Triathlon

Athlete, Personal Growth, Running, Triathlon

A rockstar 70.3 race until I ran into the Inferno. 

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IMG_4644I’ve been at this awhile. Been working my tail off really. To get faster. I wanted to see some numbers that show I’m on the right path in regards to training. Having had a health crisis last year, I wanted to see that old athlete that I know back at it. Heck, I did a dream board and tossed my dreams out to the public. Add in I have this voice that is a whiney beeeacht. And for that matter, being a coach….I wanted that darn PR!

I’m one of those slower athletes.

I’ve had to work my tail off in the pool. I am not all that strong on the bike. I am good on the run.  I’m injury prone. My legs bitch all the time.

I’m mostly a hot mess.

In fact, 5 years ago I weighed more than I should. And I couldn’t run around the big block of our house without stopping three times. So this PR thing, it means more than just the numbers. It’s an indication to me that I’m on the path to that next better version of myself. In general. For sure in the athletic sense.

Then add in the considerations that are always in my mind in regards to my heart health, having recovered from a-tach/a-fib last year.

Truth time: I have been in denial that I’m a different athlete now as compared to pre-heart crisis. I wanted to prove to myself that…I was a whiner, instead of me having a big aspect (limitation) to work with.

So I wanted that darn PR. BAD!

Pre-race: So in Kansas did a good amount of heat training. Knew that the run would be harm. Trained and nailed down the salt pills. Etc etc. We traveled to Boulder two days before the race. Felt good. Drank a ton of h2o.

SWIM

Did a swim warmup. Felt awesome. Ready to roll.

However….

…the first 500 yrds where pretty difficult in that I felt like I couldn’t catch my breath. I was pretty irritated with that because I felt the body was great, but had to breast stroke a couple times to get things under control.

There was zero way that I was going to get that get to me. I knew that the breath would eventually chill if I could find a strong rythym that connected my breathe with my stroke. I had to change my mental chant to….

“You Are F’in Awesome”

So that did the trick. Got my pace together and got to work. Was racing down the homestretch chasing down color capped rabbits when some inspired swimmer decided she was going to grab my legs, almost pull my chip off and continue to flounder around all around me. So the next time she got on me she got a soccer elbow. That did the trick. 😉

Goal on the swim was 45. Got 49 something. I see masters swim in my future this winter.

BIKE

Traveled through transition. Maybe a bit slower…I like to reset my mind and get myself ready for some biking. At altitude. Uphill for the first 11 miles.

The bike was actually going really well. After a difficult-breathing swim I usually need some caffeine to hedge off exercise asthma. So I was chomping on some juicy chomps. Yum.

Funny thing about endurance races, the good (and bad times) ebb and flow.

So I drank on the bike well. I took salt like clockwork. But I couldn’t get enough calories down. I could barely get my drink mix down. Altitude? :-/

So in the back of my head I was thinking about the run and thinking “oh crap”, but I just couldn’t get anything solid down.

Managed to maintain my goal pace until about 45-50. Started to not feel all that great. Missed a turn briefly…And frankly, my back was pissed. I hadn’t had back issues for a long time and during this race my back was mad the entire ride. I was thinking “holy crap how am I going to run after this…”

RUN

Back to transition, did my normal reset, rinse my hair with a lot of water, and got myself ready for the run. Actually, I didn’t feel all that terrible. Ready to roll out.

They had changed the course. No, I didn’t really read the athlete guide. Or listen much at the briefing. I was making friends. 🙂 So I joined the run with all its going-ons really hoping my brain was functioning well and that I was in fact doing things right.

I’m notorious for my wrong turns.

So the first mile felt decent. On pace. I had a pretty aggressive plan, but hell, go big or go home right?!

Though I did have a plan b.

Well, pretty much immediately after mile 1 the heat hit me. The sun. A solar flare maybe…

The run felt like an INFERNO.

I guess the temp was…88 or something like that. HAWT!!! So we (me and all of my voices) momentarily paused plan a and moved to plan b, thinking we could get back to plan a (or plan a-ish). Well…

I was really “encouraging” myself to run station to station, which seemed to be every half mile. Kept thinking about that dream board and the goal I wanted. :-/

I liked the run course changes personally. More water the better. And not a lot “lonely” spots. The run was more like a trail run as the hard packed dirt had been recently TORE UP with an ATV or something. Anyway, it was very difficult to run station to station. Just didn’t feel like I was getting enough o2. I don’t run well in the heat. And here is where the “heart aspect” comes into play in a big way.

