KING COBRA POSE

ANATOMY

The awareness of your anatomy is vital for you to understand each step. Understanding your anatomy helps you more clearly and intentionally connect with the sensations in your body, therefore cultivating a more direct line of communication from your brain to your body and from your body to your brain. The development of these signals will promote a more sophisticated body awareness that will help you activate the appropriate muscles (without overdoing it) and know exactly what directions not only to take but also to maintain in a particular part of your body as you layer on each action.

5 KEY ACTIONS FOR KING COBRA POSE

You might think that it’s all about your spine and how flexible and/or mobile it is. How we involve our entire body is key, and Matt provides the roadmap with the following 5 key actions to set up King Cobra.

Bring the chest forward. In the first few attempts, it may feel as though not much is happening, but this is where the mind-body connection is developed.
The second action, which may be overlooked, is pressing back through your heels while the feet are in dorsiflexion (this is also important later). Press your heels away from the direction of the chest. What does this do, and why is it important? This is the first step in both the awareness and the action of decompressing the spine. Creating this length is crucial as Matt guides us through the next steps:
*But let’s pause for a moment and check in with your abdominals–if you are engaging too much here, then this will reduce the amount of expansion in your extension for your backbend, so leaning into a stretch sensation in your front body is helpful.
Next on board are your hamstrings–once you bend your knees, you’ll be firing up and activating your hamstrings. This is how the dorsiflexion of your feet can be a great action to take as you build a relationship with how much and/or how little your hamstrings do activate. In the video, Matt explains that pointing the feet (plantar flexion) may cramp your hamstrings because you are shortening the posterior chain too much. He also notes that once your body has enough mobility to point your feet, there is absolutely nothing wrong with doing it.
In this step, we understand why the layering is important. As the knees are bent and you’re potentially trying to get your feet closer to your head, Matt again emphasizes pulling your spine forward. Your body may feel the need to compress here and shorten. You might feel the desire to actually send your chest and head back to “achieve the desired result.” It’s most important here to come back to the development and preparation for the spine.
This step really goes hand in hand with #4, but pulling your belly up not only makes a significant impact on the experience within you body but also actually brings your head back slightly. (You can see the visual change when Matt layers on this action in the video.) This action is initiated by engaging the deep core muscle called transverse abdominis.

MOBILITY

ONLINE YOGA IMMERSION

Key techniques to increase flexibility
Strength development for mobility and range of motion
Learn postures: Hanumanasana (Splits), Extended Side Plank
Active and passive mobility for shoulders, hips, and spine
Improve spinal twists, heart openers, shoulder openers, and hip openers
Find greater ease in seated postures
Improve mobility and posture off the mat
When and how to do active, passive, and isometric stretching

$148.00

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See The Next Start Date

TRANSITIONING FROM THE GROUND TO WILD THING

After all of this, it is now your time to bask in the shine of this delightful backbend. Now there is the expansion, the extension, the confidence that you are safe in this posture, and most importantly, the desired health of your spine in this pose.

If King Cobra is not quite on the menu yet, click here to build the foundation with Matt’s 3-Part Cobra. Keep in mind that you will also explore 3-Part Cobra in Matt’s next immersion, Anatomy in Motion.

See you on the mat!

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See The Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Mobility Immersion

← See Previous Story See Next Story →

ANATOMY IN MOTION

APRIL 2022 Immersion

Embody anatomy
Learn key muscles, bones, and joints
Visualize your movements internally
Improve proprioception
Sensation-based practices
Unlock and strengthen major muscle groups
Active, passive, and isometric stretching
Improve mobility and stability
Get VERY geeky

$168.00

CHOOSE YOUR PATH

200 Hour Training

300 HOUR TRAINING

Continue Learning

King Cobra Pose Tutorial

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reverse warrior for better back bend flexibility

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Wild Thing Shoulder Alignment

by matt | Mar 22, 2022 | Main Page Display

WILD THING SHOULDER ALIGNMENT

ANATOMY • BIOMECHANICS • TECHNIQUE

Shoulder Alignment

WILD THING SHOULDER ALIGNMENT

What is the correct shoulder alignment for the pose we call Wild Thing? To answer this, we would first have to define the guidelines for “right” and “wrong.” The fact is there are many ways you can align the shoulder, and you will be able to find at least one yoga teacher who would validate each alignment as “correct.” We need context and agreed objectives.

