adductor magnus

Anatomic Sequencing: Revolved Half Moon Pose

This blog post continues the theme of balancing the pelvis in yoga asanas. Our last post focused on using the adductor magnus to turn the pelvis in Warrior I; this post zooms in on the hip abductors for Revolved Half Moon Pose. 

As I discussed in “Connecting to Your Feet in Yoga”, you can learn a great deal about biomechanics by examining how the body responds to pathological conditions. In that post, I looked at a variation of flat foot deformity, the ligaments and muscles involved and how to work with yoga to strengthen the arches of the feet. Here, I examine what happens with the pelvis when the hip abductors are not functioning properly. Then I illustrate how to use this knowledge to refine asanas like Revolved Triangle and Revolved Half Moon. 

Balancing the pelvis is a key factor in normal gait as well as yoga poses. Conversely, persons with weakness in the hip abductors develop what is known as a “Trendelenberg” gait, where the pelvis tilts up and shifts toward the affected side during the stance phase of walking. A variety of conditions can affect the hip abductors, including hip pain (from arthritis) and injury to the nerves supplying the gluteus medius. 

In medicine, we test the function of the hip abductors by having the patient stand on one leg in the “Trendelberg Test”. When the muscles are competent, they automatically engage to draw the pelvis level; when the muscles are weakened, the pelvis on the standing leg side lifts (while the lifted leg side sags downward). At the same time, the spine curves toward the affected hip, with the shoulder girdle tilting towards that side.  Figure 1 illustrates the Trendelenberg Test. Note how the pelvis tilts and the spine laterally flexes when the gluteus medius does not engage properly.

Figure 1: The Trendeleberg Test; Image on the left illustrates the gluteus medius engaging to stabilize the pelvis.  Image on the right illustrates pelvic tilt and lateral spine flexion with the dysfunctional gluteus medius.

The spine compensating for the tilt of the pelvis is an example of lumbar-pelvic rhythm. Click here to read more on this important subject in our blog post, “Preventative Strategies for Lower Back Strains in Yoga”. Click hereto learn more about the muscles involved in one-legged standing in our blog post, “Improving Stability in One Legged Standing Poses.”

Now, let’s look at how we can apply this knowledge to help lift the back leg in Revolved Half Moon Pose…

I begin by training awareness of the abductor muscles (especially the gluteus medius) in Revolved Triangle Pose. The cue for this is to fix the forward foot on the mat and attempt to drag it to the outside, while resisting with the hand. You will note that this helps to bring the pelvis in line with the rest of the body. Figure 2 illustrates the preparatory poses for this asana and Figure 3 illustrates the cue.

Figure 2: Preparatory poses for Revolved Triangle Pose.

Figure 3: Engaging the hip abductors in Revolved Triangle Pose.

Next, I use sequential muscular engagement to lift the back leg in Revolved Half Moon Pose, beginning with the hip abductors of the standing leg. Engaging these muscles acts to lift, rotate and stabilize the pelvis on the side of the lifted leg (in a fashion similar to what we learned with the Trendelenberg Test). Then I engage the muscles that lift the leg itself, including the gluteus maximus and its synergists of hip extension (the hamstrings and adductor magnus). The gluteus maximus contracts eccentrically.

Finally, I use the quadriceps to straighten the knee. Figure 4 illustrates the preparatory poses for Revolved Half Moon Pose. Figures 5 and 6 illustrate engaging the hip abductors in the standing leg to lift the side of the pelvis for the raised leg. Figure 7 illustrates the final step--engaging the hip extensors and the quadriceps of the raised leg. Work with a chair or block to gain stability if you are new to the pose.

Figure 4: The preparatory poses for Revolved Half Moon Pose.

Figure 5: Engaging the hip abductors to lift the pelvis on the side of the raised leg.

Figure 6: Engaging the hip abductors to lift the pelvis on the side of the raised leg.

Figure 7: Engaging the hip extensors of the raised leg (gluteus maximus, hamstrings, adductor magnus) and knee extensor (quadriceps).

Note that the deep external rotators of the standing leg also facilitate stabilizing the pelvis in Revolved Half Moon Pose. Figure 8 illustrates these muscles.

Figure 8: The deep external rotators stabilizing the pelvis in Revolved Half Moon Pose.

These steps are an example of anatomic sequencing for yoga. Each muscle group is engaged in a specific order to achieve optimal form and stability. The Yoga Mat Companion Series gives you step-by-step anatomic sequencing for all of the major asanas, with a variety preparatory poses as well. Use these books to design your classes and optimize your practice. We’re pleased to announce that all of our books are now available in digital format for the Kindle and other devices. Click here to learn more… Feel free to browse through all of our books by clicking here.

Thanks for stopping by the Daily Bandha. Stay tuned for our next post when I'll present another subject on combining science and yoga.  Also, we greatly appreciate when you share us on Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus.

Namaste'

Ray and Chris

http://www.dailybandha.com/2014/05/anatomic-sequencing-revolved-half-moon.html

Mandala and Candali Yoga

I Ching (Hexagrams), Ba Gua (Eight Diagrams), Mandala and Candali Yoga (Mi Zong Dao Ci Di Guang Lun – Tibetan Counterpart of Lamrim Chenmo)

Shuang Yan Guan Zhu

            In the book 《Mandalas and Yantras in the Hindu Traditions》 by Gudrun Bühnemann, clearly delineated the geometric patterns of Mandalas, Yantras and Chakras.

            It is our conjecture that all the geometrical representations in mandalas and yantras have their origins from the seven chakras in yoga. These geometrical shapes are shown in figure 1 and figure 2. All these lines, curves, triangles, circles and squares are both dynamic and static representations of the particular chakra in the body. All these lines and shapes are prana (Qi) pathways generated during meditation by an adept of yoga.

