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Want to find a new sense of balance and freedom in your practice? Learn how to skillfully stretch and strengthen the mysterious psoas muscle.
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Most yoga students are aware that the psoas is a central player in asana, even if the muscles deeper function and
design seem a mystery. A primary connector between the torso and the leg, the psoas is also an important muscle
off the mat: it affects posture, helps stabilize the spine, and, if its out of balance, can be a significant contributor to
low back and pelvic pain. The way that we use the psoas in our yoga practice can either help keep it healthy,
strong, and flexible, or, conversely, can perpetuate harmful imbalances.
The psoas is a deep-seated core muscle connecting the lumbar vertebrae to the femur.
The psoas major is the biggest and strongest player in a group of muscles called the hip flexors: together they
contract to pull the thigh and the torso toward each other. The hip flexors can become short and tight if you spend
most of your waking hours sitting, or if you repeatedly work them in activities like sit-ups, bicycling, and certain
weight-training exercises.
A tight psoas can cause serious postural problems: when you stand up, it pulls the low back vertebrae forward and
down toward the femur, often resulting in lordosis (overarching in the lumbar spine), which is a common cause of
low back pain and stiffness; it can also contribute to arthritis in the lumbar facet joints. On the other hand, a weak
and overstretched psoas can contribute to a common postural problem in which the pelvis is pushed forward of the
chest and knees. This misalignment is characterized by tight hamstrings pulling down on the sitting bones, a
vertical sacrum (instead of its usual gentle forward tilt), and a flattened lumbar spine. Without its normal curve, the
low back is weakened and vulnerable to injury, especially at the intervertebral discs.
The way that we use the psoas in our yoga practice can either help keep it healthy, strong, and flexible, or, conversely, can perpetuate harmful
imbalances.
To help you create balance in the psoas and keep your low back healthy, it is important to first understand the
anatomy. Then youll see why the psoas is integral to asanas as diverse as navasana (boat pose) and setu bandha
sarvangasana (bridge pose), and how to engage and stretch this massive muscle for optimal benefit.
How to Find the Psoas
Although the psoas is one of the most important muscles in yoga poses, it is also one of the most misunderstood.
Many students and even teachers have only a vague idea of where it is located. The psoas originates from the
lumbar vertebrae and forms a strip of muscle almost as big as a wrist along each side of the spine. Looking at the
front of the body, youd have to remove the intestines and other digestive organs, as well as the female
reproductive organs, to be able to see the muscle in the very back of the abdomen. It proceeds down and forward,
crossing the outer edge of each pubis, then moves back again to attach on a bony prominence of the inner upper
posterior femur (thigh bone) called the lesser trochanter.
The psoas affects our posture and helps stabilize the spine. If its out of balance, it can be a significant contributor to low back and pelvic pain.
Along the way, the psoas picks up its synergist, the iliacus, which originates on the inner bowl of the pelvis (or the
ilium) and joins the psoas on its path downward to attach to the femur. The two muscles work so closely together
that theyre usually referred to as one, the iliopsoas. The other hip flexors include the sartorius, the tensor fascia
lata, the rectus femoris, the pectineus, and the adductor brevis. Besides flexion, these muscles might also
contribute to the internal or external rotation of the hip. This action is important for yoga practitioners to
understand because the psoas may try to externally rotate the hip in poses where we dont want external rotation,
such as backbends or forward bends.
Now that you have a picture of the psoas in your mind, lets see if you can feel it contracting. When the psoas
contracts, it will pull the femur and the spine closer together (hip flexion). If you are lying on your back, contracting
the right psoas will help lift your right leg off the floor as in supta padangusthasana, or reclining big toe pose. If the
back of your leg is flexible, you may be able to bring it toward your torso past perpendicular, but the psoas stops
contracting at about 90 degrees, when the leg is vertical. At that point, gravity is no longer pulling the leg back
toward the floor, so the hip flexors can relax. On the other hand, if the back of your leg is tight and you cant bring
your leg to the 90-degree point, the psoas contracts the entire time you hold your leg up, even if you have a strap
wrapped around your foot. By definition, this is an isometric contraction: the muscle is working, but not changing
length. Anytime youre holding a body part against the pull of gravity, its an isometric contraction.
