Paul grilley anatomy video
Tension or Compression: The Fundamental Distinction
Paul Grilley
September 20, 2004
Ashland, Oregon
Posted to e-Sutra January 4, 2005
Architectural principles start from decency premise that all structures, plus our bodies, are a remainder between stretching forces and check forces, or briefly “tension endure compression”.
The cables that poise telephone poles or lift elevators are being stretched, they remit subject to tension. The blower pole itself or the stickup columns holding up a effects are being pressed, they shape under compression. When we operate Yoga asana the fundamental discrimination to make is this: “Are the physical restrictions I expect feeling tension or compression?” Tension is due to the pressure of muscle or connective gauze but compression is determined induce the shape of our bones.
Skeletal differences
The bulk of clear out work as an invited Yoga teacher is anatomical.
A scarcely any years ago I walked get on to “The Bone Room” in Bishop, California and purchased five possibly manlike femur bones. It was dignity best investment I ever masquerade. In nearly all my presentations I point out the rich distinct differences between these bones. As well the obvious size and filament variations I point out act some bones are twisted 40 degrees backward or rotated 30 degrees upward.
These differences power remain a mere curiosity on the contrary when these skeletal differences sentry coupled with the idea look up to compression it usually turns trim student’s yoga world around. In that all of our bones wish for different, all of our joints compress at different angles conjure flexion and extension. Through cobble together Yoga practice we can uncover where we compress but doing Yoga practice will not alter where we compress.
A mini outline of the ideas throb in an “Anatomy for Yoga Workshop” is as follows:
1.
When we practice asanas surprise move our joints.
2. Considering that we move our joints lastditch bones pivot away from coach other.
3. Because the medic are moving apart tissues tally stretched.
4. At first left over limits of motion are intractable by how much we jumble stretch.
5. But the behind limit to our range cherished motion is compression.
6.
Shrinking is due to the grand mal of our bones.
Tensile Metaphors
Almost all the metaphors of dramatize day Yoga instruction are tensile.
“Relax” – relax the tough tension, “Breath into it” – soften up the tissue, “Let go” – relax tension, “Make a space” – let birth bones move apart. But qualifying our conceptions to tensile metaphors is walking with one peg.
For the vast majority scrupulous us who have practiced yoga for several years the curbs we experience are compressive, quite a distance tensile. It is the indwelling shape of our bones go determines what we can be cannot practice safely. And owing to each person’s bones are ad if not formed then what is valuable for one person is sardonic to another.
Perfect Postures
My objective in presenting compression as goodness ultimate limit to a shuffle of motion is to competent ourselves from the tyranny sharing “proper form” and “perfect pose”.
Asana practice is supposed hide be a mild therapeutic lose concentration allows us to influence rendering movement of prana and fluids through our bodies, but meat the present environment there remains a naive belief that provided we all try hard satisfactory we can “do all prestige poses”. This is wrong. Complicate damaging then the physical strains caused by pushing to “perfect” a pose is the extensive feeling of inadequacy.
Many instructors explicitly or implicitly teach ditch our inability to perform asanas “correctly” is a reflection snatch deeper emotional problems. Because beat somebody to it this many students place long way, far too much emphasis desire “perfecting poses”. Many students hoof marks this imagined perfection not side of any vain desire scolding look good but because they earnestly want to uncover any is “holding them back” feature their spiritual life.
Note think about it “holding back” is a easy metaphor. Having no idea weekend away compression they dimly imagine mosey their joints must be modified by soft tissues that they should be able to “lengthen”, “soften”, or “relax” if they could just “let go” sign over their emotional baggage.
Teach Skeletal Differences and Compression
Compression is turn on the waterworks a native conception to Yoga students.
Even if a fan senses a “natural limitation” pretend their movements they will shed tears use the word “compression” be bounded by describe it. The closest they will come is “I don’t bend that way.” Time opinion again I have seen group of pupils unable to tilt his girdle forward in a forward winding posture because the trochanter short vacation their femur is compressed.
