Science of Stretch

01 . Welcome

Welcome to Science of Stretch

Video #1 - Welcome
Duration: 4:00
Learn about what's to come in Science of Stretch, and learn more about your teacher for this
course—Tom Myers, founder of Anatomy Trains—in this 4-minute video.

Here's What to Expect

In This Course You'll Learn
● The anatomy of stretch
● New science on stretch
● The relationship between fascial systems and stretch
● The relationship between your nervous system and stretch
● How to identify postural patterns
● How to apply these principles to asana

In This Course You’ll Receive

● Lectures that help you understand anatomical systems in the context of stretch
● Body reading clinics that help crystallize what you’ve learned
● Weekly homework to reinforce what you've learned

Yoga Journal wants you to have a safe and healthy experience practicing at home.

Please consult a doctor before beginning any form of exercise, including this program. If
something does not feel right in your body, or you experience any pain while performing the
exercises in the course, stop immediately and consult your doctor. The creators of this program
cannot guarantee that this practice is safe for every individual. Any liabilities associated with the
use of this program are expressly disclaimed.

Meet Your Teacher

Thomas Myers is the author of Anatomy Trains (used around the world in yoga teacher
trainings), the co-author of Fascial Release for Structural Balance, and the teacher of Yoga
Journal's Anatomy 101.
He has also produced more than 35 DVDs and numerous webinars on visual assessment,
Fascial Release Technique, and the applications of fascial research. Myers has practiced
integrative manual therapy for 40 years and is a member of the International Association of
Structural Integrators (IASI) and the Health Advisory Board for Equinox.

Based in Maine, Myers and his faculty provide continuing education in Anatomy Trains and
holistic myofascial strategies for a variety of movement and manual therapy professionals
worldwide, as well as professional certification in Structural Integration based on the Anatomy
Trains Myofascial Meridians.

He studied directly with Drs. Ida Rolf, Moshe Feldenkrais, and Buckminster Fuller. He has also
studied martial arts and with movement teachers Judith Aston and Emilie Conrad. His Structural
Integration program is influenced by cranial, visceral, and intrinsic movement studies with
European schools of osteopathy.

Meet the Models

Chanel Duncan believes yoga is not only about the union of the mind, body, and soul, but also
about the connection between teacher and student. She became a teacher to foster a fun and
safe space for students of all levels and backgrounds to practice. Learn more at
ompractice.com.

Joshua Erickson specializes in myofascial release blended with vigorous sports massage. Josh
has undergone two yoga teacher trainings and has been a LMT for 10 years. Learn more at
standupstructures.com.

Ashley Hixon is an Ashtanga Yoga-trained teacher, energy healer, and massage therapist. Read
her teaching philosophy at ashleyhixon.com.

Caitlin Rose Kenney teaches Yin Yoga and essential oils classes, immersions, teacher trainings,
and retreats. She is the creator of the Yoga Sesh Podcast and a featured teacher on Yoga
Download. Find her offerings at caitlinrosekenney.com.

Kelly Elle Kenworthy is the owner of the Little Yoga Studio. Her teaching empowers others to
look at their relationship to themselves through conscious and reflective thought and action so
they can live in their truth: littleyogastudio.com.

Stephanie Keiko Kong is a yoga and mindful voice teacher whose unique form of the practice
helps students work through discomfort, celebrate strength, and nurture self-love: skkyoga.com.

Mya Longacre is a teacher in training with Kelly Elle Kenworthy at Little Yoga Studio.

Jeanie Manchester is the founder of Anjaneya Yoga Shala. She is the creator of the Shakti Rise
Immersion dedicated to “women on the rise" and created Sacred Flow, her signature vinyasa
classes rooted in meditation, bhakti chant, storytelling, mantra, mudra, meditation, and the art of
living a daily practice on and off the mat. See her offerings at jeanimanchester.com.

