Brief Summary
This video discusses the principles of twists in yoga, focusing on maintaining spinal extension, horizontal expansion, and radial rotation. It emphasizes the importance of establishing a point of rooting or anchoring in each pose to maintain stability while mobilizing the twist. The video uses Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle Pose) as an example to illustrate these concepts, explaining how to properly align the hips and engage the legs to achieve a harmonious rotation.
- Maintaining spinal extension, horizontal expansion, and radial rotation are key to performing twists correctly.
- Establishing a point of rooting or anchoring is essential for stability during twists.
- Parivrtta Trikonasana is used to demonstrate the practical application of these principles.
Introduction to Twists
The video introduces the discussion on twists in yoga, building upon the previous video's example of Bharadvajasana. It highlights the importance of proper pelvic alignment, which involves articulating the hip and establishing firmness in the back leg. This alignment facilitates a harmonious rotation where the diaphragm sits over the pelvis, ensuring the twist is evenly distributed without distortion.
Three Key Principles of Twists
Three essential principles to remember when performing twists are maintaining spinal extension, achieving horizontal expansion, and creating radial rotation. Horizontal expansion involves opening the body from the center of the spine, similar to the veins of a leaf spreading from the stem. Radial rotation refers to a circular, circumferential rotation achieved by establishing a point of rooting or fixture.
Understanding the Difference Between a Twist and a Turn
The video differentiates between a twist and a turn, explaining that a turn involves the entire body rotating without a fixed point, whereas a twist requires establishing a point of rooting or anchoring. This point of fixture is crucial for maintaining stability while mobilizing the twist. Examples such as Virasana and Bharadvajasana are used to illustrate how different poses utilize specific points of stability to facilitate rotation.
The Concept of Rotation and Spinal Alignment
The rotation in a twist involves the spinal canal as the center, with the right and left processes of each vertebra broadening out to the edges of the body. The action is similar to steering a car, where turning the steering wheel rotates the entire vehicle. The outer edges of the body rotate to churn the central spindle, creating a comprehensive turning action.
Parivrtta Trikonasana: Hip Alignment and Leg Engagement
In Parivrtta Trikonasana, proper hip alignment is achieved by turning the back leg foot in and the front leg foot out, which steers the hip. The back hip rotates forward, and the front hip rotates backward. The back leg should be understood in terms of ripples, with the heel gradually dilating to bigger circles, maintaining the same pattern through the leg. This opening releases the back hip forward, while the front leg presses the inner edge of the foot to draw the front hip back.
Spinal Extension and Rotation in Parivrtta Trikonasana
The action in Parivrtta Trikonasana is established through spinal extension. As the legs are opened, the hand on the waist initiates a throw, extending spinal energy. The practitioner extends forward, maintaining the anchoring of the back leg's outer foot and the front leg's inner foot, while elongating the spine.
Horizontal Expansion and Radial Turn
As the hand comes down, the central midline of the spine is viewed, allowing observation of how the frontal ribs spread from center to side. This creates rotation, with the front right ribs and back left ribs expanding from the spine's center. The video mentions that the third aspect, involving the radial turn of the entire body, will be demonstrated using a rope wall.
