ECCENTRIC INVIGORATION with BHUJANGASANA & SHALABHASANA
ECCENTRIC INVIGORATION
RISING UP THROUGH OUR FRONT LINE
WITH BHUJANGASANA & SHALABHASANA
FRONT AND BACK LINE WORKING TOGETHER
The uplifting work of our back bends come directly from the uniquely functional
relationship our front and back line teams play with each other. The back line
was the focus of our forward folds, as our work to stretch the back of the body
drew our attention there. These slow twitch endurance muscles unfurl us from
the fetal position and set up upright to move through our lives. Because of their
nearly constant usage during our day, the back line players are slow twice endur-
ance muscles, able to maintain their tone over long expanses of time at a con-
stant rate. The musculature of our front body is their perfect counterpart.
The front line musculature covers the vital organs and viscera of our front body,
and have a fast twitch capacity to protect these sensitive areas from the belly
slap of a sibling perhaps, or more primitive concerns that might have actually
been a matter of survival. As Tom Meyers writes, “The need to create sudden and
strong flexion movements at the various joints requires that the muscular portion
of the SFL contain a higher proportion of fast-twitch muscle fibers.” This allows
the front line to respond quickly to mechanical needs when moving through our
life, making the small but necessary adjustments needed in our posture in our
daily life. The front line can fine tune the slow and steady work of our back line,
which is primarily why Tom Meyers goes on to say that “The overall postural
function of the Front Line is to balance the Superficial Back Line.”
ECCENTRIC TONE
The Front line accomplishes this task specifically through its eccentric tone,
its ability to not only contract but to lengthen as it maintains that strength of
contraction. Back bending provides us with a golden opportunity to tone the
front line of our body in this most optimal condition, eccentrically. This means
that when we bend back, our front line contracts, which means contracts and
strengthens, while it simultaneously lengthens and stretches. This upward eccen-
tric contraction is exactly the direction of pull we want to instill in the front line
of our body, a single moment that not only strengthens the muscles of the front
line but also trains them to lift us in the right direction. And to call back to our
theme, this eccentric tone quite literally lifts us up, as it involves both strength
and upward stretch.
SUMMARY & REFLECTION
Backbends rely on the functional relationship between the front and back body
muscles, where the back line provides slow, steady support and the front line
offers quick, responsive adjustments, with eccentric tone during backbends
strengthening and lengthening the front body.
·
How does the concept of eccentric contraction in the context of back
bending enhance the understanding of the front line team’s role? Re-
flect on the significance of simultaneously contracting and lengthening
these muscles and how it contributes to muscular support and balance.
·
Do you consider yourself more naturally a front line, Type A person-
ality, or back line Type B personality? Which do you think you need to
focus on more during your practice to promote balance?