Yoga as a way to keep the body in good physical shape has long taken a firm place in the modern fitness industry. But is it really that useful? How not to step on the pitfalls while taking the next asana?
Certified Vajra Yoga Instructor
Having started attending yoga classes in one of the city’s fitness clubs, I very quickly memorized the basic exercises. I especially loved all kinds of twists – they were good for the body and made me feel graceful. Then I decided that I could teach myself and went to the courses. There I learned that everything I had done before was not yoga at all, but simple physical education.
It turned out that beloved by me and many “yozhiks” twists are very unhealthy. But who will take simple words for granted? Me not! And they sent us students to the textbooks of anatomy.
Many people remember from the school curriculum that when a new person is formed in the womb, the nervous system appears first. Otherwise, who will manage the work of the various bodies? The main defenders of the nervous system are the bones of the skull and the spine. And if we are accustomed to taking care of our heads, then we can do everything with the spine, especially yoga-mate.
Inverted triangle pose, scorpion pose, back twist pose … Oh, how beautiful they all look in the photographs! There is something to brag about on Instagram if you have mastered these asanas. The only pity is that health problems remain behind the scenes.
In a twist, the spine does not turn, but bends
It is believed that in twisting asanas, the spine rotates around its axis, and this is facilitated by stretching the practitioner upward. Like, first we stretch out, then we curl up. What’s really going on? The spine is bent in a scoliotic manner, with the letter S. Let’s see why. To do this, you will have to touch on mechanics and biomechanics.
When an object or joint has one attachment point, it can rotate around its axis, such as a hand. Two attachment points – the range of motion is already limited, back and forth. For example, imagine a door with two hinges. It is unlikely that it will be possible to turn it around its axis. With three or more attachment points, the object or joints are already inactive.
So, one vertebra has six attachment points: two connecting processes above and below and a vertebral body, which is firmly fused with the intervertebral discs from above and below. And if you take the thoracic region? There, ribs are added, which are located between the two vertebrae, additionally fastening them. Thus, intelligent nature has protected the vital organs of a person to the maximum, and the thoracic spine is the most sedentary.
The triangle pose is just as dangerous as the twist.
What does the regular practice of twisting lead to? To “loosening” of the structure and subsequent displacement or subluxation of the vertebrae. This is the most obvious result that an X-ray or MRI will show. Other problems are less obvious: few people will associate sore knees with a hernia in the lumbar spine or a stomach ulcer with a subluxation in the thoracic region. And the connection is more than direct.
Moving, the vertebra clamps the nerve lash that goes from the spinal cord through the intervertebral foramen to a particular organ. The brain receives a distorted signal about the work of this organ or ceases to receive any signals at all, therefore it cannot fix anything. A disease arises. Again, who will associate it with “productive” yoga practice?
Often instructors, having performed twisting in one direction, recommend doing it in the other in order to compensate. Another misconception, there is no compensation. If during the performance of the asana a subluxation of the vertebra occurs, the muscles on both sides (muscle block) are spasmodic to prevent further displacement. In this case, whether you twist in the other direction or not, it does not matter, the harm has already been done.
Pelvis and shoulders in the same plane … Approved!
But all this does not mean that it is time to quit taking poses on the rug. Everything needs an intelligent approach or, as the yogis say, viveka, discrimination. There is no harm from asanas in which the pelvis and shoulders are in the same plane with each other. And their mass! One should also not forget that the main purpose of asanas is to pump blood and lymph, and even a simple mountain pose with the tension of all muscles can cope with this function.
Interesting fact: in fitness centers, you can often see the inscription “classical yoga”. You come to class, and from the classics there is one shavasana. What is “classic”? Proven by time and generations. So, the first twist appeared in the book “Hatha Yoga Pradipika”, which dates back to the 14-15th centuries AD. In earlier “yogic” texts, written before our era, all asanas are performed with a straight back. Here you can talk about the classics. What modern “yogis” bring to the class is non-physiological and more often than not dangerous.
Don’t be afraid to ask your instructor questions. Perform the asana only if his answers are backed up by real knowledge of anatomy and biomechanics. For example, why are you curling up in an inverted triangle? Are the lateral muscles stretching? Is there a good effect on the kidneys in the twisted back position? To this I would answer: what is more important to you – a slender waist, perhaps healthy kidneys (who will go to check?) Or a normally functioning nervous system and the body as a whole?
And with the waist, you can figure it out differently: the plank pose, the boat pose and nauli (belly wave) to help you. But more on that in the next article.