Class 6 • Two Sides, One Movement: The Dance of Adduction and Abduction
Exercises Covered in Class & Homework Assignment:
Exercises Covered in Class:
Exercise • Hovering For Stability: Harness the deep front line for enhanced stability, emphasizing the integration of the adductors, and to cultivate a holistic, distributed sensation in poses rather than isolating specific joints or muscles.
Asana • Malasana: Cultivate a balance between the deep core and lateral lines, enhancing stability and grace.
Asana • Parivritta Padangustasana/ Dancing Shiva Pose: Enhance balance and integration between the adductors and the deep front line, while also promoting flexibility and strength in the inner and outer thigh muscles
Exercise • Trendelenberg Test: Evaluate hip abductor strength, identifying potential weaknesses or imbalances through observed compensatory movements
Exercise • Lateral Arm Float: Enhance lateral flexibility, activate deep core muscles, and foster awareness of the interplay between the core and the body's lateral lines, all while maintaining grounding and alignment.
Asana • Krishna Pose: Dynamically engage and harmonize the deep front line and lateral lines, enhancing lateral flexibility and deep core awareness through fluid transitions and grounded stances.
Asana • Parvritta Ardha Chandrasana: Synergize balance, strength, and flexibility by fluidly transitioning through a series of rotations and postures while maintaining breath alignment.
Homework:
For your homework assignment, start weaving the exercises and postures you've learned in class into your daily personal yoga routine. When relevant, extend your practice beyond the confines of the mat into everyday life. Pay attention to what is motivating your practice, what is speaking to you, and channel that inspiratoin into developing a yoga sequence aimed at the students you regularly teach, rather than just the attendees of this training. From this personalized sequence, choose an 8-minute segment to present to our training class for valuable feedback. Additionally, prepare a concise 1-2 minute introduction that summarizes what has inspired you this week, which you can share as a preamble to your sequence. While it's an added bonus, not a requirement, consider infusing that underlying theme into your teaching cues to enrich the overall class experience.
Lecture Text
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Class 6 • Two Sides, One Movement: The Dance of Adduction and Abduction
Strength from Within: The Adductors' Contribution to Balanced Movement
While the terms "adduction" and "abduction" may sound strikingly similar, there are nuances that distinguish them. One mnemonic to remember is: adduction is when the legs are "added" together, while abduction humorously evokes an image of the leg ‘abducted’ taken by aliens. Pronouncing "adduction" as ‘u-duction’ with a soft 'a' can also aid in distinguishing them.
Though we'll explore these muscle groups separately for clarity, it's essential to realize they function in a harmonious and synergistic manner. For instance, when you actively lift the leg to the side (abducting), you’re simultaneously concentrically contracting the abductors and eccentrically contracting the adductors.
In our everyday movement practice, it can be easier to refer to the adductors by their relationship with the Deep Front Line, and the abductors with their relationship with the Lateral Line. To feel these two movement teams interact simply sway your hips from side to side. As the hips sway to the left you will not only feel your lateral line eccentrically engage to catch you, but also the Deep front line of your inner thighs decelerating the action. This is a natural action that occurs with each step we take, as the hips sway to the side eccentrically lengthening, and the adductors keep us on center, concentrically shortening. Abduction and Adduction are two sides of the same coin, just like Shiva and Shakti. They can be separated for the sake of experiment and understanding, but in functional everyday action they are always united.
Adduction Functionality Overview: The adductors are fan-like muscles in the upper thigh that pull the legs together when they contract. Their positioning on the inside of the thighs contributes to their ability to stabilize the hip, almost like core muscles of the thigh. The significance of our groin muscles, or adductors, extends beyond their basic anatomical functions. Here's a detailed perspective that combines both their anatomical and holistic relevance:
Basic Functionality: The primary role of the groin muscles is to adduct the thigh, which means they pull the legs toward the midline of the body. This movement is essential for activities like walking, running, and jumping.
Stabilization: The adductors stabilize the hip joint, ensuring fluid movement and reducing the risk of injury. They work synergistically with other muscles, like the abductors, to maintain pelvic stability during motion.
Protection: Positioned on the inner thigh, the adductors also offer a degree of protection to the internal organs in the pelvic region.
