YogiAnatomy is a resource for health care for health care & yoga professionals in how to apply yoga For more information, please visit www.yogianatomy.com.
Physical therapists and yoga instructors, Ellen Anderson and Lori Zucker, are known for their interactive workshops bringing yogic approaches to rehabilitation professionals and a “No Fear” approach to understanding anatomy, alignment and physiology for yogis and yoga teachers. They believe that learning how the body works should be fun and exciting – not daunting, and that yoga research and scie
nce should be accessible to everyone. In addition to being a go-to resource for many yoga teacher training programs, Yogi Anatomy offers workshops, retreats, and customized lessons. All of their programs are designed to enhance your practice and avoid injury. Lori S Zucker, PT, DPT, CYT
Practicing Physical Therapy since 1985, Lori received her Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Therapy from Washington University, a Master’s Degree in Pathokinesiology from New York University, and her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the Rutgers University (formerly UMDNJ). In addition, Lori is an Adjunct Professor teaching in the Doctoral Program in Physical Therapy at Rutgers University. She has authored a chapter in Complementary Therapies for Physical Therapy: A Clinical-Decision Making Approach, published in 2008. In the same year, Lori received the James Tucker Excellence in Clinical Teaching Award from the American Physical Therapy Association of New Jersey, and was recently awarded the outstanding alumni award from Rutgers University (formerly UMDNJ). An avid yoga practitioner since 2001, Lori is a certified yoga instructor and integrates principles of yoga in her physical therapy practice. She regularly advises yoga professionals on anatomical alignment, injury-prevention, and asana modifications. Since 2006, Lori has lectured on anatomy and injury prevention in multiple teacher trainings both in the United States and overseas. Lori is the primary anatomy instructor for the Jivamukti teacher trainings in NY, Costa Rica and India. Lori operates her own private physical therapy practice in Livingston, New Jersey. Ellen Z Anderson, PT, PhD, E-RYT
A Physical Therapist since 1982, Ellen earned a BS in Physical Therapy from West Virginia University a Master’s Degree in Motor Learning and Control from Columbia University and a PhD in Health Sciences from Rutgers University. Ellen is an Associate Professor of Physical Therapy at Rutgers University, School of Health Related Professions. In her role as a faculty member Ellen teaches Therapeutic Exercise, Development Across the Lifespan and Clinical Inquiry. She was the recipient of 2011 Rutgers (formally UMDNJ) Student Senate Award for Excellence in Education Mentoring. Ellen is the co-author & co-editor of Complementary Therapies for Physical Therapy: A Clinical-Decision Making Approach, which won the 2008 American Publishers Award for Professional & Scholarly Excellence. Ellen, a practicing yogi for over 15 years, has explored various forms of yoga including vinyasa, Iyengar, Bikram, Jivamukti, Ashtanga, and Phoenix Rising Yoga therapy. She is an anatomy instructor for several yoga teacher training programs in New Jersey. Ellen teaches yoga workshops and immersions focused on managing low back pain, injury prevention and understanding musculoskeletal pathology.
06/04/2026
😴 You thought skipping sleep just made you tired. But what if it’s also quietly eroding your clinical judgment?
The latest post in our Sleep Science Series gets real about what sleep deprivation does to the brain skills you rely on most as a healthcare provider:
🧠 Sustained attention
🔄 Cognitive flexibility
⚖️ Moral reasoning & ethical decision-making
📋 Working memory for complex clinical cases
And here’s the uncomfortable part: the more sleep-deprived you are, the less accurately you perceive your own impairment. The instrument you’d use to notice the problem is the same one that’s compromised.
We also dig into:
→ Strategic napping: useful or overhyped?
→ Caffeine timing (that 3 pm coffee may still be active at midnight 👀)
→ Weekend catch-up sleep: better than nothing, but not what you think
→ Where yoga actually fits into the picture
This series is building toward our December 2026 workshop: Better Sleep, Better Outcomes.
🧠 Quick quiz: Which of these has happened to you after a short night?
☐ Snapped at a colleague, then immediately wondered where that came from
☐ Felt anxious or on edge without a clear reason
☐ Had less patience for a patient’s slow progress than you normally would
☐ Made a reactive call you’d have handled differently well-rested
That’s not a personality problem. That’s your amygdala running without its regulator.