For this discussion, the objective is to access greater mobility by utilizing the strength of the rhomboids. Our context for what is correct is based on two questions:

What will provide us with the greatest access to the pose we call Wild Thing?
How can we minimize the risk of injury in our pursuits of the posture?

ANATOMY IN MOTION

APRIL 2022 Immersion

Embody anatomy
Learn key muscles, bones, and joints
Visualize your movements internally
Improve proprioception
Sensation-based practices
Unlock and strengthen major muscle groups
Active, passive, and isometric stretching
Improve mobility and stability
Get VERY geeky

$168.00

THE BIOMECHANICS

In the video below, you will notice two key points. First is the rotation of the arm bone (external), which pairs with retraction of the shoulder blade. Second, you will see that in Wild Thing, my shoulder is NOT stacked directly above the wrist.

There are two reasons we focus on external rotation. First, it helps stabilize the arm bone in the shoulder socket (glenohumeral joint), which tends to be challenging for most people — it’s safe to say that most humans are chronically internally rotated at the shoulder. The second reason is that external rotation in this position helps to retract and depress the shoulder blade. As a result of these actions, you will feel your spine move into a backbend so long as you don’t do anything to counteract the movement.

Wild Thing shoulder alignment is not just about the shoulder; it also helps to prepare your spine for the deep backbend that Wild Thing requires.

The Risk: If you skip these steps, you will likely wind up with pressure, strain, or pain at the front of the shoulder joint. Additionally, your posture will feel more like a 3-Legged Tabletop than an expansive heart opener.

THE 3 ACTIONS TO ACHIEVE THIS “WILD THING SHOULDER ALIGNMENT”

Essentially, the objective is to get the shoulder back behind you. The primary muscles that will do that are called the rhomboids. The muscles that restrict this movement are called the pectorals. Action 1 helps to unlock the pectorals. The following 3 actions should be done PRIOR to rising up, not after. Additionally, do not stack your shoulder over the wrist.

THE ACTIONS

Action 1: Shoulder elevation

Relax and allow the shoulder to rise up toward your ear. This will turn off your pectoralis major and minor, which will provide greater mobility when you attempt to do Actions 2 and 3.

Action 2: Retract your shoulder blade

With the shoulder up toward the ear, pull your shoulder blade toward your spine, this will move the head of the arm bone back, lengthening your chest muscles.

Action 3: Rotate the arm externally

Rotate the arm bone outward until you feel your rib cage press forward and your spine move into a back bend. This step will also bring the shoulder blade back down your back (away from the ears).

MOBILITY

ONLINE YOGA IMMERSION

Key techniques to increase flexibility
Strength development for mobility and range of motion
Learn postures: Hanumanasana (Splits), Extended Side Plank
Active and passive mobility for shoulders, hips, and spine
Improve spinal twists, heart openers, shoulder openers, and hip openers
Find greater ease in seated postures
Improve mobility and posture off the mat
When and how to do active, passive, and isometric stretching

$148.00

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

TRANSITIONING FROM THE GROUND TO WILD THING

As you rise up from the ground, you will notice that you will be tempted to undo the shoulder alignment. I suggest filming yourself so you can observe with your eyes, as it can be easy to feel like you are doing one thing while the body is doing another. Rewatch the above video and you will see that as I rise up I am deliberately rotating the arm bone outward and the moving the shoulder blade backward.

KEY POINT: THE SHOULDER IS NOT STACKED OVER THE WRIST

Notice that as I rise up, I keep moving my weight into my legs and using the strength of my legs, buttocks, and back to press my body to the sky. This is to take the stress off of the shoulder and minimize the risk of shoulder injury. Using your legs and back muscles will also help you deepen the posture.

To learn more about the anatomy, biomechanics, and techniques you can apply to advance your asana practice, join the Anatomy in Motion immersion. This immersion is unique in that each class begins with a visual anatomy tutorial, helping you see how your muscles create movements. Following the tutorial, you learn how to incorporate this knowledge into your practice, and most importantly, you learn to FEEL your anatomy.

This is for you if you are interested in deepening your yoga practice, building your confidence, learning how to create a class, and sharing this practice with friends, family, or beyond. Yes, it’s for all levels, ages, etc.