In everyday terminology you call these your groin muscles. Who here has pulled their groin muscle? There are many reasons this is a common injury, but three of the most common reasons are:
Sudden Movements: Sports or activities that involve quick starts, stops, and direction changes, like soccer, basketball, or martial arts, can cause unexpected stress on the groin muscles, leading to strains
Overextension: Stretching the leg beyond its comfortable range can lead to overextension of the adductor muscles, causing a groin pull. This is common in activities like dance, gymnastics, or certain yoga asanas.
Weak Muscles: Insufficient strength in the adductors relative to the muscles they work with can increase the risk of injury. If surrounding muscles like the hip flexors or glutes are stronger and the adductors can't keep pace, the discrepancy can lead to strains.
Anatomy of the Adductors:
Adductor Magnus: Among the body's most substantial muscles, the Adductor Magnus is not only an adductor but also a part of the Deep Front Line. As previously discussed in this training, the Deep Front Line is a fascial core that offers buoyancy and support in our postures.
Location and Composition: The adductor magnus is a large, triangular muscle situated on the inner side of the thigh. It's one of the major muscles in the adductor group.
Function in Movement: The primary function of the adductor magnus is, as the name suggests, adduction – which means it pulls the thigh towards the midline of the body. This action is essential when walking, running, and stabilizing the legs.
Hip Extension: Apart from adduction, the adductor magnus also assists in extending the hip joint. When you stand up from a sitting position or propel forward while walking or running, this muscle is actively working.
Postural Support: The adductor magnus plays a crucial role in maintaining an upright posture. It provides stability and balance, ensuring that the body remains aligned, particularly when standing on one foot or moving laterally.
Synergy with Other Muscles: It works in synergy with other muscles in the thigh and pelvis. This collaboration ensures smooth and coordinated movements, especially in activities like dancing, yoga, or any athletic endeavors.
Adductor Longus & Brevis: The trio - Adductor Brevis, Longus, and Magnus - collectively contribute to stability while standing. Additionally, they play a pivotal role in balancing the body on the lower limb during ambulation, ensuring coordinated walking movements.
Location:
Adductor Longus: It originates from the front part of the pubis and inserts onto the middle third of the linea aspera of the femur.
Adductor Brevis: It lies deep to the adductor longus, originating from the body of the pubis and inserting into the upper part of the linea aspera of the femur.
Function in Movement:
Both these muscles are primarily responsible for adduction of the thigh, pulling the leg toward the midline. This movement is crucial when walking, running, and providing stability during various activities.
They also aid in the flexion and medial rotation of the thigh at the hip joint.
Stabilization: Just like the adductor magnus, the adductor longus and brevis contribute to stabilizing the pelvis when we walk or stand on one leg. This stabilization is particularly essential in certain yoga asanas where balance and core strength are vital.
Synergy with Other Muscles: The adductors work together with other muscles in the pelvis and thigh to ensure coordinated movements. This collaborative function is especially important in activities that involve side-to-side movements or sudden changes in direction.
Gracilis: The gracilis is the most superficial and slender muscle in the inner thigh's adductor group. Not only does it assist in adducting the thigh, but it's also unique because it crosses and acts upon both the hip and knee joints. This enables the gracilis to aid in medial rotation of the tibia at the knee, as well as flexion of the knee joint, making it integral for precise leg movements and stability in various activities, including yoga. If you envision horse riding, the Gracilis becomes essential, offering stability as you squeeze your thighs together.
Pectineus: Positioned as the foremost and uppermost muscle within the adductor group, the Pectineus has its anatomical significance. It originates from the pecten pubis and inserts into the linea aspera of the femur, making it a key player in hip flexion and adduction. The pectineus muscle serves a dual role: it acts as both an adductor, drawing the thigh towards the body's midline, and a flexor, raising the thigh forward at the hip joint. This dual functionality makes it pivotal in stabilizing the pelvis and controlling leg movements, especially during activities that require precise hip flexion and adduction, such as certain yoga asanas.
Grasping the DFL's True Potential: On their own, parts of the DFL may not exhibit their full strength, but when synchronized with their team, the adductors, they uplift you. As you bring your focus to raising the pelvic floor, gently guide your legs towards the center. Enhance this action with an exhale, simultaneously raising the diaphragm. Notice how this causes your tongue to gravitate towards the Khechari Mudra, manifesting the cooperative power of the entire DFL.