Navasana
Navasana is another yoga pose that strengthens the psoas isometrically. You can feel the basic action of the psoas
in navasana while sitting on a chair. Sit tall on the front edge of the chair, with your arms stretched out in front of
you, parallel to the floor. Then lean toward the back of the chair without touching it, while keeping your chest lifted.
As soon as your body inclines backward past vertical, gravity is trying to pull your torso down toward the earth, and
the psoas contracts to hold you cantilevered.
To apply this action in navasana, move to the floor and sit tall (up on your sitting bones, not rolled back on your
tailbone) with your knees bent and feet flat. Wrap your fingers lightly around the tops of your shins and give a little
pull to help lift your chest, then lean back until your elbows are straight. Let go of your shins, keeping your arms
parallel to the floor, feet on the floor, and chest lifted. While this is a mild beginners version of navasana, youll be
doing some nice isometric strengthening of the psoas as well as of your back and abdominal muscles.
If youd like to move into the full pose, tip your torso back a little farther, lift your feet off the floor, and find your
balance. Even with your knees still bent, the psoas has to work harder, as its now holding up the weight of your
torso plus the weight of your legs against gravitys pull. You can stay here for several breaths, or go ahead and
challenge the muscle even more by straightening your knees. In the full expression of navasana, the psoas acts like
a guy-wire between your spine and the thighs to hold the beautiful V shape of the pose. This is a challenging pose,
working not only the psoas, but also the abdominals, the back muscles, and the quadriceps; if you are a beginner,
try working regularly on the preparatory steps to gradually build strength for the full variation.
youll be able to lengthen it most effectively by stretching one side at a time in poses such as anjaneyasana (lunge
pose) and virabhadrasana I (warrior pose I), where the hip of the back leg is in extension.
Virabhadrasana I
A good way to isolate the psoas stretch, whether youre a beginner or an experienced practitioner, is to practice
virabhadrasana I in a doorway. Find an open doorway (or a pillar) and step up close so that the right side of your
body is just behind the door jamb. Step your left leg through the doorway, and place your right foot two to three
feet behind you, with that back heel off the floor. Stretch your arms overhead and rest your hands on the wall. Bend
both knees slightly, and align your pubic bones, navel, and breastbone with the door frame.
The whole key to stretching the psoas is in the tilting of the pelvis. Remember, a tight psoas tries to tilt the pelvis
anteriorly (pulling the spine and top of the pelvis forward and down), so you must tilt the pelvis posteriorly to
stretch the hip flexors. The door can help you achieve this action: simply move your pubic bones toward the door
jamb, your upper pelvis and navel back away from the jamb, and draw your breastbone toward the jamb. These
actions help you tilt the pelvis posteriorly, move the lumbar spine toward the back of the body (instead of letting
the tight psoas pull it forward and down), and lift the rib cage vertically up out of the low back. Altogether, youll be
lengthening the psoas and relieving compression and discomfort in the low back.
When youre ready to deepen the stretch, straighten the back knee fully (let the back heel stay off the floor,
especially if youre a beginner or have knee or low back problems), and gradually bend the front knee more. If
youre not getting a deep stretch on the front of the right hip, redouble your efforts to bring the pubic bones toward
the wall, and the navel away, and bend the front knee more. Hold the pose for a minute or more, keeping your
breathing slow and steady to help the muscle relax into a deep stretch. Then repeat on the other side.
Now that youve stretched your psoas, youre ready to work on backbending poses, which require full extension in
both hips. In setu bandha sarvangasana, for instance, tight and short psoas muscles will tilt the pelvis anteriorly as
you lift your pelvis off the floor, causing sharp compression in the lower lumbar vertebrae. So its important to
prepare your body for backbending by first stretching the hip flexors, especially if you lead a sedentary lifestyle.
