How to Stretch

by Nina

Reclined Leg Stretch Pose

I’m conducting a little experiment this month. Every day, I’m going to be sitting in Gomukhasana (just the leg position) to stretch my piriformis muscle, a muscle that runs from the back of my hip (my upper buttocks) to my hip joint. I have restricted mobility in my right hip joint, and it was recommended to me by an expert that stretching my piriformis muscle, which appears to be tighter on the right than the left, might help me gain more mobility in my hip. I’m not sure it’s going to work, but to tell you the truth, I like challenges like this one. And in the past, when I’ve focused on increasing my flexibility in a certain area, I’ve had a lot of success. For example, when I was frustrated with my lack of ease in backbends (okay, okay, that’s the nice way of putting it), for about a year, every time I practiced, I did a long passive upper backbend over a blanket roll to open up my chest and upper back. That was very effective, and my backbends soon became much more enjoyable.

I decided to post about this today because I know that some of you who have tight muscles are just resigned to it. Students sometimes sigh and say things like, “My legs are really tight.” But if there is a certain restriction you have that is having a negative effect on your yoga practice and maybe even your physical wellbeing, you can actually use yoga to target that area. For example, people with very tight hamstrings are not only uncomfortable in forward bends, but they may also have ongoing lower back problems because their leg muscles pull on their lower backs. But by stretching their hamstring muscles regularly and holding the stretches from 90 to 120 seconds, these people will not just release more in their yoga practice, they can also permanently lengthen their muscles to find more comfort and health in their everyday lives. Here's a leg stretch you could practice regularly to permanently lengthen your hamstrings.

In general it is recommended that you hold your stretches from 90 to 120 seconds, in order to obtain permanent results. There are several theories about why this is true, some having to do with fascia and others with the muscles themselves. If you’re interested in learning more, there is an excellent article on stretching on the Yoga Journal web site called What Science Can Teach Us About Flexibility. (Baxter says that some of the recommendations in this article are well supported by science while others are not, so he suggests you read it with a critical eye.)

In order to hold your stretch for longer periods, you need to make sure you are properly aligned and that you are comfortable enough in the pose to relax and breathe. So be sure to use props if you need them! Remember, a long, relaxed stretch is much more effective than a short battle with your tight muscles. Not to mention, much more fun!

So, have I convinced you now that you’re not stuck with being tight? Just follow these three basic guidelines:

1. Use props to make yourself comfortable in the stretch.
2. Stay in the stretch 90 to 120 seconds.
3. Practice the stretch at least three times a week.

Because I’m not comfortable sitting in Gomukhasana flat on the floor, I’m going to be using a folded blanket under my hips so I can relax in the pose. And I’m going to be staying in the pose for two minutes on each side. I’ll let you know in a month how my experiment goes! And if any of you decide to experiment on yourselves, do tell us about it.

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