Yogi Aaron is the founder and creator of Applied Yoga Anatomy + Muscle Activation™ (AYAMA), a revolutionary methodology that challenges conventional approaches to yoga. Using a science-backed approach, he prioritizes muscle activation over traditional stretching.
With over three decades of dedicated study, mentorship, and hands-on experience, he has established himself as a leading expert in yoga therapy, alignment, and pain-free movement.
As owner and operator of Blue Osa Yoga Retreat + Spa in Costa Rica, Yogi Aaron leads transformative programs that combine his expertise in yoga instruction, retreat facilitation, and wellness business operations. His work spans both in-person immersive experiences and digital education through The Yogi Club online platform and the AYAMA™ Certification Program.
Yogi Aaron’s teaching methodology represents a paradigm shift in modern yoga practice. AYAMA focuses on activating and engaging muscles to enhance range of motion, build strength, improve stability, and optimize alignment—while reducing pain and injury risk. This evidence-based approach has positioned him as a thought leader challenging the status quo in the yoga community.
His mission extends beyond the mat: to liberate individuals from chronic pain and guide them toward discovering yoga’s authentic purpose through intelligent, body-informed practice.
Learn more about training opportunities with Yogi Aaron at Blue Osa Yoga Retreat + Spa.
Yogi Aaron is the founder and creator of Applied Yoga Anatomy + Muscle Activation™ (AYAMA), a revolutionary methodology that challenges conventional approaches to yoga. Using a science-backed approach, he prioritizes muscle activation over traditional stretching.
With over three decades of dedicated…
Day 2: Wake Up Your Engine
Your glutes are the primary engine of your body. They drive every step you take, every hill you climb, every run you go on. But for most people, that engine has gone quiet — and the body has been compensating ever since. Tight calves. Sore lower back. Aching knees. Cranky shoulders. None of those are the real problem. They're symptoms of an engine that stopped firing. Day 2 of the Spring Into Action AYAMA Challenge goes straight to the source. We're working deep into the posterior chain — prone glute activation, clamshells, side-lying work, and bridge — all designed to wake up the muscles that are supposed to be running the show. One contraction at a time, your engine is coming back online.
Day 1 - You are becoming powerful!
Welcome to Day 1 of the Spring Into Action AYAMA Challenge. Today's practice is called You Are Becoming Powerful — and I mean that literally. We're not stretching. We're not forcing range of motion. We're doing something far more effective: we're waking your muscles up and teaching them to fire on demand. In this session we move through hip flexors, rotators, core activation, and glute engagement — four muscle groups that most people ignore and almost everyone needs. It starts simple. It starts on your back. And by the end, you'll feel something shift. Hit play. Your body is ready!
Thanks for this great class. It s been a long time since not practicing with you ! Feeling very great after this intelligent activation
@delphine leblanc Thank you so much! and I love that word "intelligent activation" 👍
Day 3 - The Missing Piece
You've stretched. You've rested. You've tried everything. But if you're still dealing with back pain, hip pain, or neck tension — there's a good chance the missing piece has nothing to do with any of that. It's your rotators. These are the muscles that allow your body to twist, turn, and move through space with ease. When they stop working — and for most people they have — the body compensates. The lower back tightens. The neck strains. The hips lock up. Day 3 of the Spring Into Action AYAMA Challenge goes straight to the source We're activating the TVA, the obliques, the multifidus, and the semispinalis — the deep rotators that hold your spine together and keep everything else in balance. Most people never work these muscles. Today you will. This is the missing piece.
Even as early as 11:15. I was just listening to cues in the morning and not watching. I thought I was not to move the knee so I did not externally rotate the thigh at all and just tried to internally rotate the lower leg. On the video it looks like the thigh is externally rotating. Maybe I was supposed to do that.
@Teri by bringing the foot over across the thigh, if you’re on your right side, it’s external rotation of the right hip joints with a femur and 90°. And then in the other hip rotator exercise we did it would be external rotation with the femur at approximately 75 to 80°. Perhaps less with some other people.
It’s not really possible to externally rotate the lower leg. The knee joints doesn’t allow for rotation really.
@Yogi Aaron I understand what you are saying. I thought putting the hand on the knee was to keep the knee in line with the hip so you did not do the external rotation. "We could talk about it tomorrow but I cannot do class live tomorrow or Friday. I have classes to teach. I could pop on at the beginning tomorrow but then I have to leave.
@Teri I understand your thought process. But it is the femur that external rotating at the hip joint.
The activation with the knee bent and the internal rotation of the lower leg and foot, when I did it this morning I got the impression that we were not rotating the upper leg, only the lower. When I watch the video it looks like the upper leg is doing some external rotation. Can you please clarify this,
@Teri are you referring to this video? Or another one? Can you tell me the time stamp you are referring to?
Enjoyed revisiting this today. Brilliant !!!. Feels so good and stable, like got protective corset on now ! - upper back, rotators, glutes all activated .
@Audrey fantastic!
Another great class. Thank you yogi Aaron ! My glutes needed it
@delphine leblanc yes!!! Glad you got to give your glutes some love 💕 😊