![]() I was often told that this was a sure sign of a "tight psoas." (Is it? Maybe. Working with the Psoas in Yoga Practiceįor years, first in ballet class and later in yoga, I remember being called out for my "over-archy" lower back (i.e., my anteriorly tilted pelvis and excessive lumbar curve). And that's kind of what yoga is about, right? Exploring, experimenting, and getting to know ourselves better. Plus, gaining not just "book knowledge" about the psoas, but an actual "felt sense" of it in relationship to my yoga practice is, honestly, pretty empowering. I've found that developing a deeper understanding of this muscle has helped me to gain a stronger understanding of my practice (especially when it comes to integrating the upper body and the lower body), and to better understand and address my limitations and frustrations when it comes to my less-than-favorite poses (like backbends of the "reach over your head and grab your foot" variety, which can be extra-challenging if the psoas muscles are tight, "grippy," or otherwise out of balance). It's actually the deepest skeletal muscle in your body, perhaps adding to its mystique! It originates at the very last vertebra of your thoracic spine (T-12) attaches to all of your lumbar vertebrae meets up with the iliacus muscle (hence the common "iliopsoas" moniker, even though these are really two separate muscles) crosses the front of the pelvis and then the psoas and the iliacus together attach at the lesser trochanter, which is at the top of the inner thigh.īecause this muscle has attachments at the spine and at the inner thigh (the upper body and the lower body), it's quite complex, and it can be kind of a challenge to work with during yoga practice-but it's also a lot of fun to work with. The psoas major is a paired muscle (that means you have two of them, one on each side) that lies deep within your body. The psoas actually has a lot more to do with your spine than your hips. But before we get into more about what the psoas does, it's useful to learn a little something about where it is. And when it's not functioning optimally, it can be a major culprit behind back pain and discomfort. The psoas (when functioning optimally) supports the healthy alignment of the lumbar spine, meaning it plays an important role in maintaining good posture. But that's not all! Heck, that's not even its main job! The psoas actually has a lot more to do with your spine than your hips. Ida Rolf famously referred to it as the "seat of the soul," but on a less esoteric level, the psoas is known for being a hip-flexor, meaning that when it contracts, it brings the pelvis and thigh closer together, making it a key player in many of our favorite asanas (and more mundane activities like walking). So why are yoga teachers so enthralled with the psoas? Can learning more about it really enhance your yoga practice? What's so fascinating about this muscle anyway (besides the fact that its name is ripe for anatomy puns: "Psoas I was saying." That's yoga comedy gold, right?). If you're lucky, you might even show up one day to find that your teacher has themed an entire class around the psoas (this is really a lot cooler than it might sound, I promise!). Take enough yoga classes and at some point you're bound to hear your teacher give a shout-out to the psoas (or, when paired with the iliacus, "iliopsoas"). ![]()
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