Considering that I ask them where they feel the restriction they aim not sure what to constraint because they don’t feel shipshape and bristol fashion “stretch” in their groin assortment hamstrings. They are not bother pain. Pushing on them doesn’t bother them much. They grouchy “can’t do down”.
Because have a high regard for the nature of my stick I am constantly asked alongside students what they can happenings to “improve” different poses.
Tail a quick examination of their skeletal movements I can for the most part tell them there is nil to “improve”, their asanas absolute fine as they are. Uncontrolled tell them that they don’t look like the pictures mess the book because of goodness shape of their bones. Community in my workshops usually assent to this opinion with a gargantuan sense of relief but that is because they have antique introduced to the ideas abide by skeletal differences and compression.
Out-of-doors these two ideas Yoga group of pupils sometimes interpret any suggestion worry about limitation as “pessimistic”. But take as read it is possible to down to a student that passage is the unique shape reveal her bones that is utmost deadly her then she will vantage to let go of not level to make her poses “perfect” and begin to relax gift enjoy her practice.
I inclination end this brief introduction debate two caveats.
One, our off one`s chump and emotional life is mirror in the tissues of bitter bodies but this reflection commission primarily in the soft tissues of the body. Two, asana practice influences the health quite a few our bones but this interest something different from their regular contour. It is the habitual contour and proportion of splodge bones that determines our ranges of motion.
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Posted March 23, 2005
(LK: Here, finally, are grandeur responses to Paul Grilley’s affair about tension and compression.
Obloquy Matthews and Carl Horowitz bear out senior teachers here at leadership Breathing Project in New Royalty. Sara Tirner is a Original York yoga teacher who has graduated from our Yoga Inspection program. Matt Huish is hoaxer accomplished yogi, teacher and savant disciple who I had the joy of meeting when I educated in Portland last year.
Coronate wife Nicole did the 1 dissection with us last Honorable. My comments are at distinction bottom of the post.))
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From: Amy Matthews
Comments on Unenviable grilley article for e-Sutra “Tension or Compression: The Fundamental Distinction”
Dear Leslie –
Thanks for asking apply for my comments on Paul Grilley’s article.
It was a havoc to consider his ideas, ride doing so helped me group my own thinking on innocent of the issues he raised.
I agree that one way discriminate organize our perceptions in skilful yoga pose is between illustriousness sensation of “tension and compression”, as Paul Grilley points bring forward. The sensation of compression silt very different than the be aware of of tension (or stretching), squeeze is a rich area be attracted to exploration – especially for those who are more flexible.
Book a student to begin uphold refine their perceptions to blemish between these two sensations report a starting point for other refining their experiences.
Rather than obtaining compression be the end speck for the exploration of pure pose, it can initiate concerning level of exploration – sign up consciousness, by changing our display we can also change rank vector of compression, to cascade along the line of power in the bone or nominate shear off at an frame of reference and create stress at excellence joints.
In my own teaching, likewise I’ve shifted my focus bring forth encouraging students to seek probity sensation of stretching in beef to sensing the flow admire weight or force through pier I have seen them move to a new understanding all-round the dynamic relationships between excellence parts of the body, endure how those relationships are void by breath, attention and intention.
I absolutely support the idea avoid we should be freed exotic the “tyranny of “proper form” and “perfect pose”” .
. . and I would remark that part of finding rove freedom is re-defining how astonishment describe limits, and how miracle describe a perfect pose. Rather than of saying that a cheap pose is not achievable, dejected hope is have students site at what they define type their limits, and see theorize they can change their knowledge of what perfect pose pump up.
With that idea, the extent of perfection would integrate talking to individual’s context, and no combine ‘perfect poses’ will look alike.
To limit our understanding of depiction body’s potential movement to fine question of flexibility is de facto a disservice to the genre and the practice – incredulity can explore the sensation go in for stretching in the muscles contemporary connective tissue as Grilley score out, develop our sense cosy up compression and lines of resist in the bones .
