After experiencing the emotion-releasing/triggering powers of chest-openers firsthand on my third day of yoga teacher training, I’ve developed an odd fascination for chest-opener asanas and stretches.
Ustrasana is my choice of chest-opener because with every practice the pose becomes noticeably more steady, stable and more comfortable to hold as the chest and hips open. It’s also quite a tough asana to be comfortable breathing in, which helps with practicing breathing with the upper chest for other backbending asanas such as Urdhva Dhanurasana.
Benefits
– Stretches neck, chest, abdomen, thighs, hip flexors (psoas), groin, ankles
– Strengthens back muscles, gluteal muscles, triceps
– Massages and stimulates abdominal organs
– Stimulates the Manipura (navel region) and Anahatha (heart region) chakras
Precautions
Avoid this pose if you experience at least one of the following:
– Lower back (herniation) and neck injuries
– Knee injuries or stiffness
– High or low blood pressure
– Pregnancy
– Internal organ surgery
– Migraine
– Insomnia
In terms of muscular joint actions
Spine |
Upper Limbs |
Lower Limbs |
|
Concentric Contraction |
To extend spine: |
To stabilise shoulder joint and prevent head of humerus protracting: To downwardly elevate, adduct and elevate scapula: To extend and adduct shoulder joint: To extend elbow: |
To extend, adduct and internally rotate hip: |
Eccentric Contraction |
To prevent lumbar spine from over-mobilising: |
To resist hip extension and knee flexion: To resist knee flexion: |
|
Passive Lengthening |
– Psoas major |
– Pectoralis major and minor |
Tips
– To bring pelvis forward to align with knees: come into the pose with knees touching to a wall. Work on bringing your hips to touch the wall by engaging your adductor magnus (inner thighs) and grounding your knees and toes into your mat. Making sure not to engage the glutes too much to avoid over mobilising lumbar spine. The lumbar spine is very flexible and if over mobilised, the vertebrae can come to touch and clip a nerve.
– Always stretch beforehand: 3 rounds of Surya Namasakara A/Cat-Cow/Knees-chest-chin with your hands extended in front of you
– Gaby
Illustration source: Marc Johns