Yoga can help you learn proper body awareness. One of the problems when learning to do a motion correctly, is over time as we age we forget how to properly activate specific muscles. When we think we are contracting our glute, often times it is our quads which are more dominant that are trying to work.
Read the below passage on holding a yoga pose:
“Flowing into a posture, you isolate the muscles necessary to hold the body in proper alignment. This process takes mental focus and body awareness, as you tease out the effort and the “let go.” Completely engage those parts of the body essential to the posture to maximize your gain in strength. Let the rest of the body be passively stretched to maximize your gain in flexibility.
Some people have a tendency to over-emphasis the effort, contracting many more muscles than necessary. [THINK ABOUT THOSE ACHY SHOULDERS IF YOU DON’T RELAX THEM AS YOUR RUN ;)] As a result, they do not progress in terms of flexibility and tension release. Others have a tendency to over-emphasis relaxation. They do not engage the active muscles sufficiently to generate a deep stretch or build strength. As you hold the posture, use sensation as a guide to walk the fine line between these two extremes.” Kripalu Yoga Richard Faulds
Use a mirror to help you find the right muscles and angles. Sight can be our best teacher.
“Without the help of eyesight, the phenomenon of structural imbalance is revealed. Misalignment becomes habitual and feels “normal.” Proper alignment feels “awkward.”
The key is to train your body to have awareness for the right movement. Yoga can help with this, but if you don’t have time to try yoga use a mirror for your exercises. Make sure you have the proper angles and alignment.
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