Anatomy of the Deep Front Line with Trikonasana, Virabhadrasana II and Utthita Parsvakonasana
Anatomy of the Deep Front Line: A Buoy of Core Support with Trikonasana, Virabhadrasana II and Utthita Parsvakonasana
1. The Power of our Buoyant Core:
In the image before you, a colossal stone sphere, weighing thousands of pounds, captures the essence of a robust core in most people's minds. However, in this portrayal, we witness children playfully spinning the sphere, lifted by an unseen underground fountain. This water source elevates the sphere, enabling it to pivot and twirl effortlessly. In the context of our discussion, this concealed fountain of profound strength more truly embodies our concept of 'core' strength, the buoyant force we seek to explore in our exploration of supportive hip postures.
2. Buoyant Core, Wellspring of Support: A resilient core resembles a hydraulic wellspring of buoyancy that empowers seamless movement across the ever-changing terrain of life. It's the pivotal force behind your turns, jumps, springs, and walk—a reflection of the carefree grace with which children maneuver the massive stone and there own playful movement. In anatomical terms, this is the Deep Front Line or Deep Core—a network of muscles extending from toe to tongue, infusing our legs and torso with a continuous upsurge of support.
3. Everywhere and (Seemingly) Nowhere at Once: This deep core is a silent player in our posture, effecting everything we do, yet itself remaining in the background. As Tom Meyer’s describes it in his text “Anatomy Trains”, “The Deep Front Line stabilizes each segment of the legs, including the hip, supports the lumbar spine from the front, surrounds and shapes the abdominopelvic balloon, stabilizes the chest while allowing the expansion and relaxation of breathing, balances the fragile neck and heavy head atop it all. Lack of support, balance, and proper tonus in the Deep Front Line will produce overall shortening in the body, encourage collapse in the pelvic and spinal core, and lay the groundwork for negative compensatory adjustments in all the other lines we have described…there is no movement that is strictly the province of the Deep Front Line, yet neither is any movement outside its influence…reflecting the role the DFL plays in providing stability and subtle positioning changes to the core structure to enable the more superficial structures and lines to work easily and efficiently with the skeleton”
4. Silent Strength: The Deep Front Line muscles are not superficial ones we can easily isolate for targeted exercise; rather, they harmonize with our daily activities, making our movement practice the most beneficial training ground. These intrinsic muscles of support thrive under lighter weight, preparing the stage for the superficial core's role in greater challenges. They are the silent players deep within us, and as we learn to awaken these sleeping giants skillfully through our standing hip postures, we will find that they spring into action with a light touch, ready to help us move and play through our day.
5. Unlocking Core Power: Big Toe Activation and the Deep Front Line
As we acquaint ourselves with our deep core, our attention naturally gravitates to a handful of primary participants that are easily discernible and activatable. In the lower leg the Deep Front Line begins with our big toe and arch, the Flexor Hallucis Longus, Flexor Digitorum Longus and Tibialis Posterior. All three of the muscles are considered extrinsic muscles of your foots arch, work together to maintain the integrity of the arch, providing shock absorption and aiding in the foot's mechanical function during activities like walking, running, and jumping.
The arch of our foot doesn’t end at our heel, as these muscles show us, but actually originate on the posterior sides of our shin bones in your deep calf. These aren’t muscles you can see or feel easily, as they lie under the more obvious Gastrocs. The big toe is the activation button for this lower leg activation of our deep core which is perhaps why Bruce Lee is often cited saying that “the power of the punch comes from the body, and that power is transferred through the big toe”.
6. Big toe to tongue test: You can easily feel this for yourself without throwing a punch of course. First, stand up and first lift your big toes off the ground, then begin to sway your body in circles. Then plant your big toes into the earth and perform the same swaying motion, notice the difference in not only stability, but overall control of the motion. To up the ante, have someone throw you a meditation cushion with your toes are lifted, and then when your toes planted. You’ll quickly feel the connection your big toe has to your deep core support, especially when you throw the cushion back to them. As the Washington Post described it in 2014, “The intriguing science behind Bruce Lee’s one-inch punch power isn’t just a matter of arm strength, but involves every muscle of our body working together from the inside out— Drawing upon both physical and neuro power, Lee’s devastating one-inch punch involved substantially more than arm strength. It was achieved through the fluid teamwork of every body part. It was his feet. It was hips and arms. It was even his brain. In several milliseconds, a spark of kinetic energy ignited in Lee’s feet and surged through his core to his limbs before its eventual release”.