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

This training is definitely for you if you are already certified at the 200 or 500 hour level but want to take your teaching career and practice to the next level. In this training, you will learn Anatomy, Biomechanics, Postural Techniques, Intelligent Sequencing, Breathwork, Meditation, Heart-Centered Philosophy, Theming, Business Structure, Marketing, Social Media, Branding, and how to build a sustainable and successful career!

Article by Matt Giordano

Video Extracted From: Mobility Immersion

← See Previous Story See Next Story →

ANATOMY IN MOTION

APRIL 2022 Immersion

Embody anatomy
Learn key muscles, bones, and joints
Visualize your movements internally
Improve proprioception
Sensation-based practices
Unlock and strengthen major muscle groups
Active, passive, and isometric stretching
Improve mobility and stability
Get VERY geeky

$168.00

CHOOSE YOUR PATH

200 Hour Training

300 HOUR TRAINING

Continue Learning

King Cobra Pose Tutorial

Wild Thing Shoulder Alignment

hyperextension of the knee in pyramid pose

deeper twists and spinal mobility with the fire line

reverse warrior for better back bend flexibility

Deeper Forward Folds with TFL Technique

All Videos

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

hyperextension of the knee in pyramid pose

by matt | Mar 2, 2022 | Main Page Display

KNEE HYPEREXTENSION

HOW TO SOLVE HYPERMOBILITY IN PYRAMID POSE

KNEE HYPEREXTENSION

KNEE HYPEREXTENSION: PROTECT YOUR KNEES IN PARSVOTTANASANA, PYRAMID POSE

When it comes to our asana practice, more often than not, the subject of our knees is a hot topic. Typically, we’re looking for ways to minimize pain and/or strengthen the knees in order to feel stable when holding certain joint alignments or while bending and straightening our legs during transitions from one posture to the next.

It’s not unusual to utilize props like blankets or an extra roll of a yoga mat under our knees in an effort to minimize painful sensations in postures where our knees are making direct contact with the floor or our yoga mats.

In regard to creating more stability or feeling stronger in a particular posture, we may utilize yoga blocks, a wall, and/or a chair to help us maintain better alignment in order to hold ourselves up for a longer period of time without concern for our balance.

MOBILITY

ONLINE YOGA IMMERSION

Key techniques to increase flexibility
Strength development for mobility and range of motion
Learn postures: Hanumanasana (Splits), Extended Side Plank
Active and passive mobility for shoulders, hips, and spine
Improve spinal twists, heart openers, shoulder openers, and hip openers
Find greater ease in seated postures
Improve mobility and posture off the mat
When and how to do active, passive, and isometric stretching

$148.00

PARSVOTTANASANA/PYRAMID POSE

Pyramid Pose is a single-legged forward fold that requires a reasonable amount of hamstring flexibility. This can affect us in a couple of different ways.

As practitioners, we may fall under two different categories. When exploring a posture like Parsvottanasana, or Pyramid Pose, we may be the type to either hyperextend in the knee (due to overflexibility in the hamstrings), or we may overbend in the knee to compensate for the lack of flexibility we are experiencing in the hamstrings. In both scenarios, be mindful to straighten the leg to the degree that’s possible without overdoing either end of the spectrum. So, what category do you fall under, and how can you support your practice in a way that provides you with the tools you need to stay safe?

In today’s video, Matt provides thorough examples of ways we can take action to level up our capacity for strength and flexibility in Pyramid Pose.

HYPEREXTENSION OF THE KNEE

How does this happen?

Hyperextension of the knee may develop over time for those of us who have spent a great deal of time creating flexibility in our hamstrings and are arguably “overflexible” in this area. This often means we lack strength and/or have neglected to put effort into activating the hamstrings.

Matt explains that if we are hyperextending through the knee joint, we are creating pressure there and that this is the key point. If there is evidence of pressure, this is cause for concern. The pressure comes from overly straightening the knee. It’s actually not about the angle of the knee but about whether or not we are placing pressure there.

ACTIONS TO CREATE STRENGTH

Action 1

In the video, Matt shows us how to press the big toe and pinky toe down while lifting up through the heel, which activates the gastrocnemius (calf muscle that attaches to the back of the femur bone), causing the knee to bend.

