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Monday
Mar222010

Psoas I was saying...

DateMonday, March 22, 2010 at 10:00AM

The psoas major:  A bridge linking the trunk to the legs, the psoas is a thick muscle that crosses the hip joint very deep within the body.  Critical for balanced alignment, proper joint rotation, and full muscular range of motion, the psoas is responsible for 7 major movements in the hip, pelvis, and trunk.   In yoga, the psoas plays an important role in every asana. In backbends, a released psoas allows the front of the thighs to lengthen and the leg to move independently from the pelvis, enhancing and deepening the lift of the entire torso and heart.   In standing poses and forward bends, the thighs can't fully rotate outward unless the psoas releases. All yoga poses are enhanced by a released rather than shortened psoas.

We begin using the psoas at a very early age, around eight months.  Even though you may not remember practicing to sit up and stay up, your psoas got the message loud and clear that this would be a regular occurrence, and the circuitry within the motor cortex was developed to perform this task unconsciously.  This is one way the body can conserve energy.  The only drag is that we forget how to awaken postural muscles that are not only hidden in the body, but hidden in the unconscious mind as well. 

Intimately involved in the fight or flight response,  the psoas muscle helps to prepare you to spring into action, or curl you up into a protective ball.  Psoas is so intimately involved in such basic physical and emotional reactions, that a chronically tightened psoas continually signals your body that you're in danger, eventually exhausting the adrenal glands and depleting the immune system. Qite a realization isn't it?   Psoas awareness can open the door to a more sensitive attunement to your body's inner signals about safety and danger, power, and control.  to a greater sense of inner peace.

Awareness in Yoga asana creates an ideal environment to listen to the psoas, and optimally release and lengthen this over worked and under paid muscle.  Practicing asana will enhance body clairvoyancey, which means the body's intelligence will efficiently anticipate action and determine which muscles will best handle the job or movement. 

Let's start with a picture.  Even in a practice not intended on psoas awareness, just knowing where this muscle exists within you will open up the conversation. 

Attaching to the 12th thoracic vertebral body, L1-L5 (vertebral bodies and intervertebral disc, crossing deep over the anterior hip to attach to the Lesser Trochanter of the Femur.  Subtle body connection: 3rd, 2nd, and 1st chakra resonance.  When we talk about the hips as a major place of emotional and energetic storage, psoas is at the top of the list.

Just as the description of any healthy muscle, psoas must have tone and suppleness.  The ability to fully contract, and fully non contract.  An asana practice that allows for both, stira and sukah is essential.

The strengthening series I have offered this week in practice is found in Ray Long's book:  Key muscles of Hatha Yoga vol. II.  Through this series of standing postures, psoas awareness is isolated by remaining (isometrically contracting Psoas) in the asana for 3-5 breaths in each posture, bringing poas under conscious control.

Warm the body through 3-5 classical surya namaskars before this standing series:

Practicing one side all the way through, adding a vinyasa to transition to second side.

1.  Trikonasana  (side flexion of trunk at hip joint)

2.  Parsvottanasana (flexion of trunk at hip joint)

3.  Parrivrtta Anjaneyasana (Rotation of trunk & Flexion at the hip joint)

4.  Prasaritta Padottanasana (firm flexion at hip joint & inversion benefits)

Handstand or forearm balance are particularly insightful postures to practice post standing series. The result is often experienced as powerful stability through the core and hips.  This is a result of the brain recruiting the newly awakened psoas in action beyond the regularly scheduled program!  Manipur (3rd chakra) also contributes energetic courage & confidence.

Closing a practice with longer held psoas stretches is a recipe for balance.

1.  Anjaneyasana, knee down with back bend

2.  Ustrasana

3.  Supta ardha or full virasana

4.  Setu bhanda sarvangasana and or Urdvha Dhanurasana

5.  Adha Matsyendrasana or your favorite twist held at least 5 full breaths each side.

It's a beautiful day to take a walk around Psoas City Park!

I found this photo... thought it was cool... I love elephants.

Shanti,

Jami

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AuthorJami Larson | Comment9 Comments |

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Reader Comments (9)

ExcELLent article jami!! and timely pour moi since i have a tight left psoas for the first time in my life which sucks, but it is a gOOd teacher, helping me to REALLY understand the psoas better! Thanks...omshanti:)

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