Anatomy, Stretching & Training for Yoga: A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting the Most from Your Yoga Practice
By Amy Auman and Lisa Purcell
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About this ebook
Yoga is more than just an exercise; it’s a way of spiritual living that has been growing in popularity throughout the years. But nothing ruins the tranquility of yoga faster than an unfortunate injury. Yoga focuses on almost every muscle in the body, from the core of the abdomen, to the muscles of the back, right down to the delicate muscles in the neck. All of these are prone to injury, and all of those injuries can keep you off the mat. That’s why every yogi needs Anatomy, Stretching & Training for Yoga. Amy Auman and Lisa Purcell provide expert advice on how to achieve perfect flexibility while minimizing injury, with tools and training on the following subjects:
Finding the proper equipment: which mat works best for you
Warm-up stretches and why they are important
Corrective exercises to improve your balance and flexibility
Step-by-step photos
And much more!
Anatomy, Stretching & Training for Yoga details how to achieve each pose, or asana, and properly align your body to begin a daily routine that will provide you with a calm focus while improving your strength, flexibility, balance, and posture. A handy guide lets you know which muscles are the main targets of each asana, each asana’s benefits and cautions, and tips on perfecting your form. Here you’ll find all the information you need to help you avoid common injuries and become the best yogi you can be!
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Anatomy, Stretching & Training for Yoga - Amy Auman
WARM-UP, RESTING & REJUVENATING ASANAS
The warm-up, resting, and rejuvenating asanas ensure that you reap all the benefits of your yoga routine. The first asanas that you practice are meant to awaken your muscles, increase your heart rate, and release tension in your body, and the last are meant to relax your muscles, lower your heart rate, and provide relief after an invigorating workout. Gentle stretching, especially after you exercise, is vital to injury prevention. In these asanas, integrate your mind, body, and breath to find the focus that you need in your yoga practice.
As well as warming you up, poses such as Sukhasana and Dandasana form the foundation of most seated postures, and forward-bending poses like Apanasana serve as counterposes to backbends. Some poses, such as Adho Mukha Svanasana, or Downward-Facing Dog, will appear in common yoga sequences, such as the Sun Salutations, so mastering them is essential for any beginner. A pose such as Balasana is a great resting pose—you can assume it in between other poses to release a tight back.
SUKHASANA
(Easy Pose; Pleasant Pose; Pose of Happiness)
SUKHASANA, OR EASY POSE, is also know as Pleasant Pose or Pose of Happiness because this relaxed position is one most of us came easily into as children. Think of how often you once sat cross-legged on the floor, content and happy. As an adult, though, you’ve probably spend more time in chairs than on the floor, so at first your hips and knees may feel tight. With practice, this asana will soon fit its easy
name.
PRIMARY TARGETS
• rectus abdominis
• erector spinae
• iliopsoas
• sartorius
• transversus abdominis
BENEFITS
• Opens hips
• Strengthens spine
• Relieves stress
CAUTIONS
• Knee injury
• Hip injury
PERFECT YOUR FORM
• To help maintain neutrality in your pelvis, place the edge of a folded blanket beneath your sit bones.
• Relax the outsides of your feet on the floor.
• Avoid arching your lower back beyond its neutral spinal position.
HOW TO DO IT
1 Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you.
2 Bend your knees, and cross your shins inward, sliding your left foot beneath your right knee and your right foot beneath your left knee, forming a gap between your feet and your groins. Relax your knees toward the floor.
3 Draw your sit bones to the floor, and lift up through your spine. Maintain a neutral position from your pelvis to your shoulders. Open your chest, and relax your shoulders.
4 Place the backs of your hands on your knees, forming an O
with your thumb and index finger. Keep your breath slow and even.
5 Hold for as long as you wish. Be sure to also practice the pose with your opposite leg in front.
DANDASANA
(Staff Pose)
DANDASANA PROVIDES YOU with a foundation for all the seated yoga asanas, including forward bends and twists. Known as Staff Pose, this simple asana teaches you to sit with correct posture. Be sure to keep your lower body grounded while maintaining erect posture.
