Yoga: what's all the buzz about? Everyone's toting around sticky mats; celebs swear it makes them taller and at peace with the universe. Cosmo examines this popular fitness phenom. (Trend To Try).(Brief Article)

* Madonna does it, Gwyneth loves it, chances are, at least one of your friends is obsessed with it.... So if you still consider yoga a flaky hobby for the New Age set, it's time to wake up and smell the chai. Sure, it's been around for some 6,000 years, but just recently, it has become one of the hottest exercise trends to make Americans sweat since Olivia Newton-John sang her ode to aerobics. But it's so much cooler. Simply put, yoga is a series of poses, called asanas. Doing them requires strength, flexibility, balance, and focus. And beyond toning and stretching your muscles and giving you a cardio workout, yoga has real physiological benefits.

This kind of twisty, stretchy movement is good for you because it pushes lymphatic fluid--the stuff that drains waste from your cells--through your system in ways that other activity can't, explains Gerald Lemole, cardiovascular surgeon and author of The Healing Diet. A healthy lymph flow means you'll have more energy and stronger immunity. Whether you buy into it or not, there's no denying that yoga makes you feel healthier, super-relaxed, and revitalized--especially after a day from hell. To get you initiated, Cosmo asked experts to describe five basic yoga positions that benefit your whole bod. (To prevent injury, we urge you to attend a class taught by a pro.)

downward-facing dog

How to do it: Get on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips; lift your hips up and back to form an upside-down V, letting your head and neck relax. Keep your legs straight, your butt held high, and your weight equally distributed between your hands and feet. Hold for five deep, even breaths.

Benefits: Did you feel your spine grow like two inches? This pose is excellent for elongating and relaxing your back and neck, releasing an entire nightmarish week's worth of tension (it's also a great way to limber up for a day at the desk). Plus, it tones your arms.

warrior one

How to do it: Stand in a long lunge, left foot in front. Turn your right foot out 45 degrees with your left foot pointing forward. Keep your tailbone tucked under to protect your back. Press your weight into the outer edge of your right foot as you bend your left knee so it's directly over your left ankle, then .sweep your arms out and up, facing or touching your palms toward each other. Look straight ahead or at your thumbs. Hold for five breaths, then repeat on the other side.