A common experience for yoga practitioners is frustration due to a lack of flexibility. A consistent yoga practice will help to improve flexibility however understanding how the body works will speed up the process. Here’s how to increase flexibility.
You have to learn to stretch your achilles tendon! This is a familiar phrase heard in traditional bikram yoga classes the world over. This tendon is a tough band of fibrous tissue that connects the calf muscles to the heel bone. To be clear, the objective is not to actually stretch this structure because tendons are largely in-elastic. However by applying tension to the tendon, you effectively stretch the muscles which are attached to it. In this case, you stretch the calf muscles.
Agonist/Antagonist Pairs
The principle of agonist/antagonist muscle pairs is important when you are looking to effectively stretch any muscle or tissue of the body. These pairs exist throughout the body. Basically the rule is that as one muscle contracts, the other (on the opposite side of the joint) automatically relaxes and lengthens. In the arm, the biceps and triceps are a perfect example. In order to bend or straighten the joint attached, one muscle must contract and the other relax.
Tibialis Anterior is an antagonist to the calf muscles, and runs down the front line of the lower leg. In order to increase the effectiveness of your calf stretch, focus your concentration power to mindfully contracting Tibialis Anterior by flexing your foot at the ankle and your toes up toward your face. This muscle also supports the medial arch of the foot, so an added benefit to strengthening this muscle is correcting or preventing Pes Plantus (flat foot).
How to Increase Flexibility
You have a few opportunities to stretch (apply tension to) your achilles tendon throughout the traditional Bikram practice. In Standing Head to Knee posture focus on flexing the ankle and toes of your lifted leg toward your face. Maintain this contraction throughout all stages of this posture.
In Seperate Leg Stretching posture, transfer your weight into your toes. This simple adjustment will bring the toes and ankle into flexion and automatically activate Tibialis Anterior in order for you to balance.
In Head to Knee and Stretching Pose mindfully contract this top-line shin muscle to flex the ankle and bring your toes towards your face. In time, it will require less hand and arm strength to create the flexion, instead it will be the strength of Tibialis Anterior which creates the stretch of the calf muscles and the underside of the foot.
There is always more mindfulness and awareness you can bring to your yoga practice. A general understanding of anatomy and physiology is a must. Stay curious!