PRIMARY TARGETS
• rectus abdominis
• erector spinae
• transversus abdominis
• rectus femoris
• tibialis anterior
• biceps femoris
• gastrocnemius
BENEFITS
• Strengthens spine
• Improves posture
CAUTIONS
• Lower-back injury
PERFECT YOUR FORM
• Keep your spine straight but relaxed.
• If your hamstrings are especially tight, place a folded blanket beneath your sit bones.
• Rotate your thighs slightly inward, pointing your knees toward the ceiling.
• Avoid rolling back over your sit bones.
HOW TO DO IT
1 Sit on the floor, and extend your legs in front of you. Draw your sit bones into the floor and away from your heels.
2 Contract the muscles in your legs as you press your legs against the floor.
3 Place the palms of your hands on the floor beside your hips, and lift up through your spine. Flex your feet.
4 Lift your chest, and gaze forward, tucking your chin slightly downward. Relax your shoulders, and pull your abdominals in toward your spine.
5 Hold for 1 minute or longer.
AGNISTAMBHASANA
(Fire Log Pose; Double Pigeon Pose; Knee-to-Ankle Pose; Square Pose)
LIKE LOGS STACKED in a fireplace, your shins are stacked atop each other in Agnistambhasana, or Fire Log Pose. Keep your breath steady and even during this intense hip-opening asana, in which you will certainly feel the burn.
PRIMARY TARGETS
• iliopsoas
• adductor magnus
• adductor longus
• tensor fasciae latae
• pectineus
• vastus lateralis
• vastus medialis
• gracilis
• sartorius
BENEFITS
• Stretches hips and groins
CAUTIONS
• Knee injury
• Groin injury
PERFECT YOUR FORM
• Rotate out from your hips, rather than from your knees.
• If you experience discomfort when bringing your bottom ankle below your top knee, keep your foot tucked toward your back hip and focus on the position of your top ankle.
• Don’t allow your feet and ankles to cave inward.
HOW TO DO IT
1 Sit in Sukhasana (see page 18) with your torso lifted tall.
2 Bend your knees and bring your legs in one at a time, placing your right ankle on top of your left knee. Your right foot should rest on the outside of your left knee.
3 Slide your left ankle below your right knee, so that your shins are stacked one on top of the other. Flex your feet.
4 Lift up in your spine through your torso to sit tall on your sit bones. Exhale, and allow your hips to open.
5 Hold for 1 to 3 minutes.
6 To come out of the pose, inhale your torso upright and uncross your legs. Repeat with your left leg on top.
VIRASANA
(Hero Pose)
A BASIC SEATED POSTURE, Virasana, or Hero Pose, keeps your knees mobile and healthy. It is also a very calming posture and is excellent for seated meditation. A blanket or towel placed under your feet will help alleviate any discomfort you may feel on the tops of your feet.
PRIMARY TARGETS
• rectus femoris
• vastus intermedius
• tensor fasciae latae
• sartorius
• vastus medialis
• vastus lateralis
• tibialis anterior
• extensor hallucis
• peroneus
BENEFITS
• Loosens thighs, knees, and ankles
• Counterbalances hip-opening postures such as Padmasana (see page 122)
• Calms the brain for meditation
• Alleviates high blood pressure
CAUTIONS
• Knee injury
• Ankle injury
PERFECT YOUR FORM
• If you experience pain in your knees, place a folded blanket beneath you to elevate your hips. Point your big toes slightly inward so that the tops of your feet lie flat on the floor.
• Avoid turning the soles of your feet out to the sides.
• Avoid sitting on top of your heels.
HOW TO DO IT
1 Kneel on your hands and knees on the floor. Your thighs should be perpendicular to the floor, and your feet should be angled slightly wider than your