So plan a was out. Plan b…that’s what I was trying to get to when one of my voices said it would be a good idea to drink the red bull. Hahaha. Yes. I know. As a coach…Id say “heck no”. But I needed to do something different. I really wanted the second half of the run to be different. I said to myself “oh sh$t, how much worse can it get…” Hahahaha. A whole lot worse, I mean, who wants to finish with GI Distress all over you!

2nd loop did get better. Some Zach dude said to put the ice on the femoral arteries. Did that.

WHOOP!!

I got a bit faster. Kept drinking the naughty drink. Doing all the cooling strategies. Actually had to stop and use the facilities. Happy kidneys.

Sort of finished it on my terms. Not the PR that I wanted…

I did cross the finish line welcoming this new athlete that I am and saying goodbye to the old athlete.

Athlete, Running, Triathlon, Yoga

Athlete yoga 101: normal but undesirable: one hamstring is tighter than the other

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Hamstring imbalances, one side compared to the other, is very common and can be a source of a lot of issues for the athlete.

hamstring-2So lets be super general here. This is a BIG FAT TOPIC.

Let’s go with the imbalance as a matter of anatomy and habit. A lot of the times, one leg is dominate. One quad is dominant. Stronger. So the other leg, a bit weaker, etc. This creates imbalances that have affects with both hips/ball and socket joints. They come habit, how the hips function. This concept is generally why one hip hurts more than the other. One is “less centered” in the joint than the other.

For me personally, my right leg is dominant. As a soccer player for years, you can imagine the fascial patterns and muscle development. Not to mention the wear and tear…It wasn’t until I started seriously practicing yoga that I really became aware, aware of why and aware of what to do about it. Pretty soon found myself pain free. So off I go learning more. Now I know that I pronate more on one foot more than the other, which has affects along the kinetic chain.

Little things like driving in a car a lot. Sometimes your putting more pressure on one hamstring than the other. Due to how the seat is built. Or you’re sitting in the seat with bad posture.  Pressing the gas pedal with the same foot all the time has affects. Sitting on one leg habitually at work has an affect. You get the point.

Your physical habits have a big impact on our training.  Sometimes it isn’t the training, it’s the lazy habits, and the training brings up the affects in a BIG FAT WAY.  So is it your run form, or your desk form.  🙂

lateral-pelvic-tiltLet’s chat a second about the pelvis. Think of it as a bowl. It can tilt in four directions. It’s not a stable as everyone thinks. And can get “stuck” fascialy  speaking due to this and that. Moms, you know what I’m talking about. The heavy baby on one hip is classic. Heavy purses on one shoulder. So it’s not as “stable” as what we think.

Let’s put the “back” into this conversation. If you have one hamstring tighter than the other, generally speaking, the opposite side of your back will be tighter. And since I can resist, the opposite shoulder/neck of that (generally speaking) will be a troubled spot as well. BECAUSE ITS ALL CONNECTED. The back is trying to straighten things out.  As the picture above shows you, the pelvis can tilt laterally. The back will try and straighten it out. Which causes the shoulder/neck to go the opposite way.

So things get tight, and tighter and tighter. BOOM.

Disc issues. Spine issues. Inflammation. Herniations. Pain meds.

Loss of quality of life.

MOST FROM SOFT TISSUE IMBALANCES

Easy thing is ….
YOGA has the means to help you identify the issue.
Yoga has the means to help you address it in a smart way.

HOW FANTASTIC IS THAT!

Try this video out!

Education, Running, Triathlon, Yoga

Athlete and the Hamstring –> Yin Yoga gives you Relief

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Yin yoga can GREATLY benefit the athlete and tight hamstrings.

What’s YIN YOGA you might ask. Think of it like the really SLOW yoga. And then you say…”OH GOSH, yoga is boring enough as it is…”. Well, those that tend to run faster say that. But seriously, keep reading…

So YIN YOGA, you can nutshell it to, is holding poses longer. A lot longer. Yin Yoga is very COOLING yoga. Everything that the triathlete, runner, busy person does is very heating. “Do this.” “Do that.” “Check that off.” “Must get that done.” “Hit that pace.” “Do that hill workout.” All of this is very heating. Yes, for that workout moment, but also just in general, energetically, for the body, long term. And especially if you are the personality that has the tendencies to be the “Get it done.” mode more than not.