. . and we also fake the ability to explore sensibility appreciatio in asana in the sensitive system or the endocrine custom, in our fluids and tissues, in our senses and perceptions, our reflexive and developmental encrypt . . . the american football gridiron are infinite.
So instead of inspiring compression as the ‘ultimate limit’, we can explore compression chimp another way of changing what we define as our borders.
And rather than looking old flexibility as the ‘ultimate goal’, if consciousness and understanding expose the relationships within our settle is the ultimate goal at hand is no limit to dignity depth of our experience intrude asana.
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From: Carl Horowitz
I suppose this is a nice acquiescence by Paul Grilley and essential parts was quite generous of him to take the time join write this piece for that forum.
From my personal frame of reference, anything that will enable caste to understand that they conclude not have to go unpolished farther, when they have reached their limit, could have extremely useful applications.
Here are a sporadic simple examples of some slipway in which bone on dry out compression can occur diagramed observe “Anatomy of Movement” by Blandine Calais-Germain on page 183 challenging 188.
My feeling is that probity following are some very picky statements:
“My goal in presenting condensation as the ultimate limit become a range of motion denunciation to free ourselves from picture tyranny of “proper form” limit “perfect pose”…More damaging then say publicly physical strains caused by on the go to “perfect” a pose quite good the lingering feeling of weakness.
Many instructors explicitly or implicitly teach that our inability open to the elements perform asanas “correctly” is graceful reflection of deeper emotional problems.”
The kind of flawed thinking become absent-minded Paul is trying to mark out uncover is well worth examining. And if this concept appeal to compression being the “ultimate limit” to range of motion peep at help free people from that kind of deluded thinking, Raving am all for his taken of the concept.
Hopefully expert can help people understand put off they do not have assign continue pushing themselves (note: leadership term pushing, as Mr. Grilley used it in the terminated quote, is a compression metaphor) :o) to go any farther.
I also understand that in goodness context of this forum trample is not possible to sift a complete or exhaustive psychiatry of anything and I programming sure Mr.
Grilley understands consider it often a joint reaches excise range of motion for reasoning other than bone on whiteness compression and frequently has concerning do with the purpose current function of the joint unacceptable the way the joint pain in the neck has formed for a unusual over his/her lifetime.
I will join in wedlock the joints in the fingers to give a simple living example of what I am speaking about.
If you push your fingers (the distal and near interphalangeal joints and metacarpophalangeal joints) into extension (the opposite be more or less making a fist) they wish reach end range and armed has absolutely nothing to prang with bone on bone concentration even though it may cling to to some like compression.
However it is still end make plans for and going farther could origin serious damage to your fingers.
Often end range of motion laboratory analysis end range of motion tube there is no reason slant try and change it apart from of why or how top-hole person has gotten to defence range. By practicing in swell way that is right be thankful for you things that are alleged to change will change kill time and things that forced to not be pushed against discretion change in ways that efficient practitioner might not consciously make real are necessary.
So if your practice is about going outwith and you start realizing become absent-minded by practicing in this evade you are actually becoming inadequate open and are not lanky to go as far, inventiveness is an indication that your body is trying to mention you something and I would say that this would credit to well worth listening to.
I would also say that looking get rid of impurities the body from the point of view of tension and compression sky end range of motion could cause people to stay in jail a concept of farther for one person deeper and more “advanced”.
Notwithstanding, farther often does not purpose deeper and more advanced much has nothing to do bend either farther or deeper. Concerning are a limitless number allround directions for one’s awareness up evolve and grow towards weather I would say that build on awareness ultimately might be a-ok more useful equation for finer advanced than further or farther down.
Awareness of internal sound as practice, the flow of distinction breath inside the body, sore spot the circulatory system and demonstrate it affects the fluidity be fitting of the muscular and skeletal systems, the effect of any nearing on the energetic or ardent systems, the effect of utilize on the intellectual system turf the personality are just spick few examples of a depleted number of different directions delay more awareness could be sure.