Action 2

He adds on the action of activating the hamstring by pulling the ball mound of the foot towards the back of your mat while the heel is lifted. This will contribute greatly to the strength of the hamstrings. Engaging the muscles helps us hold the joints in better alignment, therefore also addressing our need for better stability and balance.

yoga backbend techniques: 12 classes [backbend technique to relieve back pain "bowing the spine']

HIPS & HAMSTRINGS

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12 classes to increase flexibility of the hips and hamstrings
Maximize your strength through range of motion
Access your pose potential
Release tension of hips and back
Sensation-based practices
Unlock and strengthen major muscle groups
Active, passive, and isometric stretching
Improve mobility and stability
So much more!

~~$148.00~~ $128.00

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OVERBENDING THE KNEE

While some people struggle with hypermobility, others struggle to straighten the leg. In the latter case, the hamstrings are caught in a shortened holding pattern. Just stretching over and over again will not teach the body to release tension. There is, however, a solution to gain range of motion, and it too involves activating our muscles — in this case, it’s the quadriceps, the 4 muscles of the thigh. Their primary role is to straighten the knee. Matt demonstrates how we can achieve this by pulling the kneecap up. This action of “reciprocal inhibition” contributes to our ability to find better range of motion and improved flexibility in the hamstrings over time.

Understanding our bodies and getting in tune with our tendencies unlocks opportunities for a fuller experience in our postures.
Once we tap in and take the necessary actions, what we uncover is limitless potential.

This potential is waiting for you in Matt’s current 12-class immersion, titled Mobility. You get lifetime access to this immersion, in which Matt takes you on a journey through the major areas of the body, exploring how to increase mobility while simultaneously developing greater muscular strength and integrity. Instead of sacrificing your joints for the sake of achieving a posture, you will learn how to keep your joints safe by developing the necessary strength in each area of the body.

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See The Next Start Date

This training is definitely for you if you are already certified at the 200- or 500-hour level but want to take your teaching career and practice to the next level. In this training, you will learn Anatomy, Biomechanics, Postural Techniques, Intelligent Sequencing, Breathwork, Meditation, Heart-Centered Philosophy, Theming, Business Structure, Marketing, Social Media, Branding, and how to build a sustainable and successful career!

Article by Trish Curling @anioyoga

Video Extracted From: The 200 & 300 Hour Trainings

← See Previous Story See Next Story →

MOBILITY

ONLINE YOGA IMMERSION

Key techniques to increase flexibility
Strength development for mobility and range of motion
Learn postures: Hanumanasana (Splits), Extended Side Plank
Active and passive mobility for shoulders, hips, and spine
Improve spinal twists, heart openers, shoulder openers, and hip openers
Find greater ease in seated postures
Improve mobility and posture off the mat
When and how to do active, passive, and isometric stretching

$148.00

CHOOSE YOUR PATH

200 Hour Training

300 HOUR TRAINING

Continue Learning

King Cobra Pose Tutorial

Wild Thing Shoulder Alignment

hyperextension of the knee in pyramid pose

deeper twists and spinal mobility with the fire line

reverse warrior for better back bend flexibility

Deeper Forward Folds with TFL Technique

All Videos

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

deeper twists and spinal mobility with the fire line

by matt | Feb 28, 2022 | Home Page, Main Page Display

DEEPER TWISTS

INCREASE SPINAL MOBILITY WITH THE FIRE LINE

DEEPER TWISTS

DEEPER TWISTS & SPINAL MOBILITY: “FIRE LINE”

Do you correlate strength with twisting postures in your yoga practice, or is it flexibility that comes to mind first? There’s no doubt that both strength and flexibility are required for deeper twists, but let’s shine the spotlight on strength as we take a deeper look into how we can unlock our true potential when it comes to the execution of twisting postures in our asana practice.

YOUR INTENTION FOR THE TWIST

Twisting postures in yoga are known for their multitude of benefits. Let’s understand though that our intentions behind various twisting postures and the ways in which we execute them can benefit vs. harm our bodies to varying degrees. We may also have very different reasons for incorporating twists into our asana practice. If the goal is to create more of a therapeutic experience, then gentler twists may be the appropriate approach to take. If the intent and/or purpose is to work more deeply into a twist, then there are ways to heighten the experience with proper awareness and activation (we’ll see this shortly with Matt’s unique approach). Whether there is some level of vulnerability due to injury or not, doing things like pushing through the arms or trying to force more deeply into a twist can in fact cause harm, and this is never the desired outcome.

