2. Try this out !
Musculoskeletal Biomechanics are voluntary actionstriggering a chain of psychological responsesALL of this : without our conscious awareness!
3. Physiology of Stretching
• Conscious biochemical reactions influence unconscious
physiological responses
• Moving the body into a yogasana initiates a cascade of these
biomechanical and psychological events
7. Methods of Stretching
Ballistic
Jumping type actions
used
Helps “reset” muscle
length to that attained in
previous practice
e.g. Sun Salutation
Passive
Body weight, gravity,
agonist/synergist muscle
groups used
Position of stretch held
for long to “acclimate”
stretch receptors
Affects Muscle Spindle
Receptors primarily.
Lengthens noncontractile
elements of muscle
Facilitated
Brief contraction of
muscle targeted for
stretch
This stimulates GTO receptors.
Spinal cord then signals
muscles to relax
The “Slack” thus created
is taken up by deepening
the stretch
8. Stretching and Endorphins
• Endorphins are responsible for a variety of
physiological responses
• Including those bringing sense of relaxation
and wellbeing after yoga practice
• Stretching triggers release of these
neuroendocrine factors
10. Muscle Spindle Stretch Receptor
• Muscle stretches > signals spinal cord > Muscle contracts and resists stretch
“Spinal Cord Reflex Arc”
• Forcing a stretch intensifies firing of spindle causing muscle to contract
• This blocks deepening of a stretch.
• Instead “dissolve” the blockages slowly by working with the spinal reflexes
Detects
changes in
length &
tensionHolding a stretch for 30-60 sec
causes the muscle spindle to decrease its firing,
and the muscle begins to relax !
Backing part way out of the stretch
also decreases its firing, relaxing the muscle
and allowing a deeper stretch
“Reassure” the Spindle
that you are carefully stretching the muscle.
12. Stretching the Erector Spinae Activating the psoas to
stretch the erector spinae
Relaxing the erector spinae
Practice tips:
1) Back off approximately 20% from a full stretch. Make sure you feel a mild stretch so
that some of the muscle spindles are still firing.
2) Hold the milder stretch for 3 to 4 breaths to acclimate the muscle spindle and
reassure it that you are stretching safely.
3) Then, with control, carefully go deeper into the pose by engaging the opposing
muscle group.
13. GTO Contraction InhibitsResponds to Muscle
Spindle
Receptors
Stretch ActivatesMuscleResponds to
So, You can activate an inhibited muscle
14. Reciprocal Inhibition
Key Concepts:
• When Agonist Contracts – Antagonist Relaxes
• Unconscious Process through primitive spinal
cord reflex arc
• We can consciously access this reflex arc to
deepen & improve our Asanas
• Equivalent to Ha/Tha, Yin/Yang,
Spanda/Nishpanda: Balanced energy in body
15. RI e.g. Paschimottanasana
• Quadriceps – agonist, hamstring - antagonists.
• Consciously engaging the quadriceps also signals the hamstrings to
relax.
• This takes place via the spinal cord.
• Helps to get a bit deeper in this pose.
• Added biomechanical benefits of improved alignment in your pose.
16. • Detects changes in tension
• Acts like a “circuit breaker”
signaling muscle to relax
• v/s spindle: signals muscle
to contract
• Basis of PNF
• May seem counterintuitive
• Used to “dissolve” blocks
and deepen asanas.
Golgi Tendon Organ
17. Contract the muscle you want to lengthen
Increased tension at the MTJ
GTOs recruited ( > in normal stretching)
Spinal Cord signals muscles to relax,
creating a ‘slack’ in the muscle
Move deeper into the Asana
Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation
(Facilitated Stretching)
19. Practice tips:
1) If new to yoga, spend a few months conditioning your body first before
using these powerful techniques to deepen stretches.
2)Remember, GTO is there to protect the tendon from injury. Never overdo
its limits. Never contract the target muscle more than 20% of its maximum
force.
3) The force generated by contracting muscles is transmitted to the joints
“Joint reaction force”. Thus always protect your joints by maintaining them
in natural alignment while stretching. In case of joint pain, back off from
the stretch and stop.
4) Focus on one muscle group at a time, limit your PNF stretching to one
asana per session. Limit to 2-3 cycles of this technique.
5) Allow 48 hours for recovery before repeating this technique.
6) Always practice under guidance of an experienced and qualified teacher
22. Combining Biomechanics & Physiology in
Stretching: JanuSirsasana
In final pose, apply moderate stretch
to Hams (straight leg)
• This stimulates muscle spindle to
fire, thus a reflex contraction of
the hams
Bend knee to lighten the stretch of
hams, releasing their insertion on
lower leg
• Hold for 2-3 breaths as
spindle accommodates to
lighter stretch
Contract Quads to straighten knee &
draw Hams out to length, moving the
insertion at knee away from origin
• This actions
signals Hams to
further relax
23. Attempt to press the heel into
the ground by contracting the
Hams
• This increases tension at MTJ &
stimulates GTO to fire.
Spinal cord then signals Hams to relax
Contract Quads to straighten
the knee & move the insertion
of Hams away from origin.
