Yoga as a movement practice: Some thoughts from a myoreflex viewpoint.

Any personal practice implies some kind of regularity. Behind a regular somatically oriented movement practice – which could be Yoga or something else - there often is also an intent of„becoming what we do“. To become what we do also happens on a concrete physical level, which can be described with „form follows function“. Muscles develop according to the specific use, even our skeleton will adapt over time, depending on the use of muscles and their impact on bony structures.

We become what we do: What is it what we do physiologically speaking when practicing Yoga? Inherent to a Yoga movement practice is the principle of „active lengthening“, in Myoreflex it is described as „Kraft in der Dehnung“. It means we do not shorten muscles while using them, but we ask our bodies to lengthen and activate the muscle in a dialogue with gravity.

In a simplified model, a skeleton muscle consists of the following elements: the muscle belly (or venter), and the two tendons on each side of it as the connection to the joint / bony structure the muscle will move.

The percentage between muscle belly and tendon in relationship to the whole muscle can vary. The important point is that the muscle performance is a result of the condition of the muscle belly. The longer (not bigger) the muscle belly in relationship to the tendon, the more flexibility, endurance, and fast action a muscle can produce. This is described as „relative active muscle length“ (ram). A good Yoga class will always work on increasing ram.

If we only use our muscles in a medium range – which means we don’t challenge the muscle to the maximum of its action and relaxation – the muscle will shorten. Ram diminishes, and the muscle gets stuck in a contraction and increases its tone in relaxation.

A predominant use in the medium range will increase the width of the muscle, which is what body builders are looking for: well defined muscle bellies. The muscles shorten, thickens and will be able to reach the maximal potential within a short time. But it also will tire very quickly. These muscles often have fewer blood capillaries and, due to the quickly decreasing capacity, it cannot contribute to and support an upright dynamic with ease and efficiency.

A long muscle with a big ram (that has a long belly in relationship to its total length) is able to react flexibly to a big impact such as a jump or a fall, because the muscle belly is more flexible than the tendon. If there is more flexible structure, a muscle can take in more energy quickly. The kinetic energy is absorbed through the muscle and can be passed on through movement, instead of being passed on to tendons, joints and bone structure, where, in the worst case, it can cause ruptures and broken bones. Working with the principle of active lengthening will contribute to injury prevention.

Of course experienced movement teachers know that an approach that is reduced to muscular function will not result in a satisfying class. This simplified model can’t be looked at mechanically, but can only be considered as one aspect in the complex space between movement and perception. Living movement always happens in the codependence of sensory and motor action. There are many nerve cells that are responsible for both sensory and motor activity. Perception is always an integral part of movement and vice versa.

In a movement practice, we do not only practice movement, but also modulate our kinesthetic sense. This does not mean that the sensory development will happen no matter what we do in movement, but the effect will depend on our awareness – which means that through our attention to what is happening a correlation between muscular function and our kinesthetic sense will develop.

Only then new neurological patterns („repatterning“) will form and enable a subtle but deep muscular change. The kinesthetic sense not only refers to the position of body in space, but also a sense for timing and space and a sense for the force that is being used. This underlying training is an important issue for teaching movement practices. It not only needs cognitive and anatomical knowledge, but also a conscious use of language and physical empathy.

Action and relaxation

Myoreflex therapy looks at muscular function in the context of muscle loops. As an example, it is necessary not only to look at the active muscle, but also the antagonist (i.e. biceps – triceps). Commonly, the protagonist is seen as the active muscle and the antagonist is seen as the passive muscle, because the antagonist needs to relax so the agonist can contract.

In a movement practice and especially regarding to the awareness to the moving body I find another model helpful. In this model both muscles – protagonist and antagonist are considered active – in concentric action (protagonist) and eccentric action (antagonist).

This viewpoint takes the focus off the contracting protagonist and emphasizes the coordination of both muscles: Then it becomes not a matter of contraction, but a matter of balance between both.

An example: Take the arm in a horizontal position next to your shoulder, palms up. Bring the arm back down next to the torso. You will not need to contract the triceps and the connected muscle loops to do that: due to the relationship to gravity a gradual eccentric contraction of the biceps on top will be enough. While we need muscular power for movement, the muscle can act eccentrically to enable movement.

Biochemistry substantiates this viewpoint: In order to relax a muscle, we need to add energy called Adenosintriphosphat, or ATP. (ATP is also necessary for contraction.) Relaxation only will be possible if there is enough ATP. Real relaxation does not happen if the muscle does not receive enough ATP – what happens in this case of a tiring muscle is biochemically different. So we could say that energetic activity underlies both exerting and relaxing a muscle.

In my observation many people tend to focus on concentric action. The emphasis on concentric action as action that is also perceived as action, effort and work correlates also to the value system of a society appreciating achievements, activity and effort. In a movement practice we can fathom palpable other options of our being in the world.

Knowing and working with these connections in class can help gain balanced muscle action and helps developing a constructive awareness in the movement practice.

Recommended Literature:

- Kraft in der Dehnung. Ein Praxisbuch bei Stress, Dauerbelastung und Trauma (K. Mosetter / R. Mosetter)

- Myoreflextherapie. Muskelfunktion und Schmerz Band 1 (K. Mosetter / R. Mosetter)

- Action in Perception (A. Noë)

- Wisdom of the body moving (Linda Hartley)

- Any good introductory book to physiology