TRUST YOUR BELLY.
—JUDITH HANSON LASATER
DURING MY FIRST months of studying asana, I took a kundalini yoga class. I was introduced to my “core” at that class by the practice of powerful breathing techniques that were focused on impacting the kunda, or vessel, which anatomists call the thorax and abdomen. We were taught in that class the importance of the energy of the kunda. Since that time, I have paid increasing attention to my organs and how they are affected by asana practice.
We begin our discussion of the trunk with a brief introduction to the anatomy of the chest and belly. While these areas do not generally initiate movement, as do the vertebral column or arms and legs, the core, or belly, receives the powerful effects of all asana. If the organs in the center of our body are healthy, then we are likely to be healthy as well.
The abdomen is a complex area anatomically, and it has emotional aspects as well. We use expressions like “I knew in my gut it was a good idea,” or “My stomach is in a knot.” Research has shown that these expressions actually express physiological truths. Apparently there are receptor sites in the abdomen that respond to the same neurotransmitters as the brain does. So it turns out that when we say we had a gut sense about something, we did. Perhaps this sense of knowing can be defined as intuition. Whatever we call it, paying attention to our body’s sensations both in practicing and in teaching yoga is an important skill to cultivate and honor.
The size and shape of the abdomen receives a lot of attention in our fitness-conscious society, and a common belief about the abdominal muscles is that they should be rock hard. We often judge people negatively who have a rounded or soft belly. However, there is a difference between an abdomen with toned muscles and yet a natural rounded shape and one that is contracted and tightly pulled in. Holding the abdominal muscles in a hard and contracted manner can interfere with breathing and digestion, among other functions.
11.1 ABDOMINAL ORGANS, ANTERIOR VIEW
Try this experiment. Stand in Tadasana on your nonskid mat and contract your abdomen. Now try to take a deep breath. Release the abdomen and try again. The difference is profound. A naturally toned abdomen is not tense. It simultaneously provides support for the abdominal organs and spine and holds the organs in place, while allowing free and easy breathing.
In traditional yoga teachings, the abdomen is also the location of several of the chakras, the subtle energy centers. In fact, when asana practice focuses on the chakras, the goal is release, awareness, and organ health, not just muscular strength of the belly.
Because classical yoga asana teachings focus on the abdominal organs as a key to health, the poses are designed to affect them through a “squeezing and soaking” technique. This means that some poses alternatively increase the blood flow to the abdominal organs, thus “soaking” them with nutrients, and other poses create a “squeezing” of the organs to press the fluids out. These classical techniques and their effects on the abdominal organs have not yet been proven in scientific studies. Nonetheless, it is useful for yoga teachers to understand these classical benefits and then teach the appropriate asana that affect the health of the organs in general.
To begin to understand the anatomy of the abdomen, remember that the abdomen cavity proper is divided into four quadrants: upper right and left, and lower right and left (Figure 11.1). For example, the appendix is located in the lower right quadrant, and the stomach is in the upper left quadrant. Take some time now to familiarize yourself with the location of these and the other abdominal organs and to commit these locations to memory. This understanding will help you to visualize the location of the abdominal organs during your own practice and when teaching others.
BONES
The abdomen is the largest single cavity in the body. It is bounded on the anterior surface by the sternum and pelvis, specifically the pubic area, on the lateral sides of the body by the ilia, and on the posterior side by the lumbar vertebrae and the sacrum. The superior boundary of the abdomen is the diaphragm muscle, while the inferior boundary is the pelvic floor. Within this area lie all the organs of digestion, assimilation, elimination of solid and liquid waste, procreation, and one site for the production of red blood cells (the spleen).
JOINTS
The abdominal cavity has no joints, per se, but the movements created by the contraction and relaxation of the abdominal muscles affect the joints of the thoracic, lumbar, and sacral spine as well as the costal joints. See chapters 5, 6, and 7 to review these movements.
CONNECTIVE TISSUE
The abdominal cavity is lined with a serous membrane called the peritoneum. This membrane, like other serous membranes in the body, is strong and elastic and secretes moisture. This wetness eases the slight movements of the organs inside the abdominal cavity. Besides performing the function of lining the abdominal cavity, the peritoneum has folds that are attached both to the posterior wall of the abdomen and to the organs to help hold them in place. These folds are called the mesentery. The largest fold of the mesentery is called the greater omentum, which attaches in several layers to the stomach, the intestines, and the transverse colon. The lesser omentum connects the liver, stomach, and part of the transverse colon. Both are highly vascularized.
Another connective tissue of note is the linea alba, literally, “white line” (Figure 11.2). The linea alba is a flat band of connective tissue where the rectus abdominus, the internal and external oblique muscles, and the transverse abdominus join into a single tendinous band. This band attaches superiorly from the xiphoid process and inferiorly to the symphysis pubis.