From the lower leg, the deep front line draws up through the inner thighs via our Adductor Magnus and Minimus Muscles. Notice when standing that if you press through the big toes and spiral the thighs open very gently you can feel the big toe, arch, deep calf and inner thighs all activate functionally in unison. This is the meaning of team work in our body, as we learn to move with our muscular teams we move more holistically with less effort and strain.
8. Pelvic Floor & Diaphragm: A Functional Friendship:
Our deep core engagement begins with the spiral activation in our feet, where the big toe propels and the thighs gently spiral outward, naturally contracting the arches and inner thighs for a comprehensive sense of buoyancy. The pelvic floor, a vital part of our deep front line, harmoniously floats in concert with these other deep core movements. We avoid isolating the pelvic floor's action, as studies suggest it may lead to excessive contraction and dysfunction. Instead, healthy pelvic floor muscles work in sync with the diaphragm – as the diaphragm descends during inhalation, so does the pelvic floor, and when the diaphragm ascends during exhalation, the pelvic floor lifts too. As we breathe, the pelvic floor contracts and relaxes, both crucial for a healthy deep core. This support naturally ebbs and flows with each breath cycle. It has therefore been recommended to avoid engaging the pelvic floor in isolation, and to instead consider it as part of a healthy breath flow.
9. Unveiling the Wonders of Khechari Mudra:
As we described earlier, the deep front line begins at the toes, but you may not know that it ends at your tongue! And though this might sound amusing, you've unconsciously engaged your tongue in collaboration with your core throughout your life, such as when you emit a "hmph!" sound while lifting a box, playing tennis, or even executing a martial arts move like board chopping. Our tongue, in fact, comprises an impressive ensemble of eight distinct muscles interwoven to form a supple structure, reminiscent of an elephant's trunk or an octopus's tentacle.
Within the Yogic Tradition, the subtle core strength of the tongue finds purpose in the practice of Khechari Mudra, first cited in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. This technique involves gently pressing the tongue upwards towards the roof of your mouth—a concept akin to the contemporary exercise known as Mewing. To discern the proper tongue placement, utter the "na" sound, similar to enunciating 'neighbor', this places the sip of the tongue in the optimal position, and then the rest of the tongue lifts to connect with the soft palette. Recent research indicates that consistent, gentle pressure applied to the roof of the mouth over time results in expanded oral space, facilitating easier and more efficient breathing (Study reference). Additionally, you'll notice that this delicate upward pressure from the tongue seamlessly complements the broader efforts of the buoyant core, enhancing your meditation sessions or your steady engagement in asanas like a delightful finishing touch..
Give it a Try:
Take a moment to discover a poised and supported Tadasana posture. Close your mouth and allow your teeth to barely touch. Take a few gentle swallows of saliva while keeping your head steady—this action encourages your tongue to engage instead of allowing your neck to jut forward and evade the engagement. With each swallow, observe how your tongue naturally adheres to the roof of your mouth, aiding the swallowing process. Following the next swallow, seamlessly maintain the gentle upward pressure you've initiated. No need to apply excessive force—recall Patanjali's wisdom of "perseverance without tension." As you proceed, check in with your teeth; they should maintain a minuscule amount of separation.
As you become more comfortable with this practice, you can integrate Khechari Mudra into various aspects of your day—whether meditating, driving, walking, practicing asanas, or engaging in everyday activities. Should you sense any neck tension developing, take a step back and grant yourself a day of rest. You might also uncover an unexpected outcome from this practice: a growing sense of detachment from your thoughts, a shift towards greater alignment within.
Summary & Reflection:
The concept of the 'buoyant core' challenges traditional views, likening it to children playfully spinning a colossal stone sphere lifted by an unseen underground fountain. This dynamic and interconnected network, known as the Deep Front Line, stretches from toes to tongue, embodying subtle yet profound support, flexibility, and resilience. Understanding the holistic engagement of muscles, from big toe activation to the pelvic floor and diaphragm collaboration, reveals a powerful core synonymous with spacious grace and a fullness of breath. Unveiling the wonders of practices like Khechari Mudra further enhances this holistic approach, offering a transformative journey toward greater alignment within and a profound impact on overall well-being.
Can you feel the connection between the arches of your feet and your tongue? How does the concept of a "buoyant core" as an unseen source of strength influence your understanding of effortless movement and balance in everyday activities? Try letting this be a focal point throughout your day- how does it impact your movement? How do you feel after moving in this way?