Waving & Lateral Line Class Content
Chapter 4 • Movement Magic: Waving, Swinging, and Springing to Restore Connective Tissue Vitality
1. Born to Spring: in 1954 an Indian scientist named Dr. Ram discovered that the collagen of our connective tissue is organized in a triple helix, like a spring, around the same year that DNA’s spiraling helix structure was discovered. It was a big year for springs and spirals!
This collagenous triple helix has the unique ability to both provide strong structural support while also allowing for stretch and spring. For example, the kind of steel used in a sky scraper is called 'mild steel' and it's strength is measured both by it's ability to withstand pressure, but also it's ability to bend and move under pressure. This allows the tall buildings to literally sway a little with earthquakes or big winds, instead of break.
The collagen of our fascia is much the same, providing both structural integrity as well as structural mobility.As fascial researched David Lesondak writes, "Gram for gram, Type 1 collagen is stronger than steel, thus it can withstand tremendous force and still be able to bend with the wind."
2. Connective Tissue’s Got Hop! This elastic material, collagen, is organized in wave like patterns, like a spring, in order to enable it to store and release energy mechanically as we move. This is the magic that makes walking an almost calorie free movement-- the energy used to take one step is literally rebounded through your fascia to take the next step, like a ball bouncing on the ground. Once the ball is bouncing we only have to apply a little energy to keep it bouncing.
The rebound quality in the tendons of animals like Antelopes, gazelles, kangaroos allow them to perform at levels far beyond their muscle strength could ever explain. But moving with spring is not just about feats of strength, it's also about sustainability and everyday health.
3. Move, or one day you may not: Movement itself keeps the spring in our step. As modern movement leader Ido Portal says simply— “Move, or else one day you won’t be able to”. Science has shown his words to be true through the microscope, as we see that a body that doesn’t move loses the wave like patterning in its connective tissue. We are born with waves springy connective tissue which quiet literally allows kids to ‘bounce off the walls’. Movement is much more effortless for children for this reason, and therefore moving is fun! There are a thousand reasons that we tend to lose this spring in our step as we grow older. Perhaps we have a job at a desk, or we get an injury that requires we stop moving to allow for healing to take place. What we find, though, is that after the injury has healed, we tend to sustain the lack of mobility— the injury lasted a month, but the patterns it leaves last much longer. Our connective tissue is very much like a spring— if it sits and rusts it loses its spring, making its movement less efficient, which means it takes more energy for us to move. This usually makes us feel less and less like moving, and the downward spiral begins. Some call this ‘aging’, and though there is no doubt that our collagen loses a percentage of its watery spring as we age, the actual patterning of our tissue is very much in our capacity to support.
4. Under the Microscope: As we can see in this electron microscope image, healthy connective tissue is endowed with a certain type of organization, a wave like pattern. In this image we see that after only three weeks of immobilization, that patterning and spring was lost, like a garden lost in the weeds. As David Lesondak describes it, “(A) This electron microscope picture shows a healthy collagen network within the fascia. (B) The same area after three weeks of immobilization. Note the change and disorganization in the fibers. Without proper mechanical stimulation it is as if the collagen grows like weeds, rather than a proper garden.” We have to remind ourselves, that not only biologically, but also metaphysically, the perfection of effortless effort, of spring in our step, is our natural state. The garden exists under the weeds— all we have to do is start gardening. As they say, the best fertilizer is the farmer’s footprints, which is to say that we don’t have to know everything about gardening to do a good job, we just have to keep coming back to the garden of movement day after day.
