I. A Non-Judgmental Comparison of Yoga to Other Forms of Body Movement

A. Yoga and yoga-based movement -- Inner (intrinsic) movement

B. Exercise, sport and physical therapy -- Outer (extrinsic) movement

II. How Yoga Works

A. Law: Uniform or constant fact or principle

1. Davis Law: If muscle ends are brought closer together, the pull on tonus is increased, which shortens the muscle (may even cause hypertrophy); and if muscle ends are separated beyond normal, tonus is lessened or lost (thus the muscle becomes "weak"

2. Arndt-Schultz Law: Weak stimuli activate physiological processes; very strong stimuli inhibit them

3. Pflugers's Laws:

a. Law of Unilaterality: If a mild irritation be applied to one or more sensory nerves, the movement will take place usually on one side only, and that side which is irritated

b. Law of Symmetry: If the stimulation be sufficiently increased, motor reaction is manifested, not only by the irritated side, but also in similar muscles on the opposite side of the body

c. Law of Intensity: Reflex movements are usually more intense on the side of irritation; at times the movements of the opposite side equal them in intensity, but they are usually less pronounced

d. Law of Radiation: If the excitation continues to increase, it is propagated upward and reactions take place through centrifugal nerves coming up form the cord segments higher up

e. Law of Generalization: When the irritation becomes very intense, it is propagated in the medulla oblongata, which becomes a focus from which stimuli radiate to all parts of the cord, causing a general contraction of all muscles of the body

4. Law of Facilitation: When an impulse has passed once through a certain set of neurons to the exclusion of others, it will tend to take the same course on future occasions, and each time it traverses this path, the resistance will be smaller

5. Hilton's Law: A nerve trunk which supplies a joint also supplies the muscles of the joint and the skin over the insertions of such muscles (must also pass through fascia)

B. Application of Bachin Charts to yoga

1. The Muscular System

2. The Skeletal System

3. The Plumb Line

C. Physiological effects of yoga exercise and breath management upon:

1. Fascia (learning to less to get more)

2. Muscle, Tendon, Ligament

a. Stretching vs. traumatizing (e.g., when soft tissue is over stretched)

b. Strengthening vs. distressing (e.g., when soft tissue is overloaded)

c. Endurance building vs. weakening (e.g., when muscle shakes)

d. Pumping action: circulatory & lymphatic systems

3. Organs and glands: circulatory stimulation and toning

4. Nervous system: reduce over stimulation to relax and strengthen

5. Restoration

a. stress reduction

b. profound affect upon injury and illness

D. Psychological effects

1. How yoga exercise and breath management create/enhance feelings of

a. Stimulation (heating)

b. Relaxation (cooling)

c. Introversion

d. Extroversion

e. Sensing & Intuition

f. Thinking & Feeling

g. Judging and Perceiving

E. Brain Wave Research: yoga exercise and breath management congruency yields brain congruency

II. THEORY OF TEACHING

A. Teaching the very stiff, the very flexible, the injured or ill student

1. Theory of Perfection

2. Trying vs. doing

B. Yoga props: their use and necessity

1. Reduces body stress and promotes "attainable' movement

2. Exact measurements are not required

C. Advantages and disadvantages of adjusting students

D. Use and effect of language

1. Positive vs. neutral vs. negative words

    (verbalizing reality vs. potential vs. limitation)

2. Singular vs. plural

3. Assuming for everyone

E. Verbalizing and teaching from students' perspective

F. Detail

1. Overkill

2. Superfluous language

G. Demonstrating vs. teaching by "doing"

III. Introducing yoga exercise & breath management for Fully Ambulatory, Semi-ambulatory, and Non-ambulatory Students

A. Purpose

1. Stretch

2. Strengthen

3. Tone

4. Relax

B. Muscle(s) being used

1. Origins

2. Insertions

3. Actions

C. Indications

D. Contraindications

Yoga Terminology

    As a way of developing continuity across different yoga, exercise and medical platforms, it may be helpful to have an awareness of Kinesiology and Anatomical terminology. Accordingly, the following lists represent a basic vocabulary relevant to yoga.

Kinesiology and Anatomy of Yoga

Movement of a body part away from center

Adduction

Movement of a body part toward center

Agonist

The muscle directly engaged in contraction as distinguished from antagonist

Antagonist

Muscles that have to relax to allow the Agonist to contract

Circumduction

Moves a part so its distal end describes a circle and the rest of the part describes a cone

Depression

The state of drawing the shoulder blades downward

Dorsiflexion

Drawing the foot upward toward the ankle

Elevation

The state of pulling the shoulder blades upward

Extension

A bending motion of a joint that lengthens its angle

Fibrillation

Abnormal muscle contraction where Individual fibers contract asynchronously

Flexion

A bending motion of a joint that shortens its angle

Hyperextension

To over straighten or bending motion of a joint that stretches beyond anatomical position

Isometric Contraction (Strengthen)

Where length remains constant but tension increases

Isotonic Contraction (Strengthen)

Contraction where tone or tension remains constant but muscle shortens (as in weight lifting)

Lateral

Refers to a body part further away from center than another body part

Medial

Refers to a body part closer to center than another body part

Plantarflexion

Moving the toes away from the ankle

PNF Stretching

Isometric contraction of antagonist muscle, then a stretching of the Agonist muscle