Recall our recent lessons on postures: this sense of lightness or buoyancy is achieved through the combined force of the DFL and adductors. This lift enables you to rise slightly in postures where the legs are spread apart, like in standing poses or one-knee postures such as Parighasana. Find your posture's limit, then let the adductors and DFL effortlessly elevate you a bit. Use this slight lift as a tool to revisit or delve deeper into that boundary or intermediate space.
Exercise: Hovering for Stability
Just as we did in our buoyant hips section, we will use the deep front line to gently float out of our poses, with extra awareness of the actions of the adductors. After feeling the unity of the deep front line, you can now begin to re-enter the pose, noticing if you can be in the pose without feeling it localized to a joint or muscle, but rather from the whole deep front line lengthening so the hips can lower.
Asana: Malasana
Malasana Pose - Harmonizing Core and Lateral Lines
To deepen your practice and explore the balance between your core and lateral lines in Malasana Pose, follow these steps:
Set-up:
Start in a standing position with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart.
Gently turn your toes outward, finding a comfortable angle for your hips.
Lower into Malasana:
As you exhale, bend your knees and reach your hips back and down
Keep your pelvis and spine in a neutral position as your hips reach backward.
Activate the Deep Front Line:
float back up and notice your deep front line integrating to support you
Re-enter the pose
Focus on lengthening through your inner thighs and deep core without putting undue pressure on your hip sockets. feel free to float in and out to integrate deep front line, and then allow to lengthen as you lower towards malasana
Use the Big Toe/Glute Spiral:
Utilize the big toe and glute muscles to provide support and maintain balance in Malasana.
These elements create a supportive spiral that allows you to explore the pose with grace.
Discover Core-Lateral Line Harmony:
Throughout your Malasana practice, pay attention to the interplay between your deep core and lateral line.
Incorporating these principles into Malasana will not only enhance your physical experience of the pose but also deepen your connection to your inner self. Embrace the sensations, maintain your breath, and find equilibrium within yourself as you gracefully sink into this meditative posture.
Parivritta Padangustasana/ Dancing Shiva Pose
Begin in a Straddle Position:
Start with your feet wide, in a comfortable straddle position.
Keep your weight evenly distributed between both feet.
Sway Hips from Side to Side:
Initiate the movement by gently swaying your hips from side to side.
Ensure that you maintain an equal amount of weight in both feet during this initial swaying motion.
Shift Weight to the Right Leg:
As your hips naturally sway to the right side, gradually shift your weight into your right leg.
Drag the Left Leg Across:
As you shift your weight into the right leg and your hips move to the right, exhale start to drag your left leg across the floor in front of you, allowing it to cross the midline of your body notice the integration of the adductors into the deep front line.
Inhale to Return to Straddle:
Inhale as you return to the starting straddle position, letting the deep front line lengthen
repeat the leg drag several times
(optional) Explore Floating the Left Leg:
Continue this sequence, allowing the left leg to float as it draws across the body. This adds an extra layer of challenge and fluidity to the movement.
If you experience any tightness or strain in the adductors (inner thigh muscles), consider keeping the left foot fully on the ground. Alternatively, you can work on engaging the abductors (outer thigh muscles) to help balance the effort of the adductors.
Recap & Reflect
Recap: "Strength from Within: The Adductors' Contribution to Balanced Movement" delves into the intricate mechanics of adductors and their role in maintaining balance and stability. Highlighting the synergy between adduction and abduction in actions, the content draws parallels to the cosmic dance of Shiva and Shakti. By exploring the depth of these muscles and the Deep Front Line, practitioners gain a profound appreciation for the balance and buoyancy in various postures, enriching the yoga experience.
Reflect: What is your personal experience of the adductors in your practice? Are the tight, strong, or none of the above? How do you currently work with them? Strengthening them, stretching them, or not at all?
