Yoga Anatomy

Notes

Keeping the pelvis level in this action requires the standing leg abductors to lengthen while
they are active—gravity draws the unsupported side of the pelvis toward the floor. If the
abductors instead shorten, they tilt the pelvis so that the opposite hip lifts away from the
floor.
It can also be challenging to keep the lifted leg parallel, and using muscles that are exten-
sors and internal rotators such as the medial hamstrings and adductor magnus balance the
action of the gluteus maximus, which is both a powerful hip extensor and an external rotator.

Breathing

Much like in utkatasana (page 78), the combined actions of this pose (especially with the
arms overhead) can engage some of the larger muscle groups of the torso. If the most
superficial layers of muscle in the back (such as the latissimus dorsi) are used to maintain
spinal alignment, they can inhibit the movement of the rib cage and make breathing even
more challenging. It is better to work more efficiently in the deeper muscles of the spine.

Muscular joint actions

Spine

Concentric contraction

To maintain alignment of spine:

Intertransversarii, interspinalis, transverso-

spinalis, erector spinae

To prevent anterior tilt of pelvis and overex-

tension of lumbar spine:

Psoas minor, abdominal muscles

Upper limbs

Concentric contraction

To upwardly rotate, abduct, and elevate

scapula:

Upper trapezius, serratus anterior

To stabilize and flex shoulder joint:

Rotator cuff, coracobrachialis, pectoralis major

and minor, middle deltoid, biceps brachii

(short head)

To extend elbow:

Anconeus, triceps brachii

Lower limbs

Standing leg Lifted leg

Concentric contraction Eccentric contraction Concentric contraction

To keep knee in neutral

extension and balance on

single leg:

Articularis genu, quadriceps,

intrinsic and extrinsic

muscles of foot and lower

leg

To control hip flexion:

Hamstrings

To allow lateral shift of

pelvis over standing foot

for balance and to keep

pelvis level:

Gluteus medius and mini-

mus, piriformis, superior

and inferior gemellus

To maintain neutral hip exten-

sion and rotation:

Hamstrings, adductor magnus,

gluteus maximus

Virabhadrasana III (continued)