Yoga With Biz and Boyd — Poses and Flows to Help You Ride Better
At the 2026 Windurra Camp, yoga instructor Biz Magarity guided riders through breathing, alignment, a short plank-to-downward-dog flow, and a seated focus exercise while Boyd Martin demonstrated the movements.
Quick takeaways
- Use one hand on the lower abdomen and one over the breastbone to notice movement in both areas while breathing.
- In tabletop and downward dog, rotate from the shoulders so the elbows point back toward the hips instead of flaring outward.
- If flat-hand positions bother the wrists, the class used fists with weight balanced on the knuckles as an alternative.
- Repeat the plank, downward-dog, hamstring-stretch, and twist sequence on both the right and left sides.
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Begin by tracking the breath in two parts of the torso
Start in a comfortable position and place the left hand on the lower abdomen with the thumb near the belly button. Place the right hand over the breastbone with the thumb near the sternum.
Breathe several times while paying attention to movement under each hand. The purpose of the hand placement is to make the lower and upper areas easier to notice before moving into the stretches.
- Keep one hand on the lower abdomen.
- Keep the other hand over the breastbone.
- Repeat the breathing several times before stretching.
- Keep one hand on the lower abdomen.
- Keep the other hand over the breastbone.
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Work both sides instead of stopping after the first stretch
After the breathing exercise, the class stretched and breathed through the left side, then repeated the work on the other side. Magarity connected that even approach to the way riders try to work horses consistently in both directions.
Treat the second side as part of the sequence rather than an optional repeat. Move through the same setup and breathing pattern so the left and right sides receive comparable attention.
- Complete the movement on one side.
- Reset your position before changing sides.
- Repeat the same breathing and stretch pattern on the opposite side.
- Complete the movement on one side.
- Reset your position before changing sides.
Keep the elbows aimed back in tabletop and downward dog
In tabletop, the elbows can drift out to the sides when they bend. That position lets the shoulders roll forward and rise toward the ears.
Magarity’s correction was to rotate the arms from the shoulders until the elbows point back toward the hips. Use the same elbow direction when moving into downward dog rather than allowing the arms to flare.
- Check whether the elbows are pointing sideways.
- Rotate from the shoulders so the elbows aim toward the hips.
- Keep using that alignment cue in downward dog.
Use the knuckles as the class modification for sore wrists
Hand-supported positions can be uncomfortable when the wrists are sore. The modification offered during the class was to make fists and balance on the knuckles instead of keeping the palms flat.
Set the fists before shifting weight onto them, then continue only with a stable position. The source presents this as an alternative hand setup for the same poses, not as a separate exercise.
- Make a fist instead of placing the palm flat.
- Balance on the knuckles during the hand-supported position.
- Keep the rest of the pose controlled while using the modified hand position.
Link plank, downward dog, a hamstring stretch, and a twist
Begin in high plank. Exhale as you push back into downward dog, inhale as you return to high plank, and then exhale back into downward dog.
From downward dog, inhale while lifting the right leg behind you. Step the right foot forward into a hamstring stretch, extend the right arm upward on the inhale, and move into the twist. Repeat the twisting movement three times.
Return to the plank-and-downward-dog flow, then step the left foot forward and repeat the same hamstring stretch and three twists on the left side.
- High plank: begin the sequence.
- Downward dog: move back on the exhale.
- High plank: return on the inhale, then exhale back again.
- Step forward: add the hamstring stretch and three arm-up twists.
- Repeat the full sequence on the opposite side.
- High plank: begin the sequence.
- Downward dog: move back on the exhale.
Finish with an open-eye focal point
For the seated exercise, face an open area and choose a comfortable position with the spine kept long. Leave the eyes open and select a simple focal point, such as a shadow or a divot in the ground.
Keep looking at that point while noticing whether the peripheral view seems sharper, duller, brighter, or different in color. Then close the eyes and lightly place the heels of the hands over them while keeping the head in the same position.
- Sit comfortably with a long spine.
- Choose one small visual point and keep the eyes open.
- Notice changes in the wider visual field.
- Close the eyes and rest the heels of the hands lightly over them.
- Sit comfortably with a long spine.
- Notice changes in the wider visual field.
Frequently asked questions
Where should my hands go during the breathing exercise?
Place one hand on the lower abdomen with the thumb near the belly button and the other over the breastbone with the thumb near the sternum. Breathe several times and notice movement beneath both hands.
How should I position my elbows in tabletop and downward dog?
Rotate the arms from the shoulders so the elbows point back toward the hips rather than flaring to the sides. This is the alignment cue Magarity used for both tabletop and downward dog.
What wrist modification was used in the class?
When the wrists were sore in hand-supported positions, the suggested alternative was to make fists and balance on the knuckles instead of placing the palms flat.
What is the order of the plank-to-downward-dog flow?
Move from high plank to downward dog on an exhale, return to plank on an inhale, and exhale back to downward dog. Lift one leg, step that foot forward into a hamstring stretch, add three arm-up twists, and then repeat the sequence on the other side.