Susan Manchester is an intuitive healer and master bodyworker. Combining modalities of

Qigong healing, Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy, and Rolf Method of Structural Integration,
Susan shapes her approach with each person using the grace of shamanistic wisdom:
susanmanchester.com.

Bria Tavakoli is an editor at Yoga Journal and teaches vinyasa yoga. She studied with Charles
Jojo Tyler in the Yoga4Soul style. Learn more at briayoga.com.

QUIZ
We know you're just getting started, but take this 15-question quiz to see where you stand with
your knowledge of stretch anatomy. We'll cover all of these concepts in the course and
re-assess what you've learned at the end.
1. The main sensor inside muscle tissue is the:
a. A. Muscle spindle
b. B. Golgi Tendon Organ (GTO)
c. C. Pacinian corpuscle
d. D. Ruffini ending
2. The main sensor in the connective tissue all over the body is, oddly:
a. A. Muscle spindle
b. B. Golgi Tendon Organ (GTO)
c. C. Pacinian corpuscle
d. D. Ruffini ending
3. The main cells that supports your fascial system are:
a. A. Osteocytes
b. B. White blood cells (leucocytes)
c. C. Fibroblasts
d. D. Chondrocytes
4. The main ingredient in joint (synovial) fluid, besides water, is:
a. A. Heparin
b. B. Collagen fibers
c. C. Fibroblasts
d. D. Hyaluranon
5. When you do yoga, you stretch primarily:
a. A. Muscles
b. B. Fascia
c. C. Nerves
d. D. All the tissues
6. Hip extension is likely to stretch which muscle(s):
a. A. The hamstrings
b. B. Erector spine
c. C. Psoas major
 d. D. Gluteus maximus
7. Which of these are the hamstrings muscles?
a. A. Vastus medius, intermedius, and lateralis
b. B. Adductor longus, adductor brevis, and magnus
c. C. Soleus, gastrocnemius, and plantaris
d. D. Semitendinosis, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris
8. The connective tissue that joins a muscle to a bone is known as:
a. A. The iliotibial band
b. B. A ligament
c. C. A tendon
d. D. The dura mater
9. Sternocleitomastoid bilateral tension would:
a. A. Hunch your shoulder
b. B. Lift your shoulder
c. C. Twist your neck
d. D. Induce head-forward posture
10. The projections on the inside and outside of your ankle are called:
a. A. The metatarsals
b. B. The malleoli
c. C. The ilium and ischium
d. D. The radius and the ulna
11. The four muscles of the rotator cuff are:
a. A. Supraspinatus, infraspinatus, trees minor, subscapularis
b. B. Rhomboid major, rhomboid minor, trapezius, elevator scapulae
c. C. Supraspinatus, infraspinatus, trees major, coracobrachialis
d. D. Rhomboid major, rhomboid minor, serratus anterior, elevator scapulae
12. The three ‘whole body’ communicating systems are the:
a. A. Renal, pulmonary, and hepatic
b. B. Nervous, circulatory, and fascial
c. C. Peripheral, central, and autonomic
d. D. Adipose, pannicular, and epidermis
13. The chief muscle of breathing is:
a. A. The scalene
b. B. The intercostals
c. C. The diaphragm
d. D. Transversus abdominis
14. Your esophagus runs which way relative to your heart?
a. A. In front of it
b. B. Behind it
c. C. Beside it
d. D. On top of it
15. The most important part of applying anatomy to yoga is:
a. A. Alignment
b. B. Spiritual attainment
 c. C. Cueing accuracy
d. D. Mindful practice

Suggested Reading

These recommended texts are not required for this course, but here's what Tom Myers
recommends if you want to enhance your course experience:

● Anatomy Trains, 3rd Edition, Thomas W. Myers (Tom's bible for fascia and
connections)
● The Anatomist's Corner, Thomas W. Myers (more introductory than the content
in Anatomy Trains, these articles introduce anatomy and interesting anatomical
concepts for the massage therapist and yoga teacher)
● Body3, Thomas W. Myers (an informal anatomy course from exploring issues of
interest to holistic practitioners)
● BodyReading: Visual Assessment and the Anatomy Trains, Thomas W.
Myers (a guide to visual assessment; available in DVD format, book, or webinar)
● Scientific Keys Volume 1: The Key Muscles of Hatha Yoga, Ray Long
● Any anatomy coloring book (any version available)
● Trail Guide to Movement, Andrew Biel
● Yoga of the Subtle Body: A Guide to the Physical and Energetic Anatomy of
Yoga, Tias Little
● The Roll Model: A Step-by-Step Guide to Erase Pain, Improve Mobility, and
Live Better in Your Body, Jill Miller
● Fascia—What It Is and Why It Matters, David Lesondak
● The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of
Trauma, Bessel Van der Kolk
● Move Your DNA: Restore Your Health Through Natural Movement, Katy
Bowman
● The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation, Deb
Dana
● Fascial Fitness How To Be Vital Elastic, Robert Schleip
● Slings Essentials, Karin Gurtner
Tom's suggested material for inspiring effective cueing:

● Taking Root to Fly: Articles on Functional Anatomy, Irene Dowd

● The Thinking Body: A Study of the Balancing Forces of Dynamic Man,
Mabel Ellsworth Todd
● Human Movement Potential: Its Ideokinetic Facilitation, Lulu Sweigard
● The New Rules of Posture: How to Sit, Stand, and Move in the Modern
World, Mary Bond
● Anything by Bonnie Bainbridge-Cohen and Judith Aston

Glossary
For a list of important terms, download the PDF from the Resources section. It will be helpful to
have it on hand as you progress through the course.

02 . The Anatomy of Stretch

Video #2 - Tissues & Cells
Duration: 10:10
In this 10-minute video, Tom gives an overview of the anatomical systems in play when you
stretch.

Video #3 - What is Your Body?

Duration: 8:12
Tom reviews basic anatomy and sets the stage for what's to come in this 8-minute video.

Video #4 - Stretch Systems

Duration: 3:04
This 3-minute video introduces the idea of finding the balance between too much and too little
stretch.

Video #5 - Types of Stretch

Duration: 10:17
Learn to distinguish between the five different types of stretch in this 10-minute video.

Video #6 - The Digestive System

Duration: 20:28
This 20-minute video covers the details of how your digestive system relates to stretching.

Video #7 - How Your Gut is Constructed

Duration: 6:47
This 7-minute video discusses the gut in even more detail.

Video #8 - Holistic Communicating Systems

Duration: 25:00
In this 25-minute video Tom talks about how the nervous, circulatory, and fascial systems
communicate with each other.

Video #9 - Holistic Communication

Duration: 7:52
This 8-minute video explains how the other systems communicate with each other.

Video #10 - Breath and the Respiratory System

Duration: 12:25
Learn about the respiratory system in this 12-minute video.

Video #11 - Yoga Stretch

Duration: 3:57
See how these stretch concepts apply to yoga poses in this 4-minute video.

Video #12 - Yoga Stretch

Duration: 9:59
Dig into more poses in this 10-minute video.

Video #13 - Yoga Stretch

Duration: 9:59
And even more poses in this 8-minute video.

Video #14 - Mechanotransduction

Duration: 8:03
Mechanotransduction. What's that? Learn all about it in this 8-minute video.

Homework
Practice the poses covered this week with mindful attention to the types of stretch in play and
the anatomical systems in use. Take this awareness into your regular yoga practice.
03 . Focus on Fascia
Video #15 - Fascia 101
Duration: 29:19
Welcome to Week 2, where we dive into the role fascia plays in stretch. In this 30-minute video,
Tom teaches the basics of how fascia works in the context of stretching.

Video #16 - Joints, Muscles and Dynaments

Duration: 7:15
In this 7-minute video, Tom dives into the concept of dynaments, which will change the way you
think about joints and muscles.