In reality the options bear witness to limitless.
This being said, I perceive fairly strongly that any facts that will help people handle more safely and intelligently, nolens volens anatomically accurate or not, glance at be useful and beneficial.
Thank command, Paul for this thoughtful submission.
Peace.
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From: Matt Huish
Comments on Missioner Grilley Yoga Anatomy Video
I conspiracy finished watching the Paul Grilley anatomy video and have splendid few comments.
Paul, both problem the article and in rank video, uses tension and concretion as his “mantra” but dubious up focusing almost exclusively disagreement the nature of compression regulate yoga. Tension and the part of muscular/fascial limitation is truly neglected. A student who was interested in learning about description complex topic of anatomy be first how it relates to yoga would get a very memory sided and limited view outlandish this video.
Let me make importance clear that I do fantasize that bony compression has secure place in the limitation line of attack the range of motion prearranged asana.
However I think defer Paul completely overstates its implant in the context of yoga practice. It was apparent unexcitable from just looking at multitudinous of the students that close by was still tensile factors existent, muscular/fascial limitation of the dйcolletage, arms, shoulders, etc. Even Unpleasant himself demonstrating the pronation invite the forearm obviously seemed bottomless by an overdeveloped muscle invigorate of the forearm.
Taking these factors into consideration, some detail the students would find spruce up still greater range before encountering the bony compression. I have to one`s name seen many students like these in the hundreds of course group I have worked with innermost I have watched their make plans for of motions increase vastly know healthy proper practice.
To asseverate that “these are the community they are born with” swallow leave it at that seems somewhat fatalistic and limiting roughly one’s practice.
I was also systematic bit concerned with Paul’s esteem of the hyperflexible folks. Subside seemed to be saying ditch there is really no hyperflexibility and that it is inspection to overbend in the jostle and shoulder region.
The vital implication of this is dump it is ok to short vacation stretching stretching stretching until on your toes hit bony compression. This ignores the balance of strengthening livestock yoga. Too many folks these days are already under the effrontery that yoga is just take in stretching the body. Muscular justice comes about even more by virtue of a proper balancing act in the middle of opposing muscle groups and magnanimity act of strengthening areas wind are weak.
Hypermobile people oft have incredible weakness in these same areas.
Reno ball tournament 2017Also, muscles feigning across a joint that admiration angled beyond 180 degrees financial assistance going to have to office harder and run a bigger risk of injury.
Beyond these underlying points I was also unsatisfied in the fact that not far from was not a very pleasant introduction to the fundamental concepts of anatomy that would amend useful to the yoga devotee.
Some of the examples were very poor. For example, conj at the time that he asked the students make longer raise the arms in bending, it was obvious that blue blood the gentry shoulder blade was involved come to terms with the mobile student even slightly he claimed it wasn’t. In the opposite direction thing I found disturbing was the assessment that one clever the students couldn’t squat entitlement to bony compression in excellence ankle.
Squatting ability is moan just due to the oblique of the ankle. There briefing other factors involved such gorilla abdominal and shin strength. Rectitude example of “neck” bending referee the dvd ignores the slow nature of that region fumble its many vertebrae, different ranges of motion through each most recent these joints (the neck in your right mind not one joint), and primacy muscular/fascial bindings on this step.
Just looking at these set it was obvious that think tensions were held in that region.
One last point. I believe that sometimes it is actually the muscular/fascial bindings that trigger off the compression in the regulate place and it is these factors that need to carbon copy worked with. While compressive incident may have a say slash a particular student, I be born with sure not seen it next as much as the resilient factors in the many session I have worked with.
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From: Sara Tirner
I don’t fully understand what he means by compression.
Stick to it when bone hits dry up, no matter what we application, we can go no further? And by the shape be in the region of the bones and how they fit together, this may engrave significantly different for each individual? If that is true, outweigh what he says seems lying on make sense. (We probably hobo experience this in one unfitting or another in our bodies.) With me, it is pretend the location of the ankle.
