Yoga Meets Movement Science Jenni Rawlings & Travis Pollen, PhD

Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss what research suggests about whether we should truly “always listen to our body”.
Points of discussion include:
A review of interoceptionDo yoga & mindfulness practices actually improve interoception?What’s the connection between interoception and anxiety?Does what we feel in our body necessarily reflect what is actually taking place in our body?Do feelings of back stiffness correlate to actual biomechanical back stiffness?The conundrum of treating pain in a rehab context when pain does not necessarily correlate with tissue damageShould rehab exercises be painful or not painful?Is the sensation we feel at the end of a stretch an accurate reflection of the mechanical end range of our tissue’s length?What role does interoception play in athletic performance?Do elite runners have better interoception than non-runners?…And much more!Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:


Jenni’s email newsletter
Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis
Research study: Feeling stiffness in the back: a protective perceptual inference in chronic back pain
Research study: Interoceptive differences in elite sprint and long-distance runners: A multidimensional investigation
Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni
Strength for Yoga email newsletter
To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram
Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

**Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast – starting at $3/month!

Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss the phenomenon of “magic muscles”: the tendency in the yoga, fitness, and rehab worlds to treat some muscles as more important or more special than other muscles.
Points of discussion include:
What is a magic muscle?Muscle-based approaches in strength training & bodybuildingTeaching yoga with a  “teach movement, not muscles” approachWhat research suggests about these specific magic muscles:Quadratus Lumborum (QL)Vastus Medialis Obliquus (VMO)Transverse Abdominis (TvA)PsoasGlutesPiriformisWhat do all magic muscles have in common?Is the practice of labelling certain muscles as “stabilizers” and others as “movers” somewhat outdated?The trend in evidence-based rehab to use non-specific vs. specific diagnoses for persistent pain conditionsWhat are “corrective exercises”, and are they evidence-based?How well does yoga, specifically, help with low back pain?…And much more!Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!
Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast! Starting at $3/month.
Resources mentioned in this episode:


Jenni’s email newsletter
Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis
Take Jenni’s course: “When to Be Anatomically Specific in Yoga” for free!
Podcast episodes referenced in this episode (in order of appearance on the show):
Ep 35: Nasal vs. Mouth Breathing: Does it Matter:Ep 6: Is Ashtanga Yoga a Cult? And the Value of StrengthEp 4: The Truth About Core TrainingEp 9: Do We Store Emotions in Our Hips?Ep 13: The Glutes: Peachy Keen or Not All They Seem?Ep 18: Pigeon Pose: Friend or Foe?Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni
Strength for Yoga email newsletter
To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram
Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

**Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast – starting at $3/month!

Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen are joined by special guest Joe Miller, MS to discuss the physiology of breathing.
Joe Miller has been teaching yoga since 2000, and he has a master’s degree in applied physiology from Columbia University. He teaches anatomy and physiology in yoga teacher trainings nationally and worldwide. He’s also a Guild Certified Feldenkrais® Practitioner and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA.
Points of discussion include:
Joe’s yoga backstory and how he got into physiologyHas the yoga world historically been insular by nature, and is that changing?Why do we breathe?How is breathing controlled?What is anaerobic vs. aerobic respiration?Is it helpful to teach yoga students to breathe “fully and deeply” all throughout their yoga practice?Do we have “stale” air in our lungs that we clear out with full exhales?What different effects do breathing into the belly, rib cage, and upper chest have?What physiological effects does ujjayi breathing have?Is it helpful for yoga teachers to remind people to breathe?Is it helpful to pair specific movements in yoga with specific phases of the breath (inhale or exhale)?…And much more!Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!


Resources mentioned in this episode:
Learn more from Joe Miller: website / Instagram / YouTube
YouTube video (Joe Miller): Does Deep Breathing Increase Blood Oxygen?
Breathing 101 Course with Joe Miller
Jenni’s email newsletter
Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis
Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni
Strength for Yoga email newsletter
To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram
Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

**Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast – starting at $3/month!

Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss what scientific research suggests about nasal vs. mouth breathing.
In addition to nasal vs. mouth breathing as a general topic, Jenni and Travis also take a closer look at the Buteyko Breathing Method, as well as and 2 popular books on breathing: Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor (2020) and The Oxygen Advantage by Patrick McKeown (2015).
This episode features a special guest interview at the end specifically about the book Breath by James Nestor. Jenni and Travis are joined by the amazing science communicator Dr. Rachel David to discuss this book. Rachel has a PhD in immunology and a master’s degree in science communication, and she’s also a yoga teacher.
Points of discussion include:
What claims are commonly made about nasal vs. mouth breathing?Outlining the difference between *breathing practices* (acute) vs. day-to-day breathing (chronic)What type of research would need to be done in order to investigate a possible causal link between mouth breathing and negative health effects?What does research suggest about the health effects of nasal breathing techniques or practices (i.e. pranayama)?Day-to-day breathing is autonomic (unconscious)What percentage of people breathe 100% nasally?What are the benefits of nasal breathing?When our mouth is open, do we still breathe through our nose?Does an open mouth indicate that someone is a “mouth breather”?What does the research on the effects of mouth breathing suggest?A closer look at the Buteyko Breathing Method and 2 books: The Oxygen Advantage by Patrick McKeown (2015) and Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor (2020)How popular is the book Breath by James Nestor in the yoga world?Did any scientific organizations endorse the book Breath?Is the basic premise of the book Breath scientifically-based?…And much more!
Resources mentioned in this episode:


Dr. Rachel David’s website: https://geeky.yoga (**sign up for her email list in the footer of her website!)
Dr. Rachel David’s article about the book Breath by James Nestor
Jenni’s email newsletter
Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis
Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni
Strength for Yoga email newsletter
To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram
Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.



**Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast – starting at $3/month!

Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen are joined by the knowledgeable science educator Jonathan Jarry, MS to discuss complementary and alternative medicine.
Jonathan Jarry is a science communicator for McGill University’s Office for Science and Society. He has a master’s degree in molecular biology, and he brings his experience in cancer research, human genetics, rehabilitation research, and forensic biology to the work he does for the public. Jonathan also co-hosts the award-winning medical podcast The Body of Evidence, and he is frequently quoted in local, national and international media on issues of science and pseudoscience.
Points of discussion include:
What is evidence-based medicine? What is science-based medicine?What is a randomized clinical trial?What is complementary & alternative medicine (CAM)?What is the wellness industry?What are some qualities that all complementary & alternative medicine modalities have in common?Specific alternative medicine modalities discussed include:ChiropracticNaturopathyHomeopathyAcupunctureWhat is the placebo effect?What is regression to the mean?What’s the difference between correlation and causation?Is using yoga as “medicine” or “therapy” evidence-based?…And much more!Enjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:


Find Jonathan Jarry’s work at the Office for Science and Society at McGill University
Follow Jonathan Jarry on Twitter
Listen to Jonathan’s award-winning podcast The Body of Evidence
Book recommendation by Jonathan: Trick or Treatment

Jonathan Jarry on the Adaptabilia podcast
Jenni’s email newsletter
Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis
Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni
Strength for Yoga email newsletter
To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram
Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

**Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast – starting at $3/month!

Yoga teacher Jenni Rawlings and Exercise Science professor Travis Pollen discuss a selection of yoga alignment cues that don't make sense! These cues all have one thing in common: they are each used inconsistently across similar (or the same) positions. By examining these carefully-chosen examples, we gain insight into whether or not these cues are actually important. And we improve our ability to think critically about the information we’re taught!
Yoga alignment rules covered in this episode include:
Stack the shoulder over the wrist in plank poseStack the shoulder over the wrist in side plank poseDon’t let the feet turn out in wheel poseDon’t jump back to straight-arm plank pose; instead, jump into bent-elbow chaturangaDon’t transition from closed-to-open hip poses or vice versaDon’t place your foot on your inner knee in tree poseGround your inner hands down in down dogInternally rotate your hips in forward foldsCatch the outer ankle in bow poseEnjoy this engaging and eye-opening discussion for yoga, movement, and fitness geeks!

Resources mentioned in this episode:


Jenni’s email newsletter
Strength for Yoga Remote Group Training – ongoing, interactive monthly strength program for yogis designed by Jenni & Travis
Online yoga class library & yoga anatomy workshops with Jenni
Strength for Yoga email newsletter
Sara Paige, who inspired the idea for this episode! website / Instagram
YouTube video: Should We Shift Forward Onto Our Toes in Chaturanga?
YouTube video: Is Turning Your Feet Out in Wheel Bad?
YouTube video: Is Jumping Back to Plank Bad for Our Shoulders?
Blog post: No Foot on the Knee in Tree Pose? Questioning the Cue
YouTube video: Should We Avoid Closed to Open Hip Transitions in Yoga?
YouTube video: Should We Ground Our Inner Hands in Down Dog?
To find out more about Travis Pollen: website / Instagram
Music used with generous permission from Dischord A Cappella.

**Become a supporter of the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast – starting at $3/month!