Do you know where/what your psoas is? Well, this week I taught what I thought was a somewhat dry (boring?) yoga class that included more information about that important muscle. The impetus for such a class came from traveling down a ‘rabbit hole’ or several ‘rabbit holes’.

I began Monday morning with my usual reading. I’d seen an article by Dr. Ray Long about Plantar Fascitis and, since many struggle with the issue, I thought it wise to read said article. Within the article, Dr. Long referenced forward folds. First ‘rabbit hole’ - I clicked on the link and found myself reading about the inhibitory tendency of our brains when we stretch (for example: into the first forward fold of our yoga practice).

Within the article about forward folds, was a ‘rabbit hole’ tunnel. This one leading me to the Psoas muscle. First, who has ever heard of the psoas muscle? I can almost guarantee you that many have not and, if they have, how do they ‘google’ it to learn more about it?. how is it spelled? ‘sew-ass’ or ‘so-as’? Who would guess it’s spelled ‘psoas’, which in New Latin and Greek means ‘muscles of the loin’. And, importantly — what does it do? (Personally, it is one of my favorites.)

The article was titled ‘Awaken Your Psoas’ and it can be found in Dr. Long’s website, The Daily Bhanda, under ‘Free Stuff’ (who doesn’t love ‘free’?).

As stated in the article (and many of his articles), “If you are new to integrating anatomy into your practice, remember that it is not necessary to memorize this technique on your first pass. Begin by enjoying the beautiful images of the body in yoga. This alone will awaken your brain's awareness of the anatomy during your practice.”

To summarize that quote, once we know a muscle exists (like our psoas), we can imagine it working to help us as we move. And, help us it will.

So, what did I teach that was so ‘boring’ - some of the poses to awaken the psoas, of course. More workshop-y than bend-y, the kind of stuff I like to teach.

Back to forward folds and the inhibitory action I mentioned. From my reading and now from my experience, when we first fold, muscles are tight. That’s due to a signal from the brain to the spinal cord and to the affected muscle spindles to tighten (as if protecting us). What to do? Fold until the stretch is felt (your set point). Engage the muscle you are hoping to stretch and hold the contraction for several breaths (if you are working hamstrings, slightly bending the knees will give you more accessibility to the contraction mentioned. Release the engagement and, perhaps, go a bit deeper into your stretch. In Sports Medicine circles, this is called proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF).

Now, if you struggle with Plantar Fascitis, read Dr. Long’s post (link).

And, have a great weekend !!!