Daily Mobility Exercises by Dr. Kelly Starrett › Forums › General › Yoga – Yoga Poses with MWOD principles

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    • 04/23/2014 at 6:49 pm #70912
      AvatarAlex Daubon
      Participant

      Is there an MWOD-Certified resource for how to perform yoga poses in the healthiest and most functional, anatomically-correct manner?

      I began practicing yoga, and while I’ve noticed overlap with what MWOD teaches (externally rotate shoulders, braced abs), there are other positions endorsed by yoga that make me cautious:
      1.) back bends (significant spinal extension)
      2.) significant spinal flexion – rounding the back – forward back bends (while keeping knees locked out)
      3.) keep glutes unflexed, relaxed glutes (especially when extending the spine)
      4.) not bending knees

      I have an internal dissonance when practicing yoga, because while these techniques are widespread among yogis, I’m not sure they would get the stamp of approval when scrutinized by biomechanics gurus and the weightlifting community. Should I not round my back forward while keeping my knees locked out? Should I bend my knees? Or should I not repeatedly flex the spine? Should I squeeze the glutes in up dog, or cobra? See where I’m getting at…

      Thoughts? Advice? Would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

    • 04/23/2014 at 10:05 pm #74539
      Avatar[email protected]
      Participant

      I use yoga to practice the shapes MWOD explains.  So if they do a spinal flexion piece I perform a deadlift shape.  In other words I don’t follow it to a T, but considering your not under heavy load I can’t imagine some of the shapes to be a problem.  I am not an expert in anyway.

    • 04/24/2014 at 1:00 pm #74541
      AvatarSophie Ker
      Participant

      Cognitive dissonance would be understandable. I agree with Kelly on yoga—if you have a movement practice and move well, you shouldn’t “need” yoga. I’m fond of his story where he “shows up” all the yoga girls at a class. I think it’s fair to apply MWod principles to your yoga movements. Not all yoga movements are technically sound, but you can do your best to make them. Remember, global flexion/extension of the spine isn’t a bad thing; it’s local flexions that are sketchy.

    • 04/25/2014 at 12:10 am #74517
      AvatarAlex Daubon
      Participant

      Appreciate the responses.

      Good distinction; there is a global extension drill using a keg in BASL. I don’t believe there is any mention of global flexion…

      Do the concepts midline stabilization and organization (body mechanics) Kelly teaches apply to yoga? For instance, in the Yoga position cobra (http://www.dofitnessnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Cobra-style-yoga.jpg), should one squeeze the glutes or leave them relaxed? Would you classify this position as a local extension? Are local extensions good?

      What is a “movement practice”? I’d imagine that means performing some permutation of the Category 1, 2, and 3 movements outlined in BASL, on a regular basis?

    • 04/25/2014 at 8:28 am #74544
      AvatarBailey Martinez
      Participant

      I think there’s a slight different between a movement and a stretch.

      You don’t always need to tighten everything and stick to the movement principles when you stretch. You still shouldn’t put yourself in a compromised position – which is usually done by leveraging the floor, wall, or other object.

      Yoga poses, such as the forward fold require some muscles to be relaxed and allowed to stretch and lengthen. I’m not very familiar with Cobra, so I’m not sure where this falls.

    • 04/26/2014 at 10:57 am #74548
      AvatarSophie Ker
      Participant

      It’s never okay to locally extend/flex your spine. I’m not familiar with Cobra either, and can’t tell if there’s a bit of a local extension at the lumbar. That being said, you’re not loaded, so this stuff isn’t going to be too sketchy in reality. I think it’s safe to keep your abs and butt on 20% here, as always. Kelly’s organization principles should be applied to every movement we undertake. This is why I’m not always a fan of yoga (and from I understand, neither is Kelly)—because it can indeed put us in compromised positions for the sake of yoga.

      By movement practice, that’s basically what I mean. A lot of people “do yoga” “for flexibility” which to me isn’t necessary. Practicing good movement patterns throughout the day, doing some discreet daily maintenance via MWOD, and performing all of these movements at the gym regularly and in good form should optimize our ROM and capabilities over time.
    • 04/27/2014 at 8:50 am #74553
      AvatarNathan Richer
      Participant

      re: Baldr – Look on BASL page 46-47 for Braced Extension/flexion and Global Flexion/extension.

      the problem with yoga for me is like that of other things we learn – it all depends on the teachers. it happens in yoga, and it also happens in CF, it happens in any subject or discipline.  there is a good way to teach and experience yoga and most of the teachers out there don’t do that.  you go to class, they show you some move and then usually just expects the class to do it. very little correctives or watching of posture or proper techinque. but that’s not everyone – there are really good yoga teachers out there.
      one of the issues with doing a lot of yoga is becoming hypermobile.  you have a ton of mobility but no stability at all. so that’s probably not a good result from yoga, although getting more mobile versus being tight is a good thing.
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