arms up to vertical,” says Robson. “Hold this position, and take deep breaths. If needed, steady any wobbling by resting a hand gently on your front thigh. For a more intense stretch, place one hand on the floor in front of you and reach back with the other hand to take hold of your back foot for a deeper quad stretch and to open up your hip flexors more. Hold this lunge for one minute.”

Why “Lunges are a runner’s best friend. This variation gives access to the hip flexors and the quadriceps, which are key for running and are under stress during a run because each stride shortens the hip flexors. This pose is also great for any knee stiffness you may be feeling after a run.”

See related

• Yoga For Runners: Five Moves To Help You Recover After Long Runs
• The Best Yoga Mats
• The Best YouTube Videos For Post-Run Stretches And Yoga Routines
• Pilates Stretches for Runners

3 Half front splits pose

How “From your lunge, move your right foot forwards, and rest your back leg’s knee on the floor,” says Robson. “Move your hips to stack over your left knee and straighten your front leg – stretch so you feel it but avoid causing pain. Flex your toes and place your hands under your shoulders on the floor or, if you require, on blocks. Make sure your kneecap is pointing up, with a slight bend in your knee to prevent hyperextension. To deepen the stretch, slowly walk your hands towards your feet. Hold this pose for one minute.”

Why “We want to open your hips and lengthen your hamstrings, all of which will be sore after the run. Opening up the hamstrings prevents tightness and pain in the lower back too – keep the front foot flexed to activate the hamstrings.”

4 Pigeon

How “From your half front splits pose, bend at your front knee then lean forwards and put both hands on the floor. Bring your front leg to the floor and across so your right knee is behind your right wrist and your right ankle is behind your left wrist – or as close to it as possible if you are a little tight,” says Robson. “Draw your chest forwards and extend your left leg further back. If you feel any knee pain or discomfort, do this pose on your back with your ankle over the left thigh instead. Hold for two minutes.”

Why “This pose allows all the muscles and tendons linked to the pelvis – particularly the glutes, psoas and IT band – to release and lengthen. These are all likely to be tight from the impact of your run, so hold this pose for as long as you’re comfortable, breathing deeply into the hardest parts.”

Trying anything for the first time is daunting, but yoga can feel especially intimidating. You’ll normally start in front of other, more practised, people in a class and the movements are likely to be quite alien to what you’ll have seen or tried before – far more so than with something like running or lifting weights.

However, as in most other sports and hobbies, no-one is going to look down on you for taking a bit of time to get to grips with yoga when you start out. And it really is worth starting, because yoga is great for body and soul in all sorts of ways.

To help introduce you to yoga, we enlisted Annie Clarke, Lululemon yoga ambassador and creator of yoga, recipe and lifestyle website Mind Body Bowl, to discuss the benefits and provide some tips on where to begin, including guides to some of the most common poses you’re likely to try in your first few lessons.

What are the benefits of yoga?

“The physical practice, known as asana, can build strength and flexibility, aiding the body in our day-to-day activities and helping to reduce the likelihood of certain injuries,” says Clarke. “While your first yoga class may actually leave you feeling stiff as new movement patterns test muscles that you might not normally use, you will feel the positive impact of the practice fairly quickly. The same goes for your mind. While it can be frustratingly hard to switch off at first, the eventual calming of the mind can be pretty powerful, and this gets easier to achieve.”

Are there any common mistakes beginners make?

“Getting frustrated at being ‘bad’,” says Clarke. “There really is no such thing as bad. We all arrive to yoga with different backgrounds. The person on your right might be a gymnast or martial artist, and the person in front might have undergone hip surgery. The bottom line is that everyone's bodies are going to move in different ways. This doesn't make any of it right or wrong, or good or bad. If you find yoga difficult to begin with, understand that this is perfectly normal and, over time, you will start to feel more comfortable with it.

“Also, there are many different teachers and styles of practising yoga. If a class really isn't for you, don't give up completely. Keep looking around, try different classes and teachers, and over time you might find something you love.”

What clothes and equipment are useful to have as a beginner?

“The only thing that really matters is that you are comfortable in your class,” says Clarke. “Wearing clothes which provide as few distractions as possible will help you to stay focused without worrying about your top riding up or bottoms falling down. For guys I recommend something breathable which allows a wide range of motion.

“Don't be shy when using props. Blocks and straps are really beneficial when it comes to helping the pose fit your body, rather than forcing your body into a pose.”

Do you have advice for people who might be nervous about turning up at a class as a complete beginner?

“Everyone was a beginner once,” says Clarke. “It doesn't matter if you can't do it all, or you get confused halfway through. Just try your best to remain open-minded and listen to your body – never push yourself to injury just to keep up with the class. No-one is looking at you, and if they are, it’s probably because they’ve got no clue what is going on either!”

See related

• The Best Men’s Yoga Clothing
• Four Unexpected Benefits Of Yoga
• Yoga Poses To Help You Sleep

Six Yoga Poses For Beginners

Clarke is featured in a free five-part series of videos for beginners which is available on the Lululemon YouTube channel. The first video “Learning The Basics” covers some of the poses you’re most likely to encounter during a yoga session, so you can try them by yourself if you’d like to turn up to a class with more of an idea of what to expect. Often these poses are combined into a similar sequence – for example a sun salutation or a vinyasa – which are demonstrated in the video.