When youre ready to work on bridge pose, lie on your back with the knees bent and the feet flat on the floor, hipwidth apart, heels pulled in close to your sitting bones. Place a block between your feet, grounding down through
the big toe and inner heel, and squeeze a second block between your knees. The blocks ensure that your thighs
remain parallel throughout the pose to prevent the psoas muscles from externally rotating the hips while extending
them, which can contribute to low back compression and knee pain.
By incorporating poses that strengthen and lengthen the psoas, you can release habitual muscle-holding patterns, improve your low-back
alignment, and create a more balanced posture.
When you begin to lift your pelvis off the floor, lift your tail-bone first. This simple action sets the pelvis into a
posterior tilt, and, if your hip flexors are lengthened enough, helps you keep space in your low back. As you
continue to roll up into bridge pose, press your pubic bones up into the skin of your lower abdomen. Hold the pose
for 20 to 30 seconds. Repeat the pose two more times; as the hip flexors lengthen, you may find that you can go
deeper and lift higher.
A well-balanced asana practice helps keep your muscles strong enough to do their job and flexible enough to allow
full range of motion of associated joints. By incorporating poses that both strengthen and lengthen the psoas, you
can release habitual muscle-holding patterns, improve your low-back alignment, and create a more balanced and
spacious posture.
Remember a morning when curling up into a ball and pulling the covers over your head seemed the only reasonable response to the upcoming day? Contraction into the fetal
position may seem like one of the less debilitating responses to stress, but its rarely an optionat least not one with a satisfactory result.
Nevertheless, part of the stress response hardwired into our nervous system is the contraction of the major flexors of the torsosomewhat like the response of a caterpillar if you
poke it with a twig. A verbal jab from a co-worker, the close call on the freeway, a long-standing argument with your spouse, free-floating anxietyall of these elicit a contraction
in the flexors. This is the tightening in the gut, the hunching of the shoulders, the sinking of the heart. As with all responses to stress, the problem is that the response becomes
habitual, resulting in chronic tension and contraction, which we then experience as our normal state. Our yoga practice is an opportunity to undo this chronic tension, and
establish a deep and abiding sense of harmony in the body and mind.
The psoas (so-as), an important flexor with an exotic name, is particularly sensitive to emotional states. It runs from the thigh bone through the length of the belly and is the
major flexor of the hipits the psoas that lifts the thigh as you walk. It also acts in conjunction with the spinal muscles to support the lumbar spine. The psoas is a paired muscle,
originating on the lowest thoracic vertebra and each of the five lumbar vertebrae of the lower back, and extending down through the pelvis to attach on the inside of the upper
femur. It crosses three major jointsthe hip socket, the joint between the lumbar spine and the sacrum (L5-S1), and the sacroiliac joint (SI joint between the sacrum and the
pelvis). So its easy to see that if the psoas is not healthy and strong, there are major repercussions throughout the body.
With a healthy psoas the weight is borne through the bones, and walking is initiated at the solar plexus instead of the knee or hip joint.
Chronic contraction of the psoas, whether from stress or repetitive activity, limits range of movement in the hip sockets, with the frequent result of strain in the lumbar spine and
the knees. When tension in the psoas is asymmetrical, that is, one side is more contracted than the other, the resulting tilt of the pelvis effectively shortens one leg relative to the
other, and causes compensation up the spine into the neck as the head tries to stay level. Tension also shortens the trunk and reduces room for the viscera, so the organs dont
work as efficiently. On top of that, when the pelvis, spine, and legs are misaligned, the weight of the torso is no longer carried easily through the bones, stability is compromised,
and the psoas ends up trying to stabilize the pelvis rather than moving freely in its hip-flexing function. With a healthy psoas the weight is borne through the bones, and walking is
Through its attachments to the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, the psoas affects a number of other important muscles, including the diaphragm, the trapezius, and the quadratus
lumborum, which also attach on these vertebrae. Through these muscles, tension in the psoas has the potential to seriously compromise structural integrity and physiological
functioning throughout the upper torso as well as the pelvis and abdomen. If the upper segment of the psoas is tight and constricted, the lumbar spine hyperextends, the chest
collapses, the lower ribs thrust forward, and breathing patterns are affected. Many problems in stability and alignment in asanas, lower back discomfort or injury, integration
between the pelvis and the chest, meditation sitting postures, and dysfunctional breathing patterns are directly related to tension in the psoas.