Geometric Shapes of Chakras (Kundalini)

Figure 1

Figure 2

            Recently, we are able to show that the number 50 in Dayan is related to the 6 chakras in Kundalini yoga, and the number 64 in I Ching (Yi Jing) is related to Candali yoga. However, the origin of trigrams (8) in Ba Gua (the eight diagrams) or the hexagrams (64) in I Ching are not well understood.

Fu Xi the Sixty-Four Hexagrams

Diagram 1

            In comparison of 『Fu Xi the Sixty-Four Hexagrams』(Diagram 1) – excluding the Tai Chi, and the Five Sheaths (or Kosha)(Figure 3) with atman (in Vedantic culture), they both comprise of 6 layers, so each line in the hexagram represent a layer in Fu Xi diagram or represent each of the six body layers (Figure 4)(Table 1).

圖三(Figure 3)

  

The Six Layers of the Abdomen (Body)

Figure 4

In yoga, the Anahata Chakra is called the spiritual heart (Figure 5, 6). In the book 《Spiritual Heart Intelligence》 by Margo Kirtikar, she states that: 「Spiritual heart intelligence is a far higher level of intelligence, higher than that of both intellectual and emotional intelligence. It could be looked at as a divine intelligence」.

 

Figure 5

Figure 6.

            Figure 7 shows the relationship between the eight branches of the dharma wheel (heart chakra) and the Fu xi eight diagrams (Ba Gua). Figure 8 is the cross-section of the body through the heart (dharma wheel) and its relationship with the Fu Xi Ba Gua.

            The following discussions require reader to have advanced knowledge in prana or Qi.

心輪(拙火)八枝和伏曦八卦的關係

Relationship of Heart Chakra (Candali) With Eight Branches

and The Primordial Eight Trigrams 

Figure 7

心輪(拙火瑜珈)和伏曦八卦的關係

Relationship between Heart Chakra (Candali) and The Primordial Eight Trigrams

Figure 8

            From our discussion earlier, it is evident that the geometrical shapes (lines, triangles, squares and etc.) in chakras are manifestation of prana (Qi) in certain part of the body. Hence, the straight lines in heart chakra or Fu Xi Ba Gua are analogous to prana (Qi ) lines.

            Figure 6 shows the relationship between the dharma wheel (heart chakra) and the Fu Xi Ba Gua. In the following, we only use trigram figures Qian (Ξ) and Kūn(ΞΞ) in conjunction with the heart chakra for our discussion. 


            First, why we use the dharma wheel (heart chakra) for our discussion? It is because of the followings:a.    In figure 4, there are six body layers, each layer represents a specific line in the hexagram of I Ching (from bottom to upward). The physical body is the first line. The enteric body is second line. The heart chakra occupies the emotional body, so it can only have three lines.

b.    In the dharma wheel (heart chakra), there are eight branches. Each branch represent a trigram. In other words, each branch can only have three lines as explained in 〈a〉. This can also be represented by Fu Xi Ga Gua in figure 8. There are total of 24 lines (each Yin or Yang line count as one).

c.    The book 《Mi Zong Dao Ci Di Guan Lun or Tsōn-Kha-Pa Blo-0Bean-Grags-Pa (in Tibetan)》 by Tsōng Kha Pa, in short, we call it 『Tibetan Tantrism』. In this book, chapter 21 (Chen 1 ), titled Shi Mai (釋脈), it gives detailed descriptions on the nature of chakras prior to 15^th century. Certain important abstracts related to heart chakra are summarized below:

                      i.        「….the heart opens to lotus branches, the center is the stamen, and the peripheral has eight lotus petals」 and 「….there are four main petals in the four cardinal directions, and there are four branch petals in the inter-cardinal directions」.

                    ii.        「…..There are four branches (meridians) each branch divides into two. Therefore, eight branches are formed. Then from eight, it evolves into twenty four branches」.

                   iii.        「…There are eight branches in the heart chakra. It is said that there are differences between physical, vocal (sabda) and mental phenomena. Hence, the twenty four branches are produced」.

Figure 7 shows the relationship of the heart chakra (Candali) with eight branches

and the primordial eight trigrams. Each trigram has the component of physical, vocal and mental properties. We feel the above discussion can link the Chinese I Ching with yoga. Let each reader judge for himself.

            It is interesting to note that in the same chapter in 《Tibetan Tantrism》, it says:「…in the embryo, the five branches (heart chakra) from the heart appears first, then the other three follow, for a total of eight branches」.

            In figure 9, we can see the origin of the 8 branches of the heart chakra (published in our previous article). The first five T1-T5 from the thoracic region and the rest three from the cervical region. It is unbelievable that people at 15^th century can visualized embryonic anatomy through meditation.

Heart Chakra of Candali Yoga

Figure 9

           Second – each line I n the trigram represents Yin (- -) or Yang ( ― ). Out of the eight trigram (Ba Gua), for simplicity, our present discussion only concentrate on Qian(乾) trigram(Ξ) and Kūn(坤)trigram (ΞΞ). From figure 8, at the heart region (cross section of the body), the front of body is facing south and the spine (back of body) is facing north. The prana(Qi) line at the back (north direction) is divided by the bone of the spine into two (- -). At the heart region, only three body layers are possible, so the trigram Kūn is formed. Conversely, in the front of the body (south), there is no stop of prana (Qi), so the trigram Qian is formed.

            Unfortunately, the prana (Qi) line drawing can only be achieved by expert adept in prana (Qi), so it is impossible for novice to realize the rest of the six trigrams. Figure 10 represents the evolution of Ba Guan to the sixty four hexagrams. Let the fortunate ones or enlighten ones to explore its truth!

Figure 10

The Evolution of Sixty Four Trigrams from Primordial Eight Trigrams