MOBILITY

ONLINE YOGA IMMERSION

Key techniques to increase flexibility
Strength development for mobility and range of motion
Learn postures: Hanumanasana (Splits), Extended Side Plank
Active and passive mobility for shoulders, hips, and spine
Improve spinal twists, heart openers, shoulder openers, and hip openers
Find greater ease in seated postures
Improve mobility and posture off the mat
When and how to do active, passive, and isometric stretching

$148.00

Yes, all movements on or off the mat will indeed place varying degrees of pressure on the discs in our spine, and, outside of the body’s natural resilience, there are ways in which we can create more integrity to support these movements. Although simply by twisting, we increase the amount of pressure on the spinal discs, twisting is also the answer to the question of how to increase their health.

Our discs require nourishment, and I love the sponge analogy — the “squeeze and soak effect” — when considering how to stimulate this nourishment. An appropriate twisting action or posture can actually help to equalize the pressure in the discs by supplying them with fluid, which allows them to expand. This creates more space and shock absorption between each vertebra, allowing your spine to react with more resilience to movements that create more weight, pressure, and/or impact in your body.

Now, Matt’s approach to twists is quite unique and extremely effective. His approach asks you to bring your focus and awareness to where you can create activations with more intention in order for your body to respond with greater ease.

WHAT IS THE FIRE LINE?

If you’ve been following Matt and/or practicing with him, then you are familiar with his Chromatic Approach to yoga. Regarding the physical practice, we understand this approach as systemic with a deep awareness of how we move our bodies and progress to a “peak posture.” Something Matt created is the idea of the “Fire Line,” which he describes as a kinesthetic chain of muscle activation, or a co-activated line of muscle, or a co-ordinated engagement of several muscles in order to gain greater access to balance, strength, stability, and flexibility.

MUSCLE ACTIVATION IN THE FIRE LINE

Matt starts off by explaining that we first bring our attention and awareness to the serratus anterior on one side of the body, which funnels into the external obliques through the linea alba, then traveling underneath the external obliques on the other side of the body to the internal obliques, which then go down to the opposite hip bone.

The Fire Line branches off “like a river” in 2 directions. The 1st branch goes to the outside of the gluteus maximus down through the IT band and connects to the outer shin. The 2nd branch goes from the inside of the hip—the iliacus and/or psoas muscle, which is on the inside of the bowl of your pelvis and attaches right at the inner thigh, where it meets the pelvis inside of the femoral head (inside of thigh bone). This all travels in the same direction, where we find the adductor group, which runs at the inside of your leg; some of the muscles in this group attach down at the shin.

We draw a thread of connection all the way through. Through Matt’s dedication to practice and his experience with his own body and with teaching and observing his students, he realized that activating this line allows the yoga practitioner to execute a variety of different twisting postures with great integrity and ability.

He highlights that the “center of the fire” is right at the core. We must recognize that the fire goes inward and creates a rounding through the back of the body. The key is to bring awareness to this rounding by exaggerating a pulling back of the ribcage.

With all of this in mind, we can see why strength plays a key role. Instead of just “dumping,” or forcing our bodies into a twist, we very thoughtfully engage the muscles in this Fire Line to more safely and deeply experience a variety of twisting postures.

SPINAL AWAKENING

November 2021 Immersion

Twists • side bends • forward folds • heart openers
Learn techniques to strengthen & mobilize your spine
Release back tension and discomfort
Twelve 75-minute classes, all levels appropriate
Advance your postural practice
Lifetime unlimited access to all

YOUR DISCOUNT CODE: STRENGTHMEMBER

~~$148.00~~ $118.00

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See The Next Start Date

REVOLVED CHAIR POSE

Take a close look at Matt’s deliberate actions in today’s video. What we see is not only the chromatic approach, the build, the preparation; but we see the activation of the fire line in order to avoid the collapse into Revolved Chair Pose.

When we approach twisting postures with strength as the anchor, not only do we execute twists with more purpose, but overall we feel more empowered in our bodies and our practice. What a beautiful outcome.

Imagine getting this type of insight on your practice on a regular basis, and being able to integrate it into your mind and body. Online Immersions with Matt are the perfect way to get techniques like the fire line into your practice. Each immersion consists of 12 all levels classes so you can advance your body awareness and deepen your practice.