Hopefully by now youre realizing that strengthening and/or stretching alone may not result in a healthy psoas. Repetitions of leglifts, sit-ups, weightlifting, even standing
postures, when done mechanically, may only reinforce existing patterns and do little to restore a healthy resting length for the psoas. In fact, improper training may increase the
tension, restricting blood flow and increasing rather than reducing the overall stress level. For that reason the systematic relaxation practiceand I do mean practice, regular daily
practice whether you think you need it or notcan help with alignment, physiological functioning, and the host of evils we have touched on in the preceding discussion. A few
simple stretches done with the intention to gently release the grip of these flexors and open up the breath will go a long way to restoring balance and comfort to all your postures.
For psoas problems, modify the basic corpse pose relaxation to encourage relaxation of the psoas itself as well as to induce an overall state of deep stillness and calm. If the
psoas is shortened, it will tug on the lumbar spine when you lie flat, arching the back off the floor and straining the lower back. You can take the pull off the lumbar spine by
supporting the back of the knees so the weight of the legs doesnt pull on the spine. Roll a blanket or use a bolster under the knees to support the thighs and release the tug on
the spine. Another option is to bend the knees, place the feet on the floor to the outside of the pelvis, and rest the knees against each other.
In both cases the angle between the thighbone and the lumbar spine is lessened, allowing the lumbar spine, sacrum, and pelvis to drop into the floor, and freeing the breath.
Support the back of the neck and head and let the whole body rest on the floor. Make sure youre warm (cover up if necessary) and arrange to be uninterrupted for at least 10 to
15 minutes.
Close your eyes, still the body, and turn your awareness to the breath. Allow the breath to flow effortlessly, smoothly, and evenly. Then move your awareness systematically
through the body, starting from the head and moving to the feet and back up again.
Wind-Relieving Pose
Lie on your back, bend your knees, and place your feet on the floor near the pelvis. Then bring your attention to the back of the pelvis and settle deeply into the floor. Now draw
one knee toward your torso with your hands. Breathe into your hip joint, and keep the pelvis stable. Soften the back of the pelvis into the floor.
Then slowly stretch the opposite leg out, sliding the foot out, extending the knee, but keeping the pelvis right where it is. Dont allow the lower back to arch any further from the
floor. By stabilizing the pelvis, extending the leg will lengthen the psoas. If you allow the pelvis to tilt, the psoas doesnt lengthen or release, but pulls the lumbar spine forward,
arching the lower back. Keep the pelvis in place by drawing the bent leg toward the abdomen.
Reduce overall tension levels; soften your face, jaw, eyes, root of the tongue, shoulders, upper back, belly, pelvic floor, and hip joints. Then focus on your breathnotice the
breath dropping deeper into the body and becoming slow and smooth as internal tension releases. Stay for at least 2 to 3 minutes. Then release the bent leg to the floor and
Lunge Pose
Like the wind-relieving pose, this pose fixes one leg to stabilize the pelvis as you lengthen the psoas on the other side by stretching the leg. This is a more active and aggressive
stretch than the wind-reliever. There are many variations on this pose. Try the variations here, but choose others if they are too hard, and work for a feeling of softening and
release.
Start on your hands and knees. Step your foot up between the hands so your knee is directly over your ankle, and the thigh and shin are at right angles. Turn your back toes under
and slide your back knee back to draw the thigh out of the pelvis. Then turn the top of the foot to the floor and lengthen the whole leg out of the pelvis.
Soften the front of the leg across the hip joint and all the way up the inner belly, dropping your sit bones and tailbone toward the floor. Breathe into the pelvic floor between the
Now turn the back toes under again and press the heel toward the wall behind you, straightening the knee off the floor, but without lifting the pelvis even an inch higher than it
was with the knee down. Feel the thighbone surrounded by a supportive sheath of muscle, which gently draws it out of the pelvis.