Pronation

Movement of the hand palm down

Proprioception

The awareness of posture, movement, and changes in weight and resistance in relation to the body

Protraction

The state of broadening or moving the shoulder blades outward

Proximal

Location of a body part toward center away from end

Relaxation

Stimulates production of neurotransmitters such as endorphins (inhibits pain conduction) and norepinephrine (involved in mood regulation as well as pleasure or reward emotions)

Relaxation Response

The ability to create relaxation at will. (The opposite of a willful neuromuscular action or response)

Retraction

The state of drawing the shoulder blades toward center

ROM

Range of Movement

Stretch:

Elongates muscle tissue matrix

Supinate

Movement of the hand palm up-- Subtly opens chest during supine breath management and relaxation

Tonus

Partial contraction in relays — important for maintaining proper posture:

Flaccidity=weak tonus

Spasticity=Overactive tonus

 

Anatomy of Yoga - 7th Cervical Vertebrae

The largest protruding neck vertebrae usually irritated during a classical shoulder stand

Abdominals & Obliques

Abdominals flex spine and obliques rotate torso in twisting. Important muscles of respiration in breath management

Adductors: (&, Adductor Brevis, Adductor Longus, Adductor Magnus, Gracilis)

Adducts the thigh

Biceps Brachii, Brachialis, Brachioradialis, Pronator Teres

Principal flexors of the arm at the elbow and provides suppination of the forearm.

Coccyx

The lowermost portion of the tailbone

Connective Tissue

Muscles, through contraction, pump fluids and cause the skeleton to move; Ligaments support bone to bone; Tendons connect muscle to bone; Fascia is the fibrous membrane covering, supporting, and separating muscles and uniting skin with under lying tissue; Blood transports nourishment and oxygen, among other factors to the tissues and takes away waste matter and carbon dioxide.

Deltoids, Pectoralis Major, Latissimus Dorsi, Teres Major, Coracobrachialis

Principal movers of the shoulder joint providing Adduction, Abduction, Extension, Flexion, Medial and Lateral Rotation of the arm

Diaphragm

Primary muscles of respiration in breath management

Erector Spinae

Principal movers of back. Traditionally thought to be the most probable source of low back muscular spasms and pain

Fascia

Connective tissue located throughout the body, such as beneath the skin, in between and surrounding muscles, organs, glands, blood vessels and nerves

Fontanel

The spot where four skull bones meet; the place where the head should be placed during headstand

Gastrocnemius, Soleus, Tibialis Posterior, Flexor Digitorum Longus, Flexor Hallicis Longus, Popliteus, Plantaris

Plantarflexion

Gluteals: Gluteus Maximus, Gluteus Medius, Gluteus Minimus; Tensor Fasciae Latae; Deep Six Lateral Hip Rotators; lliotibial Tract

Extends, abducts, and rotates the femur

Hamstrings: Semimembranosus, Semitendinosus, Biceps Femoris

Flexors of the leg at the knee; Extends the leg at the hip

liacus, lliopsoas, Psoas

Principal flexors of hip joint and must be engaged during "back bending" poses to alleviate back pain

Ileum

The upper most portion of the hip bone

lntercostals

Muscles between ribs; are secondary muscles of respiration

lschial Tuberosities

Known as the sitting bones; movement is essential for proper forward bends. Where biceps femoris (primary hamstring) originates

Kyphosis

An exaggerated curvature of the upper back

Latissimus Dorsi

Adducts the arm

Lordosis

An exaggerated curvature of the lumbar spine

Malleolus; Lateral & Medial

The ankle bones

Mid—Thoracic Vertebrae

Thoracic vertebrate number 5

Navicular Bone

The rectangular bone along the top of the foot. When lifted, it draws up the arch. Essential in releasing knee pain during backbends

Occipital Protuberance

The "bump" on the back of the skull

Patella

The knee cap. Excessive pressure, as in kneeling or Sun Salutations should be avoided

Pectoralis Major

Adducts and flexes the upper arm

Pectoralis Minor

Pulls the shoulder down and forward

Quadriceps: Rectus Femoris, Vastus Lateralis, Vastus lntermedius, Vastus Medialis

Extends the thigh at the knee; flexes the thigh at the hip. Relates to lliacus, psoas and iliopsoas in releasing for backbends

Sacrum, coccyx

Located at the base of the spinal column, the sacrum forms the back wall of the pelvis; the coccyx is at the end of the sacrum

Serratus Anterior & Posterior

Assists in protracting the shoulder blades. Assists lift in dog pose and headstand

Spinous Processes

The "knobs" on the back of the vertebral column. Can be felt to move inward when spine elongates

Sternum

The center breastbone

Tibialis Anterior, Extensor Digitorum Longus, Extensor Hallicis Longus, Peroneus Tertius

Dorsiflexion of foot

Trapeziums, Rhomboids, Levator Scapulae, Serratus Anterior, Pectoralis Minor

Assists or are responsible for

Retraction, Protraction, Elevation,

Depression, and Upward Rotation of

Shoulder blades

Triceps Brachii, Anconeus

Principal extensors of forearm

Vertebrae

7 cervical support skull and neck

12 thoracic support the thorax with 12 pairs of ribs

5 lumbar carry the largest proportional share of body weight

Xiphoid Process

The lowermost portion of the sternum