
The correct alignment for a yoga class is different than the alignment we’ve gone over for dance class. In this video, certified yoga instructor, Lindsay Danielson, will teach you the correct alignment for yoga class. Your neutral alignment for yoga class is much different from your alignment in a ballet class. In yoga, your feet and hips should be parallel rather than turned out. This is called your anatomical neutral alignment. You want to think about your feet being hip width distance apart, unless you are told otherwise by your instructor. Your toes should be facing forward and your heels should be straight back. All of your joints should be in a line. Think about your ankles, knees, hips and shoulders all be stacked right on top of each other. Your neutral alignment for your arms should be palms forward so you can actively draw your shoulders back away from your ears. The goal should be to draw your belly button to your spine, engaging your core. You also want to have your neck lengthened as you are lifting through the back of your neck. You should have a slight lift under your chin. You should be thinking about this neutral alignment through every move you do in a yoga class. Your spine should be fully elongated as well as your core engaged and fully intact. Being aligned in yoga helps to bring the postures to life and also helps for you to feel more grounded and secure. Being aligned helps for you to execute the move properly and get the most out of your workout. It also helps to prevent injury. If you are practicing a move while you are aligned incorrectly, this type of repetition can cause damage to the joints.