Yin Yoga is relaxing, calming and cooling. And it’s a great place to stretch parts that get chronically tight. Think about this…how many minutes or hours is the hamstring asked to work. Or whatever…to cause it to be tight. A LOT. So, just be mindful that you might need to invest a bit of time to help them stay longer. And consider this, due to the nature of the anatomy, slowness/caution/gentleness is a benefit. You really don’t want micro tears at the knee attachment points or the butt bones. Those stink!

So quick anatomy lesson. Surrounding and supporting the bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments is FASCIA. It holds you in place. So it must be stronger and hold things more. As a result, it stretches slower. So you must hold the stretch a bit longer (more gently). NO BOUNCING in stretching. Also, your brain sends muscles signals to help the muscles relax. Holding stretches longer helps enough signal get to the muscle, so it finally decides to relax and let go. If you are being too aggressive with stretching, thinking you need to “fix something”, then it really doesn’t work well. And you end up with micro tears in places. BE GENTLE. BE PATIENT. (I know, right!)

Here are the things to keep in mind when doing YIN YOGA.

Connect in with YOU
 
Help the position out, use props (pillows, blocks, etc)
This means, if you are doing the first video below, you can use a pillow to prop up your torso, relax of it.  The intent is to focus on the legs, not stress the back out.
Do not put up with pain
 
Try not to give up on the pose if you’ve done #1-3
 
Good time to practice the breathe
So if you get “bored”, focus on your breathing.  Count the inhales and exhales.
Be mindful of what the stretch feels like
“Watch” it move around as things loosen up
Athlete, Triathlon, Yoga

Easy Yoga Pose to help with Plantar Fasciitis and hamstring tightness

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Yoga is a great tool for preventing injuries.

As a sports lover, you know that injuries come with the territory. You know that injuries, whether caused by repetitive motion, imbalances in your biomechanics or both, can be painful, frustrating, and limiting.

Through a combination of active and passive stretching, yoga can be helpful to keep you injury-free.

One of the most common injuries for athletes is plantar fasciitis.To prevent plantar fasciitis, practice this yoga pose on days you train or workout. Perhaps at night before bed.

reclined-leg-pose-manReclined Leg Stretch

What it Does: Reclined Leg Stretch provides a safe stretch for the hamstrings and the tissue that runs along the back of the hip, thigh and calf, which tugs on the sole of the foot when it gets tight.

How to Practice: Lie on your back, legs together. Strongly extend through the heels.

Keep the left leg pressed on the ground as you bend the right knee to the chest. Place a strap around the arch of the right foot and hold the strap loosely in both hands.

Exhale and extend the right leg straight up. Walk your hands up the strap until the elbows are fully extended. Keep your neck relaxed and make sure you are not throwing your head back.

Lengthen the back of the leg between the buttock bone and heel. Try not to be overly enthusiastic about pulling your leg toward your chest. Instead, emphasize the grounding of your left leg as you draw your arms back into their sockets and lift your collarbones.

Hold for 30 seconds to one minute. Breathe evenly and then slowly release. Repeat on the left side.

Eating, Education, Triathlon

Athletes eat more CHIA SEEDS because they are awesome and benefit you greatly

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EVERYONE, especially athletes, would greatly benefit from adding chia seeds into their nutrition lifestyle

Yes, they are small and tiny. They are also an excellent source of all things good. They are a good alternative if one needs to stay away from certain foods. And they are easy to get. Personally I order mine off amazon. The grocery stores also do buy one get one sometimes. Great way to save copious amounts of $$. Here’s why you want to eat them!

Why CHIA SEEDS will rock your world:

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  • Benefit: Source of Omega-3 fatty acids. A 2-tablespoon serving of chia seeds contains 5 grams of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s reduce inflammation and improve cardiovascular health. This reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Reduced inflammation also correlates with fewer swollen joints and less morning stiffness for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Chia is a rich plant-source of this healthy oil. By weight, chia contains more Omega 3 than salmon, and it still tastes like whatever you want! Omega 3 oil is important in heart and cholesterol health. It’s also recently been targeted as a weight-loss helper. USA Weekend magazine also reports on a study where overweight dieters who included omega 3s in their eating plan lost 2 more pounds monthly than the control group, who did not.
  • Benefit: Source of antioxidants. Anti-oxidants have been in the news lately due to their super healthy benefits. You know that blueberries and several exotic fruits (that aren’t always in season) have them, but did you know that chia is extremely high in anti-oxidants too? These helpful substances are what makes the Chia Seed stayfresh for so long. At room temperature, they’ll stay fresh and ready to eat for over two whole years! And that’s all without a single chemical or preservative. This amazing ability is not found in other seeds like flax or sesame, because those seeds don’t have the same rich anti-oxidant content. Anti-oxidants help prevent free-radical damage in your body. Free radicals lead to problematic conditions such as premature aging of the skin and inflammation of various tissues. Fight free radical damage by staying fresh and healthy with nature’s anti-oxidant powerhouse.
  • Benefit: Source of fiber. One serving of chia seeds provides 7 grams of fiber, which improves digestion and also helps reduce cholesterol levels.
  • Benefit: Source of protein. One serving contains 4 grams of protein, which the body uses to repair and build cells. Adequate protein intake is essential for athletes to maintain proper muscle function and increase muscle size. Great addition to animal protein.
  • WHOLE FOOD NUTRITION – take a moment to consider that nature has provided us with sources of what we need. Perhaps rethink your primary method of getting nutrients. Perhaps the vitamins shouldn’t be our primary source of getting what we need.
  • Benefit: Source of Calcium. There are 205 milligrams of calcium in a serving of chia seeds. Calcium is an important component in bones and teeth, and it is used during muscle contractions, blood clotting and hormone secretion. Adequate calcium intake during all stages of life reduces the risk of developing osteoporosis during the later years. Great alternative source of calcium.
  • Benefit: Hydration. Chia seeds absorb 10 times their weight in water, and when they are soaked, they form a gel. Chia seed gel provides athletes with important nutrients along with water for hydration.
  • Benefit: Balance Blood Sugar. This information is important to everyone, not just the diabetic. Keeping balanced levels of blood sugar is important for both health and energy. Blood sugar may spike after meals, especially if you eat high-starchy foods or sweets. This can lead to ‘slumps’ in your day where you feel tired and out of energy. By balancing your blood sugar, you not only lower your risk for type 2 diabetes, but you also ensure steady, constant energy throughout your day. But how does the Chia Seed help with this? Both the gelling action of the seed, and it’s unique combination of soluble and insoluble fiber combine to slow down your body’s conversion of starches into sugars. If you eat chia with a meal, it will help you turn your food into constant, steady energy rather than a series of ups and downs that wear you out.

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Source:  mayoclinic.org

Athlete, Triathlon, Yoga

45 years old and alone in the attic…

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samuel-prokop2No no, it’s not what you think…

I actually have an awesome attic/man/pain cave! A cross between a fully-fledged modern gym and the entire 3rd floor (roughly 1200 sqft) of a 150+ years old Victorian New Orleans home which has never been finished…

On my DFB schedule for today my coach slipped in YOGA for the first time!

YOGA! What in the hell: I am a 45-year-old grumpy, old, French man…yeah, right…

Well after a 30 minutes session of yoga for runners from Coach Bonnie I am sold! I have been training pretty seriously now for about 5 weeks or so and I am now realizing that I totally needed the stretch. It’s really eye opening for me! I feel relaxed and something tells me I am going to sleep better tonight.
Samuel-prokop-1

So Namasté my fellow athletes!

~ Samuel Prokop

Athlete, Running, Triathlon, Yoga

Athlete Yoga Education Video – Triangle Pose

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triangleThe yoga pose “triangle” is an excellent way for athletes to bring a synergistic balance of stretch and strength to the whole body.

Also called Trikonasana.  Athletes/runners, this is one of your “go-to” poses.

Here is a video for Triangle. Enjoy. It’s a short one. 8min.  😉

What Athletes and runners need to know about Triangle Pose:

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  • Benefit: Stretches the hamstrings.
    This is a wonderful pose to 1) find out if one hamstring is tighter than the other. Which causes a whole lot of issues and 2) gives you a way to address it. Also, you can spend some time with this pose to might small adjustments to find the different parts of the ham, which might have one tight part vs another.
  • Benefit: Strengthens the glutes.
    When done “correctly” or in the idea of alignment, you can learn to fire your hip rotators in a healthier way. As well as learn if one glute is weaker than the other. Which will probably be the case, especially if the first bullet about the hams is true.
  • Benefit: Stretches the back.
    There are parts of the back that are hard to stretch. This pose gets to some of that. Especially if you ratchet it down a bit and practice on a wall. This is really a lovely way to study this pose. Getting your hand to the floor is not the goal. Balance of the body, in relation to itself is the goal. So if you aren’t touching the floor, your spine isn’t parallel to the floor (which it probably won’t be and thats a-ok”, your hand reaches up in relation to alignment with your heart. Not the ceiling. Develop this idea and your shoulders will thank you.
  • Benefit: A really DARN GOOD POSE.
    This pose does a ton of stuff. More later on it. Just take my word for it. You can look forward to practicing this one for a long time because there are a lot of this to learn from this pose. And of course, the running, biking and swimming…this is a therapeutic pose. So when you jack something up, this is one you pull out of your bag.

