YOGA-ASANA

ANOTOMY
Dr. Bharat D. Zinjurke
Assistant Professor
Swasthavritta & Yoga department
 Asana Anatomy
 Weight training and stretching, which focus on
specific muscles, yoga focuses on asanas that are
whole-body practices.
 Yoga practice is fundamentally experiential.
Starting Positions and the Base of Support

 Standing—supported on the soles of your feet

 Sitting—supported on the base of your pelvis
 Kneeling—supported on your knees, shins, and
tops of feet
 Supine—supported on the back surface of your
body
 Prone—supported on the front surface of your
body
 Breathing
Breathing—the passage of air
into and out of the lungs—is movement, one of
the fundamental activities of living things.
Specifically, breathing involves movement in
two cavities.

Breathing is thoracoabdominal shape

change. Inhalation on left, exhalation on right
 Breathing

Changes in abdominal shape

during breathing:
(a) Inhalation = spinal extension;
(b) exhalation = spinal flexion
 Breathing

The diaphragm can be

(a) a “bellybulger,” during the belly inhalation,
(b) a “rib cage lifter,” during the chest
inhalation.
 Yoga and the spine

Supraspinous ligament

Ligamentum flavum
Intertransverse ligament

Interspinous ligament

Anterior longitudinal ligament

Intervertebral disc

Posterior longitudinal ligament

lateral view of spinal ligaments

Facet Joint
Structure of the joint
 Trikonasana

Latissimus dorsi

Gluteus maximus

Hamstrings

Quadriceps
Trikonasana
 Trikonasana

Tensor fascia lata

Semitendinosus

Gracilis
 Down Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana

Muscles Stretching: Hamstrings, calf muscles (gastrocnemius), gluteus maximus,

latissimus dorsi, triceps (eccentrically)
Muscles Working: Quadriceps, dorsiflexions muscles, triceps, serratus anterior, rotator cuff
Hastapadasana-(Standing Forward Bend)

Piriformis

Spinal extensors

Hamstrings

Gastrocnemius
Hastapadasana-(Standing Forward Bend)

Spinal extensors Psoas major

Hamstrings

Quadriceps
Diaphragm

Gastrocnemius

Tibialis anterior

Soleus

If the hamstrings are tight, slightly bending the knees helps release the
Hastapadasana-(Standing Forward Bend)

 Key Structures - Hip joint, legs, spine.

 Joint Actions - Hip flexion, knee extension, mild
spinal flexion (the tighter the hamstrings, the more
the spinal flexion).
 Lengthening - Spinal muscles, hamstrings,
posterior fibers of gluteus medius and minimus,
gluteus maximus, piriformis, adductor magnus,
soleus, gastrocnemius.
Hastapadasana-(Standing Forward Bend)

 Obstacles - Tightness in hamstrings, spinal muscles,

gluteals.
 Cautions - People with back injury, osteoporosis, or both
should approach deep forward bending very cautiously
and gradually.
 People with high blood pressure (hypertension) should go
into this pose gradually and remain in it only if their
breathing is not strained.
 People with low blood pressure (hypotension) should
come out of this pose very slowly, because they may
become dizzy
 Paschimottanasana
West (Back) Stretching

Erector spinae

Gluteus
Gastrocnemius Hamstrings
maximus
Splenius
capitis
Rhomboids

Erector spinae
Ustrasana (Camel Pose)

Psoas major

Rectus femoris
Trapezius

Vastus lateralis

Hamstrings
 Ustrasana
Camel Pose

Sternocleidomastoid

Apex of lung
Deltoid

Pectoralis
minor
Pectoralis major

Rectus
abdominis
Ustrasana (Camel Pose)
 Muscles Stretching: Pectoralis major and minor,
biceps, anterior deltoids, anterior neck muscles,
intercostal muscles (between ribs), muscles of the
anterior (front) spine.
 Muscles Working: Anterior neck muscles
(working eccentrically to keep neck from
collapsing), abdominal muscles (eccentrically),
obliques, psoas major and minor.
 Vrksasana Variation
(Tree Pose With Arms Elevated)

Psoas major
Iliacus
Pectineus
Rectus femoris
Sartorius
Vastus lateralis Adductor longus
Vastus medialis

Gastrocnemius
Tibialis anterior
Soleus
Vrksasana
 Vrksasana
 Joint and Limb Actions
 Neutral spine, level pelvis.
 Standing leg: hip neutral extension, internal rotation,
 adduction; knee extension (not locked).
 Lifted leg: hip flexion, external rotation, abduction;
knee flexion; tibia external rotation;
 ankle dorsiflexion (pressed against the adductors of
the standing leg);
 foot pronation.
 Bhujangasana
Cobra Pose
Muscles Stretched: Rectus abdominis, obliques, psoas (eccentrically), pectoral muscles, biceps,
deltoids, intercostals (muscles between ribs), rectus femoris (quadriceps)
Muscles Worked: Erector spinae, psoas, hamstrings, rhomboids, trapezius (to pull the shoulder
blades towards each other), adductors (bring together and internally rotate inner thighs) Gravity
also helps create the extension in the lumbar spine

Serratus anterior
Triceps
Gluteus maximus

Hamstrings
Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
 Setubandhasana

Muscles Stretching: Psoas, rectus abdominis, obliques, serratus anterior, flexors of the
forearm, anterior rib cage muscles
Muscles Working: Erector spinae, abdominal muscles (eccentrically to prevent over
extension of lumbar), hamstrings, rhomboids, rotator cuff muscles, adductors (to internally
rotate hips and keep legs from falling away from each other)