Yoga Research & Beyond

Yoga Research & Beyond

Are you trying to make sense of all the conflicting narratives about fitness? Learn how to ground your teaching practice in science-based research instead. The Yoga Research & Beyond Podcast helps yoga teachers and fitness professionals discern popular messages about the benefits and dangers of how our bodies move. Co-hosts Ariana Raven and Jules Mitchell discuss published research on yoga and exercise, challenge dominant trends about the human body, and teach research literacy in a fun and engaging way. About The Hosts: Ariana Raven (Rabinovitch) is a yoga teacher, strength trainer, New York Stretch co-founder, and founder of Yoga Research & Beyond. For more than ten years, she’s been helping people reach their goals with a holistic approach that combines principles from yoga, exercise science, and published research. Find her at arianaraven.com. Jules Mitchell is a disrupter, yoga teacher, and the author of Yoga Biomechanics: Stretching Redefined. She is based in Las Vegas, Nevada, and leads advanced continuing education programs in biomechanics for fitness and rehab professionals worldwide. Find her at julesmitchell.com.

Episodes

June 20, 2025 20 mins

In this episode, Ariana and Jules discuss a qualitative review on teaching yoga to older adults, focusing on their experiences, needs, and effective instructional strategies. They explore the importance of community, the strengths and limitations of the study, and provide recommendations for yoga teachers. The conversation highlights the value of qualitative data in understanding the perspectives of seniors in yoga practice.

 

Take...

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In this episode, Ariana and Jules discuss a systematic review and meta-analysis examining the effects of mind-body interventions, such as yoga, on neuroendocrine functions. They explore the interconnectedness of the immune, nervous, and endocrine systems, the methodology behind systematic reviews, and the implications of their findings on health and wellness. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding the mechanism...

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In this episode, Ariana and Jules discuss the effects of yoga on individuals with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), a chronic inflammatory arthritis affecting the spine. They review a study comparing yoga to traditional exercise, highlighting the methodology, results, and implications for practice. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding functional outcomes and the limitations of the study, while also advocating for ...

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In this episode, Ariana and Jules delve into the topic of athletic recovery, particularly focusing on the role of yoga and stretching. They discuss a recent study that compares the effects of yoga and static stretching on male athletes post-high-intensity interval training (HIIT). The conversation covers various recovery methods, the physiological markers measured in the study, and the implications of the findings. The...

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February 9, 2025 22 mins

This conversation explores the gender dynamics in yoga, focusing on why more women participate in yoga than men. The hosts discuss a research paper that examines the barriers and facilitators for male participation in yoga, highlighting the need for role models, encouragement, and the impact of societal gender norms. They also reflect on the importance of deconstructing these norms to create a more inclusive yoga commu...

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In this episode, Ariana and Jules discuss the concept of 'text neck' and its potential link to neck pain. They explore a recent scoping review that examines whether the position of the neck while using smartphones is a causative factor for neck pain, utilizing Hill's criteria of causation. The conversation delves into the nuances of correlation versus causation, the limitations of current research, and the biopsychosoc...

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In this episode, Ariana and Jules get into the distinctions between randomized clinical trials (RCTs), feasibility studies, and pilot studies. They discuss the importance of understanding these methodologies in the context of yoga research and the common misconceptions surrounding them. The conversation highlights the role of preliminary studies in developing effective interventions and the significance of case studies...

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In this episode, Ariana and Jules discuss a planned study on the efficacy of an online yoga intervention for cancer patients, specifically those with high-grade gliomas, and their caregivers. They explore the unique aspects of the study, including its design, the importance of trial registration, and the challenges faced in previous online yoga research. The conversation highlights the potential benefits of online yoga...

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In this episode, Ariana and Jules discuss the significance of Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) in understanding patient experiences, particularly in the context of pain management. They delve into a specific study focused on the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) and the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK), exploring the methods used to validate and shorten these surveys for better usability. The conversation hi...