If you have been practicing with the immersions than you know exactly how powerful and effective they are.

But what if you want to share this knowledge with others? Take advantage of the opportunity to study with Matt in his upcoming teacher trainings. His 200 and 300 Hr trainings are open for enrollment.

This is for you if you are interested in deepening your yoga practice, building your confidence, learning how to create a class, sharing this practice with friends, family or beyond. Yes it’s for all levels, ages, etc.

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See The Next Start Date

This training is definitely for you if you are already certified at the 200 or 500 hour level but want to take your teaching career and practice to the next level. In this training you will learn Anatomy, Bio-mechanics, Postural Techniques, Intelligent Sequencing, Breathwork, Meditation, Heart Centered Philosophy, Theming, Business Structure, Marketing, Social Media, Branding and how to build a sustainable and successful career!

Article by Trish Curling @anioyoga

Video Extracted From: The 200 & 300 Hour Trainings and April 2020 Immersion “The Greatest Hits”

← See Previous Story See Next Story →

MOBILITY

ONLINE YOGA IMMERSION

Key techniques to increase flexibility
Strength development for mobility and range of motion
Learn postures: Hanumanasana (Splits), Extended Side Plank
Active and passive mobility for shoulders, hips, and spine
Improve spinal twists, heart openers, shoulder openers, and hip openers
Find greater ease in seated postures
Improve mobility and posture off the mat
When and how to do active, passive, and isometric stretching

$148.00

CHOOSE YOUR PATH

200 Hour Training

300 HOUR TRAINING

Continue Learning

King Cobra Pose Tutorial

Wild Thing Shoulder Alignment

hyperextension of the knee in pyramid pose

deeper twists and spinal mobility with the fire line

reverse warrior for better back bend flexibility

Deeper Forward Folds with TFL Technique

All Videos

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

reverse warrior for better back bend flexibility

by matt | Nov 17, 2021 | Main Page Display

REVERSE WARRIOR

INCREASE BACK FLEXIBILITY WITH THIS PARTICULAR ALIGNMENT

REVERSE WARRIOR

REVERSE WARRIOR: PREPARE FOR BACKBENDS

Full expansion, widespread freedom, release, and openness — this might describe what we feel as yogis when it comes to the shape of a backbend or heart-opening posture in our yoga practice. We might see ourselves floating easily into this posture and enjoying the lengthening in our front body along with the confidence and strength we embody in our upper and back body (depending on the posture).

Alternatively, we might think about pain, tension, injury, constriction, fear, limitation, even inadequacy if we can’t “achieve” the posture. These are all real experiences, thoughts, and emotions we may have when it comes to backbends. We must always consider, however, what our intent is when it comes to our practice and how we can still find enjoyment and expansion within our bodies, hearts, and mind.

Backbends are also referred to as heart openers because they are associated with doing just that: opening your heart from what may be closed off, such as buried energy and/or emotions like fear, mistrust, sadness, or frustration and anger. We may go to backbends in our practice to shift this energy, to release it. Through this idea, we can create more space between ourselves and our pain. If we can’t make these shapes with our bodies for various reasons, do we not have the ability to shift these energies? The answer: Of course we do.

SPINAL AWAKENING

November 2021 Immersion

Twists • side bends • forward folds • heart openers
Learn techniques to strengthen and mobilize your spine
Release back tension and discomfort
Twelve 75-minute classes, all levels appropriate
Advance your postural practice
Lifetime unlimited access to all

~~$148.00~~ $118.00

If it’s not an injury or condition that is preventing you from creating these shapes, you can approach a backbend through preparation. (This is not to say you can’t experience release in other ways, like using pranayama to unlock freedom, but that is for another discussion.) Begin by stepping back from what you envision as the end result and looking at placing your attention on areas that focus your mind, prepare your body, and allow you to let go of outcomes.

I’ll show you how we can do this with Reverse Warrior. If we place our awareness specifically on how we execute lateral flexion with the torso in this posture, it offers solid preparation for backbends. It takes our focus into the process. We are investing “well-placed effort” in how we deconstruct the appropriate actions. We can then experience and feel more expansion, opening, freedom, and release with this “preparatory posture.”

The required flexibility in this posture is directly parallel to the flexibility required in a backbend. I’ll discuss this further. Let’s talk about this well-placed effort first.