Mountain pose/standing pose

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart (or, alternatively, with your feet together and toes touching). Spread your weight equally over both feet. Try to lengthen your spine, as if something is pulling you up through the top of your head. Bring your arms up over your head, lengthening all the way up to the fingers.

Chair pose

From a mountain pose, sink your hips back as if you are sitting in an invisible chair, lengthening through your navel, lifting your chest and raising your arms diagonally.

Plank

Supporting yourself on your hands and toes, form a straight line from the top of your head to the heels, keeping your core engaged. Place your knees on the floor if that’s more comfortable. Push the floor away with your hands so you round the upper back.

Cobra or upward-facing dog

From a plank position bring your elbows in to your waist and sink down to the floor, dropping your knees first or lowering in one long line. To move into the cobra position, keep your legs on the floor, lift your chest and head up. Or, to adopt upward-facing dog, lift your thighs and your knees off the floor, straighten your arms and lift your chest higher. For both poses, your shoulders should draw down the back of the body and your core should be supporting your weight.

Downward-facing dog

From a plank position, raise your hips and push them back so you form an inverted V shape with your body. Set your feet a little wider than hip-width apart and adjust your hands so you’re comfortable. This pose isn’t about getting your heels on the ground, but rather about lengthening the spine.

Warrior one

From downward-facing dog, step one of your feet forwards between your palms. Your hips should be square and facing forwards. Raise your arms over your head alongside your ears, and put your back heel on the ground. This last part can feel uncomfortable on the backs of your legs, so it’s OK to lift your heel away from the ground or place a block or something else below your back foot if it helps you to stabilise. The toes on your front foot should be facing forwards. Think about drawing your lower ribs in towards each other so you’re not collapsing into your lower back.

Here’s the thing about great yoga clothing – it’s really not just for yoga. The comfortable, casual menswear that’s best for practising yoga is also great to wear when in the gym, relaxing at home, travelling – in fact, if you opt for some of the smarter gear available, pretty much anywhere.

First and foremost though, it’s important to make sure your yoga gear is fit for purpose, in that it allows you the freedom to move on the yoga mat. Here are our five favourite brands for yoga gear for men and a few of our top picks from their ranges to consider.

Lululemon

To truly express yourself on the yoga mat you need shorts that are loose and elastic enough that they don’t limit your movements, but also don’t ride up when you go into inverted positions. Lululemon’s In Mind shorts are made with stretchy, quick-drying fabric and have a stay-put hem to protect your modesty.

If you prefer to wear trousers during yoga, you can pick up some incredibly adaptable bits of gear that are great in and out of the studio. These pants are comfortable and sweat-wicking, but also have zipped pockets (including two on the back) and are subtly styled so you can wear them to and from the studio too.

This sweat-wicking, odour-resistant tank has a loose but not flappy fit that’s great for yoga, and it’s also suitable for all other kinds of training.

Decathlon

You’ll notice from this list that a lot of yoga gear shares a few key features. One of these, unfortunately, is a high price. That’s where Decathlon comes in with its wallet-friendly range of yoga gear, which includes this tight-fitting tank that will keep your torso under wraps during inverted moves.

These shorts are lightweight and stretchy, and the legs are cut to prevent revealing anything untoward during your most adventurous poses. And less than a tenner!

Nike

The extra long back hem on this vest provides cover as you contort yourself on the mat, and the side vents ensure you’re not restricted during your routine. The Dri-FIT fabric is the same stuff used in Nike’s running and training gear, and is designed to keep you dry and cool even as you start to work up a sweat.

There are both trousers and tights available in Nike’s yoga range, with the former earning our vote thanks to the roomy gusset for a greater range of movement than we’ve come to expect. At the other end of the trousers, the tapered legs ensure there’s no annoying flapping of fabric during your session.

BAM

No seams means more comfort, and this tight top also works as a base layer for all manner of other sports beyond yoga. It has thumb holes to help ensure the sleeves stay in place, and it wicks sweat away and dries quickly. Bamboo is also naturally resistant to odours, so if you enjoy a more intense style of yoga where sweat is invariably on the agenda, it’s a great option.

The tapered legs and long ankle cuff on these ultra-comfortable pants are key to ensuring they stay in place during your flow, and the bamboo fabric is as stretchy as it is soft, so your movements will be uninhibited.

Manduka

The perfect amount of layers for yoga shorts is two, as exemplified by Manduka’s Dyad shorts. The tight, quick-drying inner layer provides support, while the outer layer protects your modesty and contains a couple of handy pockets. The outer layer on the Dyad shorts is also cut close to the thigh so they stay in place even when you thrust your legs into the air.

The fabric used for this tee feels smooth and cool to the touch, which makes it extremely pleasant to wear for yoga, a weights session, or indeed just out and about. The fit is relaxed but the tee tapers a little towards the waist so it won’t hang loose or ride up during yoga.

Warrior Addict

If the only thing stopping you from pulling off a perfect handstand is the fear that your tee or tank will slide down and reveal your torso to the world, then get this clever top that stays in place even when you’re upside down. And even if you have no intention of ever attempting a handstand, then you should still try this top, because the hidden elasticated band stops the tank from riding up in any inverted yoga pose. And it’s made from a soft, stretchy and sweat-wicking material that’s well suited to energetic flows.

Picking a colour is about more than just style with these sweatpants, because the grey version is made from a heavier weave that’s better for slow yoga sessions and, well, lounging, while the blue pants use a lighter fabric that you’ll be glad of during sweatier sessions. Both are made using leftover cuts from Warrior Addict’s other clothes, a laudable idea that’s part of the brand’s zero-waste initiative.

