wpAdmin, Author at Bene Yoga

Osteoarthritis of the Hip, how Yoga can help

26th September 2015By wpAdmin2 Comments

If you were diagnosed with osteoarthritis of your hip joint, this blog is for you. Even though you had been worried about a greater stiffness in your hip, the actual diagnosis, confirmed in black and white with an x-ray, probably came as a shock.

Preventing osteoporosis: how yoga can help

The previous blog discussed how yoga can be part of a programme to counter bone loss, and revealed the yoga poses that are unsafe once you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis. But if you are in the fortunate position of […]

Yoga for Osteoporosis: can yoga help reverse bone loss?

When I mention to my yoga students that a pose is good against osteoporosis, I often get a blank stare. We are usually not aware of this “silent disease” that can put us at a high risk of breaking bones […]

Eight ways to stretch at your desk when you WFH

Unless you are an essential worker and on your feet all day, you are likely to spend way too many hours at home sitting during this pandemic. If you work from home, it may not always be practical to get […]

Feel-good yoga to keep you going

I don’t know about your situation, but here in London we are in the third lockdown with a frightening number of Covid-19 infections every day. We are in the grip of weariness, dread, overwhelm, sometimes loneliness. Whatever your situation, yoga […]

Time for an uplifting yoga sequence

How about starting the day or taking a midmorning break with an uplifting yoga sequence? Moving in this purposeful way improves the blood circulation, deepens our breathing and moves our all-too-sedentary bones. Not only is the yoga sequence uplifting, it […]

Five weeks to a better back: yoga therapy via Zoom for small groups

Have you ever wanted some simple techniques to ease your back pain, and to develop the strength and flexibility required to prevent relapses or flare-ups? This new online course allows you to do just that in the comfort of your […]

How to stretch your back during a long walk

One of the joys during the easing of lockdown restrictions this summer has been to walk or hike in nature. Still now, with the threat of a second lockdown in the air, walking in the outdoors is our precious chance […]

How Covid and Zoom transformed yoga for students and teachers

It has been an emotional 5 months, filled with uncertainty, fears, limitations, new possibilities and change. Covid and Zoom transformed yoga for students and teachers alike. Whereas it was deemed superior to teach yoga or yoga therapy in person, suddenly […]

Yoga stretches to counter too much sitting

Human beings were not made for sitting all day long. Sitting, especially with a bad posture, tightens and shortens the muscles along the front of the trunk and back of the legs: the hip flexors, hamstrings, chest muscles and abdominal […]

Yoga for better sleep

Here we are in a time when life could be simpler and calmer for many. With fewer places to go to, less trains to catch, and no social events in the diary during the lockdown period, surely this is the […]

Time to stretch and strengthen your back: how to ease or prevent back pain when working from home

Working from home in these times of COVID-19 can make it extra challenging to stay fit and keep our body strong, supple and pain free. Most of us have to find work and entertainment at home, so we sit at […]

Sacroiliac joint pain: how to find relief

Despite not being very well known, sacroiliac joint pain is quite a common form of lower back pain. It is caused by the misalignment and long-term stress on the sacroiliac joints, and usually presents as dull pain or a heavy […]

How to manage pain in the middle back

When people complain about back pain, they usually mean their lower back hurts, or sometimes they suffer from pain in the shoulders and neck. Most of my back pain students will have either or both. Pain in the middle back […]

Core strength and stability: stronger and more relaxed in 2020

Happy New Year everyone! May we all have a fabulous year, in which we do something every day towards creating the life we want. If back pain sometimes stands in the way, I am here to support you. My aim […]

Restorative Yoga: staying energised in December

December can be a fun and exciting month, but also a very busy and exhausting one, culminating in a few emotionally loaded celebrations. In order to stay centred and energised, it is important to make time for yourself. In this […]

3 Yoga poses to counter computer posture

Unless your computer screen is on eye level and you are paying attention to sitting straight, you are likely to adopt the easiest position in front of your computer, with a rounded back and forward neck. This “computer posture” is […]

Self-care: uplifting yoga

I once asked a friend how she managed to get through a particularly difficult time in her life. She said she focused on looking after herself and eating healthily. It is an important start when life for some reason has […]

When would you choose yoga therapy over yoga? — Global Yoga Therapy Day.