Hip Abduction: The Harmony of Stability in Stride and Stance
The action of hip abduction is a daily occurrence, evident in basic movements like getting out of bed, stepping out of a car, and maintaining stability during walking. In terms of movement and yoga, hip abduction has a very specific shape that can be a little confusing from the isolated perspective. Hip abduction occurs when you lift your leg out to the side, but this action rarely happens on or off the mat— in reality adbuction looks more like pulling in a sagging hip. This is the role of abduction in walking or running, as the lateral force of the hip wants to press out, but the lateral line of muscles, of which the abductors are a part, pull it back in.
Stabilization of the Pelvis: When we walk, run, or stand on one leg, the hip abductor muscles prevent the pelvis from dropping on the opposite side. This ensures a balanced and efficient gait.
Lateral Movement: The hip abductors allow the leg to move away from the body's midline, facilitating side-to-side movements, which are crucial in activities like side lunges or certain yoga asanas.
Posture and Alignment: These muscles contribute to maintaining an upright posture and ensuring the legs and pelvis are properly aligned, reducing the risk of strain or injury.
Synergy with Other Muscles: The hip abductors work in coordination with other hip and core muscles, ensuring smooth and harmonized motions.
Protection against Injuries: A strong and well-coordinated hip abductor group can protect against various injuries, especially those related to the knees and lower back, by maintaining proper alignment and balance.
Significance in Yoga and Exercise: In yoga, the hip abductors are engaged in various asanas that require balance, stability, and hip opening.
Main Muscles Responsible for Abduction:
Gluteus Minimus & Medius: These muscles play a pivotal role in hip abduction, particularly when one is mid-stride with weight predominantly on one leg. Their primary function ensures the knee doesn't cave inwards and maintains pelvic stability. A deficiency in their action could result in a noticeable hip drop while standing or walking, causing a compensatory shift in body weight and posture. We often cue the glutes by pressing the big toe button and externally, yet isometrically, rotating the thighs, producing a brightening effect in the glutes.
Exercise • Trendelenburg Test
An assessment named after Fredrich Trendelenburg, a German surgeon from the early 20th century who studied gait abnormalities. The Trendelenburg sign specifically evaluates the strength and function of the hip abductors. To perform the test, a student stands on a yoga block with one foot while the other hovers above the floor. In a healthy hip, the abductors will eccentrically strengthen in the standing leg to draw the pelvis down, and the pelvis of the lifted leg will rise up. In hips with abdcutor weakness, you will notice that the leg will lift up, but the hip crest won’t come with it. The result is that the hip of the standing leg is higher than the hip of the lifted leg.
Another method of assessing hip abductor weakness in the Trendelenburg test is to watch for any of the recruiting actions below, ways that the student might supplement this hip action with the rest of their body.
Use of arms for balance
Excessive leaning to one side
Significant pelvic rotation
Knee buckling inwards
Displaying one of these actions is common. However, showcasing 2-3 suggests potential muscle weakness or imbalance, and all four indicate a more pronounced dysfunction in the gluteal muscles.
Tensor Fasciae Latae (TFL):
Flexion and Abduction: The TFL assists in both flexing (raising) the hip and abducting (moving the leg away from the body's midline). These actions are foundational for many basic movements, such as walking or stepping sideways.
Stabilization: The TFL is vital for stabilizing the pelvis, especially when standing on one leg, making it essential for balance and posture.
IT Band Connection: The TFL connects to the iliotibial (IT) band, a thick band of fascia that runs down the lateral side of the thigh. Through the IT band, the TFL plays a role in supporting the outer thigh and knee.
Potential for Tightness: Due to modern lifestyles involving prolonged sitting or specific activities like running, the TFL can become tight or overactive, potentially leading to hip or knee discomfort. Understanding its role can help in addressing such issues through targeted stretches or exercises.
Recap & Reflect
Recap: Hip abduction plays a vital role in everyday movements and is significant in yoga practices, emphasizing the muscles' synergistic function in maintaining pelvic stability, ensuring posture, and protecting against injuries. This understanding underscores their intricate coordination in activities like walking, running, and particular yoga asanas.
Reflect: How did you perform on the Tredelenberg Test? Do you feel there is room for further awakening in your hip abductors?