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September 2, 2024 24 mins

In this episode, we discuss a randomized pilot trial on synchronized breathing for chronic nonspecific low back pain. We highlight key features of the study, such as the exercise program, the patient reported outcome measurements, and the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of adding synchronized breathing. We also discuss the importance of trial registration and transparency in research. Overall, the study showed positive results...

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In this insightful episode of the Yoga Research and Beyond podcast, hosts Jules Mitchell and Ariana Rabinovitch dive into the research paper, "Pain reduction, physical performance, and psychological status compared between Hatha yoga and stretching exercise to treat sedentary office workers with mild/moderate neck/shoulder pain: A randomized controlled non-inferiority trial."

Join as we explore:

  • Details of the intervention and...
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Join hosts Jules Mitchell and Ariana Rabinovitch in this new episode of the Yoga Research and Beyond podcast as they discuss the research paper, "Not All Yoga Styles Are the Same: An International Survey on Characteristics of Yoga Classes."

They explore:

  • The various categories and styles of yoga classified in the paper
  • The advantages and limitations of using surveys as a research method
  • How subjective data can be measured effe...
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July 26, 2024 17 mins

In this episode, we dive deep into the methods of an observational study on the effects of Yin Yoga on anxiety. 

We explored these key topics:

 1. Understanding Anxiety: Anxiety is a psychological, physiological, and behavioral state triggered by perceived threats to emotional security and survival.

2. State Anxiety vs Trait Anxiety: Anxiety can be a temporary response to an event or it can be a reflection of one's personality.

3. ...

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June 12, 2024 29 mins

Slow Breathing: Samavriti and Visamavriti Pranayama for Reducing Stress

In our first podcast episode under the new format, we review the paper Slow breathing for reducing stress: The effect of extending exhale. Our main focus was the methods section. Here are some basics we covered:

  • Randomization and blinding challenges in yoga research
  • Slow breathing parameters for study inclusion/exclusion
  • Participant screening for ...
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Welcome to the Yoga Research & Beyond Podcast! 🎧

Struggling with all the conflicting fitness advice? Ariana Raven and Jules Mitchell have got you covered! 🧘‍♀️📖 Join them as they break down the latest research on yoga and exercise, debunk myths, and teach you how to apply scientific findings to the way you teach yoga.

Perfect for yoga teachers and fitness pros who want to ground their practice in science. Tune in for li...

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How often do your students ask for help with tight hamstrings? In this episode Jenn Pilotti and I discuss a study that compared 4 stretching techniques for greater hamstring flexibility. This study from the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research compared two active stretches and two passive stretches in 100 people over the course of 8 weeks. It’s clear that one resulted in the greatest gains. We discuss the results here and ...

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November 28, 2017 31 mins

How can Buteyko breathing help with asthma? Research shows 6-30% of asthma sufferers use breathing methods to alleviate their asthma symptoms in the UK.  Catherine and I discuss a paper from the Complementary Therapies in Medicine journal about Buteyko breathing and asthma.

Buteyko breathing technique (BBT) is a method that is used in some practices to help with hyperventilation, and asthma. BBT trains people to slow their breath r...

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What are Ground Reaction Forces (GRFs) and why are they important? In biomechanics GRF is the force exerted from the ground onto the body when they make contact. It's basically Newton's 3rd law: for every action there is a reaction. Measuring these forces helps us understand how yoga poses impact bones and possibly bone mass.

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Can virtual reality technology affect pain perception? Well, yeah. Catherine Cowey and I discuss a fun study about this co-authored by Lorimer Moseley in 2015 in the Psychological Science Journal. The researchers used VR technology to give subjects (with a history of neck pain) the illusion that they had moved their neck more or less than they actually had. As they hypothesized, this had an effect on their perception of pain.

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July 28, 2017 55 mins

Proximal hamstring tendinopathy (PHT) is a pathology of the tendon with a combination of tissue damage, inflammation, and possibly pain at the proximal tendon where the hamstring attaches to the ischial tuberosity. PHT is very common among yoga practitioners as well as in other populations.  Jules Mitchell and I talk about our own experiences with hamstring injuries as well as a 2016 clinical commentary entitled Proximal Hamstring ...

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