The stress placed on the abdominal wall by the growing fetus during pregnancy stresses the linea alba as well. In fact, it is not uncommon for the two sides of the abdominal muscles to separate slightly at the linea alba. In order to prevent this from happening, make sure that your yoga students do not overstretch their abdominal muscles during pregnancy. This would mean no back bending poses after the first trimester of pregnancy, as well as no poses that cause a pulling on the abdominal muscles at either the xiphoid process or the pubic symphysis.
The inguinal ligament is a significant ligament of the abdominal area. It is created by the lower border of the connective tissue of the external oblique muscle. It is attached to the anterior superior iliac spine and the pubic tubercle. Under this ligament pass nerves, arteries, veins, and lymphatic vessels from the lower extremity to the abdominal cavity. The inguinal area is also the occasional site of herniation, when a portion of abdominal contents can bulge out under the ligament. This usually requires surgical repair.
11.2 ABDOMINAL MUSCLES, SUPERFICIAL VIEW
Yoga students can compress the inguinal area by practicing deep flexion of the hips, as in squatting poses. Take care not to hold these poses for too long. One of the symptoms of this compression is a surface numbness around the anterior superior thigh. This usually resolves quickly when the pose is released. If this surface numbness does not vanish, check with your health care professional.
NERVES
While the abdomen is replete with nerves, by far the most important nerve in the area is the vagus nerve (Figure 11.3). The word vagus is related to the word vagabond, which means “to wander.” The vagus nerve has the greatest distribution of all the twelve cranial nerves.
11.3 (LEFT) VAGUS NERVE
11.4 (ABOVE)ABDOMINAL MUSCLES: INTERNAL OBLIQUES AND TRANSVERSUS ABDOMINUS
The vagus nerve is the tenth cranial nerve. It arises from the base of the brain and courses distally and inferiorly to help to control virtually all the thoracic and abdominal organs. It controls most parasympathetic functions as it passes through the neck, thorax, and abdomen. Additionally, the vagus nerve influences the skin of the external ear and the mucus membranes of the pharynx, larynx, bronchi, lungs, heart, esophagus, stomach, intestines, and kidney. It also affects the heart muscle and the smooth muscles of the entire digestive tract.
The vagus nerve itself makes up most of the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS). The PSNS is activated by muscle relaxation, a reclining or head-down position, and by exhalation, among other stimulants. This is part of the reason we experience asana practice as calming; during practice we are stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system by stretching, inversions, and exhaling.
MUSCLES
The abdominal muscles create a basket-weave effect on the anterior abdomen. The rectus abdominus is a vertical muscle and is on the most superficial layer. The external oblique muscles run from the lateral side to the medial at an angle; the next layer is the internal oblique muscles, which run from the inside toward the outside. The last layer is the transversus abdominus, which crosses the abdomen horizontally. These muscles can be studied in Figures 11.4 and 11.5.
11.5 ABDOMINAL MUSCLES
KINESIOLOGY
The function of the woven structure of the abdominal muscles is threefold. The abdominal muscles are necessary to help support the upright vertebral column. They hold the abdominal organs in place. And they are major stabilizers for most of the actions of the body.
It would be good at this point for you to review the concept of stabilization presented in chapter 2. Stabilization is the major function of the abdominal muscles. They work together to approximate, or bring together, the rib cage and pelvis to offer stability to the trunk and vertebral column during the movements of asana and in daily life.
To experience the abdominal muscles as stabilizers, lie down on a comfortable surface. After taking a breath or two, place one hand over your navel area. Now lift your head off the floor, and notice the contraction of the abdominal muscles under your hand. This is not because the abdominals are acting as prime movers to lift the head. They are not connected to the neck, so cannot affect the cervical spine. Rather the abdominals contract in this movement to hold the ribcage still, so that the neck flexors can be more effective in flexing the neck. Because the abdominals are mainly used as stabilizers, challenging them as stabilizers is the most effective way to strengthen them.
To stretch the abdominals, the student must perform a back bend. This moves most of the origins and insertions of the abdominal muscles apart—the definition of stretching. However, some yoga teachers suggest that their students actually flex the lumbar spine (“tuck the tailbone”) during back bends such as Ustrasana and Urdhva Dhanurasana. Not only does flexing the lumbar spine during a back bend interfere with the lumbo-sacral rhythm (see chapter 7), it also does not allow the abdominals to be fully stretched.
The abdominal muscles frequently interact with the psoas group (psoas major, psoas minor, and iliacus) to promote flexion of the trunk, especially when attempted in a supine position. To experience how this works, sit on a nonskid yoga mat or comfortable carpet, with your legs straight out in front of you. Place your arms in flexion at shoulder height. Now, breathing easily, roll down slowly toward the floor. Note the action of your abdominal muscles as they undergo a lengthening contraction. Once on the floor, bend one knee and roll to the side to return to the sitting position.
Now place the soles of your feet together in a relaxed Baddha Konasana position, and begin to roll down. Remember to breathe and to keep your knees down as much as you can. You will no doubt find this attempt much more difficult. This is because, by changing your leg position, you have put your psoas group at a mechanical disadvantage, and it cannot lend its strength to the descent. In this new attempt, the abdominals are obliged to do all the work of controlling the descent against gravity.
