Air Line Activation
back strength
AIR LINE ACTIVATION
Finding ways to effectively strengthen the back in our yoga practice can be a challenge. If our goal is to cultivate strength in this area of the body, we must understand that it requires more than just adding backbends into our sequences on the mat. What’s imperative is both thoughtfulness and an execution of the specific techniques required to build strength and simultaneously serve our individual needs within any given practice.
Yoga sequences that underpin the air element from yoga philosophy are utterly valuable in the endeavour to find strength in our back bodies. Beyond the air element, however, is Matt’s development of a kinesio-elemental line, called the Air Line in Chromatic Yoga. Utilizing specific techniques to activate the muscles involved in the Air Line will assist in safely and effectively building back strength.
THE POSE FACTORY
WAITLIST NOW OPEN
- Dogmatic alignment versus functional alignment
- Learn popular postural pitfalls
- Myths versus truth
- Formulaic approach for comprehensive learning
- Excellent guide for yoga enthusiasts
- Must-have for yoga teachers
- Joint-health awareness
- Muscle integrity, range of motion
- Props for accessibity
- Alignment alterations in the case of injuries
WHAT IS THE AIR LINE?
When studying with Matt, we learn that the qualities associated with the air element include lightness, freedom, and inspiration. When expressed in physical asana, these qualities include postures that elongate and open up the front body. We experience a sense of celebration and expression, and we embody a sense of power.
According to Matt, the Air Line is the reverse of the Fire Line. Through the back core muscles, the Air Line connects the shoulder blade to the opposite hip. Some of the back muscles involved in the Air Line include the erector spinae group, quadratus lumborum, rhomboids, trapezius, rotators of the hip, hamstrings, and the rotators of the spine. The rotators of the spine allow us to articulate specific vertebrae, pulling each one into rotation. When executing postures that target the Air Line, we achieve spinal extension, rotation, and a stretch of the Fire Line (front body).
WATCH THE VIDEO
AIR LINE ACTIVATION: YOGA FOR BACK STRENGTH
BUILD YOUR BASE
Although the spine is designed to move freely in multiple directions, it is equally designed to provide stability. Taking care to warm up the muscles that surround and support the spine is essential in maintaining its health. Integrating precise techniques with the following postures will help prepare these muscles and pattern the right articulations to target the Air Line.
Prone Back-Body Lifts
In today’s video, we see that the key action here is to lift the shoulder of the extended arm up to assist in greater retraction of the scapula. This supports greater spinal extension and rotation.
High-Lunge Twist
As we see in Matt’s demonstration of High-Lunge Twist in the video, another quality included in the air element is momentum. There’s a sweeping action of the arms that more deeply accentuates the connection between the shoulder blade and opposite hip.
200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING
GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE
- Deepen your yoga practice
- Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
- Learn foundational class structures and templates
- Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
- Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
- Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program
TIGER POSE, TWISTED MONKEY, AND LOW LUNGE
The only way to progress is to increase the challenge.Â
Tiger Pose
In the video, Matt demonstrates a Tiger Pose variation focused on the Air Line. One of the challenges here comes from attempting to maintain the lift and the open position of the pelvis while also maintaining the open position of the lifted arm. When attempting to lift higher through one side, we find that the opposite side tries to move into a more closed position. Lifting as much as possible through both sides will support the activation of the Air Line.
Twisted Monkey
This Twisted Monkey variation incorporates the activation of the hamstrings along with the other actions we’ve already practiced.
Low Lunge
The experience here is a lovely stretch of the Fire Line. It’s important that in the exploration of the pose, we remain mindful not to compress the spine. Lifting the belly and sending the chest more forward will reduce the chance of compression.Â
300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING
GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER
Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!
- Get 500 hour certified
- Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
- Expand your teaching skills
- Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
- Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
- Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang
EXPAND YOUR BASE
The variations of Supported Warrior III and Half Camel that Matt offers in today’s video help expand our understanding of the Air Line.
Supported Warrior III
Matt describes this as an active version of the Air Line, an excellent strengthener for the back.
Half Camel Pose
A posture like Half Camel becomes easier when we understand the patterning of the Air Line. The shoulder-blade-to-hip connection produces a healthy expansion in the front body. The posture tends to feel more natural, rather than forced.
If we pay attention to the finer details and utilize the step-by-step cues Matt offers, we’ll experience new sensations, benefits, and results.
If you’re interested in breaking down postures so that they make better sense biomechanically for your own body, then you’ll want to get on the waitlist for Matt’s online training course The Pose Factory.
The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date
The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date
Article by Trish Curling
Videos Extracted From: Breath Of Fire
ONLINE ANATOMY COURSE
- Accessible, exciting, and easy to learn
- Anatomy and biomechanics for yoga
- Appropriate for both teachers and students
- Learn joint alignment vs pose alignment
- Demystify yoga poses and transitions
- Release aches and pains
- Learn how to avoid common injuries
- Caters to all levels with modifications and props
- 20 hours Continued Education Credits with Yoga Alliance
- 20 hours toward Chromatic Yoga Certification and 300 Hour
- Lifetime access
Continue Learning
Shoulder Secrets
Shoulder SecretsbhujapidasanaSHOULDER SECRETS When approaching arm balances, it’s not unusual to go straight to a focus on the wrists. Having to bear our weight into the wrists while balancing our body weight can be an intimidating thought (especially if we don’t...
Twist Power
Twist Powerparsva bakasanaTWIST POWER It’s interesting what unfolds along our journey with our yoga practice. As we grow, learn, and begin to understand more about ourselves things change, we change. Not only do we learn so many things along the way, but in the yoga...
Lizard Like You’ve Never Seen It
Lizard Like You've Never Seen Itutthan pristhasanaLIZARD LIKE YOU'VE NEVER SEEN IT Familiarity in a yoga posture can feel really good. There’s a comfort in knowing exactly what to do when we get on a mat. The thing is, we can get caught up in thinking that the more...
Internal Rotation: Strengthen From The Inside Out
Internal Rotation: Strengthen from the Inside OutShoulder MobilityINTERNAL ROTATION: STRENGTHENING FROM THE INSIDE OUT It’s not unusual for us to find ourselves spending too much time in a slouched position. It could be due to a job, our poor habits on our electronic...
Janu Sirsasana To Half Lotus
Janu Sirsasana to Half LotusKurmasanaJANU SIRSASANA TO HALF LOTUS There’s never one single route to a posture we’re exploring. There are individual specifics we always need to consider.  When it comes to hip opening postures like Janu Sirsasana and Half Lotus, we may...
Turtle Pose To Titibhasana
Turtle Pose to TitibhasanaKurmasanaTURTLE POSE TO TITIBHASANA Turtle Pose is not tiny by any means! There is a great deal that goes into its preparation. It’s also an excellent preparatory posture for Titibhasana. The journey between these two poses is marked by a...
THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK
When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to
- the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
- exclusive online course discounts
- exclusive blogs and videos
0 Comments