How to correct posture and improve digestion with crunches

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The life hacker figured out in detail how twisting is useful for our body and how to properly perform such exercises.

Theory

Myofascial health

Many suffer from improper posture - scoliosis, stoop, excessive lower back flexion. In the formation of incorrect posture, not only the muscles that are accustomed to being in the wrong position take part, but also the fascia - the connecting sheaths.

Fascia collagen fibers not only cover the muscles, but also penetrate into dense muscle fibers, forming an inextricable connection - myofascia.

Unlike muscles, fasciae cannot contract and relax. They are elastic and can stretch, but after that they do not return to their original shape. This property enhances the enslavement of the body in the wrong position, such as stoop or scoliosis.

Let's look at an example. Let's say, due to depression, myopia, or some kind of injury, a person begins to slouch. The muscles of the back are constantly in an unnatural position - they stretch, while the pectoral muscles, on the contrary, contract.

To keep these muscles in this position and relieve some of the tension from them, more collagen is produced around and inside the muscle - the fascia becomes denser. As a result, the collagen matrix fixes the muscle, maintaining the distortion, which will not be so easy to get rid of now.

However, muscle tightness can cause pain and tension not only in the clamping area, but also in other seemingly unrelated places. The fact is that there are no separately working elements in the body. All organs and systems are interconnected, and myofascia is no exception. There are myofascial meridians - interconnected structures of muscles and tendons that carry tension and movement along the skeleton.

The concept of myofascial meridians is described in the book "Anatomical Trains" by Thomas Myers, massage therapist, chiropractor with 40 years of experience, physician and lecturer.

Tension in one part of the myofascial meridian can cause pain in another part. Twisted postures partially or completely involve one of the myofascial pathways - the spiral meridian, which is responsible for the rotation of the body. It passes through the human body in a double helix, connecting one side of the skull to the opposite shoulder, goes through the abdomen to the opposite thigh, knee and arch of the foot and rises along the back of the body, reconnecting with the fascia of the skull.

Various twisting exercises stretch at least half of this line, including the belt muscles of the head and neck, the large and small rhomboid muscles, the serratus anterior, external and internal oblique muscles of the abdomen, and in some poses (for example, in parivritta parswakonasana) most of it, including the tibialis anterior muscle, peroneal longus muscle, biceps femoris.

Stretching the myofascial meridian returns the fascia to the desired position and relaxes the muscles, and can correct some posture problems.

Stretching the muscles is only one side of the coin, however. Skewing in the body is always accompanied by excessive compression of some muscles and stretching of other muscles. Stretching of some muscles should be carried out along with strengthening the contraction of others. For example, if you want to correct a slouch, you need to stretch the pectoral muscles that are in a contracted position and work on strengthening the back muscles.

Intervertebral disc nutrition

Intervertebral discs, which provide cushioning of the spine, its flexibility and mobility, do not have blood vessels. Nutrients are supplied to them, depending on the person's age, in one of two ways: through peripheral circulation and through diffusion.

Nutrition with the help of peripheral circulation ends by an average of 22 years. After that, only diffusion remains - the penetration of nutrients through the hyaline plate (hyaline cartilage).

During the squeezing of the intervertebral disc, fluid with decay products outflow, and when the pressure is released, nutrients enter the disc. When doing twisting, you first squeeze the intervertebral discs, because of which they get rid of the processed substances, and then release them, giving an influx of nutrients.

It turns out that twisting helps to maintain the health of the intervertebral discs, to maintain the flexibility and mobility of the spine for longer.

Stimulation of internal organs

Twisting is good for internal organs: liver and spleen, stomach and intestines.

In the book Physiological Aspects of Yoga, Dietrich Ebert points out that the effect of asanas on the internal organs is partly due to the skin-visceral reflexes of the body.

The visceral skin reflex is a change in internal organs triggered by exposure to the skin, such as during acupressure.

Performing asanas, you affect certain parts of the body, improving blood circulation and stimulating the muscles of the internal organs.

Also in the "Physiological Aspects of Yoga" there is a mention of the positive effect of asanas on intestinal motility. During the performance of the poses, intra-abdominal pressure increases, due to which the motility of the gastrointestinal tract is stimulated. Changes in pressure and twisting of the body stretch the musculature of the intestinal wall, which causes reflex contraction of the smooth muscles involved.

In addition, abdominal traction asanas have a positive effect on the absorption of nutrients. Such postures induce renewal of pancreatic cells, thereby increasing glucose metabolism in peripheral tissues, liver and adipose tissues through an enzymatic process.

Practice

Things to remember when doing asanas

Spinal traction. In all twisting asanas, the spine is first extended and then twisted. If you cannot do an asana with an extended spine, then it is too early for you to do it. In any case, the wrong posture will not do any good. In some asanas, an armrest can be used to make it easier for yourself and to stretch the spine.