It is important to fully engage the abdominals when using the psoas group to control this movement in order to keep the lumbar spine in flexion. If the abdominals are not working well here, then it is possible for the student to rely on the psoas group too much. When this happens, the lumbar spine could be in too much extension and could suffer strain while the student is rolling down.
EXPERIENTIAL ANATOMY
For Practicing
11.6 NAVASANA
Applied Practice 1: Navasana
Prop: 1 nonskid mat
Take Care: Avoid this pose during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and if lower back pain is present.
SIT ON a nonskid mat that you have folded in half. Bend your knees to your chest and rock backward, balancing on your tailbone. Now hold the back of the right knee with your right hand and the back of your left knee with your left hand (Figure 11.6). Keep your lumbar spine in flexion, and slowly straighten one knee and then the other. Place your arms at your side, in flexion and parallel to the floor, and balance. It is important to the health of your lumbar spine, and in order to maintain the integrity of the pose, that you remain in flexion, using the strength of your abdominals and hip flexors. Do not lift your chest; this extends the lumbar spine and puts the abdominals at a mechanical disadvantage. When this happens, the abdominals are not able to hold the position very well, and stress is added to the extensors of the lumbar spine and the other structures of the lower back.
11.7 MARICHYASANA III
Applied Practice 2: Twisting from the Belly in Marichyasana III
Prop: 1 nonskid mat
Take Care: Avoid this twist if you have sacroiliac dysfunction, diagnosed disc disease, or are pregnant.
MOST OF US practice seated twists by thinking of twisting from the vertebral column. Kinesiologically speaking, the vertebral column twists mainly in the cervical and thoracic regions and minimally in the lumbar spine. (The importance of keeping the pelvis and the sacrum together in twisting is discussed in chapter 7.) To facilitate the maximum twisting from the column that will simultaneously protect the sacroiliac joint, imagine that your twist comes from the abdomen.
Sit in Dandasana on your nonskid mat. On an exhalation, bend your right knee and hold your right leg with your left arm, while you lean back on your right arm for support. As you begin to twist, exhale strongly and then twist with your breath exhaled (Figure 11.7). Imagine that all the twisting is coming from your abdomen; invite your abdominal organs to twist into the spiral of the pose. Exhale another time and, once again, after the exhalation, imagine you are moving your belly organs into the twist. Let the organs lead the twist, and let the vertebral column follow. Notice the feeling of completeness that this way of twisting generates. Be sure to repeat to the other side.
For Teaching
11.8 ADHO MUKHA SVANASANA
Applied Teaching 1: Abdominal Muscles in Adho Mukha Svanasana
Prop: 1 nonskid mat
Take Care: Avoid this pose after the first trimester of pregnancy or if there are any concerns about inverting the head or body.
HAVE YOUR STUDENT start from her hands and knees on her nonskid mat in preparation for Adho Mukha Svanasana. Now she should exhale and invite her abdominal organs to move upward toward her spine. Her abdominals are definitely contacting here, but she should think that the action is coming from the organs instead. This will change the quality of the movement and increase internal awareness.
As she exhales, ask her to continue lifting, so that her arms straighten but the weight stays forward on her hands and arms. Ask her to inhale and consciously release her abdominal muscles and thus allow her belly organs to drop and the lumbar spine to come into a slight back bend. As she exhales, suggest that she press her heels toward the floor and move backward, to place most of the weight on her legs. This way of coming into Adho Mukha Svanasana will help your students feel more aware of the action of their abdominal muscles as stabilizers in asana practice.
11.9 SUPTA PADANGUSTHASANA
Applied Teaching 2: Abdominal Muscles in a Straight Leg Raise (SLR)
Props: 1 nonskid mat • 1 blanket
Take Care: Avoid SLRs if you have acute lower back pain.
WHEN YOU ARE teaching your students to raise one leg from a supine position (as in Supta Padangusthasana, Figure 11.9), it is important that they engage their abdominal muscles as well as the psoas group to bring the lumbar spine into flexion, thus stabilizing the pelvis. This will create an action that is done purely at the hip joint, without added stress to the lumbar spine caused by the weight of the leg as it is lifted upward.
As your student prepares to raise one leg from the supine position, be sure he exhales, pulls inward and downward on his abdominal muscles, rocks the pelvis backward, moves the posterior superior iliac spine (PSIS) down toward the floor, and thus feels the top of his sacrum on the floor. Keeping this part of the body down will not only help to strengthen the abdominal muscles in their role of stabilizers but also will protect the lower back. Remember that the abdominals cannot work well as stabilizers unless they are contracting, and this action is best accomplished with a slightly concave abdomen. However, at no time should this contraction interfere with breathing.
LINK
For a new perspective on the belly, see Lisa Sarasohn’s Woman’s Belly Book: Finding Your Treasure Within (Novato, CA: New World Library, 2006). The images, both visual and verbal, are unique and thoughtful.