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L Shape with Ida and Reggie
Category Archives: psoas
The Diaphragm: The Main Muscle of Breathing
Depending on the amount of effort we exert, the act of breathing can be accomplished with the help of many muscles. The main muscle of breathing is a muscle called the diaphragm. A diaphragm is something that separates two structures. … Continue reading
Posted in Anatomy, psoas
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The Psoas Major and Sit Ups
We all need a strong and balanced core. We all want a long and strong psoas major muscle. These two factors are equally important but they often get in each other’s way in the search for a functional body. The … Continue reading
Scoliosis
Everyone has scoliosis. Scoliosis describes a spine that is curved from side to side. Looking from the back at a spine, or x-ray of a spine, of someone with scoliosis and it will look more like an “S” or a “C” … Continue reading
The Psoas Major in Handstands
You won’t be surprised to read that from my perspective the psoas is intimately involved with successful handstands. When working well the psoas major acts as a pulley system to help extend the spine to its full length— facilitating the … Continue reading
Posted in Anatomy, posture, psoas, Yoga
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Sciatica and Piriformis Syndrome: Stretch vs. Release
As soon as I started teaching I began to come across people who didn’t seem to be served by stretching. They would come to class regularly, but their hips or hamstrings or whatever, never seemed to change. It took a … Continue reading
Spring Teaching
In addition to my regular weekly classes @ Prema Yoga in Brooklyn and Yogamaya in Manhattan I have a number of workshops and longer asana classes scheduled for the spring. If you suffer from sciatica or piriformis syndrome, or are a … Continue reading
Posted in psoas, Uncategorized, Yoga
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The Latissimus Dorsi
This post, minus the last paragraph, is a short excerpt from my book An Introduction to the Spine. There is only one muscle connecting the arms to the spine, the latissimus dorsi –also known as the lats. The latissimus dorsi … Continue reading
Posted in Anatomy, posture, psoas, Yoga
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The Inner Thighs and Backbending
The inner thigh muscles (the adductors) are so important in the yoga practice because they tend to be weak in relation to the outer thighs and therefore are often underused. I consider my weak inner thighs and excessive hyperextension to … Continue reading
Posted in Anatomy, core, psoas, Yoga
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The Psoas Major and Backbending
Anyone who reads this blog knows that I think the psoas major muscle is the key to healthy walking and standing. This extraordinary muscle is also essential to backbendng in yoga. There are only three muscles that connect the arms … Continue reading
Posted in Anatomy, psoas, Yoga
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The Knees in Backbending
The position of your knees in backbending, as in all of yoga, is one key to maintaining a happy healthy body. One of my constant refrains is, “What you can get away with in your twenties thirties and forties might … Continue reading