Inward Gaze, Outward Embrace: Navigating the Dance of Abduction and Adduction
The adductors and abductors, while performing opposing actions, are intricately linked in many functional movements. As previously mentioned, abductors are associated with our lateral line, and adductors with our deep front line. Collectively, they ensure stability, mobility, and balance. This synergy is evident in the natural sway of our hips; as we sway toward one leg, the lateral line lengthens eccentrically, while the deep front line contracts concentrically. The adductors and abductors represent two sides of the same coin. Lay that coin on the table and you can only see one side at a time, but spin the coin and you can see both subtly. This unique dynamic reflects the yogic view of reality as a dance between Shiva and Shakti which is the source of reality itself. As the “Introduction to Kashmir Shaivism”, published by Swami Mutkananda’s ashram teaches, “One is always predominant in the same way that a coin has two sides which can be seen, but only one at a time. These two factors are the first two tattvas in the process of cosmic evolution and are technically called the Shiva Tattva and the Shakti Tattva.” (15). The Yogic Tradition considers this unity of Shiva and Shakti so essential that the deity “Ardhanareeshvara” is the literal manifestation of Shiva and Shakti as one.
Touching upon our training, there's a recurring theme: the balance between internal and external awareness, which is embodied in the practice of the Shambhavi Mudra. It can feel like we're constantly balancing—trying to go inward while life's events pull us outward. Our spiritual path often encourages this introspection, while everyday experiences draw our focus outward. In this way it can feel like inside and outside are two sides of one coin— but our practice brings another perspective into view. When we draw our awareness inside while we live our lives outsdie, the coin spins and we can perceive both simultaneously. IN this way we see that inside and outside aren’t separate entities— it’s not an "either-or" situation. The essence of the Shambhavi Mudra reminds us to be centered within while still being aware of our surroundings. This is the essence of the Shambhavi Mudra, which itself is defined not just as being inside, but being inside with senses open. As Sri Shambhavananda teaches, “If you can learn how to keep your heart open and your eyes open, you will see a different world.”
Balancing postures are a great way of showing how this works- a balance pose purposefully pushes us off center in order to help us find center. We get better at finding center not by simply staying on both legs and being centered, but by finding center amidst off-center. Real centeredness involves both the internal and external simultaneously. Inside isn’t just inside, inside is by definition how you work with the outside.
This is the more difficult conversation which requires that the participants first have a practice, and then attempt to talk about that practice, because as Swami Lakshmanjoo teaches, “You can understand it when you practice it. You can’t understand it without practice”. Practice, in terms of the previous example, puts us in the balancing posture and actually helps us grow and transform. What we discuss afterwards is a mere reflection of this. This is perhaps why the Shiva Sutras teach that we can’t just bring our hands together at namaste, before and after yoga, but must bring our attention inside throughout the space between that beginning and end. “When this objective world is shining vividly in your sphere of organs, that is the state of creation (sṛiṣṭi daśā). But it is not only in the state of creation that this universe is one with the yogi’s real energies of God consciousness. This universe is also one with their energies when only impressions of this objective world remain (sthitidaśā) or when these impressions melt in voidness (layadaśā) at the time of death or deep sleep, or when one is rendered unconscious…God consciousness is never in any way absent from being.”
Understanding Shiva and Shakti separately is like trying to understand an iceberg from its tip, or a book from its cover. For example, 80% of walking occurs on one leg, and only a small aspect of occurs in an active phase. Walking meditation is the act of bringing our focus to the gray area, the balancing space, and when we do that we gain a deeper and vaster understanding
And what’s best is it’s this work, of uniting inner focus amidst outer experience, is not only what really trains our meditative capacity, but it actually makes life and movement more interesting while you do it. Internal awareness makes external action meaningful, in the same way that the deep core makes lateral movement rich and satisfying.
Take for example the simple action of swaying the hips side to side. Just swaying externally is pretty dull, but the minute you tune into the adductors working to keep you centered amidst that lateral sway there is a dynamism that feels powerful and interactive. And as we sway a little further, we add more internal awareness. On a physical level this is simply the lifting laterally of the arm away from the hip— again we see that when the lateral action is combined with internal awareness everything just becomes richer and more interesting.
Exercise: Lateral Arm Float
Start from a standing position, with your feet hip-width apart.
Begin with the Right Arm:
Lift your right arm gracefully, extending it upward towards the sky.
As you do this, press firmly into your right foot, creating a solid foundation.