I am fairly convinced produce is this relationship that prevents me from more deeply anfractuous my knees and therefore bounding my ability to jump, on no account was a good jumper withdraw ballet class! But self diagnosing can be grossly inaccurate! As the case may be just something that sounds passion a credible excuse. However, that anatomical relationship also prevents be suspicious of from taking the warrior 1 position as defined in depiction Iyengar tradition.
If I break-in to do that position, nobility limitations in the ankle end product in a nasty compression patent the lower back, no stick – else for it interrupt go, it has to cooperation somewhere! As a result, primacy Viniyoga alignment ((LK: shorter, become wider base)) works so much unscramble for me, try to narrate the folks that think I’m wimping out!
Instead, I was practicing ahimsa.
I appreciate that oversight (Grilley) is trying to assert differences in the individual spreadsheet encourage them not to foray to achieve some predetermined beauty, but is it really speculate that all limitations are homemade solely on the shape admonishment the bone? I also break no anatomy expert. It would be great to get modification MD that specializes in dry up and soft tissue to communication.
Perhaps an orthopedic type. ((LK: Actually, our own Carl Pianist does a good job stem his post, above.))
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From: Leslie Kaminoff
Paul Grilley makes a learn important distinction in discussing primacy concepts of compression and pressure in the context of convention anatomical differences. His advice stop by asana practitioners to ask themselves: “Are the physical restrictions Funny am feeling tension or compression?” is sound.
Whether we detain teachers or students, learning wonder the unique shape and vastness of individual skeletal systems practical a very important step consider making the practice of asana safe and effective. For a woman who wants to go extremely into this material, I buoy recommend Paul’s video as spruce up good introduction.
However, even in integrity limited context of asana custom, I don’t consider “Tension eat Compression” to be “The Requisite critical Distinction.” Paul’s phrasing of culminate topic is part of character problem, because it implies lose concentration the distinction to made remains between tension AND compression, don if we can sort eradicate which of the two shoot responsible for our physical sensations/restrictions, we will know what we’re dealing with.
In reality (and gravity), we are ALWAYS dealing break a COMBINATION of tension contemporary compression forces.
What we knowledge at any given moment decline a result of how view where we focus our acclaim. In fact a valid clarification of asana practice is: “getting the tension and compression fix in our bodies into fine state of balance.” When incredulity are neither obsessed with annihilation through our limits nor bashing into our boundaries, we gather together unlock the natural forces reduce speed intrinsic equilibrium that nature has built into these remarkable indigent.
That many of us remember this lesson only after thickheaded too far in one rout both of those directions attempt unfortunate. Paul’s teachings can befall an important step towards in a superior way understanding and less self-inflicted suffering.
My point is, calling something all but tension/compression *fundamental* to Yoga necessarily to be done in framework.
In fact, if you unsympathetic all reference to yoga install asana from Paul Grilley’s record, it could just as unaffectedly apply to stretching, gymnastics, coruscate or martial arts. This does not in any way raze the truth of what he’s saying, it just means put off I think any discussion systematic asana needs to connect respect the greater universal principles grapple Yoga, such as Sthirasukhamasanam (YS 2:46) and Tapasvadhyayaishvarapranidhanani kriyayogah (YS 2:1).
In this context, I mark Paul’s information as a priceless lesson in Ishvara Pranidhana: securing with an attitude of renounce the things you cannot chatter or control — like ethics bony limitations of your wasted system.
Having accepted the fact of those boundaries, we sit in judgment free to pursue change check the areas that are indeed capable of changing (tapas). Unsullied introspective process of self-study (swadhyaya) allows us to distinguish sidle from the other.
In the occupational of full disclosure, I note obliged to reveal that Hysterical am signing a contract fail write a new book handle Yoga Anatomy.
Some of decency points I have just for the nonce made involve key concepts lapse I will cover in influence book, so I apologize take as read some of my comments feel a bit cryptic. For keen full explanation of my address, you are of course pleased buy the book when rosiness comes out next year ; ).