This two-layer pair will both protect your modesty during inverted poses and keep you comfortable down there – the stretchy lower layer is sweat-wicking, plus it’s made from an anti-bacterial fabric to stop unpleasant odours building up. The top layer is made from recycled plastic bottles, which is a nice touch.

It takes only a couple of guided sessions to start to appreciate the benefits of yoga. You can easily find video sessions online or tackle on-demand classes through yoga apps, but if you are new to yoga there is something to be said for live instruction to make sure you understand the poses you’re attempting.

In the first three months of 2021, you’ll be able to get that without leaving your house or paying a penny, because men’s yoga brand Warrior Addict is putting on a series of classes aimed at beginners.

Three of the sessions will take place on Zoom, so you can get feedback from a yogi, with a further six classes released on YouTube so you can hone your technique in your own time.

The programme has been put together by yogi Joa Gomez, who is keen to stress that anyone can take part.

“You don’t need to have practised yoga before – we welcome everyone,” says Gomez. “Expect the classes to be a little challenging, but they are accessible even if you are a complete beginner.”

That said, if you have some experience there are still good reasons to join the series.

“It is also a brilliant refresher course even if you have been practising yoga for a while,” says Gomez. “It’s always good to revisit your foundations and you will be joining a new community of like-minded people.”

See related

• A Beginner’s Guide To The Different Types Of Yoga
• The Best Yoga Mats
• The Best Men’s Yoga Clothing
• The Best Yoga Apps
• How To Do Downward-Facing Dog

If you do complete the course, which starts on Monday 4th January and runs until Sunday 20th March, you can look forward to a host of benefits.

“You can expect to develop your strength, flexibility, mind/body balance and endurance,” says Gomez. “Yoga teaches you how strong your mind can be in controlling what your body can do. This mind/body control is useful for everything that you do.”

You can see the full schedule for the Zoom sessions and YouTube classes below. Every one takes place or is released at 7.30pm. Sign up on the Warrior Addict website to receive links to each session.

• Monday 4th January – live Zoom intro class
• Saturday 9th January – first class released on YouTube
• Saturday 23rd January – second class released on YouTube
• Monday 1st February – live Zoom class
• Saturday 6th February – third class released on YouTube
• Sunday 20th February – fourth class released on YouTube
• Monday 1st March – live Zoom class
• Saturday 6th March – fifth class released on YouTube
• Sunday 20th March – sixth class released on YouTube

Sign up to the Warrior Addict Yoga Challenge | Free

Could there be a better time to try yoga? With more time spent in the home, and numbers restricted at gyms and studios, yoga is the type of exercise that you can do every day without wrecking your joints (*stares at HIIT*). The stretching and lengthening can help if you’ve found yourself working from home with a substandard desk set-up and are even more sedentary than usual. And the relaxing, controlled movement and focus on deep breathing can help you unwind from the stress of 2020.

It’s not just beginners who can benefit from downloading a yoga app, either. All levels are catered for among the extensive range of apps out there, which can provide a flow to follow whenever you have a spare moment. There’s even a service that offers a virtual one-on-one session with a teacher if you’re looking to be stretched beyond what a pre-recorded video can provide. So order yourself a yoga mat and try one of these apps.

Pocket Yoga

There are 27 routines to follow on this app, which uses an animated figure to guide you through the poses. One handy feature is that you can play your own music through the app, rather than having to listen to the relaxing zen-by-numbers soundtrack that accompanies most routines in yoga apps. Even better is the library of over 200 yoga poses you can use any time to better your understanding on the correct posture.

Download from App Store and Google Play | £2.99

See related

• The Best Yoga Mats
• Yoga For Beginners: The Benefits Of Yoga And How To Get Started
• The Best Mindfulness Apps
• The Best Health And Fitness Apps

Daily Yoga

There’s a dizzying array of classes on this app, but you don’t have to suffer daily decision fatigue – they’re threaded together into courses to follow and there’s even a Smart Coach feature that will just recommend a new class each time. A very limited selection of short classes are available for free and they’re well hidden (on iOS, go to Add Courses and filter by “free”), but the seven-day programme Easy Yoga For Complete Beginners of ten-minute sessions will give you a sense of whether it’s right for you.

Download from App Store and Google Play | Free, premium £20.49 a month, £48.99 a year

Yoga Studio

The free Essentials collection of classes is a great way to get into the practice and see if you get along with this app, with ten beginner classes, 11 intermediate and nine advanced. The paid-for sessions certainly appeal to us, with other collections focusing on healthy knees, mental health, back pain, sleep and mobility. And if you’re looking to get into meditation alongside yoga, there are guided sessions for that as well.

Download from App Store and Google Play | Free, premium £9.99 a month, £69.99 a year

Bulldog Yoga

All bodies can benefit from the physical movements of yoga, but some minds just don’t get on with the trappings of it. Bulldog provides an alternative, centred around a pumping pop soundtrack. In a departure from other apps on this list, the video demonstrations aren’t one person against a white background but a teacher with a class. It adds to the already lively experience, although we found the teacher’s instructions can compete with a song’s lyrics at times to the detriment of both.

Bulldog does offer programmes, but it’s not as slick an experience as you’ll find elsewhere. Plans take the form of a PDF with links emailed to you. One real plus point, for us at least, is that there’s a browser-based option so we could upgrade from streaming sessions on our phone’s meagre screen to our laptop’s. There’s a 30-day trial to get you started, but try a couple of YouTube videos to see if you like the style before sharing your payment details.

