Yoga Anatomy

Upper limbs

Concentric contraction

To abduct scapula:

Serratus anterior

To stabilize and abduct shoulder joint:

Rotator cuff, biceps brachii (long head),

deltoid

Lower limbs

Front leg Back leg

Concentric

contraction

Eccentric

contraction

Concentric

contraction

Eccentric

contraction

To abduct hip:

Gluteus medius and

minimus

To extend knee:

Articularis genu,

vastii

To abduct hip and

allow hip flexion

without collaps-

ing into gravity:

Gluteus maximus,

piriformis, obtu-

rator externus,

superior and in-

ferior gemellus

To allow hip flexion

without collaps-

ing into gravity:

Hamstrings at hip

joint

To maintain integ-

rity of foot with-

out collapsing:

Intrinsic and extrinsic

muscles of foot

To extend hip:

Hamstrings at hip joint

To extend knee:

Articularis genu, vastii

To support inner

knee:

Gracilis

To maintain arches of

foot without inhib-

iting dorsiflexion

of ankle:

Intrinsic muscles of

foot

To maintain exten-

sion of hip while

adducting:

Piriformis, obturator

externus, superior

and inferior gemel-

lus

To allow hip to

abduct:

Gluteus medius and

minimus

To allow outer ankle

to lengthen with-

out collapsing

inner knee or inner

foot:

Peroneals

Muscular joint actions

Spine

Alternating concentric

and eccentric contractions Concentric contraction Eccentric contraction

To maintain neutral align-

ment of spine:

Spinal extensors and flexors

To rotate chest to side:

Internal oblique (back leg

side); external oblique

(front leg side)

To rotate head toward

ceiling:

Rectus capitis posterior,

obliquus capitis inferior,

longus capitis and colli,

splenius capitis (back leg

side); sternocleidomastoid,

upper trapezius (front leg

side)

To resist side bending into

gravity:

Quadratus lumborum, latis-

simus dorsi, spinal muscles

(back leg side)

Utthita Trikonasana (continued)