5: Growing old with Grace: Many of Sri Shambhavananda’s students have been studying with him for decades, which means that some are reaching their older years now. It is not uncommon to hear Babaji tell an aging student to ‘keep moving’, or to say that of himself. He often calls his morning walks ‘falling forward’, which is to say that even though he is tired, he keeps moving. From a yogic perspective, this is very much in line with the notion of surrender. Keeping moving is not just a matter of will, it is also a matter of releasing our patterns of ‘not moving’, or even of releasing the fear of not moving, such as inviting movement into an area that was once injured. But whether or not we have injuries, we all face the challenge of keeping moving as our bodies change. As Sri Shambhavananda describes it, “If we have the time, and if most of our faculties are working, we should use them; otherwise we will lose them. We must keep ourselves in motion in a variety of different ways…Often as people age, they move to Miami and lock themselves in a condo. They are afraid the whole world is going to bug them, or beatthem up, or they play golf…My suggestion is don’t worry about what you can’t do. Just do things that you can do. I can’t bench press 350 pounds anymore, but I can do 190 pounds, and I am grateful.” (SP, 135)
6. In order to restore the spring-like potential in our connective tissue, we can begin to incorporate varying degrees of waving, swinging and springing in our classes. At the simplest level, a spring is a slow wave through the pathway of a posture. This was presented in Konalani’s 200 Hour training in a variety of postures from every family. When we wave in a posture, such as Anjaneyasana, we establish a holistic pathway through the pose that integrates the deep core, as well as the triple awareness of the front and back line. Moving slowly through this pathway opens the door of adding the element of momentum in graceful increments, producing a ‘swinging’ action that helps to restore our own internal bounce. Later in this training we will bridge this concept up a little further to springing.
7. Though actions like swinging and springing can appear to be advanced movement principles, as we said earlier, physiologically speaking these are essential movement principles. The path to these kinds of movements, though, is slow and steady. We begin with a wave, and progress to a swing. If we do it right, these types of movement should actually align us with the ancient maxims of the yogic tradition— that of effortless effort, and perseverance without tension. As Patanjali teaches, “The method for this is called effortless effort, perseverance without tension, and results in the experience of the infinite. In this way, the dualities of physical existence can be transcended.” If you want to transcend the body, learn how to move with it, not against it. This is the teaching of our connective tissue. The next time you see a dog jump effortlessly into the back of your car, or a cat onto your refrigerator, you can rest assured that was not because they worked out, but rather because they simply used all of what they were born with in a natural way. Effortless effort is not just how we should move, its how we were built to move. As zen master Paul Reps used to say, “Until its fun, better left undone”, which is to say that natural movement should feel fun and supportive. And that’s our goal with this next series of exercises, to put the spring back in your movement so you can feel free.
Front & Back Line Swinging
Rolling Up Variations
Lateral Line Swinging
Spiral Line Swinging with progressions
Recap & Reflect
The section discusses the spring-like nature of our connective tissue, likening it to a triple helix structure discovered around the same time as DNA's helix. Collagen provides both strength and flexibility, similar to mild steel in skyscrapers. Movement, particularly waving, swinging, and springing, maintains the elasticity of connective tissue, allowing for efficient energy storage and release. Aging and sedentary lifestyles can degrade this elasticity, emphasizing the importance of continuous movement to maintain health and vitality. The goal is to restore natural movement patterns through activities like waving and swinging, aligning with the principles of effortless effort and perseverance without tension found in yogic traditions.
Chapter 5 • Weaving Wisdom: Generating Suppleness and Hydration in our Lateral Line
Lateral Line is Book Binding: In our front line chapter, we discovered that the front line acts swiftly to transmit force for the back line, facilitating continuous interaction to uphold posture and guide us through daily activities. Analogously, the front line can be likened to a book's vibrant cover, while the back line serves as the subtle narrative of its contents. The connecting element between these components is the lateral line, which spans from head to toe, serving as the literal binding agent between the front and back lines.
Lateral Line Deficit: Exploring movement exclusively along the lateral line mimics the swimming motion of fish, highlighting their lateral dominance. In contrast, mammals predominantly engage in flexion and extension movements, often neglecting the lateral line in their practice. However, this oversight poses challenges, as the muscles of the lateral line play a vital role in optimizing both walking gait and breath efficiency. When the lateral line remains tense, it impedes these essential functions. Therefore, it is advantageous on multiple levels to familiarize ourselves with the lateral line to enhance our stride, breath, and overall movement quality throughout the day..
Basket Weave formation: The lateral line has a particularly fascinating composition that allows it to perform the mitigating functions for which it is responsible. Described as a basket weave formation, the muscle fibers of the lateral line criss cross each other from the hip to the shoulder, in both large and small ways, creating a literal net of support for the body as our hips sway side to side when we walk, or stronger movements when we run or jump. The lateral line literally catches our hips, and when it is performing well, this potential energy is stored like a sling shot and sent back via the connective tissue into the other hip, recycling the energy effortlessly and allowing us to enjoy a comfortable stride that aligns with the yogic principles of sthira and sukha, effortless effort. When the lateral line is tight, though, the energy is lost, and the natural bounce of our connective tissue is under-utilized, making our actions exhausting.
