Yoga Postures Step-By-Step - Index to Poses. Yoga & other useful stuff with Tara Stiles - Download free podcast... Yoga for Fighters: Releasing the Psoas. By guest author Candace Stump In between beatdowns, MMA fighter Gina Carano demonstrates hip flexion. Yoga means, among other things, “yoking” or “unity”. Traditionally this means unity of body, mind, and breath; the breath being the most important.
One of the most effective ways to think of yoga is as sophisticated relaxation: freedom from unnecessary tension in body, mind, and breath. This does not mean lying down doing nothing! Most BJJ practitioners, grapplers, and MMA fighters end up with certain muscles totally overdeveloped. The psoas (SO-az) is the main muscle linking the upper body to the legs at the front of the hips. However, many non-grapplers also have a lot of psoas problems, simply from sitting all day in hip flexion, with thighs at 90 degrees to the torso.
An overdeveloped, shortened psoas means less mobility, reduced speed, and greater risk of injury. Poses for relaxing the psoas I also recommend a few abdominal strengthening poses. Good luck. Namaste! Further reading. Sun-salutation-2.jpg 3830×320 pixels. Yoga & other useful stuff with Tara Stiles - Download free podcast episodes by blip.tv on iTunes.