Another reason why Yoga may be legitimate strength training
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yogicarl
Posts: 1,260 Member
In the open forums you get yoga is good for strength training, not good for strength training and so on.
I was reading in "Overcoming Gravity" by Steven Low that, as one stretches a muscle to its full open limit and a little further as we do in Yoga sessions, the brain tells the muscle limters to prevent further stretching to avoid over stretching. In effect this causes the muscle fibres to contract slightly and if held gently for a minute or so, will cause similar micro tears in the muscle fibres as the deliberate slight damage in weight lifting and bodyweight strength training.
The muscle then repairs and builds a little more muscle mass to overcompensate in case the work load is introduced again (which it will be as you continue to exercise).
So it would appear that the gentle but assertive stretching that yoga brings has strength building effects as well as flexibility.
Overcoming Gravity, Steven Low
p.227
I was reading in "Overcoming Gravity" by Steven Low that, as one stretches a muscle to its full open limit and a little further as we do in Yoga sessions, the brain tells the muscle limters to prevent further stretching to avoid over stretching. In effect this causes the muscle fibres to contract slightly and if held gently for a minute or so, will cause similar micro tears in the muscle fibres as the deliberate slight damage in weight lifting and bodyweight strength training.
The muscle then repairs and builds a little more muscle mass to overcompensate in case the work load is introduced again (which it will be as you continue to exercise).
So it would appear that the gentle but assertive stretching that yoga brings has strength building effects as well as flexibility.
Overcoming Gravity, Steven Low
p.227
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Replies
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I know it builds strength, by looking at how far my practice has come. When I started I could hold a plank for maybe 15 seconds, forget ever doing a real push up.
Now I"m at headstands, push ups, I can do a pull up, everyday lifting is easier too. And after I push myself I have DOMS the next day, it wouldn't hurt if I wasn't taxing the muscles.0 -
Nobody has to convince me that yoga builds strength. If fact, you would be hard pressed to convince me other wise. I think there are just a lot of misconceptions about yoga floating around out there. I used to engage in those threads, but I stopped because it just made me frustrated.0
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This is why you contract the quads when stretching the hamstrings. Or contract the abductors when stretching the adductors. You'll get a more complete stretch if you contract the antagonist muscle of the one you are stretching. You will also get to work that muscle.
You can also contract the muscle you are about to stretch, but this gets more complicated.0 -
yes - in Anusara - and possibly other disciplines of yoga - we are taught to contract the muscle we are stretching as this helps to safeguard the muscle against passively over-stretching into a strain.0
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I totally agree. I also notice faster results with muscle definition when I'm practicing regularly.0
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yes - in Anusara - and possibly other disciplines of yoga - we are taught to contract the muscle we are stretching as this helps to safeguard the muscle against passively over-stretching into a strain.
I'm saying contract the antagonist, not the muscle you are stretching. You contract the quads when you stretch the hamstrings as in uttanasana. You contract the hamstring when stretching the quad as in ardha bhekasana. If you were to contract the hamstring, you would have to bend the leg.0 -
What we are told is to contract the hamstring - as I to bend the leg as you say - while stretching the hamstring to it's maximum stretch. I know it sounds like you shouldn't be able to do both but it does work.
In Hanumanasana (forward splits) for example, we are stretching the front hamstring to its limit, but the first thing we do is to drag the forward heel back and pull the rear knee forward and keep that slight contraction going while relaxing into the stretch.0 -
What we are told is to contract the hamstring - as I to bend the leg as you say - while stretching the hamstring to it's maximum stretch. I know it sounds like you shouldn't be able to do both but it does work.
In Hanumanasana (forward splits) for example, we are stretching the front hamstring to its limit, but the first thing we do is to drag the forward heel back and pull the rear knee forward and keep that slight contraction going while relaxing into the stretch.
I think what we are both talking about is: Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PNF_stretching
but we are going about it different ways.
In hanumanasana, you are pulling the front heel toward the buttock, which has some effect on the hamstring, but I would say it mostly levels the pelvis. I would say to get more out of the hamstring, you must press the thigh down, making the distance between the tibia and the pelvis longer.
I would also throw out there that paschimottanasana is stretching the hamstrings to the limit, not hanumanasana...Think of it this way: is it easier to fold over the front leg or the back leg? Sure it's a hamstring stretch in the front leg - but if you take the back leg out of it, the pose is just like dandasana in the front leg, right? Now, how would you pull the heels back to the pelvis in paschimottanasana or uttanasana? Maybe Supta Pada 1 with a strap? Could you contract the hamstrings and the quads?
You in teacher training, yet?
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Thank you Mary - plenty to think about and experiment with there. Homework for the winter holiday!0
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Let me know what you come up with - I'm interested to see if you can stretch and flex a muscle when the muscle is stretched to it's fullest.0