Download from App Store and Google Play | £10.45 a month

Fiit

The Fiit app contains video workouts divided up into three sections: Cardio, Strength and Rebalance. In the latter you’ll find a host of great yoga routines led by well-known instructors like Cat Meffan. The routines are rated by difficulty and you can choose between 25- and 45-minute long sessions.

Download from App Store and Google Play | £19.99 a month, £44.99 a quarter, £119.99 a year | FIIT review

HelloYoga

Even the best video classes can’t match the experience of having a one-on-one yoga session where the instructor can ensure that you’re in exactly the right position with each pose you adopt. Of course, such sessions are very expensive if you do them in person – but with HelloYoga you can get a private yoga session via video link-up, and while it’s much pricier than the other apps on this list, it’s still a bargain compared with booking an hour with an instructor in the real world.

The subscription model for HelloYoga involves picking the amount of sessions you’d like each month: it’s £39 for two, £69 for four and £89 for six. There’s also a seven-day free trial available at the moment. Once you’re signed up you can book a session with an instructor based on your current level and other preferences, and away you go. All you need is reliable Wi-Fi, a video connection and enough space to get your flow on.

Download from App Store | From £39 a month

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Yoga For Beginners

A free and really simple app that contains 15 short yoga routines that are rated by difficulty and how many calories they burn. There are several great options for beginners, as you’d expect from the name of the app, and all the routines are under 15 minutes long, so you can fit one in to even the busiest of days.

Download from App Store and Google Play | Free

For reasons that we don’t need to go into, we’re all about to start avoiding gyms, yoga studios and anywhere else where we train in a confined space with other people. If you’re an experienced gym-goer or yogi with a well-equipped space at home, that’s not a major problem, but if you’re not sure what you’re doing then home workouts are a less appealing proposition.

That’s especially true for yoga newbies, because it’s something that’s best done under supervision to ensure you’re adopting the right poses in the right way for the right amount of time.

Fortunately new yoga app HelloYoga is here to help – and for free, if you’re one of the first 500 people to sign up for the app using the not-at-all-ghoulish code HELLOISOLATION. That will entitle you to six free one-on-one sessions with a yoga instructor on the app, which would normally set you back £89.

See related

• The Best Yoga Mats
• The Best Yoga Apps
• A Beginner’s Guide To The Different Types Of Yoga

On HelloYoga you can book one-on-one video sessions with experienced yoga instructors, who will guide you through your flow with the kind of attention you can only get in personal instruction. It’s a particularly good option if you’re not a fan of being corrected by yoga teachers and don’t enjoy having to tell them.

All you need is space to practise, a laptop with a camera or an iPad or iPhone (sorry Android owners, there’s no Google Play app yet), and a reliable Wi-Fi connection. You have to provide your card details as part of the sign-up process, so you’ll need to remember to cancel once you’ve used the free sessions to avoid being charged – using the calendar on the device to set a reminder is a smart move. If you find that the service is a revelation you’ll happy pony up for, subscriptions cost £39 for two sessions, £69 for four sessions and £89 for six sessions.

Sign up on HelloYoga | Download from App Store | Use code HELLOISOLATION for six free sessions

It’s fair to say that to the uninitiated, all yoga classes look the same. The exception is Bikram, because even a yoga novice will notice the temperature being ramped up to 40°C.

However, the differences between distinct practices shouldn’t be underestimated, and that’s the major reason you should try a few different types when you first get into the practice. You might find one type of yoga off-putting for whatever reason but love another, and they all provide benefits to the body and mind when practised regularly.

To help you get a quick overview, here’s Diana Wright, Beachbody master trainer, with a rundown of seven common yoga types.

Hatha yoga

The Sanskrit term “Hatha” literally means “sun and moon”, signifying balance. Hatha is an umbrella term covering the more physical forms of yoga, but true Hatha is a softer, gentler style of yoga linking body and breath.

Ashtanga yoga

In Sanskrit, Ashtanga refers to the “eight limb path”. Ashtanga yoga is an advanced form of Hatha yoga and it is highly dynamic, almost gymnastic in nature, so it is physically demanding in terms of both strength and flexibility.

Bikram yoga

Commonly referred to as “hot yoga”, Bikram is named after its controversial creator Bikram Choudhury. It is highly regimented, always using the same poses and teachers learn a standardized script. Typically, it is performed in studios at 40°C and high humidity, so make sure you are hydrated.

Iyengar yoga

Iyengar is named after its founder BKS Iyengar and focuses on the accuracy of poses. It’s slower than other types of yoga: you hold poses for longer periods aiming for quality in each pose, and use props and straps to modify poses to maintain good form.

See related:

• Yoga For Beginners: The Benefits Of Yoga And How To Get Started
• The Best Yoga Apps
• The Best Yoga Mats

Kundalini yoga

Kundalini refers to the latent energy coiled around the base of the spine. Expect breathing exercises, physical postures, chanting and meditation to unlock this energy.

Vinyasa yoga

Meaning “to place in a special way”, Vinyasa yoga is all about flowing movements bringing body and breath together. The continuous movement is linked to the concept of impermanence and focused on process rather than the outcome. This can be more gentle or challenging depending on the instructor.