Abhyasa and Vairagya in Our Asana Practice

In Tantra of the Yoga Sutras, Alan Finger eloquently explains the ideas of abhyasa and vairagya, “the forces of effort and surrender” [Sutras 1.12 – 1.16], in our asana practice:

“Abhyasa means making your best effort to focus all the vritti* on one single point, whether it is an action, object, thought, or image … Vairagya is the second part of the recipe. Vairagya is the ability to let go of any desire for the fruits of our efforts to focus the mind. This allows our consciousness to take action in the world without attachment.”

*Vritti is the Sanskrit word for all the images, thoughts, emotions, reactions, and belief patterns that are the activity of the mind.

Finger, Alan. Tantra of the Yoga Sutras Pg.22 – 27 )

With this understanding of abhyasa, we can place our attention on how we execute Reverse Warrior for better preparation for heart openers.

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Required Flexibility For Backbends

Wheel Pose (Urdva Dhanurasana) and Camel Pose (Ustrasana)

Just by simply looking at the shapes below, we can see the similarities.

Both of these postures require flexibility in the pectorals, front deltoids, abdominals, and hip flexors.

How does this compare to Reverse Warrior?

Reverse Warrior requires lateral flexion of the spine, opening the internal and external oblique muscles because of the side bend. It requires flexibility of the latissimus dorsi, rectus abdominis, and the lower fibers of the pectoralis major for greater extension of the spine.

In the video, Matt demonstrates the added “lift of the heart more forward and up.” This is in fact that well-placed effort (abhyasa). Lifting and turning the heart may seem like a small action, but it is actually how we prepare with much more intent for the backbend. Matt describes how with this action, we open the obliques, crossing the whole mid-section into the linea alba, opening up the side body muscles. Adding the turn, we stretch the rectus abdominis to provide us with greater extension of the spine. Greater extension also means more access to a particular backbend.

SPINAL AWAKENING

November 2021 Immersion

Twists • side bends • forward folds • heart openers
Learn techniques to strengthen and mobilize your spine
Release back tension and discomfort
Twelve 75-minute classes, all levels appropriate
Advance your postural practice
Lifetime unlimited access to all

~~$148.00~~ $118.00

Bringing It All Together

What is our intention? We must ask ourselves this question. Is it the outcome or the experience? If we can settle and focus the mind with well-placed effort (abhyasa) at the same time as releasing expectation for the outcome (vairagya), we can let go of the mind attachments and just experience. Abhyasa and vairagya, when practiced together, help us to release, even dissolve our attachments. Is it not then arguable that in this state, we are experiencing the freedom, openness, vulnerability, and expansion we desire from backbends?

Let’s actualize this state of being in our practice as a whole. Let’s step into this in Matt’s current immersion, Spinal Awakening, where he explores movements of the spine, always through the lens of abhyasa and vairagya.

The focus in this immersion is on heart openers, twists, side bends, and forward folds.

Matt’s intention and emphasis is always about you getting to know your body in order for you to tap into your own individual highest potential. This looks like and is expressed in many different ways. Matt invites you to let go of defining yourself as a specific kind of practitioner and encourages you to delve into your own path without any burden of what the outcomes may look like.

Let’s meet with open hearts on the mat in Spinal Awakening.
It’s never too late to join in. Click here to gain lifetime access to the immersion and to yourself!

Written By Trish Curling @anioyoga

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reverse warrior for better back bend flexibility

Deeper Forward Folds with TFL Technique

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Deeper Forward Folds with TFL Technique

by matt | Nov 11, 2021 | Main Page Display

TECHNIQUE FOR DEEPER FORWARD FOLDS

ACTIVATE TFL & RECTUS FEMORIS TO INCREASE HAMSTRING FLEXIBILITY

FORWARD FOLDS

DEEPER FORWARD FOLDS: PRASARITA PADOTTANASANA

It’s not unusual to feel “stuck” in our yoga practice at times. We may come to a place in our physical practice where we are not experiencing our full potential. One of the common areas we may feel “stuck” is with our flexibility.

In my previous article, Healthy Hamstrings, I discussed a technique Matt shows us to create more flexibility in our bodies: facilitated stretching. There is yet another technique to encourage a flexible body, which I want to discuss more here. That’s reciprocal inhibition.