14 August was the first Global Yoga Therapy Day, a day filled with sharing and informative lectures via Facebook. “If you can breathe, you can practice yoga” was the motto of this online event. This means everyone can do yoga, […]

Hot days, cool yoga

Hot summer days can make us feel tired and bothered: we end up sweaty, with flushed cheeks and heavy legs, exhausted at the end of the day. This is the result of our body working hard to keep its temperature […]

Neck care: four ways in which yoga can help

Looking after our neck is often forgotten, until it hurts. In this time when many of us work at a desk, slouch on a sofa, bend our head over a book or phone, or drive long distances, our posture often […]

Stress at work: try these simple relaxation techniques

When you feel burdened with work pressure, you are in a constant state of alertness: your mind is focused on your job even after work hours and you wake up during the night worrying about your colleagues or deadlines. You […]

A surprising way of healing lower back pain

Healing lower back pain requires a broad approach, which includes daily exercises to relax and strengthen muscles, improving one’s posture, dealing with stress, etc. What conventional approaches often overlook is the surprising way of healing lower back pain through abdominal […]

Mother’s Day Yoga Special

Whether you are a mother, father, grandparent, aunt or uncle, today’s yoga is for anyone in need of a nourishing and uplifting yoga session. It is nourishing because caregivers often give so much of their time to others that self-care […]

Yoga therapy for spondylolisthesis and foraminal stenosis: case study

If you are at a loss of how to relieve your back pain, this case study is for you. It shows that a positive approach, the right exercise and yoga therapy can improve even complicated back problems such as spondylolisthesis […]

Core strengthening: daily routines for a healthier back

In her incredible and inspiring life story, Jo Malone says that life is about conquering things. In her journey from growing up in a council flat and struggling with dyslexia to being a world-known, innovative perfumer, she has had to […]

Morning routine for a healthier back

As a child I had a poster in my room of a shepherd and sheep in an early morning field, with the text “It is not the great heroic acts that demand most of our courage, but the small tasks […]

The yoga poses my son took back to uni

I can’t really claim that my children are devoted yogis, but they have inevitably had to put up with yoga as a solution for all sorts of challenges, such as exam stress (“breathe!”), performance anxiety (“breathe! Connect with the feeling […]

The back pain survival guide for the festive season

Quite exhausted from the autumn term, you have now arrived in the festive season, with rest and good times in store, but possibly also hours of cooking, entertaining, tidying and decorating the house, long car journeys, etc. We all take […]

Yoga poses that can benefit most causes of back pain

Back pain is not just one symptom that can be cured by one particular remedy. It is a generic term for different kinds of pain in the upper, middle or lower back, which can have a variety of causes, and […]

How to quieten self-criticism while practising yoga

Despite trying to avoid negative self-talk for many years, I can still occasionally catch my negative and critical inner voice. I don’t know about you, but I would never talk to someone in the way I sometimes talk to myself. […]

Mobilising the spine in a seated position

Many helpful stretches for the back are done on all fours: it feels wonderful to arch the spine in cat pose, rest in child’s pose, loosen the hips by circling them around on hands and knees. These are all simple […]

How abdominal muscles can improve stability in yoga poses

If you feel unstable and even uncomfortable in standing yoga poses, balances and other asanas that require strength, it is possible that your abdominal muscles are not engaging properly. Weak abdominals will fail to hold the trunk steady in static […]

True Core Strength

For my third blog this summer I promised to tackle core strength. Abdominal strengthening is a necessary part of any back care programme, but incorporating it into a yoga regime can offer a different and effective approach. Strengthening abdominal muscles […]

Arm strengthening: how to start

If you can easily do press-ups, keeping your body straight as you lower it to the ground and effortlessly raise it again … this blog is not for you. This blog is for those of us who don’t know how […]

Gluts and back health: summer here we come!