Yin yoga

Yin yoga originated in China and represents the female side of the universe. This type of yoga is more passive in nature, with participants relaxing in poses for sometimes minutes at a time, and has a more meditative focus..

Beachbody master trainer Diana Wright is supporting the launch of the Beachbody SS19 collection, available to buy on Amazon

Regular stretching is an important part of every runner’s training routine, and most runners know that. However, knowing something and doing it are two different things, and far too many runners will keep putting off stretching until it’s something they basically don’t do at all.

We can understand that, especially when you’re summoning the motivation to stretch straight after a gruelling run when all you want to do is hit the sofa with a bag of crisps and/or a slice of cake. However, stretching is key to helping your body make it through an intense training regime in one piece, especially if you’re preparing for a big event like a marathon, so finding the time to do it is worthwhile.

And it doesn’t have to take a lot of time – five to 15 minutes of stretching done regularly can work wonders. That’s especially true after your long runs, when it’s better to commit just five minutes to a couple of good-quality stretches rather than half-arse your way through five to ten different moves.

You also don’t have to stretch straight after your run to get the benefits. It’s fine to have a shower, eat some food and generally sort yourself out first. Just make sure you do schedule a little time later in the day to stretch.

Not sure what to do? Then this five-move yoga sequence created and explained by Gemma Soul, head of yoga at Psycle London, will help.

“Yoga is an excellent form of exercise for recovery after long runs – even a small amount of movement can go a long way towards getting you to your next starting line, or regaining that bounce in your step,” says Soul.

Try to stay in each stretch for a couple of minutes, and make sure you do all the stretches that work one leg at a time on both sides. At first you might not get quite as deep into the stretches as Soul does in the photos, but do the routine regularly and greater mobility will come.

Downward-facing dog

Why Downward-facing dog is a great move to open the shoulders, lengthen the spine and back, and stretch through the hips, hamstrings, calves and achilles. It’s important when you’ve been firing on all cylinders in one plane of movement to help your body create space in your joints and start to release the lactic acid and cortisol from the muscle tissue.

How Star on all fours, tuck your toes under and lift your knees off the floor. Hike your hips back until your chest and shoulders start to draw up and away from your wrists. Then start to pedal your legs, bending one knee and then the other. It’s important to breathe slowly and deeply, and move slowly – show some compassion for your sore body!

Crescent lunge

Why Lunging helps to stretch the hip flexors and the quads, which work overtime during a long run. Every time you pick up your feet to take a step, it shortens your hip flexors. The impact on the knees from running will probably mean they feel stiff, so starting to get a little more movement in the knee joint is also beneficial.

How From downward-facing dog, lift one leg and then place the foot between your hands, drop your back knee and bring your arms into the air. If you feel a little wobbly then bring your hands onto your front thigh. Stay in this position for a minute or two if you can. If you want to progress, bring one hand down to the floor in front and take hold of your back foot to access your quadriceps and hip flexors even more.

See related :

• The Best YouTube Videos For Post-Run Stretches And Yoga Routines
• Essential Foam Rolling Exercises For Runners
• Pilates Stretches for Runners
• The Best Yoga Mats

Ninja lunge

Why This lunge opens the adductors (inner thighs) and starts to stretch the hamstrings and hips a little more deeply. If you can bear to stay up on the ball of your front foot then you also lengthen the fascia on your sole and stretch the arch of your foot, which has been taking the hit of your bodyweight for the duration of your run.

How From the crescent lunge position, turn to the side and lift your back foot so it’s flexed. Support the pose with your hand on the floor and ease yourself into the stretch, going as deep as you can without causing pain (especially in the bent knee). If you want to take it deeper then start to move your chest a little lower to the floor with an extended spine.

Wide-legged forward fold with bound arms

Why Your posture will have been slightly rounded for a few hours, with your shoulders internally rotating. The weight of your head has also probably been slightly forwards, beyond your centre line, and this will cause a stress on your upper back and neck. This pose allows your spine and neck to lengthen with gravity and binding your arms also allows your chest and shoulders to open. Squeeze your shoulder blades together to make sure your shoulders are drawing, not collapsing, back. Being in a wide-leg stance allows a deeper stretch of the hamstrings and glutes.

How From the ninja lunge, lift your hips and turn your feet so that you are ever so slightly pigeon-toed. If you are very tight then allow your knees to bend slightly but get your weight forwards so you can let go through your upper body. Clasp your hands behind your back, squeeze your shoulder blades together, and lift your arms and shoulders, then take them over your head. Hold a strap or a towel if your shoulders are too strong or tight to clasp your hands together.

Pigeon

Why The pelvis is the centre of your body. Your legs come out of it and your spine up from it, so it is effectively floating in the middle, which means there is a lot of interconnected muscles and connective tissue that keep everything stable. Pigeon pose allows these muscles and tendons to start to release and lengthen, particularly the glutes, psoas [a deep-seated core muscle] and IT band.

How From your forward fold, turn to your front right leg and bring it across so your right knee is behind your right wrist and your right ankle is somewhere behind your left wrist, or under your belly if you are a little tight. Extend your left leg further back and release your chest forwards. If this is painful on your knee, turn onto your back and place your right ankle on your left thigh instead.

Even those who have never spent a single minute in a yoga studio will have heard of downward-facing dog, or adho mukha śvānāsana for those familiar with Sanskrit (hello to you). It’s just about the most well-known yoga pose, but that knowledge doesn’t extend beyond a basic familiarity for most of us, so we enlisted Joey Miles, an ambassador for yoga brand so we flow… and teacher at Ashtanga Yoga Leeds, for more info on the benefits of the downward-facing dog and how to do it.

