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Why Hands To Feet Pose Doesn't Belong In the Half Moon Warm Up

5/17/2015

1 Comment

 
The first set of postures in Bikram's class is the Half Moon series, where we bend the upper body to both sides and then backward. These positions warm the body effectively because they stretch the same muscles that are engaged and strengthening. This generates a lot of heat.

When we bend to the right side, we are held up by the muscles on the left side of the body - in the hip, abdomen and torso. These are the same muscles that are being lengthened, so the body and mind must find a balance between engagement and release. Technically speaking, this is called eccentric contraction -when a muscle is engaged while getting longer. Contrast this with concentric contraction, where we engage a muscle and make it shorter, like a bicep curl or Cobra Pose. In concentric contraction, the muscles opposite the contracting muscle automatically relax and lengthen. In a bicep curl, the triceps relax. In Cobra Pose, the front chest, abdomen and hip flexors relax.

The fourth posture of the Half Moon series is Hands to Feet Pose. Unlike the side and back bends, Hands to Feet Pose is not an eccentric contraction. We contract the abdomen in order to stretch the back, so it is concentric contraction. This series of warm-up bends would be better served by an eccentric forward bend that engages the backside of the body while stretching it.
1 Comment
maestro fabrizio link
9/12/2018 01:33:33 pm

Your analysis of this posture shows lack of practice.Your logic si nonsense.You obviously don't understand hatha yoga.

And again you are trying to prove Bikram wrong.

You are immature and your mind is sick.

This cheap pseudo-anatomical rethorics makes a fool out of you.Who gives a damn wether concentric or eccentric?
Are you pretending to know better than Bikram himself ?
Why do unfortunate sickos like you allways try to undermine the work of the gods?
Go heal yourself dude!

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