Tree Pose, Vrksasana

• Stand in tadasana at the top of your mat.

• Bend the right leg, and place the foot at the left ankle, calf, or upper thigh. Never rest the foot directly on the knee.

• Raise your arms towards the sky. Shoulders roll up and down the spin, away from the ears. Shoulder blades come together at the midline.

• Arms slightly externally rotate, meaning that palms begin to face towards the back of the mat.

• Hip points should face out equally in front of you, and your bent knee should extend towards the right.

• Release any unnecessary tension in your neck and face.

• For a challenge, try balancing while closing your eyes, and/or gently swaying your arms like a tree in the wind.

• After you are done, try the pose on the other side to even out the body.

Ashley Binetti received her 200-hour vinyasa yoga teacher training at Saraswatis’s Yoga Joint in Norwalk, CT in 2011. Her favorite pose is Triangle. When she’s not doing yoga, Ashley works as a nonprofit attorney. She is also a MINT Ambassador.

Child’s Pose, Balasana

• This pose is amazing. It is a resting pose in most vinyasa classes (you can take it at any time you need a break during class!), and is also frequently employed in restorative yoga sessions.  If you suffer from anxiety or insomnia, a few minutes of deep, calming breaths in child’s pose really helps support the parasympathetic nervous system and relax your body and mind.

• Bring your knees mat-distance apart, big toes touching.

• Gently fold forward, allowing your heart to sink towards the mat.

• Stretch your arms out in front of you, fingers spread wide and fingertips gently gripping into the mat.

• Forehead rests on the mat.

• Close the eyes.

• Release any unnecessary tension in your neck and face.

Ashley Binetti received her 200-hour vinyasa

Chair Pose, or Utkatasana

• Stand in tadasana.

• Bring the big toes to touch, toes are spread wide and gripping into the mat.

• Sit back, as if you’re sitting into a chair. *Some teachers will tell you to “scoop the tailbone”—this cue is becoming less common. If you’d like to read more about the “scoop” debate—here is one article for your perusal.

• Thighs engage, squeezing towards one another.

• Engage uddiyanabandha, bringing the belly button in and up towards the spine. This is not an instruction to hold the breath. Continue to breathe fully.

• Stretch the arms overhead, looking up between your palms.

• Arms begin to externally rotate, meaning palms begin to face towards the back of the mat.

• Release any unnecessary tension in your neck and face.

Ashley Binetti received her 200-hour vinyasa yoga teacher training at

Cobra, or Bhujangasana

• Start by lying on your stomach. Bend your elbows at 90-degrees, and bring the hands to rest on the mat near the top of your ribs.  Fingertips are spread wide and gripping into the mat.
• Gently press the palms firmly into the mat and lift your torso up, shining your heart towards the ceiling.
• Elbows are hugging in towards the midline, with the shoulders rolling down the back and shoulder blades coming together.
• Gaze a few inches above where your hands are placed, or towards the sky. Whichever is more comfortable for your neck—depending on where you are in the pose.
• Legs remain outstretched, with toes pointing behind you.
• Flex the thighs and the buttocks.
• Release any unnecessary tension in your neck and face.

Ashley Binetti received her 200-hour vinyasa

Low Plank, Chaturanga dandasana

• Start by lying on your stomach. Bend your elbows at 90-degrees, and bring the hands to rest on the mat near the top of your ribs.  Fingertips are spread wide and gripping into the mat.

• Elbows are hugging in towards the midline, with the shoulders rolling down the back and shoulder blades coming together.

• Hover around three inches off the ground. The spine is straight, the legs are strong.

• Gaze at the mat, or straight ahead. Whichever is more comfortable for your neck—depending on where you are in the pose.

• Release any unnecessary tension in your neck and face.

• This pose is great for strengthening the abdominals, and creating strength in the arms.

Ashley Binetti received her 200-hour vinyasa yoga teacher training at Saraswatis’s Yoga Joint in Norwalk, CT in 2011. Her favorite pose is Triangle. When she’s not doing yoga, Ashley works as a nonprofit attorney. She is also a MINT Ambassador.

Extended Side Angle, Utthita Parsvakonasana

• Start in Warrior Two.

• Bend towards the right leg (which should be maintained with a 90-degree bend in the knee), bring your right hand to the ground inside of your right foot. Alternatively, the hand can rest on a block, or you can rest your forearm on the thigh.

• Your left hand extends from your body, sweeping over your left ear. Be careful not to over-extend to the point where the shoulder is reaching out of the shoulder socket.

• With each inhale, lengthen, and then with the exhale, twist to shine your heart towards the ceiling.

• You can look towards the ceiling, out in front of you, or towards the ground if it is more comfortable.

• Release any unnecessary tension in your neck and face.

• After you are done, try the pose on the other side to even out the body.

Ashley Binetti received her 200-hour vinyasa yoga teacher training at Saraswatis’s Yoga Joint in Norwalk, CT in 2011. Her favorite pose is Triangle. When she’s not doing yoga, Ashley works as a nonprofit attorney. She is also a MINT Ambassador.

Triangle, Uttihita Trikonasana

• Start in Warrior Two. Shorten the stance so that your feet are about three feet apart.

• Straighten the bent leg, maintaining a gentle bend in the knee.