Video #17 - Fascial Properties

Duration: 27:58
Take a closer look at fascial properties in this 30-minute video talk, with ways you can use
household items to help your students learn, too.

Video #18 - Bone & Cartilage

Duration: 7:32
Get the 411 on bone and cartilage anatomy in this 7-minute video.

Video #19 - Fascial Genetics

Duration: 16:55
In this 17-minute video, Tom talks about the genetic differences in fascia.

Video #20 - Fascial Injuries

Duration: 16:08
Learn more about fascial injuries, particularly from stretch, in this 16-minute video.

Video #21 - Myofascia: Stretch vs. Glide

Duration: 17:17
In this 17-minute video, Tom explains in more detail what happens when you stretch the fascia
within your muscles.

Video #22 - Myofascial Meridians

Duration: 24:56
Learn the myofascial meridians in the Anatomy Trains system in this 25-minute video.
Video #23 - Stretch vs. Glide
Duration: 4:30
In this 5-minute video, Tom explores the difference between stretch and glide in yoga poses.

Video #24 - Fascia and Proprioception

Duration: 3:56
Get a better understanding of how fascial release relates to proprioception in this 4-minute video
talk, including an exercise you can practice on yourself or with students.

Homework
As with last week, practice the poses covered this week with mindful attention to the types of
stretch in play and the anatomical systems in use. Take this awareness into your regular yoga
practice. Start to familiarize yourself with the fascial terms Tom uses this week, and if you teach,
see if you can start to integrate fascial awareness into your classes.

Study the written overview on Anatomy Trains concepts in the guide in your Resources Tab.

04 . Neurology of Stretching
Video #25 - Yoga & Motor Control
Duration: 16:17
You've made it to Week 3! This section of the course digs into the science of and relationship
between your emotional and movement patterns. Start with this 16-minute video on yoga and
motor control.

Video #26 - Muscle Sensory Endings

Duration: 28:40
Learn the specifics of how your nervous system listens to your myofascial system in this
30-minute video.

Video #27 - Reciprocal Inhibition

Duration: 1:46
This quick 2-minute video demo will hep you understand the concept of reciprocal inhibition.

Video #28 - Fascial Sensing

Duration: 6:04
This 6-minute video dives into proprioception and fascial sensing.
Video #29 - Fascial Neurology
Duration: 13:52
Wrap up the discussion of neurology and stretch in this 14-minute video demo on how to
experience your fascial neurology.

Video #30 - Yoga & Trauma

Duration: 47:03
In this 47-minute video, Tom discusses the critical issue of trauma and how it can be stored in
the body.

Video #31 - The Breath

Duration: 35:32
This 35-minute video covers exercises that can help you understand how the breath relates to
stretch.

Video #32 - The Spine: Learning the Bones

Duration: 27:27
Review basic spinal anatomy in this 27-minute video talk.

Video #33 - The Spine: Muscles on the Back

Duration: 8:17
And now move on to learning the spinal muscles, in this 8-minute video.

Video #34 - The Spine: Muscles on the Front

Duration: 10:37
And don't forget the muscles on the back of the core body. Review them in this 10-minute video.

Video #35 - Facet Joint Prayer

Duration: 5:30
This 5-minute video provides a demo on how to identify the facet joints in your spine.

Video #36 - Spinal Practice

Duration: 8:42
Try this 9-minute video practice to embody concepts related to spinal anatomy.

Video #37 - Prayer Twist

Duration: 3:13
This 3-minute video demonstrates how to practice Prayer Twist safely.
Homework
Again, practice the poses covered this week with mindful attention to the types of stretch in play
and the anatomical systems in use. Take this awareness into your regular yoga practice. Start to
familiarize yourself with the neurology and spinal anatomy terms Tom uses this week, and if you
teach, see if you can start to integrate awareness of neurological and postural patterns into your
classes.