Sleep deprivation creates a measurable “prefrontal-amygdala disconnect.” Your brain’s threat detector gets louder while the part that keeps it in check goes quiet.
Our latest blog breaks it all down → The glymphatic system (your brain’s cleaning crew that only runs while you sleep 🧹) → Why you can stop feeling tired while still performing at a deficit → The midlife sleep-dementia link researchers are tracking
Part 3 in our Sleep Science Series, is building toward our December 2026 workshop: “Better Sleep, Better Outcomes,” because sleep is a performance issue.
🔗 Full post at the link in bio.
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05/18/2026
📊 65–88% of people with chronic musculoskeletal pain have clinically meaningful sleep disturbances.
That’s not incidental. Sleep and pain are neurobiologically intertwined. Treat one without the other, and you’re leaving outcomes on the table.
Our latest blog breaks down the mechanisms and the evidence for yoga as a dual sleep-and-pain intervention. Worth a read if you work with either population, which, let’s be honest, is every population.
We are so proud of our recent yoga teacher graduates. They each came to YogiAnatomy with different goals and backgrounds, and they all emerged as knowledgeable yogis and talented teachers. They may be bad asses, but as people and teachers, they are full of patience, empathy, and grace. We wish them the best and hope to stay connected.
03/19/2026
😴 Most people know sleep is essential — but do you know why?
Sleep isn’t just rest. It’s a nightly renovation of your brain, body, and nervous system. And when it goes wrong, everything from pain to mood to immune function pays the price.
Our latest blog breaks down the science of sleep stages, what healthy sleep actually looks like — and why yoga may be one of your most powerful tools for getting there.
🔗 Link in bio to read more.
(And yes — this is the first post in a series building up to our December 2026 workshop. Stay tuned.)
03/16/2026
What a class! YogiAnatomy was blessed to have Ellen Kaplow teach a workshop for our yoga teacher trainees. Ellen’s masterful teaching of alignment and awareness is why she’s a teacher’s teacher. Follow her at or get in touch via https://www.ellenkaplowyoga.com
02/01/2026
🐴✨ Welcome to the Year of the Fire Horse!
If January resolutions have already wandered off, consider this your gentle permission slip to reset.
2026 isn’t just a new year; it’s a rare celestial event that occurs only once every 60 years. In Chinese and Tibetan traditions, the Fire Horse brings powerful energy for transformation, courage, and breaking free from old patterns.
But how do we harness this dynamic energy without becoming overwhelmed?
Our latest blog explores
🔥 The deeper meaning behind the Fire Horse year
🧘♀️ How yogic wisdom helps us navigate rapid change
💫 Practical tools for transformation grounded in ancient traditions
🌟 Why 2026 is the perfect time for new beginnings
Link in bio to read “Galloping Into 2026: Embracing the Fire Horse’s Call for Transformation and Well-Being”
🔬 NEW RESEARCH: Medical Cannabis & Opioid Reduction
The MEMO Study tracked 204 chronic pain patients for 18 months and found something significant: participation in a regulated medical cannabis program led to a 22% reduction in opioid use.
What makes this different?
✅ Prospective design (not just surveys)
✅ Objective prescription monitoring data
✅ Pharmacist-supervised care
✅ Controlled for unregulated cannabis use
The key finding: Medical cannabis appears to work like a “dimmer switch,” not an on/off switch—enabling gradual, sustainable opioid tapering rather than abrupt replacement. This matters for patients struggling with chronic pain and providers seeking evidence-based alternatives to high-dose opioid therapy.
Full breakdown at link in bio 📖
11/07/2025
🎯 First Friday Quiz is HERE!
Test your knowledge on Yoga & Flexibility - think you know the science behind stretching?
This evidence-based quiz will challenge what you think you know and teach you what you need to know! Perfect for yoga teachers, PTs, and movement nerds 🤓
Link in bio! 👆
09/05/2025
🧘♀️💪 First Friday Quiz: Yoga and Strength
Test your knowledge on how yoga builds functional strength! From isometric holds to progressive overload, this quiz covers the science behind strength-building in your practice.
Perfect for yoga teachers wanting to deepen their understanding of:
✨ Muscle contractions in poses
✨ Safe progression techniques
✨ Breathing during strength work
Ready to challenge yourself? Look for the link in our bio.
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