A few weeks ago one of my students came into the group class and declared: “I want a beach body by August.” An unusual request in a back care yoga class, so there were a few seconds of stunned silence. […]

Neck pain: safe abdominal exercises

It takes some ingenuity to find exercises that can strengthen core muscles when you have neck pain. The traditional abdominal crunches, where you interlace the fingers behind the head to lift the head and shoulders, are often out of the […]

15-minute Back Care Basics

Everyone with back pain knows that there is no 15-minute fix; everyone doing yoga knows that 15 minutes a day is not long enough to really get into the practice. Nevertheless, when you have back pain, making time for daily […]

Stretching leg muscles to relieve low back pain

If you are suffering from a tight lower back, stretching your leg muscles may be one way to find relief. The leg muscles, in particular hamstrings and quadriceps, are connected to the pelvis. When one or both of them are […]

The new treatment guidelines for low back pain, and how yoga therapy fits in

The current medical treatments of low back pain do not offer the right care and are a waste of resources. You may have heard this in the news, shortly after The Lancet reported it in a comprehensive review of low […]

How to do abdominal crunches in a safe way for your back

In my experience teaching yoga to people with back pain, I have seen the benefits of strengthening the abdominal muscles for posture and back health. It is important to do these exercises in a careful and safe way. If you […]

Yoga therapy for back pain

Serious back pain can be debilitating. It often stops you from participating in the activities you love, makes you wary of going on long car journeys, play with your children or grandchildren, go to a movie or play, … It […]

Never been good at balancing?

Many people believe they are not good at balancing. Why should you be good at standing on one leg anyway when daily tasks don’t really require this for any length of time? Isn’t it just something people need to do […]

Lower back pain relief

If you experience dull and heavy pain in your lower back, one likely cause is tight and weak muscles: lower back muscles tighten and weaken as a result of inactivity and bad posture. Even stress or emotional problems can cause […]

video clip 1: safe abdominal exercises for back pain relief

Strengthening core muscles can be essential and yet quite hard to do when you have back pain. You may have heard that toned abdominal muscles support the lower back but how do you even start ‘toning’ when most movements hurt? […]

Moving into wellness: keep your back mobile

If you feel a little rusty and sluggish after the Christmas holidays, a short, daily yoga session can do wonders. It does not have to be long or complicated, just enough to move your back, stretch your limbs, deepen your […]

Breathe and relax: create your own Central Park

For many of us these last days of the year are incredibly busy and hectic, draining our energy and skyrocketing stress levels. Stress has such a negative impact on our health and wellbeing that taking the time to breathe and […]

3 things that can ease lower back strain

A few weeks ago I strained my lower back. It may surprise you because yes, I am a yoga therapist specialised in back pain. In fact, I wouldn’t have specialised in yoga for back pain if I didn’t know what […]

Staying strong after 40: best way to stand up

Can you squat down to the floor and come up again with a straight back? Coming up from a squat while keeping the back straight is the best way to stand up if you want to keep your back […]

Feel-good yoga sequence

In my blogs about yoga for back pain the emphasis is often on relaxation: releasing tightness and relaxing the body and the mind. However, even with back pain we need a bit more ‘oomph’ sometimes. Stimulating yoga poses include standing […]

Trouble falling asleep: yoga bedtime routine

If you have trouble falling asleep or if you wake up during the night with your mind in overdrive, I have just the right thing for you: an easy yoga bedtime routine! The idea is not only to release physical […]

Yoga for healing: grief

When I was very young, someone told me that we can never “own” a person: no person is ever ours to have and to keep. At that tender age I was impressed, but understood it to be true: people move […]

