In yoga postures, sometimes the adjustment of seemingly inconspicuous small details can make a big difference, and you will feel more comfortable and stable.
For example, your big toe.
You may think that they are very disobedient, that is, they are aware that they have not been sent there, especially when they are used as one leg standing balance.
However, bring more focus and awareness to where you are and constantly adjust your big toe.
Your big toe will bring you a revolution in alignment and balance, and you will feel the sense of being firmly grounded.
The next time you do a standing forward bend, pay attention to how your weight feels on your feet.
Most of us put our hips back and put our weight on our heels.
This will make your bones out of alignment, affect your stability, and cause tension in the back of your thighs and pelvis.
However, a simple and focused big toe adjustment can create the stability of bones, ligaments and muscles, strengthen the connection between body and mind, and create a safe foundation and a comfortable and stable posture for you.
Let’s take a look.
What’s the anatomy? The muscles of your big toe support those ligaments and bones that produce the arches of the soles of your feet.
A healthy arch (as opposed to a collapsed arch) acts as a buffer to transfer kinetic energy.
The kinetic energy chain that goes up through the ankle, knee and the whole body will affect alignment, joint health and muscle strength.
Weak big toe flexor (the muscle used to bend the toes) will change the strength and effectiveness of gluteus maximus.
The gluteus maximus is very important in most postures.
If the big toe muscles work well, they can protect your body from impact and instability.
They need dynamic stability, which means they should react and cooperate with changes in movement, center of gravity and balance.
The good news is that your big toe muscles can be exercised.
Just like bending forward while standing, evenly press the flesh of your big toe onto the mat.
Instead of trying to control your big toe, imagine that you gently press a button with your big toe.
After pressing this button, it will strengthen the big toe flexor, awaken the kinetic energy chain of the muscles at the back of the thigh, and bring about the alignment of the ankle and hip.
After strengthening the flexors of the big toes, you will want to stretch them in a pose like the four column brace, or downward dog pose.
Both stretch and enhance the dynamic stability of the toes.
Getting more familiar with your plantar anatomy, also known as the plantar surface, will help improve your awareness and understand and apply how to activate your big toes.
Your big toe is composed of two joints: one is the joint formed by two phalanges, and the other is the joint formed by the phalanges and metatarsals.
The joint capsule and ligament wrap the two joints to provide stability.
Finally, let’s see how these two joints move.
Bending your big toe is controlled by two muscles: flexor pollicis longus and flexor pollicis brevis.
They are assisted by the adductor and abductor foot flexors.
Flexor hallucis longus extends to the deepest part of the lower back of the lower leg, connecting the tendons of the sole of the foot to the interphalangeal joint.
The flexor brevis muscle controls the metatarsophalangeal joint.
All these muscles support your arch.
Press down slightly to maintain the stability of the metatarsophalangeal joint and activate the kinetic energy chain of the muscle, from the sole of the foot to the back of the thigh to the hip.
When you cannot consciously change the ligaments, joint capsules and bones, you should consciously control the muscles to build strength and stability in the standing balance posture.
4 poses to strengthen the toe muscles (the strength of the big toe) ↓↓↓ Try the following poses to establish the strength and mobility of the big toe muscles, and then feel the changes in the awareness of the foundation and balance.
1.
The standing forward bending variant starts from Mountain Pose, inhales to extend the spine, and then exhales to fold from the crotch.
(In yoga class, when the students’ hips lean back, usually the teacher will come over and gently adjust the students’ legs to be perpendicular to the ground.
When the teacher walks away, the pelvis leans back.) You need to use your own strength to correct.
Gently press the fleshy part of your big toe against the mat, which can help you lift your thigh bone up to the top of your ankle.
Then press both sides of your feet equally against the mat to activate your arch.
You should feel rooted at this time.
Hold 5-10 breaths, then return to Tadasana.
2.
The big toes of the phantom chair are close together, and the heels are slightly open.
Inhale, extend your arms along your ears, bend your knees, and sink your hips into the phantom chair.
Press down the big toe meat, and then press down both sides of the foot equally to activate the arch of the foot.
Start the whole body, knees together, and hips.
At this time, pay attention to the link between the big toe and the core, which is connected by the kinetic energy chain of the muscle and fascia, or connective tissue, from the sole of the foot to the back of the thigh.
Keep 5 breaths.
3.
Hold your big toes and stand in Mountain Pose.
Balance your feet and lift your knees.
The index finger and middle finger grasp the right big toe, activate the big toe muscles, fight with the fingers, and slowly straighten the upper leg.
Bring your awareness to the connection between the heel of your right big toe and the lower part of your right thigh.
This pose activates strength and stretches the big toe muscles.
Take at least 5 breaths, then switch sides.
4.
Four column supporting pose This is a reverse posture, stretching the flexors of the toes, especially the flexors brevis.
When you come to the shift, you should slowly put your elbows down to ensure that they are above your wrists, that your big arms are parallel to the ground, and that your shoulders are not lower than your elbows.
Push your heels back, making sure they are right above your toes.
Then press the big toe to the ground and stretch the flexor brevis.
Keep 5 breaths.
The longer you practice yoga, the more you will learn about yoga, which is very helpful to your yoga advancement..