“In downward-facing dog pose you imitate a dog stretching,” says Miles. “Watch any dog just after it gets out of its basket and you’ll see what I mean. It’s a beneficial pose because it involves the whole body. You learn to bear weight through your arms and shoulder girdle while simultaneously lengthening the spine, and stretching and strengthening the legs. Over time, if done well, it is also calming for the mind.

“Runners find it quickly reduces stiffness in the hamstrings and calf muscles, while those who lift weights find it releases tension in the shoulders and back. But the greatest overall benefit is the freedom it brings to the respiratory diaphragm – put simply, when you breathe deeper you have more energy and feel calmer.”

How To Do Downward-Facing Dog

There is more than one way to skin a cat and that goes for performing downward-facing dog too. Below you’ll find three methods from Miles to try – stick with what works for you.

Method 1

This first method teaches the “standard” distance between the hands and feet.

Start in a top press-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart (if you have tight shoulders go wider) and feet hip-width apart. Your body should form a straight line from the crown of your head to your heels. Engage your core so your body does not dip in the middle.

Without moving your hands or feet, lift your pelvis as high as possible. Press your heels back, and raise your legs without taking your feet off the floor. Push through your arms, spread your fingers and press your palms down. Engage your quadriceps so your kneecaps rise.

Breathe slowly and deeply through your nostrils, and let your abdomen relax. Relax your face and release the hinges of your jaw. Focus on what proportion of your bodyweight is in your arms and your legs. If you are new to the move, aim for 50/50.

Method 2

This method will stretch your calves more and take some pressure out of your shoulders.

Start in the top press-up position as in method 1. Lift your pelvis as high as you can, and notice how the tension in your abdomen releases spontaneously. This time, step your feet forwards toward the hands, approximately 15cm. Your feet should be parallel with your toes pointing straight forwards.

As in method 1, engage your quads and press your thighs back and upwards while simultaneously pressing your heels down.

Keep your thumbs and index fingers grounded as you turn the upper arms out to broaden across your shoulder girdle.

Relax your neck and check your ears are in line with your upper arms. As you breathe in deeply, feel the sides of your ribcage becoming wider. Then as you exhale fully, feel your abdomen release.

See related

• Four Unexpected Benefits Of Yoga
• “Guys Who Do Weights Or Run – Yoga Changes Their Lives”
• Yoga For Runners: Five Moves To Help You Recover After Long Runs

Method 3

Once you know the shape and feeling of the poses above, try this variation.

Place your hands on a table, ideally about the same height as your hips, or alternatively press your hands against a wall at hip height. Bend at your waist and stand with your feet directly under your hips, so your arms and spine form one long line that’s perpendicular to the floor.

Press your thighs back and push forwards through your arms. Now that you have less weight in the shoulders, see if you can create even more length in your waist.

Yoga Can Help Add Muscle

“In the gym we tend to work isolated muscles though pretty linear ranges of motion, which slightly misses a trick,” says Vinyasa yoga teacher and Manduka ambassador Adam Husler (@AdamHusler). “Lay out a supportive yoga mat in your house and through consistent yoga practice, you’ll start to appreciate the benefit of integrating all body parts into particular movements as you naturally begin to build more functional mobility. You’ll develop that sweet balance of flexibility and strength. Over time the injuries will happen less, recovery will be faster and your gym work will begin to have more real-world use.”

RECOMMENDED: “Guys Who Do Weights Or Run – Yoga Changes Their Lives”

Yoga Can Help Sculpt A Six-Pack

“Yoga might not specifically target those surface-level muscles that get you washboard abs, but every pose does bring your awareness to ‘the core of the core’ – the muscles that interact with the pelvis, particularly the psoas,” says Husler. “Once you get to grips with activating these muscles in basic poses you’ll start to engage them as you lift or do calisthenics. To feel what I’m talking about, get in a plank position, then touch your right shoulder with your left hand without moving anything but your arm, then your left with your right. Keep alternating and go slow – no fly-swatting. It’s not as easy as it sounds.”

Yoga Can Help Avoid Injury

“Yoga isn’t a stretching class and as you get more experienced, you’ll understand the subtleties of what’s happening to your body,” says Husler. “As that self-awareness increases you can start to apply it to your gym sessions, your sports and your recovery regime. Yoga got me to engage my core more effectively in boxing bouts and helped me survive an ultramarathon. An extra bonus is that there isn’t any winning at yoga – you just have to do something that’s subjectively hard for you and breathe through it. And sometimes you get to just lie on a bolster, with your legs in the air and sneak in a little nap. Just don’t snore.”

Yoga Can Help You Smarten Up

Practising mindfulness, a form of meditation, could offer a host of mental benefits such as improved memory, accelerated learning and reduced stress, according to research from Harvard Medical School. Scientists compared brain scans of long-term meditators with those of a control group and found that the former “had more grey matter in the frontal cortex, which is associated with working memory and executive decision making”.

If you’re new to mindfulness, it can be tricky to achieve the serene state that allows you to enjoy the full effects. If that’s the case, you may want to take up yoga, which will deliver the mental benefits while also giving you a workout that helps to strengthen your core and reduce your risk of injury.

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You’ll find it difficult to stay mindful if you’re trying to extract your gym shorts from awkward places mid-pose. To fast-track your mental contentment, make sure you’re wearing the right gear.

