Why You’ll Love Kelly Starrett—

Even If You’ve Never Heard of Him

(...and how his 10 simple habits are alive and well in my yoga classes!)

Kelly Starrett

Let me introduce you to a physiotherapist who could just as easily be called a *movement magician*. His name? Dr. Kelly Starrett—a coach, bestselling author, and self-proclaimed “mobility guy” whose mission is simple: help people move better, feel better, and age like champions.

Starrett started out working with elite athletes and Navy SEALs, but over time he realized something much bigger: most people—even active ones—don’t move well. We sit too much. We lose mobility in our hips, shoulders, and spine. Then one day, we bend down to tie our shoes and wonder why everything hurts.

Sound familiar?

That’s where his latest book, Built to Move, comes in. It’s not about lifting heavier or running faster. It’s about creating a body that moves freely and lasts for life. His message? There are 10 essential movement habits we should all be doing—not someday, but every day. And the best part? You’re already doing many of them in our yoga classes.

Here they are—with my yogic spin:

1. Get on the Floor (and Back Up Again)

Floor poses like Apanasana and Ananda Balasana keep us nimble and strong in ways chairs never will.

2. Walk More

Yoga builds the posture and breath control to make every walk more powerful and enjoyable.

3. Breathe Through Your Nose

Hello, pranayama! We’ve been ahead of the curve on this one for centuries.

4. Eat Enough Protein

I won’t tell you what to eat, but if you’re building muscle in class—you’ll want to feed it too.

5. Sit on the Floor

Sukhasana and other seated postures are powerful tools for hip health and grounding.

6. Squat Daily

Malasana, Utkatasana… even getting into and out of poses is a form of squatting. Your knees and hips love it.

7. Practice Hip Extension

We open the hip flexors in Anjaneyasana and Virabhadrasana I to counteract our chair-based lives.

8. Hang from Something

Not in the yoga repertoire yet (except if you practice on the yoga ropes in a traditional Iyengar studio), but we support shoulder strength and mobility—maybe time to bring in a monkey bar?

9. Balance on One Foot

Tree, Eagle, and other balance poses strengthen your nervous system as much as your muscles.

10. Sleep 8 Hours

Long Savasana, breath awareness, and down-regulation all support restful sleep and deep recovery.

So yes—I’m a fan of Kelly Starrett, and I love how his work validates and expands on the movement philosophy we explore every week.

Whether you’re building strength, restoring mobility, or just hoping to keep doing the things you love well into your 60s, 70s, 80s, and beyond—this is your path.

Come experience it for yourself. See you on the mat, maybe even this Easter Monday!

Namaste,

Rob