Instagram story viewer> @doctoryogi> Posts

Andrew McGonigle

@doctoryogi

35.4K

followers

774

following

Medically trained yoga anatomy teacher living in LA 🌈
Join my new live monthly masterclasses 👇

POSTS STORIES REELS

These are just some of the amazing teacher trainers who I have the pleasure of working with!

If you run a YTTC and are looking for a more effective and economical way to deliver the anatomy and physiology component, get in touch with me about incorporating my 30-Hour Yoga Anatomy Online Course into your training!

➡️ Write “Anatomy” in the comment below and I’ll send you more details! by @doctoryogi

So many opportunities to deepen your understanding of the body and develop your confidence as a yoga teacher! 🧠

I offer a range of live online courses and monthly masterclasses, bringing together anatomy, physiology, current research and practical teaching strategies.

💬 Comment A&P and I’ll send you the details of my upcoming courses and masterclasses!

📚 Monthly Masterclass Series (included with Premium Substack)

Each month, we take a deep dive into a different topic in a 60-minute live session, with time for questions and discussion. All masterclasses are recorded and added to a growing replay library, which Premium subscribers can access at any time.

✨ Nov 12 – Demystifying Fascia, Part 1: Separating Fact from Fiction

✨ Dec 10 – Demystifying Pranayama, Part 1: The Science of Breathing

✨ Jan 14 – Demystifying Fascia, Part 2: Stretching, Release and Beyond

✨ Feb 11 – Demystifying Pranayama, Part 2: Breathing Practices and Better Teaching

✨ Mar 11 – The Hip Complex Simplified: Myths, Movement and Mechanics

🎓 Live Online Courses

For those looking for a more comprehensive learning experience, I’ll also be running two live online courses, combining evidence-informed education with practical applications for yoga teaching.

✨ Feb 3 – Feb 24 – The Physiology of Yoga, 4-week course

✨ Apr 13 – May 18 – Anatomy Applied to Yoga, 6-week course

All sessions are recorded, so you can join live or catch up in your own time. by @doctoryogi

We often practise balance in yoga by trying to become as still as possible. But balance outside the yoga studio rarely works like that.

We use balance while moving, stepping, reaching, turning and responding when something unexpectedly throws us off course. And because balance training appears to be relatively task-specific, becoming better at holding one position doesn’t necessarily mean we become equally better at all of these other tasks.

So what happens if we start playing with the demands of Tree Pose?

These seven variations introduce different challenges: recovering from a wobble, changing the surface beneath you, moving your arms or gaze, stepping in and out, deliberately shifting your centre of mass and reaching beyond your base of support.

You’ll notice I keep a sturdy chair within reach for several variations. The aim is to challenge balance without creating an unnecessary risk of falling. This is particularly important for students at increased risk of falling, or where a fall could have more serious consequences, such as for someone with osteoporosis. Support can be part of how we adjust the challenge rather than something students need to “graduate” from.

None of this means there’s anything wrong with simply holding Tree Pose. Static balance is still balance. The idea is to give students more ways to practise balancing, rather than assuming one version trains everything.

And perhaps a wobble doesn’t always need correcting. Sometimes finding our way back from the wobble is the practice.

How do you vary balance challenges in your classes?

References in comments below.

📖 I’ll be exploring this topic in more detail in an upcoming Yoga Anatomy Insights newsletter.

➡️ Comment NEWS and I’ll DM you the sign-up link. by @doctoryogi

Fascia is often described as a continuous network connecting structures throughout the body. Models such as Anatomy Trains have popularised the idea that these connections form distinct pathways.

There is genuine anatomical evidence for some of these connections, and research suggests that forces can be transmitted between neighbouring muscles through connective tissues. But being connected doesn’t necessarily mean that everything functions as one mechanical unit.

For example, some studies have found that working on the soles of the feet can produce immediate improvements in flexibility. However, this doesn’t prove that we’ve stretched an entire fascial chain. Changes in stretch tolerance, sensory responses and other mechanisms may also help explain these findings.

Models such as Anatomy Trains can be useful for visualising anatomical relationships, but we need to distinguish between a helpful model and an established physiological mechanism.

For yoga teachers, the takeaway is that anatomical connections are real, but we shouldn’t assume they explain every movement, sensation or change in flexibility.

Have you encountered the idea of fascial chains in your yoga training or teaching?

