We are continuing our series called “This is Your Body on Yoga” where we look at the systems of the body and how yoga helps keep them healthy. Here and in the next couple of posts we’ll be exploring the muscular system which is so much more than just our muscles. 

In the Indian health system known as Ayurveda, muscles are part of the mamsa vaha srotas, which is Sanskrit for “the channel for muscle in the body.” Muscles are supported by other important structures such as fascia, tendons and even the skin, especially the deep layers of the skin that are close to the muscles and fascia. 

In just about any yoga class there will be some mention of muscles and yoga students are usually familiar with the names of some muscles too, such as hamstrings in the back of the thighs or pectorals in the front of the chest. Every muscle has tendons which attach it to bones and every muscle is surrounded by a stiffer protective tissue called fascia. Because fascia is literally all over the body from head to toe, it’s another way that our body sends messages from one end to the other.

In yoga there are three main ways we work with muscles—we strengthen, stretch or relax them. Today we’ll look at ways to strengthen muscles and leave stretching and relaxing for the next two posts.

The research on yoga is very clear: yoga strengthens your muscles. And wait, there’s more: the strengthening of muscles in turn stabilizes joints and strengthens bones. Win, win, win! But there’s a catch: you have to do weight-bearing yoga poses in order to strengthen muscles and bones and stabilize joints. Restorative yoga and yin yoga alone are not going to provide these benefits. 

Here's how to strengthen your muscles in yoga class:

√ Hold poses longer. Holding a pose keeps the muscles contracted for some time and the muscles may even start to get a little shaky. This is a good thing. In order for muscles to get stronger, they have to break down a bit so they can rebuild. For upper body strength, hold plank pose or downward-facing dog. Start with 30 seconds and work up to 2 minutes or more. For lower body strength, hold balancing poses like tree, balancing half moon or eagle for 5-7 breaths. Standing in a warrior pose, triangle pose or side angle for many breaths works too.

√ Move in and out of poses. Slow flow is another way to work muscles because the muscles are alternating between contraction and release. If you’ve tried it before you will agree that muscles get quite tired from moving this way. The classic for upper body strength is push-ups. The yoga version is called chaturanga dandasana or “four-limbed staff pose,” a position that can be quite hard on the shoulders. So maybe try doing push-ups from the knees instead. Or flow from downward-facing dog to plank to upward-facing dog 5 times. Lunges are a wonderful way to increase lower body strength too. For instance, stand in crescent lunge and straighten and bend the front knee while lowering and lifting the arms. Or stand in temple pose with feet and knees turned out. Squat up and down or lunge from side to side. As you increase the number of repetitions stay aware of your breath and pay attention to any distress you feel in wrists, shoulders, hips, knees or lower back.

Check back next week as we explore the joys of yoga stretching.

I’m kind of obsessed with the liver right now, one of the most amazing organs in the human body. Did you know that the liver is the only organ that can regenerate? Yes, only 10% of healthy liver tissue is required for the liver to grow back to full size. Amazing! 

The liver is an important pitta-dominant organ. Read more about pitta and how to live in a more healthy way this summer in last week’s blog post called “Cool the Inner Heat.” 

The liver is located on the right side of the abdomen just under the diaphragm. Ayurveda teaches that the liver is a hot organ and the emotional seat of anger in the body. Physically, the liver filters and recycles the blood, stores important nutrients, maintains healthy blood sugar levels, and removes harmful substances from the body. 

Yoga posture practice is very good for the liver, and you might enjoy prioritizing some of these things this summer or anytime you feel your liver may be compromised.

• Side bending poses, especially when bending to the left, stretch the fascial connections around the liver on the right side of the body. Examples are standing half moon, seated side bends, and—my personal favorite—lying down on the left side over a rolled blanket or bolster for a minute or two.

• Twisting poses take advantage of squeeze and soak, where we squeeze out the juices from the internal organs then allow the fluids to rush back in as we release the twist. All twists are good whether standing, seated or lying down.

• Yin yoga for the liver meridian works a lot more than just the liver itself by bringing healing energy to the whole energy line of which the liver is a part. Yin poses are held for 3-5 minutes while creating a gentle stretch into the connective tissues and joints, rather than the muscles. (This is a specialized form of yoga and you may need to receive instruction from a certified teacher to do it most effectively.) Best poses are Butterfly, Frog, Dragonfly, Shoelace, Square, Deer and Dragons.

May you enjoy the summer season! Always remember that a happy healthy summer relies on a happy healthy liver.

It’s summer and, wow, it’s hot! In Ayurveda (traditional Indian medicine), summer is considered a Pitta dominant season. Pitta is the dosha made up of fire and water and, when the two are combined, we experience the heat and humidity of summer. Too much pitta and it’s said that our pitta is aggravated. Aggravated pitta is known by its symptoms: feeling overheated, profuse sweating, a stinky smell, burning indigestion, loose stools, inflammation such as acne and rashes, sensitive eyes, and hot emotions like frustration and anger.

Ayurveda teaches that in order to return to balance, we should do things that will cool the heat of pitta. Unfortunately, many of the things we typically do in the summer tend to aggravate pitta and make our symptoms worse. Often we sit outside under the hot sun for long periods of time leading to sunburn and bug bites. We eat heavy and greasy foods like barbecued meat which don’t digest well. We drink alcohol which is both overheating and mind altering.

If we want to feel more comfortable and balanced this summer it can be helpful to practice what Ayurveda calls “opposite therapy.” Here are some suggestions:

• Eat foods that are sweet, bitter and astringent. Examples include all sweet fruits, astringent fruits (green banana, cranberries, pomegranate), leafy greens (especially kale, collards, dandelion greens), beets, carrots, eggplant, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, green beans, cucumbers, most beans, almonds, cashews and coconut.

• The best herbs and seasonings are coriander, cilantro, fennel, cardamom, basil, mint, dill, nutmeg, saffron, oregano, parsley, rosemary and turmeric.

• Dairy is cooling if you digest it well. Summer is the best time of the year for ice cream!

• Exercise should be moderate, never overheating, so avoid the hottest time of the day. Yoga, swimming and biking are excellent choices.

• Be aware of the things that tend to stress you out and make a plan to take breaks as needed. Bring calming influences into your environment, such as a companion animal, a peaceful walk in nature, the scent of fresh flowers or diffused essential oils, and cooling colors of light blue and green.

With just a few tweaks to your routine, you can be happy and healthy inside, no matter how hot it gets outside.