Multifidus Multifidi: Tonic Not Phasic

The Multifidus Muscle is a vocabulary word you must understand in Alignment Yoga. I've referred to Isotonic exercises vs Isometric/Tonic muscles vs Phasic muscles - and only the isotonic exercises strengthen and grow multifidi. And for our purposes, isotonic denotes slow deliberate movements and weight bearing, that recognizes where a person's "end range" exists: meaning work without pain. The brilliant serpentine nature of the exquisite multifidus, as its tiny hair-like fibers weave together the magesty of the spinal column, stabilizes all our movement. Strong multifidus rejects back pain, and as we move through The Alignment Yoga classes together, our J-Spines will begin to unfurl. We used to joke with our new students, saying after a few months of holding hard poses for 2 + minutes, that they grew an inch taller. Renewed posture and developed multifidus will actually add height over time. Before defining 'How To Lengthen', there will be a few more key words and non-negotiable principles to discuss, but know that when you hear the term "deep core" it's referring to the multifidi - and you can't pump iron to get at it. In fact; over-building superficial muscles can work against the structure of the multifidus, distorting the skeletal system, thus causing injuries.

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