• Bend towards the right, bringing your right hand towards your right foot. The hand can rest on the ankle, on a block, or on the mat.

• Your left hand extends from your body straight up.

• With each inhale, lengthen, and then with the exhale, twist to shine your heart towards the ceiling. Imagine you are between two panes of glass—you want your body to fit nicely in that plane of space.

• You can look towards the hand that is stretched overhead, out in front of you, or towards the ground if it is more comfortable.

• Release any unnecessary tension in your neck and face.

• After you are done, try the pose on the other side to even out the body.

Ashley Binetti received her 200-hour vinyasa yoga teacher training at Saraswatis’s Yoga Joint in Norwalk, CT in 2011. Her favorite pose is Triangle. When she’s not doing yoga, Ashley works as a nonprofit attorney. She is also a MINT Ambassador.

Warrior Two, Virabhadrasana II

• This pose exudes fierceness

• Feet are on the same “track,” roughly 4-5 feet apart. The right foot turns 90 degrees sideways, towards the right, while the left foot is ground down at a 45-degree angle.

• Bend into the right knee at a 90-degree angle. The left leg stays straight.

• Raise the arms in line with the shoulders, palms face down. Feel a line of energy running through the tips of your fingers, stretching them out in opposite directions.  Keep your gaze on the third finger of the hand that stretches over your bent leg, or gently close the eyes.

• Bring the shoulders up towards your ears, and then gently roll them back, bringing the shoulder blades together and shining the heart.

• Engage uddiyanabandha, bringing the belly button in and up towards the spine. This is not an instruction to hold the breath.  Continue to breathe fully.

• Check that your hips are square. On this side, the left hip has a tendency to push forward, pull it back so that both hip points face out equally in front of you.

• Release any unnecessary tension in your neck and face.

• After you are done, try the pose on the other side to even out the body.

Ashley Binetti received her 200-hour vinyasa yoga teacher training at Saraswatis’s Yoga Joint in Norwalk, CT in 2011. Her favorite pose is Triangle. When she’s not doing yoga, Ashley works as a nonprofit attorney. She is also a MINT Ambassador.

• Hands are placed at should-length distance apart. Fingers are spread wide, and fingertips are gripping into the mat. Wrist creases are parallel to the top of the mat. These actions alleviate unnecessary weight, helping protect the wrists.

• Externally rotate the shoulders—this will mean that your elbow creases begin to face the ceiling.

• Feet should be hip-distance apart, or where your feet would naturally land standing (people have a tendency to interpret “feet hip-distance apart” as meaning feet on the edges of your mat—this is much farther than the distance of your hips. To measure, you should be able to place both of your fists between your feet).

• Keep a gentle bend in the knees. This helps the “sits” bones face up towards the ceiling.

• Toes spread wide and gripping into the mat. Drop the heels.

• Feel free to “walk your dog,” bending one leg and then the other. Then find stillness.

• Release any unnecessary tension in your neck and face.

Ashley Binetti received her 200-hour vinyasa yoga teacher training at Saraswatis’s Yoga Joint in Norwalk, CT in 2011. Her favorite pose is Triangle. When she’s not doing yoga, Ashley works as a nonprofit attorney. She is also a MINT Ambassador.

Disclaimers: Consult a doctor before beginning an exercise regime. Never force a pose. Stop if you feel pain or intense discomfort. Yoga is meant to be yummy.

I love vinyasa yoga and I am obsessed with good alignment. This obsession doesn’t stem from a need for perfection, which would be very “un-yoga-like” of me, but from a passion for protecting the body from injury. Most bodies can safely practice yoga on a daily basis, but maintaining sound alignment is essential to your physical wellbeing. In this series, I will break down some common poses—explaining how to stay safe and fully enjoy each posture. Finally, remember to BREATHE consistently while practicing yoga to receive the full benefits of the practice … otherwise, you’re just stretching in Sanskrit. Today’s pose is Standing Forward Fold, or Uttanasana.

Standing Forward Fold, Uttanasana

– Feet should be hip-distance apart, or where your feet would naturally land standing (people have a tendency to interpret “feet hip-distance apart” as meaning feet on the edges of your mat—this is much farther than the distance of your hips. To measure, you should be able to place both of your fists between your feet).

– Toes spread wide and gripping into the mat. Weight is evenly distributed throughout the feet.

– Engage uddiyanabandha, bringing the belly button in and up towards the spine. This will give you more space to fold forward. This is not an instruction to hold the breath. Continue to breathe fully.

– Maintain a generous bend in the knees, especially if this is one of your first forward folds of the day. If you have more flexibility and would like to go deeper, maintain a gentle bend in the knees.

– Hands can rest on thighs, shins, or on the mat below you. If you’d like, you can bring hands to opposite elbows and hang freely in your forward fold.

– Release any unnecessary tension in your neck and face. Shake the head “yes,” shake the head “no.” Then find stillness.

Practicing yoga on your own can be a ton of fun, but taking a class is a great way to explore new poses under the tutelage of a trained yoga instructor; check out MINT’s yoga offerings, here.

Ashley Binetti received her 200-hour vinyasa yoga teacher training at Saraswatis’s Yoga Joint in Norwalk, CT in 2011. Her favorite pose is Triangle. When she’s not doing yoga, Ashley works as a nonprofit attorney. She is also a MINT Ambassador.