    TRIANGLE – a pose that can be studied by the yoga student for years and has benefits that last a lifetime.

  • Benefit: Can help to strengthen the “flat foot”.
    This is a great pose, once again on the wall, to help with strengthening feet that like to collapse in the arches. Most of the time this is just de-conditioning of the feet. Maybe a lifetime of it. Generally you can strengthen the foot to have a stronger arch. This can be a long process but well worth it considering the function of the arch, as a shock absorber as well as help you have better running form, more natural and flowing.

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Athlete, Education, Triathlon, Yoga

Yoga Athlete Runner Education Video – Warrior 2 and Strong Legs

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warrior-2-bhanda-2The yoga pose “warrior 2” is an excellent way for athletes to bring a synergistic balance of stretch and strength to the whole body.

Also called Virabhadrasana II in your more “refined” yoga classes. hahaha. Just joking, sort. of. Thanks for the picture: Daily Bandha

Here is a video for Warrior 2. Enjoy. It’s a short one. 6min.  😉

What Athletes and runners need to know about WARRIOR 2:

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  • Benefit: Strengthens and stretches the legs and ankles.
    This pose done well takes a lot of effort in the legs. If you find yourself bored with this pose, you’re not working hard enough.
  • Benefit: stretches the groins, chest and lungs, shoulders.
    When you build this pose from the feet up and engage all muscles, keeping the pelvic bowl upright, neutral (which requires a lot of length in the back leg groin area) you find a nice organic stretch. Then to add a tall spine with the chest, shoulders and arms lifting up, from the action of the lower part of the body and back…this is where the elusive opening comes from. This is exceptional work for the athlete, who most of the time, is very tight and tense in this area.
  • Benefit: Increases stamina, builds mental toughness.
    If you doubt me, attempt to stay in this pose for awhile. Like minutes. Get back with me if you have more doubts. 😉 No, seriously, this pose, once you can stay in it for minutes, you develop this equilibrium in the body, where your muscles are holding your body as a whole, a well balance whole, in equilibrium and you discover that once your mind gets out of the way, your bones are holding you up. It’s almost becomes effortless. Though I will throw out the disclaimer that this might take years of dedicated yoga practice.
  • Benefit: Stimulates internal organs.
    If this sounds weird to you, think about Grey’s Anatomy when they say do cardiac massage. When you stretch, twist and strength muscles, the organs get a squeeze and other stimuli, which increases blood flow, etc etc. Not silly talk, just science.

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Warrior 2 – a pose that can be studied by the yoga student for years and has benefits that last a lifetime.

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  • Benefit: Therapeutic for carpal tunnel syndrome, flat feet, infertility, osteoporosis, and sciatica.
    This might sound too good to be true. But if you think about all that this pose does, these are the outward benefits of your body being healthier, stronger, and more in balance. The stretch of the hands, kinetic awareness and stretch of the arms/wrists/hands as a whole helps with the openness of carpal tunnel. Watch the video, I talk A LOT about the feet. Flat feet is something that can be fixed in most cases. With awareness and patience. Weight bearing exercises are proven to help with osteoporosis. And then add on happy hips. BOOM! Addressing sciatica, getting it to be a thing of the past is just a matter of a well balanced hip. Strength and length in balance, which this pose can help you to develop.

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Athlete, Running, Triathlon, Yoga

Yoga for running – stretching tight hamstrings

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hamstring-forward-bend

The yoga pose “forward bend” is an excellent way for athletes to stretch their hamstrings

This is an excellent visual on the goings-on of the standing forward bend.  This pose is awesome for becoming friends with your hamstring.  Most athletes probably HATE this pose.  Those that practice yoga laugh, when we say we “hate” a pose, that’s usually the pose that we need to practice more than anything.

Doing this pose with some thoughts in mind, listed below, will help you to gain big benefits that will have a great impact on your running, as well as feeling better before and after running.  I’m mean really, who would love to have a back that doesn’t hurt?

Thanks for the picture, Daily Bandha.