• This takes up the slack created by
the relaxation response.
Quad contraction creates RI,
further relaxing the Hams
The Psoas tilts the pelvis
forward moving the hams
origin away from insertion
• Bending the elbows
by contracting biceps
bends the trunk
forward, deepening
the asana
24. Practice tips:
1) Always build contraction of a muscle gently and slowly. This aids to
minimize the risk of injury and soreness.
2) Learn to "regulate" the force of muscle contraction, especially those
of large muscles like the quadriceps.
3) Combine reciprocal inhibition with the technique outlined for the
muscle spindle to attain greater relaxation of the muscles you are
stretching.
4) Allow ample time for recovery between practices.
5) Always practice under the guidance of an experienced teacher.
6) Always, in your particular case, consult your health care provider
before doing yoga or any exercise program.
Hinweis der Redaktion
For fig 1: Carefully bend forward until you feel a moderate stretch. The muscle spindles of the hamstrings and erector spinae will fire in response to this stretch and send a signal to the spinal cord. This is the first part of the reflex arc. The second part is the outgoing signal from the spinal cord to the muscle. This involves the motor nerve and stimulates the muscle to engage. This contraction of the hamstrings and erector spinae is part of what may prevent deepening of the posture.
Fig 2: "Dissolve" reflex contraction of stretched muscles by slightly relaxing the stretch. This decreases the firing of the muscle spindle stretch receptors.You can do this for the hamstrings by slightly bending the knees. Hold this milder stretch for a few breaths.
Fig 3: Once the muscle spindle acclimates to the milder stretch, activate the quadriceps to straighten the knees and deepen the pose. Engaging the quadriceps inhibits the reflex contraction of the hamstrings caused by the muscle spindle.It may seem counter-intuitive, but we can actually deepen a stretch by first backing off on the stretch.
For fig 1 : Here the same reflex arc goes into action for the erector spinae muscles. The muscle spindle signals that the erector spinae are stretching and the spinal cord signals them to contract.
Fig 2: As with the hamstrings, you can dissolve the reflex contraction of the erector spinae by slightly relaxing the stretch. This decreases the firing of the muscle spindle stretch receptors.Do this for the erector spinae by lifting the back slightly from the hips. Hold this milder stretch for a few breaths.
Fig 3: Once the muscle spindle of the erector spinae acclimates to the milder stretch, contract the psoas and rectus abdominis to flex the hips and torso and deepen your pose. Engaging the psoas inhibits the reflex contraction of the erector spinae.
Base position: First take the position out to length. This establishes the “set length”, the point which brain recognizes as the end of stretch
Fig 1- Facilitated stretching involves contracting a muscle that you are lengthening. This increases the tension at the muscle-tendon junction and recruits more Golgi tendon organs than does stretching a muscle alone. Facilitated stretching causes the spinal cord to signal the muscle to relax, in essence, creating "slack" in the muscle. You can then take up the slack to move deeper into the pose. For example, in Paschimottanasana, slightly bend the knees and squeeze the trunk against the thighs. Then gently press the heels into the mat as if you are trying to flex the knees further. This engages the hamstrings and stimulates the Golgi tendon organs at the muscle-tendon junction. Hold this steady contraction for five to eight breaths before releasing it. This produces relaxation and increased length in the hamstrings. Then contract the quadriceps to straighten the knees and take up the slack created by the reflex arc. This has the added effect of producing reciprocal inhibition, which further relaxes the hamstrings into the stretch.
Fig 2 - Follow the same steps in this pose with the quadratus lumborum and erector spinae. First, bend forward to stretch these back muscles. Hold the stretch by bending the arms, and then attempt to arch the back. This increases tension at the muscle-tendon junction of the erector spinae and quadratus lumborum, stimulates the Golgi tendon organs, and ultimately relaxes these muscles. Hold the arch of the back for five to eight smooth breaths. Then engage the abdominals and use the arms to draw yourself deeper into the pose, taking advantage of the new length created by the reflex arc. Activating the abdominals also produces reciprocal inhibition of the back muscles, relaxing them into the stretch.
This Scientific Key focuses the drishti on the lower arm in Gomukhasana and uses a facilitated stretch of the infraspinatus, teres minor, and posterior portion of the deltoid to allow deepening of the pose. A belt connects the upper and lower arms.
1. Gently drawing the lower arm up the back creates a mild stretch of the infraspinatus, teres minor and posterior deltoid in the lower arm.
2. Pulling down on the belt while pressing the back of the hand on the lower arm into the back creates an eccentric contraction of the stretching muscles. This activates the Golgi tendon organs of these muscles and creates a “relaxation response” that frees the muscles to lengthen. (For more on the Golgi tendon organ please see “The Key Poses of Hatha Yoga”).
3. Relaxing the rhomboids frees the scapula to move away from the midline, allowing the lower arm to be drawn further up the back to stretch the target muscles. The hand is then held in place by the upper arm.
4. The rhomboids then activate to draw the scapula back towards the midline, accentuating the stretch.
These steps are repeated once to deepen the stretch. Do not attempt to attain your maximum in one practice. Rather, build your flexibility over time with consistent, gentle practice.