The new range from yoga specialist Manduka is kind both to the environment (it’s made using a combination of recycled polyester, plant-based material and organic cotton) and to your body.

The Minimalist tank (pictured, £32) is made with a lightweight stretch mesh fabric to aid movement, while the Atman tights (pictured, £72) have contoured flat-locked seams and an elastic waistband to maximise comfort and performance. manduka.com

If you follow the well-trodden path, Valentine’s Day can be a horrendously cliché-ridden affair – an evening of strained conversation in a packed restaurant where chancers try and sell you mangy roses for a fiver a pop.

So this year why not think outside the box when looking for activities to do with your significant other? If you want to connect with your partner in an entirely novel way this Valentine’s Day, try this quick and easy yoga sequence created by Yogi2Me teachers Sarah and Nick.

1. Sit in cross-legged position back to back. Here, just try to connect by acknowledging where on your spine you’re in contact with one another and feeling the breath flowing along both of your spines.

2. Extend your arms and connect palms with thumb pointing up. Twist to the right bending the left arm to open the chest while keeping your arms and shoulder high. Rotate from the root of your spine to the crown of your head. Repeat on the left side.

3. Unfold your legs and sit with knees bent so your feet are flat on the ground. Interlace your elbows and use your feet to press into your partner’s lower back/tailbone. Do this a couple of times, then try to push all the way up to standing.

4. Once you’re up, connect sacrum to sacrum (that’s the large triangular bone at the base of your spine). Raise your hands in prayer to the sky and ask your partner to grab your wrists and fold forwards from the hips while lifting your body. Enjoy a nice backbend!

Yogi2Me is an app that allows you to book fully-qualified yoga teachers for sessions at your home, office, hotel or anywhere you like. Available in the App Store or visit yogi2me.com

RECOMMENDED: “Guys Who Do Weights Or Run – Yoga Changes Their Lives”

When practised correctly, there are all manner of benefits to yoga, ranging from being more flexible to becoming more “at one” with yourself.

However, a couple of headlines claiming that yoga is the key to solving back pain according to a new study are misleading at best, and plain wrong at worst.

The Telegraph opted for “Yoga is the key to relieving long-term back pain, new study suggests”, while Mail Online ran with “If you want to do ease back pain, do some yoga: Practice is twice as good as other exercises at helping discomfort”, both in response to research that did little to back up these claims.

The study was actually a review of past studies on the subject, published online by the Cochrane Library. The review involved 12 studies and 1,080 participants and, unfortunately, its conclusions regarding yoga were hardly as glowing as made out elsewhere.

Overall, the research found some evidence that yoga was better for back pain than doing no exercise, but there was no conclusive evidence that it was any better than doing other exercises designed to help sore backs.

Perhaps even more importantly, the study found that even when yoga improved back pain, it didn't do so by enough to be clinically important. The team behind the research predicted that on a 100-point scale, a 15-point improvement was needed to make a real difference in people's lives. The actual improvement from yoga was around five points.

So there is some evidence that yoga is better for back pain than no exercise (but not by enough to be clinically important) and it’s not proven to be better than other back exercises.

That’s not say yoga should be ignored though, as Susan Wieland of the Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, who led the research, told Reuters Health:

“The lesson for consumers is, if you have chronic low back pain and you're interested in trying yoga, and your doctor agrees, it's worth a try.”

RECOMMENDED: Read This Before Believing Another Newspaper Health Story

Enter Shikari’s sets are about as frenetic and loud as you can get, but does all that jumping about on stage require a body in tip-top condition, or risk burn-out?

Does performing count as a workout?

If that couldn’t be counted then I wouldn’t know what else could be. High-energy performance is something we’ve always done – it’s all about the passion. Even if you look back throughout human history, music and dance are so interlinked, and even getting into the neuroscience of it, as soon as your brain recognises a beat, your motor cortex will start triggering straight away – it will be wanting you to move.

How would you rate your fitness on a scale of one to 10?

I was kind of looking forward to coming off tour, because during the second half of this year I couldn’t get into any sort of routine, so now I’m home I’m trying to focus a bit more and get my fitness up, because it’s dwindled a bit. So I’m maybe a six or seven – I’m not a fitness maniac but I definitely want to get fitter by our next tour. I’m not old, but the older you get, you more you have to keep an eye on the belly…

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What do you do to motivate yourself?

I need that fitness on stage, because there’s lots of different types of vocals I do, but a lot of it is quite high end. It takes a lot of work on the diaphragm and your lungs have got to be full. You’ve got to concentrate on your breathing so you know you can do it, then add in the running around like a headless chicken aspect of it and it becomes quite difficult.

How is your fitness fingerprint unique to you and your career?

It’s difficult to fit it all in. Once you’re at venues there is a bit of time, so I’ll go for a jog. I prefer jogging in any sort of area that’s green – it’s good for your mental health as well, just to be around woods or fields. It’s nice to get that fresh air and clear your head from the inner city business.

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Other than jogging the only other thing I do is yoga before a show. A big part of my job includes being energetic, so I’m quite lucky in that aspect. My girlfriend will get in after working behind a computer all day – it’s really tough because the last thing you want to do is have a workout. 

I get that because when we’re off tour we’re in the studio and we’re sitting behind a computer producing music. It’s a horrible loop to break, so you have to get your willpower up and try to fit something in. Even if you do 10 minutes of something, it’s good. If a lot of people – myself included – can’t fit in an hour then they think it’s just not worth it. I think that’s a really bad headspace to fall into.