Modulate Rotary Movements: On an even more micro level, the criss crossing fibers of the lateral line serve to modulate our natural rotatory movements with precision. Most notably, these are the overlapping layers of the internal and external obliques, as well as the criss crossing layers of the internal and external intercostals that lie between each rib. As Tom Meyer’s writes, “The series of ‘X’s, or the basket weave, that characterizes the LL in the trunk and neck are perfectly situated to modulate and brake these rotatory movements.”
Breathing and Walking: It can comes as a surprise that muscles like the intercostals, which are primarily described muscles of respiration play a vital role in our foundational ability to walk and run efficiently. As our torso turns in terms of their ability to expand the lungs to support our inhale, and compress the lungs for exhaling— when these same muscles also act like hundreds of small watch springs, being wound up with a subtle rotation, and then being released— potential energy becoming kinetic energy over and over again. As Tom Meyer’s writes, “The intercostals can be seen as operating like a watch spring, winding and unwinding the rib cage reciprocally with each step. As you take a step forward with the left foot and the rib cage rotates to the left, the external intercostals on the right are being contracted, while the internal intercostals on the left are contracting to create the movement. Their complements are being stretched, preparing to take the rib cage back the other way…In this way, we can see the slanted direction of the intercostals as acting almost like a watch spring, storing up potential energy when the rib cage is twisted one way, releasing it into kinetic energy as the rib cage rotates in the other direction (Fig. 5.20). We have found interesting results treating the intercostals primarily as muscles of walking rather than as muscles of breathing”.
Take a Walk: To feel this for yourself, take a 5 minute walk. Notice how subtle the rotation is with each step, and allow yourself to lean into it a little bit. Experiment with having no rotation, and notice the experiential difference. Take time also to notice the experience of breathing while you walk. Notice, for example, how the simple act of walking produces a breath flow that is easy to feel, much like the subtle work we try to recreate on our cushion in the form of Puraka Rechaka Pranayama. You might find it easy to watch and feel your breath for 10 minutes while walking, whereas that same practice on a cushion would require a lot more focus and surrender. In this way we see that walking and breathing are woven right into the basket weave fibers of our lateral line.
Internal & External Obliques: The Internal and External obliques are structured in much the same way. Take your hands and place them in the imaginary pockets of a tight vest. The direction of your hands would mimic the diagonal fibers of the external oblique muscles. The External obliques originate at the outer surface of the lower eight ribs and run diagonally down to insert on the lines alba (midline connective tissue of the abdomen, as well as the pubic crest and iliac crest.
The internal obliques have an opposite orientation when it comes to their origin and insertion, as well as an opposite diagonal orientation, keeping with our theme of criss crossing with the lateral line. The internal obliques originate at the pelvic area, specifically on the iliac crest, inguinal ligament, and lumbodorsal fascia (connective tissue in lower back), and inserts onto ribs 10-12. We will take time in our Spiral Line chapter to dive deeper into the intricacies of how the internal and external obliques work together to maintain length in the body while bending and twisting, but for now it is helpful to simply see their criss crossing alignment, and to note that their ability to move in these opposing directions is key to their overall function, ie. When our lateral line becomes tight or constricted, and our rotational capacity is compromised, we not only move less efficiently, but breathe less efficiently too. For that reason, the following exercises can be crucial to unlock space and freedom in our lateral line, and restore our ability to breathe, move and rotate.Lateral Line Massage
Description of Exercise here
The bottom edges of the lateral line: Let’s take a moment to zoom out and work with the beginning of the lateral line in our feet. The lateral line begins at the fibularis brevis and longus muscles. The fibularis longus originates at the lateral edge of the lower leg. The fibula is slender like a violin bow, and lies under muscle tissue on the lateral edge of the lower leg, so it can be hard to feel and understand. You can feel a slight boney protuberance of the fibular head just below, and lateral of, the knee joint. The fibularis longus originates on the upper two thirds of the fibula, whereas the fibularis brevis inserts on the lower two thirds of the fibula, down near the ankle. The outer ankle is in fact the bottom portion of the slender fibula, yet here it feels quite substantial. You would never guess the difference between the tibia and fibula based on the ankle itself. This protuberance is called the lateral malleolus.
