Functional Yin Yoga Anatomy
Functional Yin yoga anatomy is all about acknowledging skeletal differences.
Notice any difference between these two femurs, our thigh bones?
This image (compliments to Paul Grilley) shows very natural variations that can appear within our physical bone structures & helps to explain WHY no two people can ever do yoga poses the exact same way.
If our bones are different then this also means our joints can have VARYING ranges of movement.
In the Yin yoga practice, we embrace a functional approach considering skeletal differences, & often ask students ‘how does it feel?’, rather than focusing on the aesthetical alignment & how a pose may look. We may ask where you feel the stress within a pose to know how better to support you.
Functional Yin Yoga Anatomy – To Lotus or not to Lotus
Functional Yin yoga anatomy means acknowledging how our individual bone structure can play an important part in us being able to safely access a pose such as the Lotus.
Our Femur bones nestle into the hip socket & aid flexion, extension & rotation of the hip joint.
When we think about hip internal & external rotation, we consider what is happening at the hip joint & not what is happening at the foot. For internal rotation, the inner thighs roll inward & towards the back, you are turning your femur (thigh bone) inward towards your pelvis. For external hip rotation, the inner thighs are rolled outward & to the front.