To stabilize the pelvis, move the sacrum down and forward between the legs and press the front foot strongly into the floor. The whole spine stays long. Soften your face, jaw,
eyes, and lengthen the back of the neck. Press the crown of the head forward as you draw the heel back so the body lengthens on the front side as well as the back side.
Hold for a comfortable length of time, continuing to deepen your awareness. Then bend the knee to the floor, flatten the top of the foot on the floor, and move the sacrum a little
further forward.
To release the upper part of the psoas, engage the abdominal muscles to stack the torso over the pelvis, and press your hands onto the thighs as you draw the shoulders down
away from the ears. Reach the sit bones down toward the floor and keep the lumbar spine long.
Then inhale and stretch the arms to the front and up alongside the face, without changing the orientation of the pelvis or spine. Stretch the arms out of the solar plexus and the
belly. Take the sternum up and back, the pelvis down, and elongate the abdomen. Exhale the arms down. Repeat 3 to 4 times, holding for four breaths on the last repetition.
Finally, bring the hands back down alongside the foot. Shift your pelvis side to side, exploring your range of movement in any way that feels good. Then step your foot back and
sit back on your heels in childs pose, breathing into the belly and hip joints for a minute or two. Then repeat the whole sequence on the other side.
In all your cross-legged sitting postures, the hip sockets must be higher than the knee joint, even if only a fraction of an inch. Otherwise the psoas, along with the iliacus, which
inserts with a common tendon on the femur, works too hard to keep the lumbar spine from collapsing as you sit up straight. That means you need to prop the base of the torso so
the weight of the femurs falls away from the pelvis. Keep the joints open, the inner thighs and lower belly receptive, and your posture effortlessly upright and alert. Then the
nervous system can find the state of deep relaxation and simultaneous alertness that characterizes inner stability in body, breath, and mind.
The internal awareness that develops through yoga is the most important tool for learning to release the psoas. And releasing the
psoas will bring new freedom, ease, and structural integrity to your yoga practice.
It can be difficult at first to access the subtle sensations of the psoas. Buried in the body, engaged in habitual patterns of holding
(especially when youre sitting or standing), and deeply linked to your emotions, the psoas is best approached with quiet attention,
patience, and perseverance. Awareness is the first key. Like a flashlight that illuminates the contents of a dark closet, you can use
your attention to clarify and define each sensation in your core.
Constructive Rest Position
Rather than trying to instantly correct all the imbalances and habitual compensations youve developed throughout your life, well
begin by simply releasing the psoas in a posture called constructive rest position. In this pose, you dont need to perform any
muscular action to release the psoas. Gravity will do the work.
To take constructive rest position, lie on your back, bend your knees to about 90 degrees, and place your feet on the floor in line with
your hip sockets, 12 to 16 inches from your buttocks. Be careful not to flatten or exaggerate the curves in either your lumbar (lower
back) or cervical (neck) spine. Rest your hands and forearms on your rib cage, on your pelvis, or by bringing them to the floor as in
Savasana.
Now that youre in position, shift your awareness to the support of your bones. Begin by sensing the weight of your bones sinking
down toward the floor. Take note of any part of your skeleton that feels as though it is suspended, any place where the muscular
contraction prevents the bones from surrendering to the pull of gravity. As your psoas continues to release, the distribution of weight
will start to feel increasingly even throughout your body.
Active Supine Stretch
Once youve begun to understand the skeletal position and internal sensations that accompany releasing the psoas, you can move
on to more actively lengthening the muscle. Starting from constructive rest position and keeping both knees bent, bring your right
upper thigh toward your chest. Gently hug your right leg toward your trunk.
Be very careful not to curl your pelvis up off the floor as you move your right leg; the pelvis should remain aligned with the trunk.
Sensing into your flexed right hip and softening in the hip socket will help free the right thighbone.
Youre now ready to stretch your left psoas. Very slowly walk the left foot farther away from the hips. As the leg extends, keep your
awareness on the front of the left hip socket, releasing any psoas tension you notice there. Once you begin to sense the psoas
lengthening, follow the sensation all the way up the muscle to its attachment at the 12th thoracic vertebra, located behind the center
of your solar plexus.
