By Jeff Bailey

We have countless ways to strengthen and condition ourselves, and they almost always target the muscles and the cardiovascular system. But what good are strong muscles and aerobic fortitude if your joints and bones are not equally able and healthy?

Would you install new siding, windows, and roof on your house if it didn’t have “good bones?” Would you invest in the cosmetic enhancements if you knew the structure and foundation needed attention?

Beyond Appearances

Are you in it for the long haul? Do you want all the parts to be equally healthy? The problem is that we can’t see the structure, whether it’s your house or your body, so we usually aim to make it look good on the outside—with the assumption that if it looks good on the outside, it must be good on the inside.

But no matter how much we build up the muscles, the body has a way of burying structural problems to keep us going until, one day, a misstep brings them to the surface. Many fitness-minded individuals only discover arthritis or joint damage after an injury reveals it. Luckily, there are solutions.

The Two Principles of Whole-Body Conditioning

To move beyond appearances, we must take an inside-out approach. Two universal principles stand out:

1. Use it or lose it
2. You cannot protect your way into better health

The body will not tolerate idle parts. Any unused cell, tissue, or organ will be resorbed and eliminated. Astronauts returning from space need weeks, sometimes months, to walk normally again because their joints and bones lost pressure and use.

Why Joints Need Pressure

Conventional wisdom advises protecting and stabilizing joints, but this often bypasses their need for use. Fear replaces faith, and restrictions remain while joints degrade.

So, what does joint use look like—especially if you have pain? It doesn’t mean pushing through pain or lifting heavy weights. For joints, use is synonymous with pressure. Bones and joints both require pressure to remain strong, dense, and healthy.

Learning from Animals and Nature

Cows, horses, dogs, and cats naturally relax into joint use throughout the day. Humans, by contrast, have lost the habit of squatting or sitting deeply, which deprives hips and shoulders of their full range of movement. Without varied use, degeneration sets in, often leading to replacement surgery.

The Avita Yoga Approach

In the practice of Avita Yoga, hundreds of shapes and movements interrupt this unhealthy cycle of limitation and pain. By finding the perfect entry point, students peacefully introduce pressure into joints, cleansing toxins and stimulating remodeling. The goal is never about a perfect pose, but about reducing pain and achieving practical results.

Applying Pressure Safely

Too much pressure too fast leads to injury. But a slow, thoughtful approach—applied at a glacial pace—is restorative. Students learn to distinguish between pain and a healing sensation. With time, the discomfort transforms into soothing meditation.

Avita Yoga encourages students to stay in a shape for one to three minutes. Less than 30 seconds irritates the system, while more time stimulates the healing physiology. When in doubt, reduce pressure.

Rethinking Arthritis and Underuse

Arthritis is essentially a toxic environment where joints are not receiving the universal contact and compression they need. Pressure expresses waste products through the synovial membrane, which the lymphatic system cleanses, while fresh synovial fluid nourishes the joint.

Contrary to common belief, underuse is a bigger factor in arthritis than overuse. Activity alone isn’t enough—the right kind of pressure is what keeps joints healthy.

True Yoga: Beyond Fitness

At its core, yoga is not about appearance but about body-centered peace and healing. Many well-intentioned people pursue yoga or strength training for joint health but still end up with replacements. Why? Because they bypass the deep work that joints require.

Avita Yoga provides this deeper work. With active and passive shapes, it restores bones and joints while letting muscles take care of themselves.

Jeff Bailey has been teaching yoga since 1985 and is the creator of Avita Yoga, a method designed to restore joint health and mobility. A trained Rolfer, he is the author of Mobility For Life. After recovering from a serious ski accident at 50, he discovered the power of joint compression for healing. Now in his sixties, Jeff leads international retreats, trains teachers, and shows how Avita Yoga helps people live pain-free, independent lives.