Exercise without pain. If you feel pain while performing asanas, stop immediately and move on to an easier version.

Breath. Observe the sequence of inhalation and exhalation when performing asanas. In the asana itself, breathe evenly and deeply, ideally with your belly. Don't hold your breath.

Contraindications Twisted postures are contraindicated for people with diseases of the spine, inguinal hernia, intestinal neurosis, exacerbation of diseases of the stomach or liver.

Now you can start performing twisted asanas. Let's start with the simplest pose that people of all skill levels will surely work out.

Execution technique

Twisting on the floor

1. Lie on the floor with your arms spread apart.

2. Move your pelvis to the right.

3. Bend your right knee and lift it up.

4. Move your right knee to the left and touch the floor. If it doesn't work, keep it suspended.

5. Turn your head to the right.

6. Stay in the pose for 30-60 seconds and then repeat on the other side.

Parivritta Trikonasana (Inverted Triangle Pose)

This exercise is more difficult than the previous one and requires a good stretch of the hamstrings and hamstrings.

1. Place your feet a meter apart, extend your arms to the sides.

2. Turn your feet to the right: right - 90 degrees, left - 45 degrees.

3. Expand the pelvis and body to the right, while inhaling, pull the spine up.

4. As you exhale, bend over to your right leg, while simultaneously turning the body so that it is completely in the vertical plane, while the pelvis remains in place.

5. Place your left hand on the floor at the outer edge of your right foot. If it does not work (pulls strongly under the knee or the back of the thigh, it is not possible to keep the spine straight - the back is rounded), place your hand on the lower leg or on the block.

6. Extend your right hand up, turn your head to the ceiling, look at your right palm.

7. Hold the pose for 20-30 seconds, then do it in the other direction. It is important that while holding the asana, the back is straight and the abdomen relaxed. The body, arms and head must be in the same vertical plane. At the same time, the knees do not bend, and the feet do not come off the floor.

Parivritta parsvakonasana (twisted side angle pose)

This is an even more difficult pose that requires some practice and good stretching, in particular a well-stretched spiral meridian.

To understand what the asana should look like and how it is most often performed by beginners with insufficient stretching, we present three illustrations from Myers' book "Anatomical Trains". In the picture below, you can see this exercise performed by a yoga instructor, advanced student, and beginner.

The stretched spiral meridian running from the right hip over the left shoulder to the right side of the head allows the instructor to place his hand on the floor and stare at the ceiling.

Stretching students cannot do this. They are hindered by the shortened parts of the meridian. For example, short hip flexors prevent students from straightening their torso in a straight line.

The beginner does not have the rotators of the hip and hamstrings stretched, which is why he cannot fully bend the hip so that the angle at the knee is 90 degrees. Therefore, the back cannot fully straighten, and the head remains pulled into the shoulders.

Let's take a look at how this asana is performed.

1. Place your feet at a distance approximately equal to the length of your leg, extend your arms to the sides.

2. Turn your feet to the right: right - 90 degrees, left - 45 degrees.

3. Bend your right knee so that the angle between the lower leg and thigh is 90 degrees. The left leg remains straight.

4. With an inhalation, extend the spine upward.

5. With an exhalation, unfold the body to the right (while the left foot rises on the pad) and place your left hand behind the right knee. If stretching allows, place your palm on the floor; if not, place your left hand bent at the elbow on your right knee or on a block.

6. Extend your right hand up and forward, look past your hand to the ceiling.

7. Make sure that the knee of the left leg does not bend. The chest is unfolded and open as much as possible, the abdomen is relaxed.

From the foot to the fingertips, the body should be in a straight line. It is better to perform the asana in front of a mirror to notice incorrect deflections and correct them. For example, if the pelvis is raised too high and breaks a straight line, try to lower it. If this doesn't work, then you have short hip flexors and it's time for you to go for stretching.

Parivritta stambhasana (helical twisting pose)

This seemingly incredible twist is actually not that difficult to do. Moreover, stretching in this way is very pleasant.

1. Stand with your feet wide and turn your toes out.

2. Bend your knees so that an angle of 90 degrees forms between the lower leg and thigh.

3. Place your palms on your knees on the inside of your leg and press with your hands, as if pushing your legs further to the sides.

4. Extend the spine and, with an exhalation, tilt the body so that it is parallel to the floor.

5. Extend one arm with the elbow down and fingers up.

6. While rotating the arm, rotate the body at least 90 degrees. Stretch it parallel to the ground, do not round your back.

7. Follow the turn of the body with your head, look towards the upper shoulder.

The main twisting takes place in the thoracic region, the loin remains fixed and straight. The hips should be parallel to the floor, the body should be exactly in the center, without distortion.

These postures are designed to maintain health and restore the correct position of bones, muscles and fascia. Do not exercise if your muscles are taut. Listen to your feelings and consider the capabilities of your own body so as not to get the opposite effect.