Best sleeping position for back pain

When you have back pain it is not easy to find the one sleeping position that will keep you comfortable for several hours. You may have been used to sleeping on your abdomen, only to find recently that this increases […]

Sitting posture: how it affects back pain and much more

One of the greatest causes of back pain in our Western societies is the amount of sitting we do every day, and the way we sit, out of alignment or slouching. I realise that sitting straight is not cool; it […]

Correcting bad posture: effortless standing

Not many people find long periods of standing easy. If you have to stand while listening to a long speech, for example, does your back start aching? Pain and muscle strain arise when the body is not aligned with and […]

Correcting bad posture: 4 walking exercises

Posture and habitual movement patterns contribute hugely to back health. The way you walk, stand, sit or sleep can influence whether you develop back pain or not. My four blogs this summer will analyse different elements of posture, and how […]

For a tight upper back — the yoga crocodile

Unless we keep our spine mobile, moving it through its full range of movement, which includes twisting, sideways extensions, forward and back bends, the upper spine may tighten and round forward with age. This is even more so when our […]

Osteoarthritis of the hip: case study

Millie came to me two years ago with a recent diagnosis of osteoarthritis in one hip. She had visited a chiropractor and an orthopaedic consultant and the prognosis was a hip replacement in the next 15 to 20 years if […]

A morning yoga routine for when you wake up with a tight and achy back

When you wake up with a tight and achy back it usually eases or disappears completely after some movement. Rather than waiting for the stiffness to diminish by itself, you could try some targeted and gentle exercises right after waking […]

Yoga poses that make us feel Fabulous

If there is one pose that makes me feel fabulous it is Half Moon pose. I thought that everyone would feel equally expansive and joyous in this pose – after all extending the arms to the side has been proven […]

Yoga Therapy for slipped disk, Dr. Robin Monro and the CALBA Questionnaire

If you have ever had a slipped disk, you probably know how it is to feel excruciating pain in the lower back and shooting pain down your leg. Sometimes combined with reduced sensation, tingling and weakness in the leg, this […]

How to strengthen your upper arms when push-ups are out of the question…

If you would like to strengthen your upper arms but, like me, you are not into weight lifting and you find push-ups too hard, this blog is for you. You may wonder what arm strengthening has to do with yoga, […]

If you would like to strengthen your abdominal muscles but don’t know how to start…

… you are in the right place! My video can show you how to begin in a safe and gentle way, especially if: -you haven’t done a lot of core work before, or not successfully. -you find strong abdominal exercises intimidating. […]

To strengthen the abdominal muscles, is it a good idea to hold your abdomen in all the time?

I was recently asked if it is a good idea to hold your abdomen in all the time; surely this would strengthen the abdominal muscles. It may seem reasonable to practise the abs by keeping them contracted all the time, […]

Video: Abdominal Exercises for Back Pain

You may have heard that strengthening abdominal muscles can help heal lower back pain; strong abdominals save the back muscles a lot of overwork. However, if the back pain is acute and it is even difficult to get down to […]

Yoga Therapy and Wellbeing: an Interview with Radio Gorgeous

I love listening to the radio: when I am chopping away in the kitchen or driving to my next yoga student, you will often find me listening to BBC Radio 4, or one of the podcasts of my newest […]

5 Things that Could Make Back Pain worse

You may be doing your back exercises conscientiously, avoid slouching and pay attention to your posture, but still undo all the good work with one seemingly harmless movement. It can be so discouraging, and the culprit is usually a simple […]

Yoga for the Workplace; Releasing tight Hip Flexors

If you have a desk-related job, you may know first-hand how stress and long sitting take their toll on your body and mind. Yoga can be so beneficial for stress relief, back health and general wellbeing that it is no […]

