The long holds of simple poses described in this podcast follow the yin yoga style, designed to work deeply in the connective tissue around the pelvis, spine, and joints. The poses will challenge your endurance; you may find the mental experience is very similar to that of a long training session race. If you find yourself in pain, please move out of the pose. If you are enjoying the challenge of the growing intensity, build up to the full holds timed in the episode (around two and a half minutes per pose), or pause the episode while you linger in each pose for up to four or five minutes. Be sure to sit in stillness between poses to observe the effect of the work.

For more on yin yoga, visit yinyoga.com, or the Web sites of yin yoga teachers Paul Grilley and Sarah Powers.

Music for this episode comes, via Magnatune.com, from the Tilopa album Turkishauch. The first track is “1x3,” the second, “Schlicht 1.” I hope you enjoy them as you sink into these poses.

Please share your feedback and requests for future episodes. And be sure to look for my book, The Athlete’s Guide to Yoga: An Integrated Approach to Strength, Flexibility, and Focus (VeloPress, forthcoming December 2007).