Lengthen the Right Side:
Slowly and mindfully elongate the entire right side of your body.
Feel the gentle stretch and expansion as you bend laterally to the left.
Simultaneously, Activate the Left Arm:
Begin to float your left arm upward, awakening the deep core muscles as you move.
Return to the Starting Position:
With awareness, return to the initial standing position, arms at your sides.
Repeat and Exhale:
Repeat this movement several times, making sure to exhale as you enter the pose.
Notice the Interplay:
Pay close attention to the interplay between your deep core, lifting you through the centerline, and the lateral lines of your body, anchoring you to the earth.
Asana: Krishna Pose
Krishna Pose is an expressive variation that builds upon the principles of the lateral arm float, allowing us to engage the interplay between the deep front line and lateral lines more dynamically. Here's how to transition into Krishna Pose:
Start from Dancing Shiva:
Begin in the Dancing Shiva pose, a graceful and balanced stance.
Take note of the angle of the lifted foot in Dancing Shiva, as you will maintain this angle when transitioning to Krishna Pose.
Step the Foot Forward:
While maintaining the angle of the lifted foot, gently step it forward.
Ensure that both feet carry equal weight.
Press into the Outer Edge of the Back Foot:
With both feet grounded, focus on pressing into the outer edge of your back foot.
This action will initiate a lateral flexion away from the back foot.
Lift the Back Arm:
As you flex laterally away from the back foot, let your back arm gracefully lift upward.
Maintain the side bend, feeling even length along your lateral line.
Exhale and Float the Opposite Arm:
While in the side bend, on an exhale, start to float the opposite arm, brightening the deep core
Inhale Back to Center:
Inhale as you return to the center, allowing the floating arm to drop naturally.
Exhale into the Side Bend, Arm Floats:
On the next exhale, once again flow into the side bend, and simultaneously, let the arm float.
Repeat this sequence several times, maintaining awareness of the interplay between your lateral line and deep front line.
Asana: Parivritta Ardha Chandrasana (Revolved Half Moon)
Parivritta Ardha Chandrasana is a dynamic yoga pose that combines balance, strength, and flexibility. Here's how to practice it:
Starting Position - Virabhadrasana 1 Stance:
Begin in the Virabhadrasana 1 (Warrior 1) stance with your front leg straight but not locked.
Keep your back leg extended and engaged.
Rotating from Center:
Press into the back foot to initiate a rotation towards the front leg.
As you rotate, imagine lengthening through the outer front leg, creating space and ease in the spiral.
Press into the front foot to return to the center.
Repeat this rotation a couple of times, focusing on the smoothness of the movement and the engagement of your core.
Advance into Balance through Virabhadrasana 3:
Soften the front knee in Virabhadrasana 1, shifting your weight into the front foot.
Float into Virabhadrasana 3, maintaining a straight line from head to heel in the extended leg.
From Virabhadrasana 3, imagine your back foot pressing into an imaginary wall to initiate the twist towards the front leg.
Press into the front leg to untwist, engaging your lateral line.
Repeat this twisting and untwisting movement, focusing on the sensation of pressing into each foot to facilitate the twist.
Skandasana Sequence - adding in Counter Pose:
Let the back foot come down as you rotate towards it, coming into Skandasana with the back knee bent and the spine gently twisting towards that leg.
Press into the back foot, allowing the leg to lengthen as you rotate back into Parivritta Ardha Chandrasana.
Pulse between these two shapes, finding fluidity and integration in the movement.
Continue to explore this sequence, paying attention to the breath and the connection between your core, hips, and legs.
Recap & Reflect
Recap: Navigating the dynamic interplay between the adductors and abductors highlights the harmonious balance and functionality of these muscle groups in daily movements and yogic practices. Emphasizing their roles in stability, mobility, and balance, the dance of abduction and adduction mirrors the yogic perspective of the unity between Shiva and Shakti, where internal awareness enriches external action. The Shambhavi Mudra underscores the significance of maintaining inner focus amidst external experiences, manifesting in exercises like the Lateral Arm Float and Krishna Pose that combine lateral movement with deep core awareness.
Reflect: How can the understanding of the balance between abduction and adduction enhance your internal focus and the quality of your external movements in daily life and yoga practices?