belly wisdom
Wisdom is knowledge applied. If we have knowledge and strength but we don't apply it, we've missed the wisdom. Many of us have strong bellies from doing crunches and leg ups, but we lack the awareness of how to apply this strength to its maximum benefit. Applied intelligently, belly strength will protect the low back, increase poise, balance, agility and graceful movement. This article teaches you how to apply abdominal strength and awareness in your yoga poses and daily activities. When we get really good at keeping the belly active as we move, crunches are not so necessary. It’s as if we are doing gentle invisible sit-ups all the time!
We all have what I call the 'slinky zone'; the area between the navel and pubic bone. It tends to dump forward and down, either from weak abdominals, or tight thigh muscles, or both. We 'spill energy' out the belly tilting the pelvis forward and creating compression in the low back. Not only does this compress the lumbar spine, it throws us off balance tilting our weight too far forward. This causes our back muscles to constantly contract to pull us back and we end up with chronic fatigue and a sore back. To balance away from this unconscious tendency, we learn to lift the pit of the abdomen and pull it back. Try it now. Sit up tall, press your thighbones into your chair. Now pull the pit of your belly back then up, up, up. Do you feel taller? Stronger? Lighter?
It helps immensely to think of the back body counter part to this front body toning. I'm speaking of the tailbone, that small pointy bone at the very base of the spine. If we hook that tailbone into the body the low abdomen tones and lifts. Try it, right now. Think of two small hands, one on your low abdomen the other on the base of your spine, pressing in and up. With belly strength applied this way you should feel the wisdom of lightness and length through the low back. You can practice this all day no matter where you are. It can be your secret therapy. You can be in an important meeting listening intently and no one will know you are toning your low abdomen!
A tendency to be aware of is squeezing the butt to tuck the tailbone. This is not good. Squeezing the butt compresses the side of the sacrum (low back) and pushes the top of the thighbones forward and out of socket. When we apply belly wisdom by scooping the tailbone into the body, it is a deep and subtle action that does not press the hips forward. It simply tones and lifts the pit of the abdomen.
That said; let's go on to applying this knowledge in some common poses such as 'standing in line' pose and 'sitting at the desk pose'. Again, if we can apply this action in our day to day, it becomes our natural way of being and we can call it wisdom.
Standing - Stand with legs strong. Press your thighbones back by toning your thigh muscles. Keeping your buttocks flesh soft, stretch the tip of your tailbone down and in as you pull the pit of your belly up and back. Think of the muscle contractions of coughing. In fact, take a fake cough and feel these muscles. Keep them toned and use them to pull upward as your tailbone stretches downward. Keeping the tailbone rooting downward, take a big inhale and stretch your side ribs up away from your hip. You'll feel a delicious yawning sensation in the low back as it lengthens. Keep this length as you exhale. Play with these actions as you stand in line at the bank or grocery store. You're getting so wise!
Sitting - We tend to sit back all the time letting your low back round. Whether you are driving or at the desk, periodically lean forward, push your thighbones down and stretch up with your rib cage. Then tone your slinky zone, scoop your tailbone and from that strong center, press your thighbones down more and stretch your ribcage up even higher. This is therapy. This is wisdom.
Now for you yogis, let's look at belly wisdom in the postures. I want you to think of your ASIS points. I call them the front points of the hips, the two bony protrusions at the top of your pelvis. Touch them now so you know what we're talking about. Lifting the pit of your abdomen and scooping your tailbone moves these points up and back. Can you feel that? We want to find this action in every pose. Not only does it stabilize the pose and protect the low back, it keeps the belly from 'stealing the stretch'.
What does that mean? Well, because the slinky zone (between the ribs and hips) is so flexible, when we try to stretch the tighter areas around it such as the thighs, groins, or upper chest, if we don't make the belly steady first, the effort leaks out the belly. You can get a sense of this by pressing the whole front of the torso forward and noticing the belly moves easily, but the upper chest does not. If you firm your belly then focus the effort in the upper chest moving it forward then up, you get a much deeper and effective stretch. We see the same with the groins and thighs. Your thigh muscles originate from the ASIS points and insert below the knees. Moving these two points apart is what stretches the muscle. If we try to stretch the thighs without a firm belly, the belly will dump forward to compensate for the tightness and the groin and thigh do not get the maximum stretch. Conversely if we pull those two points up away from the knees, using belly wisdom, we move the stretch where we really need it. In addition, we tone the belly while we stretch the thigh and groin. To really understand this, stand up and take lunge position.
Step your right foot back into a high lunge (back knee lifted). Come up with hands on hips and place your fingertips on your ASIS points. Bend your back leg slightly and use your belly wisdom to pull your ASIS points up and back. Keep the belly firm and lifted as you slowly straighten your back leg. Can you feel the stretch move deeper into the right groin? If you let go of the belly can you feel the stretch diminish? Understanding this relationship is wisdom.
Think of it this way: If we keep the core strong as a foundation, we can extend the opening down into the thighs and up into the heart where we really need it. In all your poses, apply the lift of the pit of the abdomen and scoop of the tailbone. Not only will your belly come alive and get toned, but your practice will advance to whole new level.
Jennifer Lynn, Maui Hawaii
www.YogawithJenniferLynn.com
Copyright 2007 © Yoga with Jennifer Lynn