Reciprocal inhibition is doing the opposite of what a facilitated stretch asks us to do. It’s true that we are still activating muscles in order to achieve greater flexibility, but we are now activating the muscles that oppose the muscles that are stretching.

In today’s video, Matt demonstrates how to explore these actions in Prasarita Padottanasana: Wide-Legged Forward Fold.

PRASARITA PADOTTANASA: WIDE-LEGGED FORWARD FOLD

In Prasarita Padottanasana (an open-hip posture), our legs are in abduction, while we also flex at the hip. This position requires flexibility in our hips, adductors, and hamstrings, and there are also key areas to explore activation of potential strength. These areas include adductors, abductors, quads (including the rectus femoris, which is also a hip flexor), and hamstrings.

Activating the adductors and hamstrings supports the facilitated stretch technique because those muscle groups are already being actively stretched. On the other hand, activating the abductors and quadriceps generates the reciprocal inhibition technique, because those muscles oppose the adductors and hamstrings. In this video segment, Matt demonstrates why and how to activate the quadriceps and one of the abductors, called tensor fasciae latae, or TFL for short.

SPINAL AWAKENING

November 2021 Immersion

Twists • side bends • forward folds • heart openers
Learn techniques to strengthen and mobilize your spine
Release back tension and discomfort
Twelve 75-minute classes, all levels appropriate
Advance your postural practice
Lifetime unlimited access to all

~~$148.00~~ $118.00

PREPARE THE POSTURE

With your feet spread wide on your mat, turn your thighs slightly inward. This will allow your toes to also turn slightly towards one another.
With your hands on your hips, initiate an anterior tilt of your pelvis as you tip your torso forward.
Hands come to the floor or blocks in front of you to support. If your hamstrings feel tight in this position, reciprocal inhibition is about to help with that.

How to Activate Your Quadriceps: Reciprocal Inhibition Technique

Activate your quads by energetically lifting your thighs away from your knee caps.
Feel as though you are drawing your upper thigh bones up into your hip socket. Matt describes this as almost “suction-cupping” your thigh bones upward, which will help turn on hip flexors and quads.

You activate reciprocal inhibition the moment you engage your quads, because when these muscles are activated, the opposing muscles release (in this case, the hamstrings), and you’re able to relax more deeply into the pose.

TENSOR FASCIAE LATAE (TFL) ENGAGEMENT FOR DEEPER FORWARD FOLDS

Just as activation of your quad muscles, in particular the rectus femoris, will help you deepen into your forward fold, Matt explains that activating the TFL (tensor fasciae latae) will also deepen forward folds. Like the rectus femoris, the TFL is also a hip flexor but can be easier to engage because of its additional functions as an abductor and internal rotator. By isometrically pressing your heels away from each other, you will trigger TFL to engage. Pushing the heels or backs of the legs away from each other is both abduction and initiates internal rotation. If you don’t know these anatomy terms, do not worry; just apply the action of pressing the backs of the legs apart and you will feel your outer hips engage, supporting you in tipping your pelvis forward.

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

LEARN MORE!

Why take this approach?

Aside from achieving deeper forward folds, is there a reason to apply this approach? We must, in a sense, be a “professor in our postures.” What does this mean?

It means that there is infinite space for inquiry in our practice. Each time we step onto the mat, we have an opportunity to examine and reflect on how we approach our practice. Equipped with this kind of knowledge, our practice becomes more informed and supports our ability to realize our potential and create resilient and healthy tissues. Then we really start tapping into what is available to us in our bodies by using fundamental actions that our bodies are so brilliantly designed to perform.

Matt’s November 2021 Immersion, Spinal Awakening, includes the following:

Twists • side bends • forward folds • heart openers
Techniques to strengthen and mobilize the spine
Releasing back tension and discomfort
Twelve 75-minute classes, all levels appropriate
Advancing your postural practice
Lifetime unlimited access to all

Take advantage of this opportunity to awaken both mind and body.

Already have Spinal Awakening and want another immersion to support you in deeper forward folds? We suggest the Hips & Hamstrings Immersion!

Written By Trish Curling

SPINAL AWAKENING

November 2021 Immersion

Twists • side bends • forward folds • heart openers
Learn techniques to strengthen and mobilize your spine
Release back tension and discomfort
Twelve 75-minute classes, all levels appropriate
Advance your postural practice
Lifetime unlimited access to all

~~$148.00~~ $118.00