Anatomy for Hip Openers and Forward Bends: Yoga Mat Companion 2

by Ray Long, Chris Macivor (Illustrator)

As the Chinese proverb states, when you cannot reach an important goal, keep the goal but change your strategy. Yoga poses, like goals, can sometimes be difficult to achieve. What are your options when you cannot attain a posture? You can give up on progressing in the pose or you can change your approach to attain it. Changing strategies requires resourcefulness. Draw on this to break through blockages and safely attain the asanas. The Mat Companion series provides you with these resources in the form of scientific techniques.
Suppose you have tried all of the conventional means to bring your thighs to the floor in Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose). You’ve tried pressing the knees down or placed weights on the legs and still you haven’t progressed. Continued attempts will likely yield little in the way of results. So you decide to change your strategy. You can apply facilitated stretching to lengthen the muscles that are preventing you from going deeper into the pose. In the process, not only will you be able to bring the thighs closer to the floor, but you will also stimulate the nerve receptors in the pelvic region. This will illuminate the first and second chakras and aid to open energetic blockages. In addition, practicing in this way brings a better understanding of the asymmetries in your body. This understanding will carry over into other poses, expanding your overall yoga experience.
Perhaps you have lower back strain in a forward bend. The temptation might be to give up on the pose. Instead, try engaging the abdominals to create reciprocal inhibition of the stretching back muscles. Contracting the abdominals also elicits the abdominal “air bag” effect and supports the lumbar spine. This change in strategy is simple to apply and often works. These are examples of how to combine your knowledge of Western science with the wisdom of Hatha Yoga.
In many ways, practicing yoga is like the work of a native rainmaker who performs a ceremony to release atmospheric tension. Yoga releases physical and spiritual tension. Be resourceful and strategic as you make rain, both as a practitioner and as a teacher.

Genres: Reference, Nonfiction

424 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2010

Reviews

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always a fan of Dr. Long's work!

[Mary Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eventually MOST women will break one or more hip bones. Tight calf muscles can cause pain in your back; tight hip-flexors wreak havoc all throughout your body and increase your chances of hip bone snapping and breakage. Most surgery is unnecessary if you do regular preventative stretching. This book shows you how. You will be amazed by how simply paying attention to how you stretch the hip flexors makes a difference. Diet and suppliments are great, but mindful stretching rocks.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative. Dr Ray Long breaks down each pose into where the joints and the muscles are. He also explains how to push more deeply into the pose and how to obtain bandas by simply engaging certain muscles in the poses. I wish it went into more of the details of getting into the poses though.

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

All of Ray Long's books are really excellent. It's an excellent way to learn more about anatomy while working on yoga poses. Excellent reference guides in the back of the book as well.

[soraj kurusakdapong · Rating 4 out of 5]

A grate book

full of knowledge
good illustrate
nice photograph
a clear description
key for nurse Carr ed path
this is a necessary book for therapist