Anatomy nerd moment: The term "malleolus" in Latin refers to a small hammer or little anvil. In the context of anatomy, it is used to describe the bony prominences on either side of the ankle, the lateral malleolus on the outer side (associated with the fibula) and the medial malleolus on the inner side (associated with the tibia). These structures somewhat resemble the shape of a hammer or anvil, hence the use of the term "malleolus" to describe them. The lateral malleolus, being the outer one, is part of the fibula and provides attachment points for ligaments and tendons, contributing to the stability and functionality of the ankle joint.
The first cross of the lateral line: What is fascinating about the fibularis muscle, though, is not so much where it originates, but where it inserts on the foot. The Fibularis brevis, originating on the lower 2/3 of the fibula, wraps behind the outer ankle and inserts at the base of the fifth metatarsal, the pinky toe. The fibularis longus, which originates at the upper 2/3 of the fibula, wraps behind the ankle and inserts at the base of the first metatarsal, the base of the big toe, and the dial cuneiform behind it. In a way we can see our first criss crossing section of the lateral line here at its source. Further, the fibularis forms half of the stirrup of the bottom half of our spiral line, working together with the Tibialis Anterior to maintain a proper arch and enable dynamic ankle stability.Arches and Lateral Line: The relationship of our lateral line and feet show how a tight lateral line can affect your arches. The arch is one of the most dynamic and supportive structures in nature and our body, geometrically dispersing weight evenly throughout its surface. We dive deeply into the 3 arches of the foot in our Roots training— but for now it can be helpful to know that the medial longitudinal arch helps distribute the body’s weight, provides flexibility to adapt to uneven surfaces, and absorbs shock during activities like walking or running. When the lateral line is tight, this arch collapses. You can feel it on yourself, when you invert the foot, lifting the lateral edge of the foot from the floor, you can dramaticize the effects of a tight lateral line, and see the effect it has on your arch. The upward lifting of the inner arch is also aided by the lifting of our deep front line, which is our next topic of interest
The relationship of lateral line and deep core: As we know from Konalani’s 200 Hour level one training, the deep front line is the deep core that buoyantly floats us through our lives. When that buoy is not lifting us, we begin to sink down through our mid line. There is a direct connection between the tone of our lateral line and the tone of our deep front line, much like the relationship between the back and front line. Standing in Tadasana, we can begin to feel the work of the lateral line and deep front line at play. Pressing gently through the big toe, and gently spiraling open the thighs and toning the glutes ignites the deep core work of our legs and pelvis. As you do this, you will simultaneously feel the lateral edge of the legs and body reaching down through the floor. In this way we see that the lateral line pulls down, and the deep front line pulls up. Much like how the back line draws down and front line pulls up. We can work with this principle directly in our next exercise, where we begin to lengthen the lateral line and ignite the deep core simultaneously!
Lateral Line + Deep Core Awakening
Exercise Info Here
IT Band: Above the lower leg, our lateral line takes the form of the Illiotibial Band, or IT Band, and the Gluteus Medius. The IT band, or iliotibial band, is a fibrous band of connective tissue that runs along the outside of the thigh. It is a thick, fibrous structure that originates from the iliac crest (the upper edge of the hip bone) and extends down the outside of the thigh, passing over the greater trochanter (the bony prominence of the hip) and inserting into the tibia (shinbone) just below the knee. provide stability to the knee joint during various movements, including walking, running, and cycling. It works in conjunction with the muscles of the hip and thigh to assist in hip abduction (moving the leg away from the midline) and stabilization of the knee during activities.
Gluteus Medius: The gluteus medius is one of the three muscles in the gluteal muscle group, situated in the buttocks. The gluteus medius is located on the outer surface of the pelvis, between the larger gluteus maximus and the smaller gluteus minimus. It originates from the outer surface of the ilium, which is the upper part of the hip bone, and inserts into the greater trochanter of the femur, the bony prominence on the upper and outer part of the thigh bone. The primary function of the gluteus medius is to abduct the hip joint, meaning it moves the leg away from the midline of the body. This action is essential for maintaining stability while walking, running, or standing on one leg. It also plays a role in internal and external rotation of the hip joint, and helps prevent the opposite hip from dropping when standing on one leg, contributing to overall balance and coordination.
