Category Archives: Yoga

Why the seated forward bend feels so hard, how props and surrender help, and why forward bends can feel calming.

How long to hold yoga poses? Chris Lalor, Senior Iyengar Yoga Teacher in Darwin, on why holding a pose is a skill of the mind, how beginners start short, and how to tell when you are overdoing it.

Does alcohol make you stiff? What research shows about alcohol, sugar and stiffness, what the yoga tradition teaches about heavy food, and what Stuart noticed in his handstands.

Do your toes point out like a duck’s? What causes duck feet posture, why Iyengar yoga teaches the feet parallel, why soldiers and squats turn the feet out, and a daily Mountain Pose to change the habit.

Can’t reach your feet? That is what a yoga strap is for. How to use a yoga strap in six poses, why Iyengar yoga uses belts so much, and how to stay safe.

Which health funds cover online yoga classes? What the Teachers Health group confirms, what other funds have not said, the questions to ask, and how Flametree’s live online classes work. Updated 1 October 2026.

Can you claim yoga on private health insurance in Australia? Which funds pay, how much, who can join the specialist funds, the forms, waiting periods and what Flametree’s receipts include. Updated 1 October 2026.

Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana) is a one-leg balance that works the hips hard. Why Iyengar teachers insist on straight legs, what research has measured, and how to learn it with a wall and a block.

Upavistha Konasana (Wide-Angle Seated Pose) stretches the hamstrings and inner thighs. Here is how to do it in three stages with props, what the Iyengar tradition teaches, and what research has and has not tested.

Yoga for pelvic floor: the short answer Leaking when you laugh, sneeze or jump is common, especially after babies and around menopause, and most people never talk about it. Yoga for pelvic floor health can help: a 2024 trial of 240 women found a pelvic yoga programme cut daily leaks by more than two a […]

Yoga for frozen shoulder: the short answer A frozen shoulder can make everyday things hard: doing up a bra, reaching a high shelf, sleeping on that side. Yoga for frozen shoulder may help you keep moving comfortably, but we want to be plain: the research is thin, just a few small studies with mixed results. […]

Yoga for back pain over 50: the short answer After 50, a sore back can start to decide what you do: gardening, grandkids, a long drive, even sleep. Yoga for back pain over 50 can help if it is gentle, uses props and is taught with care. A 2022 review of yoga in people over […]