Tessa Manning YOGA

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Sebastopol, CA
Tessa Manning YOGA

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Tessa is a certified Jr 1 Iyengar Yoga teacher and has been practicing Iyengar yoga since 2007.

Level 2 Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher (CIYT) and International Yoga Therapist (IAYT) with 15+ years of experience helping people relieve pain, improve mobility, and feel stronger through therapeutic yoga. She received her teacher training at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco. She is dedicated to the Iyengar method because of its attention to alignment and the thorough change it brings about in the body. And avid practitioner, Tessa has used Iyengar Yoga to help treat her scoliosis. She teaches in a way that is safe, accessible, and compassionate - providing individual attention to each student.

10/30/2026

Your lower back might not be the problem… 👀

When your hips aren’t moving well, your lower back may end up doing more work than it should.

And all that extra movement and compression can contribute to pain and tension.

Here’s what I want you to focus on in these two variations:

✨ Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose): Bend your standing leg and externally rotate it until you feel your buttock move away from your low back, turn your pelvis to the ceiling.

✨ Prone Supta Padangusthasana : Press your foot into the wall, turn your navel away from the wall, and roll your outer buttock down away from your low back, creating more space through the hip and lower back.

Small adjustments can make a BIG difference. 🙌

❤️ Want more ways to care for your back?

Comment “FREE” and I’ll send you my FREE 10-minute back-care sequence!

SAVE this to try later!

10/29/2026

Next time you do Downward Dog, remember this 👇

Your legs should be doing more work than you think!

One of the biggest mistakes I see in Downward Dog is collapsing into the lower back instead of using the strength of the legs to lengthen the spine.

Watch what happens when I make these two adjustments:

✨ 1. Activate the legs. By pulling the block back, I’m encouraging her legs to work more strongly, helping create length through the lumbar spine.

✨ 2. Lift the pelvis UP and BACK. This helps move her out of excessive compression in the lower back and distributes the work more evenly through the body.

Of course, you won’t have someone there to make these adjustments every time! 😂 But you can recreate the actions yourself by pressing your thighs strongly back, and lifting your hips up and back.

🌴 Want to experience this kind of hands-on teaching in paradise?

Join me for an immersive yoga retreat in Baja, Mexico or Greece in 2027!

✨ $300 OFF both retreats through November 4!

Comment RETREAT and I’ll send you all the details! ❤️

10/28/2026

Your mom pooch might not be what you think! 👀

Before you do another hundred crunches, take a look at your PELVIS.

An anterior pelvic tilt (when your pelvis tips forward and your lower back arches excessively) can make your belly appear more pronounced—even if you have strong abs!

And here’s what most people miss…

It’s not just about strengthening your core. It’s about learning how to USE your abdominal muscles to support your pelvis and spine.

✨ Try this simple wall exercise:

✔️ Press your knees into the block to activate your inner thighs.

✔️ Draw your lower abdomen in and up without gripping or holding your breath.

✔️ Bring your lower ribs to touch the wall.

💗 Want more exercises to improve your posture and strengthen your core?

Comment POSTURE and I’ll send you my FREE Mom Pooch Guide!

Save this to practice later! 📌

10/26/2026

The BEST things you can do for your mom pooch (that nobody talks about!) 👇

If you’ve had babies and your belly looks different, doing more crunches isn’t necessarily the answer.

As an Iyengar yoga teacher and mom of two, here are 7 things I wish more women knew about rebuilding their core:

✨ 1. Look at your posture.
An anterior pelvic tilt can make your belly appear more prominent. Learning to align your pelvis and rib cage can change how your belly looks AND how your core functions.

✨ 2. Strengthen your glutes.
Your glutes help stabilize your pelvis. Bridges, squats, and standing yoga poses are great places to start.

✨ 3. Open your hip flexors.
Tight hip flexors can contribute to an anterior pelvic tilt. Practice gentle lunges and supported hip flexor stretches.

✨ 4. Learn to breathe properly.
Your diaphragm, abdominal muscles, and pelvic floor work together. Practice breathing that allows your ribs to expand while coordinating your deep core.

