Study yoga online with Doug Keller, author of Yoga As Therapy, who is widely regarded for his unique insights into the fine points of yoga anatomy and alignment. In this 3-part online yoga course (two live sessions, plus yoga practice video) Doug Keller focuses on the hamstrings, one of the most common sources of misalignment in yoga poses.

Tight hamstrings are particularly limiting in forward bends, but affect numerous other yoga poses as well. Tight hamstrings are surprisingly common, and even with regular practice, many yoga students find that they can be a frustrating limitation to tackle. Tight hamstrings also threaten the health of the low back and often lead to back issues as we get older.

And while tight hamstrings are the most common, loose hamstrings can likewise lead to problems, pain and injury. There are growing reports of experienced yoga practitioners with flexible hamstrings injuring hamstrings attachments at the sitting bones or knees, resulting in a low, nagging (or sometimes more severe) pain that can take years to go away.

What You Will Learn:

• Learn how to work with tight hamstrings and/or help yoga students with tight hamstrings make the most out of their yoga practice.
• Explore techniques of postural evaluation aimed especially at evaluating the influence of the hamstrings and adductors on posture and movement. 
• Learn the key actions to perform in poses involving hamstring stretches for those with overly flexible hamstrings to make sure the stretch is balanced and not uneven. This is the key to avoid pain and to heal any existing injuries you or your students may be struggling with. 
• Discover how to go beyond simply focusing on ‘hamstring stretches’ and go into depth with what it really takes to keep the hamstrings working for you in your yoga practice and not against you.
• Explore the context of the ‘bigger picture’ of the Soma Sutras, which Doug Keller discusses in his book Yoga As Therapy.

Take a Sneak Peek at Doug's Slides:

Exploring the Myofascial Connections of the Hamstrings: A Simple Exercise​​

The Problem in Forward Bends Comes from More than Tight Hamstrings

Why the Hamstrings Get Tight: The Role of Posture Imbalances