References in comments below.

📖 I’ll be exploring this topic in more detail in upcoming Yoga Anatomy Insights newsletters.

➡️ Comment NEWS and I’ll DM you the sign up link.

🎓 I’ll be exploring this and other fascinating claims in Demystifying Fascia, Part 1: Separating Fact from Fiction, my live online masterclass on Thursday 12th November.

➡️ Comment FASCIA and I’ll send you the details. by @doctoryogi

Fascia was once commonly described as little more than the connective tissue that wraps around and supports our muscles and organs.

But research has revealed something fascinating: fascial tissues contain sensory nerve endings and may contribute to how we perceive movement, body position and pain.

Some researchers have even proposed that fascia could be considered our largest sensory organ, particularly when its extensive surface area is taken into account.

But there’s an important distinction to make.

Fascia isn’t one uniform tissue. Different fascial structures have different patterns and densities of sensory innervation, and much of the research has focused on particular regions, especially the thoracolumbar fascia in the lower back.

While there’s good evidence that fascial tissues are innervated, we don’t yet have sufficient evidence to confidently rank fascia as the body’s largest or most important sensory organ.

And importantly, the presence of sensory nerve endings doesn’t mean that every sensation we experience during stretching or movement can be attributed specifically to fascia.

What does this mean for yoga teachers?

When students describe feeling a stretch, tension or discomfort, those sensations may involve information from muscles, tendons, fascia and other tissues, interpreted by the nervous system.

We don’t necessarily need to identify which tissue they’re feeling to help them explore movement more confidently.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about fascia isn’t whether it’s our largest sensory organ, but how much we’re still learning about its role in the way we experience our bodies.

References in comments below.

📖 I’ll be exploring this topic in more detail in upcoming Yoga Anatomy Insights newsletters.

➡️ Comment NEWS and I’ll DM you the sign up link.

🎓 I’ll be exploring this and other fascinating claims in Demystifying Fascia, Part 1: Separating Fact from Fiction, my live online masterclass on Thursday 12th November.

➡️ Comment FASCIA and I’ll send you the details. by @doctoryogi

Have you ever finished a yoga class feeling wonderfully calm, content or even a little euphoric?

I’ve always found it fascinating that something as familiar as feeling good after yoga can be so difficult to explain physiologically.

For decades, endorphins were credited with producing the famous runner’s high. However, a 2021 study by Siebers and colleagues found that runners still experienced euphoria and reduced anxiety even when their opioid receptors were blocked. The findings suggest that endorphins aren’t necessary for this experience and that endocannabinoids may play an important role.

But can we apply this explanation to yoga?

Interestingly, a 2026 study comparing yoga, stretching and aerobic exercise found that yoga improved positive feelings without a significant increase in circulating anandamide, an endocannabinoid. Other studies have investigated GABA, dopamine and changes in brain-wave activity, but none has established a single mechanism responsible for post-yoga bliss.

And perhaps we shouldn’t expect one. The physical pleasure of moving, the rhythm of breathing, focused attention, social connection and our expectations may all contribute to how we feel after practising.

Of course, not everyone finishes yoga feeling blissful. Some people feel energised, others feel relaxed, and some notice very little difference. These experiences are all valid.

For yoga teachers, I think there’s an important distinction here: we can recognise that yoga offers a range of benefits without necessarily understanding every physiological mechanism behind them.

References in comments

📖 I’ll explore this in more detail in an upcoming Yoga Anatomy Insights newsletter, adapted from my book The Physiology of Yoga.

➡️ Comment NEWS and I’ll send you the sign-up link.

🫀 Want to explore the physiology behind yoga in much more depth? My 4-week live online Physiology of Yoga course starts on 3 February 2027.

➡️ Comment POY and I’ll send you the details. by @doctoryogi

You may have heard that yoga, stretching or massage can help “hydrate” or “rehydrate” our fascia, keeping it supple and preventing stiffness.

But what does the science actually tell us?

Water is an important component of fascia. It interacts with molecules such as hyaluronan, helping influence the mechanical properties of connective tissues and how neighbouring tissue layers move.

And there’s a genuine physiological basis for the idea that movement can influence fluid dynamics within tissues.

However, this doesn’t mean our fascia becomes dehydrated through everyday inactivity, or that yoga specifically restores water to tissues that have dried out.

