BOOSTING YOUR BANDHAS
In yoga, the utmost consideration of form and alignment is given to the points in
the body that need to be contracted in order to preserve energy.
WORDS: LISA GREENBAUM
he practice of yoga dates back as
early as 3000 BCE, as confirmed
by the discovery of stone seals
from that time depicting people sitting in
meditative postures. If we follow the history
of yoga as a physical practice (Asana), the
poses were developed to help the body
prepare to comfortably sit for long periods
of meditation. These were poses to develop
core strength as well as keep the hips open
and limber. Over time, the poses continued
to develop as callisthenic practices for
young men in the military, where Astanga or
Power Yoga was formed. Later on, yoga
continued to evolve, becoming a more
therapeutic practice as taught by BKS
Iyengar and TKV Desikachar.
Throughout the evolvement of the
physical practice of yoga, the interesting
thing to note for us in the west is the Yogi’s
consideration of form and alignment through
the ‘bandhas’. Bandhas or locks (translated
from Sanskrit) refer to points in the body that
need to be contracted in order to preserve
energy (prana) in the body.
There are three primary bandhas:
T
1. Mula Bandha or Root Lock
The root, as in the base of our spine,
refers to the exact location and sensation
of drawing up our pelvic floor muscles. In
fitness, we understand the importance of
these muscles to fully integrate our core and
provide stability for our low back.
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2. U ddiyana Bandha or Belly Lock
This refers to how the belly draws in towards
the spine while the spine pulls towards the
belly, creating a sandwich effect to fully
support the spine through all movements.
Once again in fitness, this is an alignment
cue we use for core strength and support.
3. Jalandhara Bandha or Throat Lock
This is the light contraction of the muscles
of the neck and throat as a means to align
our cervical spine. As we find ourselves
often holding positions that defy gravity,
it is important to ensure that our head and
the delicate muscles of our neck are safely
supported.
When we practice Asana, focusing on
building strength by boosting our bandhas
will actually allow the poses to feel more
stable and lighter for our body. We begin to
work with the sensation of creating internal
strength while maintaining external softness.
This allows us to discover the real flow that is
yoga, even while holding a pose in stillness. If
we say that we are only as strong as we are
flexible, boosting our bandhas while at the
same time softening into our poses creates a
physical balance to the body and mind that is
difficult to find anywhere else.
Lisa Greenbaum holds her E-RYT 500 in yoga and
is the Program Development Manager for YogaFit
Australia and Director of YogaFit Canada.
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A range of YogaFit Instructor Training workshops are taking place across the country this Spring.
Upcoming dates: YogaFit Fundamentals, 9-11 & 16-18 Sept, Melbourne; 7-9 & 14-16 Oct, Sydney;
4-6 & 18-20 Nov, Perth; and 11-13 Nov & 2-4 Dec, Brisbane. YogaFit Level 3, 5-6 Nov, Sydney.
YogaFit Level 4, 9-12 Nov, Perth; and 17-20 Nov, Sydney. YogaFit Level 5, 13-14 Nov, Perth; and
21-22 Nov, Sydney. YogaFit Meditation & Mindfulness, 7 Nov, Perth. yogafitaustralia.com