Warrior Variations
A few different warrior variations I’ve been playing around with lately. Which one’s your favourite?
A few different warrior variations I’ve been playing around with lately. Which one’s your favourite?
Stop doing Sphinx like this ❌
You’re not opening your chest or strengthening your upper back, you’re just hanging into your lower back.
A common mistake in Sphinx pose is letting the shoulders creep toward the ears while the chest collapses forward. When this happens, the lower back takes most of the load and the pose can feel compressed rather than supportive.
A good Sphinx isn’t about pushing higher. It’s about creating length.
Try this instead:
• Press your forearms into the floor
• Draw your shoulders back and down
• Broaden across your collarbones
• Gently lift your chest forward
• Keep your neck long
You should feel supported through your upper back and chest, not jammed into your lower back.
Five months ago I popped my hamstring and had to rebuild flexibility from scratch.
This 10-minute routine became my daily practice. It's a mix of stretching, mobility work, and a few yoga-inspired movements that helped me gradually improve my forward fold and overall flexibility.
I originally made it for my own recovery, but it ended up being useful for running, martial arts, lifting, and general mobility too.
I filmed the full routine here if anyone wants to try it.
Curious to hear what routines have worked best for your flexibility or injury recovery.
I’ve made some significant improvements already, and it’s a good reminder that flexibility isn’t the only thing holding us back.
For me, the biggest changes came from:
• Opening the hips
• Lengthening the hamstrings
• Getting my hand placement right by reaching them behind my heels
The pose didn’t suddenly become easier because I stretched harder. It became more accessible when I improved the positions that support it.
Sometimes the breakthrough isn’t more effort, it’s a better understanding of the movement.
Stop folding like this ❌
You’re not actually stretching your hamstrings, you’re just putting strain on your lower back.
A common mistake in a pyramid pose is hunching the shoulders, curving the spine, and shifting your weight back just to force your head down. This completely misses the target muscle.
The key to a deep hamstring stretch is mastering the hip hinge.
Try this pyramid pose tutorial sequence instead:
- Shift your weight forward: Bring the weight into the top of your toes.
- Open your heart: Roll your shoulders back and keep your chest proud and lifted.
- Hinge from the hips: Pivot at the hips with a completely flat back.
- Move forward, then down: Lead with a long spine.
Building active flexibility isn’t about forcing depth with a rounded back. Move well first!
✨ Check out my page for more yoga stretching tutorials ✨Checkout my Tutorials
Stop folding like this ❌
If you’re rounding your back to get deeper, you’re not stretching your hamstrings, you’re stressing your lower back.
Forward fold isn’t about how low you go, it’s about how you get there.
Try this instead:
• Lengthen your spine
•Lift your chest
• Hinge from your hips
• Keep your back long
• Then gently fold
Can’t reach the floor? That’s okay. A strong, supported spine > forcing depth every time.
Flexibility is about quality of movement, not just range.
Want more stretching tips? Follow me 🤸♀️
Hey everyone👋🏾 I’ve just posted a full body stretch routine targeting the hamstrings, inner thighs, back and shoulders. I hope you enjoy :)
A proper forward fold isn’t about dropping down first, it’s about moving forward, then down.
Try this sequence instead:
• Lengthen your spine
• Lift your chest
• Hinge from your hips
• Keep your back long
• Then gently fold
If your hands don’t reach the floor, that’s completely fine. A long, supported spine is far more effective and safer than forcing depth with a rounded back.
Hi everyone👋🏾
I’m Iné a flexibility coach from London. My background as a dancer lead me to fitness and stretching. I’m now a full time fitness instructor and stretch coach. I help people to loosen tight muscles and achieve full body mobility.
I teach online stretching techniques and tips on my YouTube and on my Instagram.
I offer personal 1-1 online flexibility coaching and I teach online flexibility classes every Saturday from 11:00am - 11:40am BST.
If you want to book 1-1 online flexibility coaching message me privately to discuss availability 😊🙌🏾