Yoga Anatomy

Muscular joint actions

Spine

Concentric contraction Eccentric contraction

To lift spine from floor in extension:

Spinal extensors

To extend spine (and flex hip):

Psoas major

To resist hyperextension in cervical

and lumbar spine:

Anterior neck muscles, psoas minor,

abdominal muscles

Upper limbs

Concentric contraction Passively lengthening

To stabilize shoulder joint:

Rotator cuff

To internally rotate, extend, and adduct arm

at shoulder:

Latissimus dorsi

To extend shoulder joint and press hand into

floor:

Triceps brachii

To adduct scapula:

Trapezius, rhomboids

To turn hand toward floor:

Pronator quadratus and teres

Coracobrachialis, pectoralis major and minor

Lower limbs

Concentric contraction

To flex hip (and extend spine):

Psoas major, iliacus

To ground leg:

Hamstrings

To flex hip and extend knee:

Quadriceps

Notes

This pose can be done while focusing on using spinal extensors (which include the psoas
major on the front of the spine) or supporting on the elbows. If the support of the elbows
is used, there is less work in the muscles of the torso and perhaps more ease in breathing
and more expansion.
If the pose is done while focusing on the muscles that extend the spine, the neck is better
protected when lifting the arms off the floor. Variations can also be done with blocks under
the spine and with the feet in baddha konasana (page 144) or padmasana (page 127).
This pose provides a great demonstration of the role of the psoas major in both hip
flexion and spinal extension.
This pose is frequently used as an immediate counterpose to salamba sarvangasana
(page 190) because it reverses the position of the cervical spine from extreme flexion to
extreme extension. However, going from one static extreme to the other may not be the
most beneficial way to compensate for the stresses of salamba sarvangasana. A more
dynamic approach would be to gradually reverse the movement of the neck with simple
vinyasas leading up to bhujangasana (page 212).

(continued)