End-of-Year Challenge: Time to Unwind

The final challenge in 2016 is about taking time for yourself. To many of us, taking time to unwind is last on the list: after work, children, the house, friends, … everything else seems more urgent than replenishing our own […]

End-of-Year Challenge, Part 3: releasing neck and shoulder yoga

I hope you enjoyed the previous 2 challenges, the exercises as well as the discipline of doing them regularly. If you have only managed the exercises once or twice a week, it’s a good start. If you haven’t even started […]

End-of-Year Challenge, Part 2: looking after your lower back

Before the end-of-year activities become too overwhelming, it is good to have a short daily practice in place that is just for yourself. I hope you enjoyed paying attention to your feet and walking mindfully during the past fortnight. I […]

End-of-Year Challenge for Back Health and Peace of Mind, Part 1

In a little more than 6 weeks, many of us will look back on 2016 and the resolutions we took in January, and admit that the same resolutions have to be taken again — really stuck to, for real this […]

Long car journeys: how to avoid back pain

If you have back pain, you probably don’t look forward to a long car journey. It may have increased your back pain in the past or given you a major setback or acute back pain episode. Sitting still for a […]

Yoga for Scoliosis

If you have scoliosis, a sideways curve of the spine, you most likely do not have severe back pain. This doesn’t mean, however, that you don’t want to look after your spine in the best possible way. With age, the […]

Abdominal exercises when you have back pain: Yoga for Abs

If you have back pain, you have probably heard that you have to strengthen your abdominal muscles. Strong abs help stabilize the trunk and spine during all your movements and help maintain a good posture. They also prevent the back […]

3 Reasons why a general yoga class could make your back pain worse

You may have heard that yoga is good for your back. After all, it releases tight muscles, improves flexibility and is excellent for stress relief. Every time you try a class, however, your back seems to hurt even more. Before […]

September back health resolutions

The first of September: where I live, the days are getting shorter and the nights cooler. Summer travel and vacations are over and children are getting ready for a new school year. As we prepare for the last quarter of […]

Yoga for the spine: lengthening and releasing

Did you know that we lose up to 2,5cm in total body height during the day, and gain it again while sleeping at night? 2,5 cm or almost an inch, that may require you to adjust your rear-view mirror when […]

How to keep your spine supple and healthy with yoga

A supple spine is the basis of a healthy and pain-free back. Whether you want to address lower back pain and tightness, or you just want to keep your back healthy, moving your spine in a gentle and careful way […]

Heavy legs in summer: the yoga solution

Do you suffer from heavy legs after a hot summer’s day or after long periods of standing? There is a simple, soothing inversion that can relieve leg fatigue and heaviness. This supported inversion can also be helpful when you […]

Yoga for Confidence: how to bring out our best self

It took me years to build true confidence, to understand that I am “good enough”, that my failures are learning experiences, and that it is ok to occasionally do something that makes me cringe. I may not have arrived at […]

10-Minute Kitchen Yoga: Stretching the Legs

I encourage my students to practise yoga at home; a mindful, daily practice, even if short, allows them to progress more quickly in the weekly class. Sometimes, when I know my student is very busy, or when I know they […]

Yoga for Students — what to do to counter the ‘desk syndrome’

As this is exam time for many young people and they are sitting at their desks hunched over books and laptops, I decided to write a blog especially for them. Unlike some business professionals who are lucky enough to have […]

Yoga for Cyclists — stretches to do immediately after cycling

If you are passionate about cycling — you just love the feeling of freedom and the wind blowing in your face as you cycle fast and smoothly — you want to keep cycling as long as you can and keep […]

Yoga for High Blood Pressure

Being diagnosed with high blood pressure often comes as a shock. You may not have had any symptoms at all. Only very high blood pressure will give you headaches and chest pain. If your blood pressure was over 140/90 you […]

Tone and Strengthen Your Back with this great Yoga Movement

So you have overcome severe back pain, visited several back specialists and you are now committed to keep looking after your back so that you will never suffer such pain anymore. You were told to keep your abdominal muscles strong […]