✨ 5. Strengthen your DEEP core.
Forget endless crunches. Try dead bugs, heel slides, and controlled core exercises that teach your abdominal muscles to work together.

✨ 6. Strengthen and mobilize your upper back.
A stiff upper back can affect how your ribs and pelvis align. Creating mobility through your thoracic spine can help you move and stand with better support.

✨ 7. Stop holding your belly in all day.
Constantly gripping your abs isn’t the same as building a strong core. Learn to engage AND release your abdominal muscles.

❤️ And remember: A belly after babies is NORMAL. Not every belly shape is caused by posture or weak muscles.

But improving your strength, alignment, and coordination can make a real difference in how your body feels and functions.

Want to get started?

Comment POSTURE and I’ll send you my FREE guide to understanding your mom pooch and improving your alignment!

10/24/2026

Neck tension? Rounded shoulders? Lower back pain? 👀

These 3 Iyengar Yoga poses target different areas of your spine:

✨ 1. Strengthen your upper back — Build the muscles that support better posture and help counteract forward head position.

✨ 2. Open your chest — Create space across the shoulders and improve mobility in your upper back.

✨ 3. Release lower back tension — Support your sacrum and encourage your lower back to relax.

Try holding each pose for 1 minute daily, breathing slowly and allowing your body to respond.

Small, consistent practices can make a big difference in how you move and feel. ❤️

👉 Follow me for simple Iyengar Yoga practices to improve your posture, build strength, and relieve back pain!

10/23/2026

MOM POOCH + LOW BACK PAIN? 👀 They might be more connected than you think!

Here’s why ⬇️

When your pelvis tilts forward, your lower back can become more arched, your belly may protrude, and your lumbar spine can experience increased compression.

But here’s what most people miss…

It’s not JUST about your abs!

Weak glutes and hamstrings, poor core coordination, and a tight upper back can all influence how your pelvis and spine move.

✨ That’s why I LOVE this exercise!

It works on multiple areas at once:

🔥 Strengthens your glutes and hamstrings
🔥 Activates your deep abdominal muscles
🔥 Opens your upper back
🔥 Builds strength and awareness around your pelvis and spine

And that’s the beauty of working with your WHOLE body instead of just doing endless crunches!

Ready to go deeper?

I created a 30-minute Mom Pooch or Posture? practice combining Iyengar Yoga alignment and strength exercises to help you build a stronger core, improve posture, and feel better in your body.

❤️ Comment PRACTICE and I’ll send you the full routine for just $27!

Follow for more yoga, posture tips, and back pain relief!

10/22/2026

Most people COLLAPSE in Side Angle Pose… but they’re missing THIS. 👀

When you collapse towards the floor, you lose the length, space, and strength this pose is meant to create.

Instead of sinking down, think about:

✨ LENGTHENING both sides of your torso, especially the bottom waist.

✨ ROTATING your chest toward the ceiling, creating more space through your abdomen and rib cage.

✨ OPENING your pelvis while keeping your legs strong and grounded.

✨ STRENGTHENING your hips and legs rather than simply hanging into the pose.

These subtle adjustments can completely transform how a pose feels in your body.

🌿 Want to experience this kind of personalized guidance in your own practice?

Join me on one of my upcoming yoga retreats, where we have the time and space to explore these details together.

Comment RETREAT and I’ll send you the details! ❤️

10/21/2026

Your mom pooch might not be just about your belly! 👀

If your belly sticks out, your lower back arches, and no amount of crunches seems to make a difference, your posture and deep core strength could be part of the picture!

Anterior pelvic tilt can make your belly appear more prominent, while weakness or poor coordination in your deep core muscles can make it harder to stabilize your pelvis and spine.

These 4 exercises help you reconnect with your deep core, build strength, and create better support for your pelvis and lower back.

✨ It’s not about sucking your belly in. It’s about learning how to engage the right muscles and finding strength from the inside out.

💛 Comment POSTURE and I’ll send you my FREE guide to help you understand your pelvic alignment and start improving your posture!

Follow for more Iyengar yoga, posture tips, and back pain relief!

Address

7385 Healdsburg Avenue
Sebastopol, CA
95472

Telephone

+17079780640

Website

http://www.tessamanningyoga.com/

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