What Athletes and runners need to know about forward bending:

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  • Hinging at the hips is important.
    What this means for the runners; most likely the runner has either one or two tight hamstrings is that you MUST be patient at this stretch. If you are only bent at the hips a little bit, that’s ok. Practicing forward bending with a flat back. This helps you to focus on stretching the hamstrings and not involving the back too much.
  • Understand that the hamstrings are connected to the back.
    You have two hamstrings that are separate and can be different in length. So what are we talking about here? Tight hamstrings can cause the pelvis to tilt backward, which causes the lumbar spine to flatten out. And it really doesn’t like to be flattened out. The lumbar spine is designed to be curved (lordosis). To compensate, the back muscles and maybe the psoasis (etc) work (excessively) to correct the imbalance. You get this tug of war with the athlete ending up with a very sore and cranky back. Then add that one hamstring might be more tight than the other, which causes a side lilt in the pelvis as well. This results in the athlete having one side of the back more angry than the other. This imbalance continues up through the back and can cause shoulder and neck issues as well.
  • Do not get aggressive with forward bending.
    The hamstrings need to be treated like babies. They work alot. They probably have been neglected and expected to work a lot for little pay. If you stand a lot, they are constantly engaged. If you sit a lot, they get short and angry. So when you are working with the hamstrings and back in forward bending, always go slower, be more mindful. Ensure that when you are stretching the hamstrings, that you feel the stretch in the belly of the muscle, NOT in the back of the knee or at the sit bones.
  • Use a block.
    If you are working on lengthening the hamstrings and you are doing a standing forward bend, use the block. Some athletes are resistant to using the block because they feel like it’s an indication that they can’t do it “right”. Using the block can be necessary to get a good connection with whats going on in the hamstring and the back. If you do this, you will stretch better. If you stretch better, you will have a greater chance of the hamstrings becoming longer and staying that way. If you do that, you will have a greater chance of getting to not needing a block faster. So…use the block! Also, there is this interesting thing that happens if you use the block: Having your hand on the block, mildly engaging the upper body, feeling a bit of push off from the block helps you to engage the entire back fascia chain. This means that kinetically you get smarter, experience a more whole body response. And that feels AWESOME.

    Let’s be clear. In yoga, “not right” is whatever hurts your body. For the runners, you want your yoga practice to help you race, be strong and stay in the game.

  • Forward bending engages the parasympathetic nervous system.
    This calls you down. Turns off your body’s stress response. Most of us, the runners, are very driven and perhaps prone to “running at high speed” all the time. In the gym or at the office. Forward bending can be very nurturing for the body. If you allow yourself to slow down for a bit, and during your yoga practice don’t skip the boring and slow stuff, you allow your body to recharge, rest and recovery.

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Here is a video for hamstrings. Enjoy.

Athlete, Triathlon, Yoga

Yoga for Athletes – Side Plank

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side-plankSide Plank is an excellent way for athletes to build strength

This is an excellent visual on the goings-on of side plank. For those that are interested, the yoga name is Vasisthasana.

I’ve recorded a video for you on the in’s and out’s of this wonderful pose.

Athletes check out the plethora of benefits:

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  • Great for developing/maintaining shoulder strength for the athletes. Or rehabbing an athletes injured shoulder. When done with proper instruction, the athletes can learn to activate and stabilize the shoulder girdle in a very strong and positive way. Working to external rotate as well as internally rotating the forearm which is on the mat, helps to “co-activates” the infraspinatus and teres minor (external rotation) and the subscapularis (internal rotation) muscles of your rotator cuff.
  • Good place to work to develop core strength, and to learn how to put the entire kinetic chain together. Foot to trap. By pressing the edge of your lower foot/side of the foot into the mat, and then gently draw it upwards towards the shin to “evert” the foot activates a series of muscles-including the “lateral subsystem”, which connects yours shoulders and legs to your core. When you press the side of your foot into the mat, you activate the peroneus muscles as well as the abductor muscles up at your hip (the TFL and gluteus medius). These muscles have a fascial connection to your abs, specifically the external oblique (which attaches to the rim of the pelvis). The external oblique connects to your shoulders via the serratus anterior muscle. The serratus anterior is a scapular stabilizer that works in concert with the rotator cuff. So the whole operation helps to integrate your feet, legs, pelvis and lumbar–all the way up to the shoulders.
  • Will slim down the athletes waist. 🙂
  • Can give the wrists a much needed rest if you are an athlete new to yoga.
  • Can help athletes to identify imbalances in the core/shoulders one side to the next. And also provides you with the pose to work on to even things out. This will benefit the athlete in a really big way in the pool especially, but in general as well.

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Thanks for the picture, Daily Bandha.

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