It’s also important to distinguish between whole-body dehydration and temporary changes in fluid distribution within tissues.

And feeling stiff or restricted doesn’t necessarily tell us anything about the hydration of our fascia.

What does this mean for yoga teachers?

We have plenty of good reasons to encourage movement and stretching without claiming that we’re rehydrating fascia.

If someone feels less stiff after yoga, that improvement is meaningful, even if we can’t identify exactly which tissues or mechanisms were responsible.

References in comments below.

📖 I’ll be exploring this topic in more detail in upcoming Yoga Anatomy Insights newsletters.

➡️ Comment NEWS and I’ll DM you the sign-up link.

🎓 I’ll be exploring this and other common claims in Demystifying Fascia, Part 1: Separating Fact from Fiction, my live online masterclass on Thursday 12th November.

➡️ Comment FASCIA and I’ll send you the details. by @doctoryogi

The idea that our fascia can become “stuck” is common in yoga, massage and bodywork.
And there is some genuine anatomy behind the concept.

Different layers of connective tissue normally glide and move in relation to one another. But genuine adhesions, scarring and fibrosis can sometimes affect this movement, particularly following injury, surgery or certain medical conditions.

Researchers also use the term densification to describe changes in the properties of loose connective tissue, potentially involving hyaluronan, a substance that helps tissues glide.

However, densification isn’t the same as an adhesion or scar tissue, and its clinical significance is still being investigated.

The difficulty comes when we assume that an everyday sensation of stiffness means our fascia has become physically stuck.

Feelings of tightness and restrictions in movement can involve many factors, including tissue properties, muscle activity, sensitivity and our tolerance of particular movements.

And while stretching, massage and foam rolling can produce genuine improvements in how we feel and move, those changes don’t necessarily demonstrate that fascial adhesions have been broken apart.

What does this mean for yoga teachers?

We don’t need to dismiss the benefits of stretching or bodywork. But we can be more careful about the explanations we attach to those benefits.

Rather than telling students that their fascia is stuck and needs releasing, we can encourage them to explore movement and sensation without assuming that something needs fixing.

References in comments below.

📖 I’ll be exploring this topic in more detail in upcoming Yoga Anatomy Insights newsletters.

➡️ Comment NEWS and I’ll DM you the sign up link.

🎓 I’ll be exploring this and other common claims in Demystifying Fascia, Part 1: Separating Fact from Fiction, my live online masterclass on Thursday 12th November.

➡️ Comment FASCIA and I’ll send you the details. by @doctoryogi

Have you ever been taught to engage your quadriceps during a forward fold to help your hamstrings relax?

The explanation is usually reciprocal inhibition, a genuine neurological mechanism through which activity in one muscle can reduce activation of an opposing muscle.

However, our nervous system doesn’t simply switch opposing muscles on and off. Co-contraction is common, and muscles can remain active even while they’re lengthening.

So, does deliberately contracting the quadriceps actually help us stretch further?

A small study by Davis et al. (2005) found that static stretching was more consistently effective than the particular reciprocal inhibition technique tested. However, other research suggests that stretching techniques involving muscle contractions can improve range of movement (Sharman et al., 2006).

The important distinction is that demonstrating an improvement in flexibility doesn’t necessarily establish which physiological mechanism caused it.

For yoga teachers, I think this is a useful reminder that a cue can be effective even when our explanation for why it works is questionable.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with encouraging students to engage their quadriceps during a forward fold. But perhaps we could be more curious about what that contraction actually helps them achieve.

References in comments

📖 I’ll explore this in more detail in an upcoming Yoga Anatomy Insights newsletter, adapted from my book The Physiology of Yoga.

➡️ Comment NEWS and I’ll send you the sign-up link.

🫀 Want to explore the physiology behind yoga in much more depth? My 4-week live online Physiology of Yoga course starts on 3 February 2027.

➡️ Comment POY and I’ll send you the details. Early bird pricing ends 1 November! by @doctoryogi

Can holding a stretch for longer really help us “target” or change our fascia?

It’s an idea we hear frequently in yoga, particularly in relation to Yin Yoga. And there’s certainly a plausible starting point: connective tissue is adaptable and can respond to repeated mechanical loading.

But that doesn’t mean muscle and fascia take turns being stretched depending on how long we hold a pose.