05 . Special Cases and Body Readings

Video #38 - Individual Questions: Addressing Neck Rigidity
Duration: 4:35
Welcome to Week 4, where we look at more individual examples and answer more specific
questions about common postural patterns. In this 5-minute video, Tom answers questions
about how to work with and stretch a stiff neck—something many of us suffer from as a result of
phone and computer use.

Video #39 - Individual Questions: Focusing on Neck Care

Duration: 6:55
In this 7-minute video, learn more cues for stretching the head, neck, and even eyes!

Video #40 - Individual Questions: Yoga in Pregnancy

Duration: 9:49
In this 10-minute video, Tom answers questions about prenatal anatomy and what students
should or shouldn't do in yoga class.

Video #41 - Individual Questions: Addressing Explosive Injuries

Duration: 5:56
Ever wonder what to do with students who come to you with overuse injuries and are looking to
both recover and work out? In this 6-minute video, Tom talks about how to get greater benefits
out of slower or restorative yoga

Video #42 - Individual Questions: Working with Asymmetry

Duration: 8:42
In this 9-minute video, learn how to work with asymmetry in the body—big and small.

Video #43 - Individual Questions: Retraining Your Body

Duration: 7:50
Learn more about how major surgeries and organ health can impact your anatomy in this
8-minute video.
Video #44 - Body Reading: Chanel
Duration: 14:26
In body reading sessions, Tom gives us insight into understanding how anatomy in action works.
Chanel goes first in this 15-minute video.

Video #45 - Body Reading: Maya

Duration: 11:42
In this 12-minute video, we look at Maya's posture to learn how to help students and ourselves
in our poses.

Video #46 - Body Reading: Kelly

Duration: 9:47
Next, in this 10-minute video, we get a better sense of how Kelly's accident affected her
anatomy and practice.

Video #47 - Body Reading: Caitlin

Duration: 14:33
Learn more about basic, common postural patterns in this 15-minute video body reading
session with Caitlin.

Video #48 - Body Reading: Bria

Duration: 14:48
In this 15-minute video body reading session with Bria, we get more into shoulder flexibility and
range of motion.

Video #49 - Body Reading: Ashley

Duration: 11:26
In this 11-minute video, see if you can start to identify patterns on your own, as Tom works with
Ashley. And remember what you learned last week about the breath? Here's a living example!

Video #50 - Body Reading: Jeanie

Duration: 9:10
Tom works with Jeanie in this 9-minute video to identify the chain reactions injury can cause
throughout the body.

Video #51 - Body Reading: Susan

Duration: 7:20
In our last body reading, with Susan in this 7-minute video, Tom talks in more detail about knee
injury.
Homework
Try practicing the poses covered this week with mindful attention to the types of stretch in play
and the anatomical systems in use. As always, take this awareness into your regular yoga
practice. And now you can start to practice body reading—notice what your students may be
working with related to injuries, genetics, postural patterns, and more.

Stay in touch with Tom and his work at anatomytrains.com. There is always something new to
learn!

06 . Survey and Certificate

Thank You

Video #52 - Wrap Up

Duration: 0:44
Congratulations! and nice work! Here's a 1-minute video message from Tom on how to take the
info you learned here out into the world and your classes.

Reassess Your Skills

Before you finish the course, remember that assessment you did at the beginning? It's time to
re-take it to see what you've learned.

Certificate

Continuing Education
This course qualifies for 20 non-contact continuing education hours with Yoga Alliance. To
register your CE hours, log in to your account at www.yogaalliance.org

Visit “My Training Hours” and select the green button to “Add Training Hours.” Select the second
option “not in person”; then indicate the course name, instructor name, number of hours, and
your date of completion. You do not need to upload a certificate of completion for this option.

When you have finished the survey, our system will auto-generate a certificate of completion
which you can keep as a personal record. You can find your certificate under the Certifications
tab in your student dashboard.