Balancing Lateral Hip and Deep Front Line: Common actions for the IT Band and Gluteus Medius are Adduction and Abduction. Adduction is the action of drawing the leg medially, across the mid line of the body. You can think of this as “adding” the legs together. Abduction is the act of reaching the leg out laterally, away from the mid line. You can think of this as the leg being ‘abducted’. Though this is a common action in ballet, it is not a common action in yoga. Our usual interaction with adduction and abduction is seen in our hips in postures. When the hip sags or sinks in Vrikshasana, tree pose, for instance, this can indicate weak abductor muscles, such as gluteus medius. As we press down through the floor and lift up through the deep core, the hip sucks back in to better support the body— which was the work of abduction. If you look closely while you do this you will see that sucking the hip back underneath the torso is the action of the leg moving laterally, though it doesn’t actually leave the floor. Though this may seem confusing to the mind, it simply indicates that abduction and adduction are complimentary actions that require cueing and work on the mat. Much like the previous discussion of the deep core and lateral line, there is a balance of forces at play which shows itself in our hip alignment. The following exercise, floating tree, gives us a valuable means of working with these two complimentary yet opposing muscle groups, our lateral line and deep front line, through natural movement. The result is a lighter experience of tree, and thorough work for our lateral line.
Floating Tree
Exercise Info Here
Skipping with our Lateral Line
Exercise Info Here
The Jumping Curtsy
Exercise Info Here
Deep Hydration Through Shearing: As we’ve seen, the lateral line is a powerful ally in not only our arch, our walking gait, and our ability to breathe efficiently. Because we are not laterally dominant creatures, we don’t have a lot of opportunities to work laterally in our day. The result is that the muscles of our lateral line often get crystallized or stuck to one another, losing their glide and slide. This is the beginning of the shortening of our lateral line we are trying to avoid. One powerful way to free up the crystallization that can occur between the overlapping layers of the lateral line is shearing. Shearing occurs when layers of Tissue slide laterally in relation to one another, perpendicular to their traditional pathway of movement. For example, the easiest way to feel this would be leaning laterally and then twisting while in the laterally lengthened position. In this way you have lengthened the lateral line, and then moved the muscles perpendicular to their traditional pathway, which provides a strong shearing effect. Less is definitely more when it comes to shearing. This is primarily because we are not moving the muscles in their traditional path, but also because we don’t need to move far to have a powerful effect. We’re just trying to loosen up binded tissue, not change its structure or strength. For this reason it is very important to approach shearing with a light touch.
Hyaluronic Acid: The most amazing benefit of shearing is its ability to re-hydrate our connective tissue through the production of hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a naturally occurring substance found in various tissues and fluids within the human body, particularly in connective tissues. The process of shearing literally produces this amazing substance from the inside out. Hyaluronic acid is Hydrophyllic, which means that it attracts water, as opposed to hydrophobic which repels it. Hydrophilic is a term used to describe substances or materials that have an affinity for water. It comes from the Greek words "hydro," meaning water, and "philos," meaning loving or attracted to. It is a type of glycosaminoglycan, which is a long chain of sugar molecules that are an essential component of the extracellular matrix, ie. Our connective tissue.
Properties of Hyaluronic Acid: Hyaluronic acid, a substantial and intricate molecule, is comprised of repeating units of glucuronic acid and N-acetylglucosamine. Its molecular structure enables it to bind to water molecules, thereby contributing to its hydrating and lubricating properties. This vital substance is distributed throughout various tissues, with heightened concentrations in areas rich in connective tissue, such as joints, skin, and eyes. Notably, it is a significant component of synovial fluid, facilitating joint lubrication, and the vitreous humor of the eyes. In terms of its function in connective tissue, hyaluronic acid plays diverse roles. It aids in joint lubrication, reducing friction between joint surfaces during movement, and contributes to the structure and resilience of cartilage. Additionally, in the skin, hyaluronic acid is instrumental in maintaining moisture, promoting hydration, and enhancing skin elasticity. Its unique viscoelastic properties are particularly noteworthy, as they contribute to the shock-absorbing capacity of synovial fluid in joints, providing essential cushioning during various movements. Moreover, hyaluronic acid plays a crucial role in wound healing and tissue repair by regulating inflammation and supporting tissue regeneration. It is essential to note that age-related changes can impact the natural production of hyaluronic acid, potentially contributing to alterations in joint function, skin hydration, and overall tissue health over time.
Lateral Line Shearing Sequence
Exercise Info Here
Shearing in Bharadvajasana and Parsvakonasana
Exercise Info Here