To amplify the stretch, push your right leg against your right arm as though you were gently kicking up toward the sky. At the same
time, resist the push of the leg with your clasped arms. After a few moments, change sides. Dont continue this pose if you
experience pain or tension in your lower back. Instead, immediately go back to constructive rest position and relax, allowing gravity
to release your psoas again.
Standing Release
Maintaining a released psoas can be challenging in standing postures. Biomechanically, standing on two legs is a very complex
task, and many of us have developed habitualbut less than optimalpatterns of muscular contraction to help keep us upright.
Fortunately, theres an excellent exercise that allows you to discover what it feels like to relax your psoas while standing. Take a
block or thick book and place it 12 to 16 inches away from a wall. Stand on the block or book with your left foot, supporting and
balancing yourself with your right hand on the wall. Let your right leg and foot hang completely released. Gently swing this leg back
and forth like a pendulum, taking care not to let the trunk bend or twist as your leg swings. (If your pelvis is torquing, youre going
beyond the released range of motion of your psoas.) See if you can sense the pendulum movement deep within your torso; it should
begin at the very top of your psoas at your 12th thoracic vertebra, behind your solar plexus.
After you swing the leg for a few minutes, step down from the block and see if your two legs feel different. Youve released the psoas
attached to the swinging leg, and most likely this leg will feel longer, freer, and more relaxed.
Now reverse your position and swing the other leg. This time focus not only on the leg youre swinging, but also on the standing leg.
Check to make sure youre not leaning into the standing leg hip. Try to sense your weight passing directly down through your leg and
foot and into the block. Even though this leg is now bearing weight, you can release the psoas by bringing your awareness to the
front of the hip socket and softening any tension you notice there.
Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
Now lets investigate Tadasana (Mountain Pose). Stand with your feet directly underneath your hip sockets, and conduct an inquiry
of your sensations. Does your pelvis feel like a stable foundation? Is the rim of your pelvis parallel to the floor? You can check by
looking in a mirror, or by placing your hands on top of your hips and following the pelvic rim around to the front of your body,
checking to see if both hands are level. Do both your legs transfer weight equally? Are you grounding equally through both feet? If
your answer to these questions is Yes, your psoas should feel released, and you should be able to sense gravity drawing your
weight down through your bones. If your bones are aligned, youll feel a slight sensation of rebounding from the earth, just as a ball
dropped to the floor bounces up again. This rebounding force creates a current of energy that aligns the body, flowing up through
your spine and out the top of your skull. If your pelvis doesnt feel stable and even, try returning to constructive rest position and the
supine psoas stretch. After a few minutes of releasing the psoas and stabilizing the pelvis, return to Tadasana and see if you feel
more balanced.
Vrksasana (Tree Pose)
Once your weight feels equal on both feet in Tadasana, focus on sensing your ankles. Shift your weight ever so slightly forward and
back over your ankle joints until you find the place where they feel most released. At that point, your psoas is also most free to
release and to assume its proper function as a guy wire for the spine. Moving with proper alignment from Tadasana into Tree
Pose requires that you continue to sense this connection between your standing leg and your spine, even as you shift all your weight
onto one leg and lift the other into the air.
When youre ready, gradually shift from grounding your weight through both legs to bringing it all onto your right leg. A common
mistake in this asana is leaning into the right hip, which can strain the hip ligaments on that side. Instead, balance your weight
directly over the bones of your leg, allowing the hip socket to remain released and the right-side psoas to relax.
When you can ground your weight straight down through your right leg, without leaning into your right hip or locking your right knee,
you can start to turn and lift your left leg. Begin by softening any tension at the front of the left hip socket, releasing the left psoas.
Then rotate the thigh bone in the left hip socket, contracting the external rotator muscles located behind the hip. Once youve rotated
the femur, lift your left leg, placing the sole of the foot as high as possible on the inner right leg. Again, make sure you didnt lean into
your right hip as you lifted the left leg. If necessary, place your hand on a wall or chair to help you maintain balance.