Case Study: from an excruciatingly painful herniated disc to an active life

One of my dear, long-term students is leaving; she is moving to another country. Amaia’s story is an example of how debilitating back pain due to a herniated disc can heal over time and back health can be maintained with […]

Tight Hamstrings? 3 ways to stretch them in a safe way for your back

So you find that your hamstrings are tight, and when you bend forward with straight legs there is no way you can reach your toes? You have never found a great need to stretch them regularly, but when you hear […]

Slouching: is it really so cool and comfortable?

How do you sit while watching TV? What body position do you take when you are at your computer, reading a book on the sofa, in a café with friends, while driving? There is a chance that you are slouching […]

To get a strong back, here is a great yoga exercise, and all about my new Back & Abs Programme

Today I am discussing an exercise to strengthen your back, as a healthy back is not only supple but also strong. We need a strong back to sit with good alignment, move with ease and enjoy exercise. I like this […]

Lower Back Pain: 3 yoga positions to release tight lower back muscles

You don’t have serious, crippling back pain, but your lower back often feels achy, tight and heavy. It is bothersome because it prevents you from enjoying your usual exercise, and from sitting or standing with ease for a longer time. […]

Top tips to start and maintain a yoga home practice

If your New Year’s resolution is to practise yoga more regularly by yourself at home, read on! You may have decided this for your general well-being, or because you have a specific health problem that you would like to manage […]

Time to Relax and Restore

The Christmas and New Year period, however fun and wonderful, can be very stressful too. The expectations to celebrate in harmony with family and friends, and to be relaxed and happy, sometimes highlight a not so perfect reality. The fun […]

Emergency yoga part 3: Exhaustion

It is that time of the year in London, when the calendar is filled with seasonal parties from every group, club, school and music class you and your family belong to. The first gatherings are usually fun and fill you […]

How yoga can help when we feel angry

Anger happens. It is a natural feeling that can be useful in some situations, but one that we have to control and use constructively. It is generally not effective to talk when we feel very angry, as we end up […]

Emergency yoga: what to do when your back hurts after strenuous exercise

You have been moving around for most of the day, maybe decorating the house, gardening, lifting boxes, playing sports … and by the afternoon your back aches. It worries you because you don’t know how to shift this dull and […]

Top tips for neck pain

Do you sometimes wake up in the morning and you immediately realise something is seriously wrong: your neck gives you stabbing pain on one side and you can hardly move your head? It may even be so bad you can […]

Strong Core? 4 Yoga Moves to Strengthen your Abdominal Muscles

If you are one of the many people who think that yoga only increases flexibility, then please read this blog! Many yoga poses increase strength, and indeed one of the physical aims of an all-round yoga practice is to both […]

Osteoarthritis of the Hip, how Yoga can help

When yoga is too cool…

Have you ever felt that you are “not good enough” or “not flexible enough” to attend a yoga class? You may have been attracted to the idea of doing yoga, you may have tried a few classes, but felt too […]

Rounded upper back and shoulders? How to look after your posture

If you feel worried about your posture and find that your shoulders are rounding forward, if you would like to stand tall and straight, this blog is for you. In our time many people sit for long periods, slouch in […]

Stressed out of your mind: 3 tips to help you stop the whirlwind

You feel stressed with work pressure, your mind is going round and round the same issues during the day, and you wake up at night worrying about the deadlines. “Don’t worry” your friends say “it will all turn out fine […]

Bene, yoga teacher and therapist in Chiswick, West London

Tight muscles? How to stretch efficiently with yoga

If your muscles feel tight and they do not seem to respond sufficiently to stretching, you may be stretching in a wrong way.

40 and falling apart…

It feels a bit like your body is falling apart. You are not too far over 40 and you realise with some annoyance that your body feels more tight when you get up in the morning, that your back and […]