Enter Shikari headline Slam Dunk Festival on May 27-29, tickets are available from slamdunkmusic.com

Sore glutes suck – they make walking upstairs an effort and sitting down a chore. So here’s how to relax yours in two simple moves brought to you by Coach’s new yoga teacher, Shona Vertue.

To warm up your glutes, activate them with glute bridges. You can then jump straight into threading the needle, a stretch that will loosen them up and provide that much-needed bum relief so you can crack on with a tension free, happy-arse day.

Glute bridge

1. Lie flat on your back and bring the active-side foot about 30cm away from your bum.
2. Raise your opposite leg and lock it at a 90° angle.
3. Place your weight through the heel on your active-side foot and thrust your hips up as high as possible.
4. Touch your bum (with your hand) on the active side at the top of the move to ensure it is engaged.
5. Repeat 12 times, then switch sides.

Thread the needle

1. Place your foot across your knee, leaving your ankle resting just above the opposite knee, locking your active leg at a 90° angle.
2. Thread your arm through the 90° gap and pull your inactive knee towards your chest.
3. Unless the stretch is strong enough already, push your active knee outwards to increase the intensity.
4. Hold stretch for 15 seconds each side.

The aim of these videos is to provide you quickfire yoga fixes for everyday body problems, but Shona promises that making a daily habit of doing these bum exercises – whether you feel the need to or not – will give you a more powerful and dynamic set of glutes in general. We reckon a scroll through her Instagram will convince you she’s worth listening to – and check out Shona’s website for more brilliant yoga training.

The beauty and terror of Movember, of course, is that everyone starts from scratch: if you’re approaching things properly, there’s no starting early, no trimming the beard into a ’stache – just a clean face on the first and commitment to growing one as badass as Narcos' very own Pablo Escobar. But if you’re ten days in and in need of a growth spurt – like, now – then there’s an unlikely solution at hand: Mo-ga, otherwise known as yoga for your mo. Stay with us, because there is some logic in our lunacy. 

In fact, the logic is threefold: increasing testosterone production and blood flow to the follicles stimulates growth, while staying stress-free allows them to do their job better. Use this short, sharp workout – provided by the creators of workout craze Broga - to do all the above, and as a bonus you’ll grow a set of shoulders to befit a man of your newfound ’stache stature. 

Downward Dog

Get into a press-up position, then bring your hips into the air until your legs are straight and your hips are bent at 90°. Let your head hang down so that you’re looking at your feet. Hold the position for five breaths, rest and repeat once.

Forearm Plank

Get into a plank position with your fingers interlaced, brace your abs and hold for ten breaths.

Dolphin

Start in a forearm plank with your abs tucked in. Next bring your chin in front of your fists, then exhale back and bring your butt in the air with straight legs. Bring the shoulders back past the elbows. Finally, bring your chin back down in front of your fists. Hold for five breaths.

One-Arm Camel

A chest-opener. Start off up on your knees and your toes, then twist around and look back at one of your heels. Firmly drop the palm down onto that heel, press your pelvis up and forward, and drop the shoulder down. Look up at the opposite hand, pushing your pelvis up and visualising an arch in your back. If you’ve got the flexibility, plant the other hand for the full camel.

For the full Broga workout check out broga.uk.com

You're into yoga, has that always been the case?

Not at all. I used to work out a lot in the gym and got pretty hench, but I didn’t focus on my core, breathing, or mind state – all the things that make yoga such an incredible approach to exercise. If anthing, I probably used to leave the gym feeling more aggro and pent-up than when i arrived. Now, with yoga, it's the complete opposite.

How did your first session pan out?

The first time I went I just kept drifting out of the zone. I couldn’t hack it. It was too much for me and I even walked out of the room, which shows what sort of a negative place I was in at the time. I could go to the gym with my friends and it was much easier, but I needed to front up to how I wanted to be and the hard work it would take to achieve that. Over the last few years, I've mellowed out a bit so going to my first session for a while I was far more open-minded and receptive to yoga's underlying principles.

How has yoga postively impacted you?

It’s been a bit of a breakthrough for me. Though the physical side is proving really beneficial in terms of keeping me limber and feeling fresh, it’s more of a mental thing. The gym can be an aggressive environment and I’m quite an aggressive guy, so going was fuelling that as opposed to calming me down. I don’t care about the past anymore either, I believe in adapting your lifestyle and accepting your demons. It’s been all about shedding skin and starting afresh.

If someone had suggested yoga while you were going to the gym what would you have said?

I would have said it’s not for me, but fitness has changed so much recently with new techniques, routines and exercises that it’s no longer just about heavy weights and working on specific muscles, it’s also about core strength and a holistic approach to health. People are getting into different sports too, such as cycling and swimming, whereas back in the 90s it seemed to just be that guys lifted weights and girls did aerobics, and that was about it.

How does yoga help you to cope with the manic lifestyle of a DJ?

Living in the music environment can be pretty toxic. When I did drugs in the earlier stages of my career I didn’t really know what it was doing to me. Yoga brings so much clarity. I now get so much work done because of it and I never thought I’d say it, but it really has rewired me.

Check out Goldie's new yoga clothing range - Yogangster

If this inspired you, then be sure to visit Bikram Yoga to try your first taste of hot yoga.

Photography - http://www.benknightphotography.co.uk

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