Psoas is the deepest core muscle situated one on each side of the body. These muscles called psoas  major are the ones that attaches upper body to lower body. These muscles connects spine to legs. Psoas (psoai-plu) muscle are important in all terms – energetically, physically, and emotionally. Any stress that we experience can cause pain in posas muscle and hurts back. Yogis often detoxify these muscles to keep system calm.

Posas influence healthy and balanced posture of body. It influences how we walk, sit, move and even our breathing because our diaphragm is linked to psoas too. 

Posas are often referred as Yogic muscles because any tension and stress that we carry if we must detoxify then it can be done by releasing psoas. Similarly, our body balance depends on psoas. Any tightness in psoas can cause difficulty in focusing, irritability, fatigue, and insomnia. There are few yoga poses when practiced daily will help to detoxify and strengthen the core psoas muscle.

How to release tension, tightness from psoas muscle and improve core strength?

Knee to chest pose: Also known as apanasana, this pose helps to soften the core muscle.

• From traditional rest pose on the mat, gently bring your right knee towards chest.
• Keep your pelvis neutral and lumbar in natural curve position.
• While holding right knee to chest, slowly walk your left foot forward away from hips. Extend the leg and bring your attention to left hip. If you feel tension stop and release the tension.
• Stay here for few breaths.
• Then bend the left knee and repeat this on the right leg.
• Practice this few time, slowly on both sides for 5-7 breaths. You will start noticing that your body is relaxing.
• Stretches and stabilizes the pelvis and low back and can reduce lower back pain. Reduces excessive anger, excitement, anxiety and high blood pressure.

Low lunge pose: Anjaneyasana pose is another pose that releases tension in psoas muscle.

• Start with tabletop pose by keeping hands and knees on the mat.
• Keep extra cushion if your knee bothers you to be on the floor.
• Step your left foot forward while aligning the ankle directly under the knee.
• Keep both palms on top of left knee and press down into the thigh. This lifts the core. Don’t  forget to tuck your tail bone under by softening the front of right hip
• Slowly bring both arms above heat, stay in this pose for few breaths.
• Bring down the hands and knees back into tabletop pose.
• Repeat the steps on right side.
• After completion of the pose, go to child pose for resting.

Reclined butterfly pose –Supta Baddhakonasana is a powerful pose to detoxify and release tension in core muscle. There are three ways to strengthen core by practicing reclined butterfly pose.

To release tension and stretch the psoas:

• Exhale and slowly lie down on the mat on your back
• Bend both knees and press the sole of the feet together.
• Let both knees fall apart on sides, spread the back of your pelvis on the mat. Do not try to push the knees on the floor as it could harden and hurt muscles around groin.
• Release  lower back and upper buttocks through your tailbone.
• Stay in this pose for five to ten breaths

To increase core strength: While on reclined butterfly pose:

• Slowly lift both knees about an inch while your soles of the feet are still together. Hold it for one minute and release.
• Next time lift knees another one inch and hold for a minute. Continue breathing.
• You will experience shaking in legs and it is natural
• Release and repeat this for few more breaths.

To strengthen the core muscle:

• While in reclined butterfly pose, lift your pelvis from the floor about half an inch (you can test it by moving your palm underneath). Let your soles of the feet continue to press each other tight.
• Hold the pose for five breaths and release pelvis to the floor.

These three poses are helpful in detoxifying the body. Practicing these poses  not only help strengthening core muscle also eases stress, reduces depression, will have calming and relaxing effect.

Image credit: 2 poses:  https://pixahive.com/portfolio/aframeinmotion (photos by Akshay Gupta, CC by 0)