We saw a flier for Noah’s class before we ever met him. “Yoga Anatomy” it stated along with a time and a phone number, and not much else. It left us interested and curious. A few days later, as we went back to our Ashtanga class we stumbled upon a group of students on the studio floor being taught about connective tissue. It seemed the class was going to be conducted right there. We took this all as one of those signs The Universe throws at you, we decided we should take the class.
Noah’s approach was not to discuss anything that could not be demonstrated to be true, no esoteric philosophy here. He is not only a long-time practitioner of hatha yoga but also holds a master’s degree in Chiropractic Medicine and is a trained Acupuncuturist. His Sukhashanti approach to yoga seemed to fit perfectly with our own philosophy, it emphasized the ease and relaxation of postures, while at the same time developing inner strength. His balanced approach mixed both Western Scientific Rationalism and Eastern Openness and Awareness, much as we see ourselves.
How We Move
At the most basic level, the human body is only really capable of 6 types of movement, in 3 separate planes. Bending forwards or backwards, which is moving in the sagittal plane. Lifting up to the sky or pushing down into the earth, as well as twisting, moves us in the transverse plane. And moving towards our center-line or away from it, in the coronal plane. Some asanas move in purely one of those frames, others counter-impose multiple aspects on different parts of the body. Some are symmetrical, meaning both sides of the body are doing the same thing, some are not. A smart practice chooses a series of asanas that complement each other, sequence postures so that the 3 pair of types of movement are linked.
When we move in the sagittal plane, bending forwards and backwards, we can start the motion from the head, from the tailbone or both simultaneously. This creates distinct waves of motion that flow upwards, downwards or move from the center out. And by utilizing this waves of motion in our practice we can find spots where we are “stuck” … where we wiggle out of the wave to avoid a particular area … an area we need to work on. I know this because I now notice myself shifting to one knee and then another to avoid the spot in my lower back that pains me. Look and you’ll find those spots as well.
Muscles – Where the Magic Happens
Yoga is often confused with stretching. And while many of the postures do positions various muscles to be passively stretched, a much more common approach to asana in hatha yoga is to elongate a muscle and then hold. This lengthens the muscle while at the same time creating an isometric contraction, which strengthen the joints and helps train smaller muscles which are generally not exercised. It also trains the fibers within a muscle to activate at the same time, improving our ability to turn an entire muscle on and off.
My own hamstrings are tight. Very tight according to Noah. It’s not that the muscles themselves refuse to relax. But rather that my nervous system sends electrical signals to my hamstrings forcing them to contract. This leaves them with a residual contraction even when they are relaxed. Simply because of conditioned behavior, I cannot bend over as far as I am potentially able to. But with consistent practice, over a period of months, the muscles can be made to lengthen and relax. It’s not just about training the body, but also training the mind to control the body. Yoga, done properly, trains our minds to strengthen our bodies and vice-versa.
Connective Tissue – The Glue that holds us together
Most people understand, at least on a general level what a muscle is, but connective tissue is a slightly more challenging subject. It’s the tendons that connect our muscles to our bones, the ligaments that link the bones, and the fascia that runs through every fiber of our muscles. Connective tissue, in all it’s various forms, literally wraps itself around and commingle with every bone and muscle in our body, to the extent that it is impossible to separate one from the other.
Unlike muscle, connective tissue is not that flexible. If stretched too hard, to fast, it will distort, tear or snap. While muscles are like a piece of elastic, that stretch and return back to their original shape, connective tissue is more like a plastic bag. Stretching it causes it to change it’s fundamental form, and won’t simply return back to normal with rest. When we injure connective tissue our bodies quickly throw down scar tissue in order to heal and stabilize the joint. And this creates new connections and new limitations.
As Noah examined my shoulder he quickly found the spot I was complaining about. He was even able to recreate the impact of the mountain-biking accident which caused this sore spot, direct impact to the shoulder-joint from underneath and behind, causing injury to the front of the joint. Scar tissue has greatly impaired my range of motion in the right shoulder. Over a period of years, slowly, through dedicated practice, I can lengthen our connective tissue and re-align the scar tissue in my shoulder, healing that old injuries. But consistent practice is the key, changes won’t happen over night. Performing the same asanas over and over again, holding for longer and longer periods of time will have a profound impact on your body.
Hips and Pelvis
Our pelvic area is of particular importance and warrants individual attention. It serves as the meeting point of our higher and lower aspects. Our entire spinal column lies wedged between our hips, swaying with each step and shift in balance. Gravitational forces travel through the pelvis and create the seat of our balance.
My own posture, as it turns out, has a pronounced anterior tilt to the pelvis, hips jutting out to the front and compression in the lower back. Added to that, there is a noticeable tilt down to the left., which results in my right leg being about 2mm shorter than my left due to the misalignment in my hips and causing a slight scoliosis in my spinal column, a compensating tilt to the left. This is all partially caused by my tight hamstrings but also by poor habits, reinforced by years of postural behavior.
Some of this I can, and have begun to, correct immediately. Simply being aware of my postural habits allows me to bring focus and awareness to my stance and adjust my pelvic tilt and stick my but out instead of jutting my hips forward. But in order to work on my hips and spinal alignment, I need a good range of motion in my hamstrings. First things first, back to fundamentals. But now I have a long-range vision of how my practice should evolve over the next 3 years or so, and what things I can work on in what stages.
Our Inborn Limitations
In addition to my poor pelvis positioning, I learned my hips sockets are placed relatively highly and laterally. This means I have excellent external rotation of the hips, but poor internal rotation. And that’s simply a result of how my bones are shaped. I can affect this through years of yoga practice, lengthening the hip flexors and loosening the connective tissue around these joints, but my bones will always be shaped this way. My squats will never be very deep. And that is simply a limitation I shall live with.
Yoga gives us so much opportunity to change so many things about ourselves. But there are some things it simply cannot address. I know of no form of yoga that can alter the shape of bones in an adult human. And I’m not looking for any such thing either, accepting our inherit limitations and still striving to fulfill our full potential is part of the practice.
Bringing it all Together
Applying a rational, physiological approach to your yoga practice is incredibly rewarding. Each human body is unique and different. Far too many teachers will give you a practice that works for them, and maybe even for the majority of students, but doesn’t address your individual concerns. The way to get the most out of your asana practice is to understand exactly where your body is at. What its unique needs are, what your inborn limitations are, and where to focus for maximum benefit.
Being able to blend this rational, anatomical approach to the human body, with the esoteric techniques we have learned, the approaches to subtle energy and tendencies of the mind, is a very powerful and complete form of practice. Too much focus on the body just reinforces our egotistical association with our human form. While too little disconnects us from our earthly existence. As in all things, balance is the key.
For those of you who wish to apply more of an anatomical understanding to your practice I highly recommend taking one of Noah’s Sukhashanti Anatomy Workshops next time you’re in Mysore. If it’s not in your immediate travel plans David Kell’s Yoganatomy DVDs are an excellent resource as well as the books listed here:
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