Interestingly, duration does appear to matter. One study found reductions in hamstring muscle-tendon stiffness after 180 seconds or more of accumulated static stretching, but not after shorter durations. Another found that three minutes of calf stretching increased range of motion and reduced muscle stiffness, while tendon stiffness remained unchanged.

So perhaps there is something physiologically interesting about longer holds. But these findings don’t tell us that three minutes is a magic threshold at which we suddenly start to “target fascia”. The studies measured acute changes in things like stiffness and range of motion, not long-term fascial remodelling.

There’s another important limitation when applying this research to yoga: these studies investigated static stretching, not Yin Yoga specifically. They can inform our thinking about what might happen during long-held Yin poses, but we shouldn’t assume the two are interchangeable.

For teachers, I think the more useful message is that duration can influence the effects of stretching without us needing to claim that longer holds uniquely target fascia.

📖 I’ll explore this in more detail in an upcoming Yoga Anatomy Insights newsletter. Comment NEWS and I’ll send you the sign-up link.

🎓 Want to explore fascia more deeply? On 12 November, my monthly Masterclass Series continues with Demystifying Fascia, Part 1: Separating Fact from Fiction.

We’ll explore what fascia actually is, what it does, how it responds to movement and stretching, and some of the common claims made about fascia in yoga.

Comment FASCIA and I’ll send you the details.

References in comments. by @doctoryogi

Do inversions really increase blood flow to the brain, stimulate the pineal gland, lower blood pressure or improve circulation?

Some of these claims have been repeated in yoga for decades, but the physiology tells a more interesting story.

Our brains carefully regulate their own blood supply, and research measuring cerebral blood flow during Headstand found that it did not increase (Paulson et al., 1990; Minvaleev et al., 2019).

There’s currently no good evidence that inversions specifically stimulate or “decalcify” the pineal gland. And while changing our position affects the cardiovascular system and baroreflex, evidence that yoga inversions lower blood pressure through this mechanism is limited.

One effect we can explain more confidently is a temporary increase in venous return when the body is inverted, as gravity makes it easier for blood to return from the lower body towards the heart (Haennel et al., 1988).

As always, questioning the explanation doesn’t mean questioning the value of the practice.

References in comments below.

📖 I’ll be exploring this topic in more detail in an upcoming Yoga Anatomy Insights newsletter.

➡️ Comment NEWS and I’ll DM you the sign-up link.

🫀 Want to explore the physiology behind yoga in much more depth? My 4-week Physiology of Yoga live online course returns in February 2027.

➡️ Comment POY and I’ll DM you the details. Early bird pricing is available until November 1st. by @doctoryogi

See an anterior pelvic tilt and it can be tempting to start looking for the muscle responsible.

And the psoas is often one of the first suspects.

The explanation seems straightforward: the psoas attaches to the lumbar spine and femur, so if it becomes “short” or “tight”, perhaps it pulls the pelvis forwards and creates excessive anterior pelvic tilt.

But pelvic position naturally varies between people. An anteriorly tilted pelvis isn’t automatically a problem that needs correcting, nor does looking at someone’s posture tell us that their psoas is “tight”.

The relationship with low back pain is also much more complicated than “anterior pelvic tilt causes back pain”. Research comparing people with and without low back pain has produced mixed findings, and differences between groups don’t establish that a particular pelvic position caused someone’s pain.

For yoga teachers, I think there’s a more useful way to approach this.

Rather than becoming fixated on where someone’s pelvis sits when they’re standing still, we can explore their options for movement.

Can they comfortably anteriorly tilt their pelvis? Can they posteriorly tilt it? Can they move between the two? Can they find different pelvic positions when a movement or pose calls for them?

The goal doesn’t need to be finding the “correct” position and keeping the pelvis there.

Sometimes exploring more options is more useful than correcting the one we started with.

References in comments below.

🎓 Want to explore the psoas in more depth?

On 8 October, my monthly evidence-based Masterclass Series for yoga teachers continues with Demystifying the Psoas: Why So Much Is Asked of One Muscle.

We’ll explore what the anatomy and evidence can actually tell us about the psoas, including ideas around tightness and “release”, stretching and strengthening, posture, low back pain, breathing, stress and trauma.

The live masterclass is included with a Premium subscription to Yoga Anatomy Insights, with replay access afterwards.

➡️ Comment PSOAS and I’ll send you the details. by @doctoryogi