Assisting and Adjusting: Part !

PRINCIPLES OF MOVEMENT & BREATHING

Requirements in any program which promotes good health:

v Strength

v Flexibility

v Structural alignment

v Proper functioning of various body systems

v Mental steadiness

Asanas, is practiced correctly can accomplish this along with healing various imbalances in the body.

Asana:

1. movement into asana
2. staying in asana
3. movement out of asana

Each step is coupled with appropriate regulated breathing. Affect is the movement of the body coupled with the flow of the breath

Goal: not shape, but the effects of achieving and maintaining the posture. To do this you must pay attention to alignment, the structural aspects of the body and the desired affects of the asana.

Nature of any Asana:

1. the body position that we start from
2. the parts of the body that we move
3. the direction in which we move them

Four Starting positions:

1. standing
2. seated
3. lying
4. inverted* exceptional-needs preparation

Four Body Parts:

1. arms
2. legs
3. head
4. trunk

Four directions:

1. forward
2. backward
3. twisted
4. lateral

Two important features of movement:

1. asanas include movement in all three axes (ensures full range of movement)

v sagittal plane

v transverse plan

v lateral plane

2. asanas may involve more than one movement, done simultaneously or sequentially

v The effect of each asana can be changed if we vary its components of movement

v Science lies in understanding the EFFECTS of the COMPONENTS of movement, their interactions and their relationship the spine and the breathing process

v Opposition creates affects within each asana

Examples:

Uttanasana –going down, coming up, arm position

Sun salutations

Salambasana-variations in arms and legs

Breathing in Asana:

Proper breathing supports the movement and increases its effect.

v Four Rules For Combining Breath and Movement:

1.     Do movements that open the front of the body on an inhalation

§  Backbends, raising the arm, raising the head, expansion & recovery, make space (lengthen)

2.     Do movements that compress the front of the body on exhalation

§  Forward bending, twisting, lateral moment, exertion, integration

3.     Do not move on inhalation retention

4.     Move when body is held in exhalation retention

5.     Breathing is smooth, even and “effortless”- overexertion will be signaled in our breathing. Our breath is a meter of our proper effort.

Spine must be kept strong and flexible (trunk)-essential for breathing and movement

v STRENGTH

1.     created through contraction of the muscles (muscle resistance)

2.     lifting against the force of gravity

3.     holding positions  (30 seconds, 1 minute)

v FLEXIBILITY

1.     with gravity

2.     yin postures/practice (stationary elongation)

3.     vinyasa (movement elongation)

v ALLIGNMENT

      1.   All movements are performed symmetrically or on differently on both sides of the body (asymmetrical)
            Example: How you teach warrior one depends on your focus since the posture is assymetrical (so must be performed twice-once on each side)

The SPINE:

Curvatures of the spine (complement each other like inhalation and exhalation. It is therefore important to maintain the curvature of the spine).-otherwise functional imbalance, AGE-increases of decreases curvature due to gravity.

1. Cervical (concave)
2. Thoracic (convex)
3. Lumbar (concave)
4. Sacral (convex)

MAXIMIZING THE BENEFITS OF MOVEMENT AND BREATHING

1. Make the exhalation long emphasizing abdominal muscle contraction (steps)
1. Contraction of the lower abdomen
2. Upper part of the abdomen contracts
3. Chest relaxes only at the end of the exhalation
2. Inhalation is about expansion of the chest then down to the abdomen. Do not push the abdomen outward this will increase the curvature in the spine.

-Twisting and the spine (upward movement)

-Backbending and the spine (No lower back compression)

-Forward bending and the spine (belly lengthening)

-BASE/ROOT/GROUNDING

Standing twist with different arms

Energetic line of the arms

Energetic line of the spine

3. breathing can intensify a movement and get you deeper into a posture
1. holding: move deeper, intensify your breath
2. releasing, moving, relax your breath
3. inhale release a bit, exhale draws you deeper

MENTAL STEADINESS (reducing rajas and tamas and increasing sattva)

a.     mental focus (Movement of the body or the flow of the breath, drishti)

b.     start your breath before you begin your motion (don’t move when breath is held) Maximizes the SUPPORT of the posture

c.     breath can exceed the movement in some cases

BIOMECHANICS OF ASANA

v gravity and muscle contraction

v muscle contraction occurs at the origin and insertion of the muscle

v Extension arises from external forces of pulling. Muscles cannot pull themselves, they can only push (contract)

v LEVER SYSTEMS (most movement of the body)

                                               i.     Fulcrum: point around which the rotation takes place

                                             ii.     Force: effort

                                            iii.     Weight: load

First order lever: Fulcrum between the effort and the load (E-F-L)

Second order lever: Load between the effort and the fulcrum (E-L-F)---mechanical advantage is favorable (door with hand away from hinges

Third order lever: Effort between the fulcrum and the load (F-E-L)---most parts of the body. The point of attachment of the muscles to the rigid bones (effort) is relatively close to the joint (fulcrum). The center of gravity determines the degree of load. (distal=larger, proximal=smaller)-load is further away from the fulcrum than the effort (insertion point of muscle).

WORK = force exerted + distance of movement

If load is closer to the fulcrum the work to lift it is less, but it will move a smaller distance and visa versa (door example-3^rd order-hand close to hinges)

Muscles usually have to contract with greater force than the weight of the load because of this third order construction of the fulcrum of the body. SACRIFICE OF STRENGTH FOR A GREATER RANGE OF MOVEMENT.---in asana we alter the amount of load  and the distance of the load from the joint to create certain effects in movement (or emphasize them).

TORQUE (movement of force on joints which causes rotation and therefore movement)

How much force is necessary to cause an object to rotate. Body movement are mostly the function of the rotation of joints. For movement to occur torque (exerted effort) must exceed the load which includes the weight of our body and gravity. (and maybe a counterforce.

Torque must be applied in the proper direction: THE ANGLE OF THE APPLICATION OF FORCE IS VERY IMPORTANT.

---the larger the angles in the body (which to a great extent are pre-dertermined by our joint structure, the greater the effort, because the torque in minimal.

ASANA & LEVERS

a.     The further the load is from the joint, the greater the effort (force)

b.     Uttanassan-effort is greatest at 90 degree angle with arms extended and then load arm is longest

CENTER OF GRAVITY & size of the base.

Wider is less load & easier BALANCE

Wider makes twisting more difficult from base, force of the twist will be transferred up the spine.

Hips are affected by the width of the base which is always intended to be the center of gravity

KINETIC CHAIN & MOVEMENT