CONNECTIVE TISSUE & FASCIA
What two proteins determine the strength and stretchiness of connective tissue?
Collagen and elastin.
What are the four main functions of muscles listed in the text?
Movement, heat production, guarding entrances, and maintaining posture.
What is the “superficial back line”?
A connective tissue chain from the feet to the head that influences forward bending.
Why do some students shift their hips backward in standing forward bends?
To avoid hamstring pressure.
What is an “avoidance pattern”?
An unconscious compensation the body uses to avoid tightness.
Which connective tissue surrounds muscles, bones, and organs like a web?
Fascia.
What happens when opposing muscle inhibition occurs (used in PNF stretching)?
When one muscle contracts, the opposing muscle relaxes.
Why does bending the knees often improve a forward fold?
It reduces hamstring tension and helps the pelvis rotate.
What makes one-legged forward bends more complex than symmetrical ones?
Asymmetry affects hips, gluteals, and spinal alignment differently on each side.
Why do students round their spine in a forward bend?
Because the pelvis fails to tilt properly over the femurs.
Why do ligaments heal slowly when injured?
Because they have limited blood supply.
Which contraction type keeps the muscle at a constant length (e.g., plank)?
Isometric contraction.
How do the feet and toes affect the depth of a forward bend?
Dorsiflexion and toe extension influence calf and hamstring tension.
In wide-legged forward bends, which additional muscle group is stretched besides the hamstrings?
The adductors.
What is the role of the adductors when thighs rotate outward?
They must engage to prevent misalignment and inward-turning feet.
When muscles are overused or inactive, fascia may “stick together.” What does this cause?
Reduced flexibility and limited independent muscle function.
During a slow descent into a forward bend, which type of contraction do the hamstrings perform?
Eccentric contraction.
What is the ideal contribution of hips vs. spine in a forward bend?
Two-thirds hip flexion, one-third spinal flexion.
Why is Kurmasana considered the peak of floor-based forward bends?
It requires extreme flexibility in hips, hamstrings, adductors, and spinal muscles.
Why should the abdominals be relaxed in forward bends?
Over-engagement prevents spinal extension and increases tension.
Why are tight hamstrings often fused over time?
Due to repetitive use and lack of movement variety, causing connective tissue adhesion.
Why are the traditional definitions of “origin” and “insertion” insufficient for yoga practice?
Because roles change depending on movement and position; muscle function is dynamic.
Why is Downward Dog considered essential for improving forward bends?
It stretches calves, hamstrings, and feet—key parts of the posterior chain.
How does pressing the arms against the legs assist in deep forward bends like Kurmasana?
It deepens the stretch while protecting the shoulders and clavicles.
What is the safe alternative for practitioners with hyperextended knees?
Keeping a soft bend to avoid ligament strain.