LOS ANGELES — Andre Ethier twists, turns and does a downward facing dog.

It's a hot Saturday morning at Dodger Stadium and Ethier is sharing his fitness secrets with a group of women on the green grass in left field.

It's yoga, an ancient discipline that advocates and prescribes a course of physical and mental work.

"Good job," Ethier tells one participant.

"Almost there, just turn a little more," he says to another.

The hour-long session, led by Ethier's personal yoga instructor Johanna Epps, is part of Jamie McCourt's DodgersWIN initiative — a network designed to bring women closer to the game of baseball and to bring the game closer to their lifestyles.

Ben Harper, Bob Marley and Jack Johnson blare through a set of on-field speakers as Epps takes the group through typical yoga poses

She teaches first-timers the widely known downward facing dog and smoothes them into the more difficult Warrior I and Warrior II poses. With their bodies twisted, some even sneak photos of Ethier.

Athletes have learned to take a different approach to their workouts. San Diego pitcher Heath Bell credits Wii Fit for helping him lose 25 pounds, and Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart started incorporating mixed martial arts into his training.

Ethier sticks to yoga, something he says has improved his movement in the field and his approach in the batter's box.

"Bob Schaefer, he's always after me to be real loose with my hands," Ethier said of the Dodgers' bench coach. "I also take some of these stretches and use them during my pre-game workouts, so it's been beneficial."

Ethier, who initially disliked yoga, looked flexible and comfortable during the session. He had difficulty clasping his hands behind his back and opted to sit out during a few of the more taxing stretches, but worked up a sweat regardless.

Since partnering with Epps four years ago at the Athletes' Performance Institute in Tempe, Ariz., the right fielder has learned to appreciate what yoga can do for his training regimen.

"I hated stretching before and that was the biggest problem I had," Ethier said. "It's just a great way of staying flexible."

Fans got a chance to interact with the star, someone they are used to watching from the stands.

"I've never done yoga before, but this was great," Los Angeles native Melissa DeGuzman said. "It was amazing to be able to work out alongside a major league ball player."

Barry Ennis, a Dodgers grounds crew member, also donned yoga gear to join Ethier.

"I thought it would be great to do yoga with a fellow baseball player," said Ennis, who played at Occidental College. "It was hot, but it felt good to work out in the sun."

In his fourth season with the Dodgers, Ethier entered Saturday hitting .248 with 18 home runs, two shy of the total he had last season. He also had 56 RBIs.

"Andre's good. One of the great things about teaching athletes is that they have body awareness," Epps said. "I have a really laid back approach about it and I try to meet people where they are."