asana: lying on block

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„Lying on block“

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Detail photos

Block upright lengthwise under the thoracic spine


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last update: 30.12.2018
Trivia name: Lying on block
Level: A

Classification

classic: lying pose
physiological: chest opening (stretching of the pectoralis major and pars clavicularis of the deltoid).

Contraindication

Effects

Preparation

Follow-up

If the lower back feels tense due to the pose, prepare with:

  1. parsva uttanasana
  2. balasana (virasana forward bend, child’s pose)
  3. parsva upavista konasana
  4. parivrtta trikonasana
  5. parsvottanasana
  6. half lotus forward bend
  7. karnapidasana

If the pose makes the back in the thoracic spine feel very stiff and unable to move, carefully perform afterwards:

  1. karnapidasana
  2. downface dog alternating with upface dog

Derived asanas:

Similar asanas:

Diagnostics (No.)

(206) Neck:

If not supported, the head is clearly reclined here. On the one hand, this shows the flexibility of the cervical spine in this direction; on the other hand, depending on the constitution and damage to the cervical spine, associated symptoms such as dizziness or neuroradicular symptoms may occur.

Variants:

Instructions

  1. Lie on your back, but with the spine aligned lengthways (along the longitudinal axis of the trunk) on a block that is on its second smallest side.
  2. Release the arms and legs as in savasana.
  3. Allow the shoulders to sink sideways to the floor next to the block.

Details

  1. The main purpose of this pose is to open the chest in a transverse direction. The shoulder blades are almost maximally in depression (moving towards the pelvis) and retraction (moving towards the spine – unless they are resting on the block with the margo medialis, in which case only to the extent that they are not) and sink to the floor next to the block. Depending on the width of the block and the condition of the shoulder blades or the muscles that move them, the inner edges (medial or vertebral margo) may come into contact with the block. If there is no suitable object narrower than the block available, one or more blankets can be used to eliminate the uncomfortable feeling that arises when the medial margo presses against the block.
  2. The head is slightly reclined. If this is uncomfortable or if this exercise repeatedly results in tension in the cervical spine muscles or if previous damage to the cervical spine prohibits this exercise, the head can be placed on an appropriate elevation.
  3. Over time, try to allow the shoulder blades – and therefore the proximal upper arms – to sink further and further next to the block. There may be some quite strong muscles that prevent or hinder this movement, e.g. the pectoralis major or the serratus anterior, as well as possibly the pars clavicularis of the deltoid, which may need time to release or stretch. However, this is precisely the aim of the pose.
  4. The upper arms are partially in the air and the elbows bear part of the weight of the upper arms when they reach the floor. If the elbows do not reach the floor, the stretching effect on the pectoralis major is all the stronger. If, for example, the elbow is uncomfortable due to specific pressure sensitivity of the elbow in the area of the ulna resting on the floor, which is only surrounded by a small amount of skin, the upper arms can be partially supported and the ulna can be padded accordingly at the point of contact in the joint area.
  5. The block must not lie under parts of the cervical spine or lumbar spine but should primarily support the middle and upper thoracic spine in the area of the sternum. In contrast to lying on the roll, lying on the roll at right angles to the spine, the exact position in relation to the longitudinal axis of the spine is not quite so important here because it is not a question of opening up in direction of extension of the spine. However, a small distance should be kept from the relatively prominent and therefore possibly somewhat pressure-sensitive vertebra prominens (C7) (because, maybe, it has already been strained in other context).
  6. The abdominal muscles, especially the rectus abdominis, are soft. Due to the elevation of the rib cage, it may be under some tension, but a stretching comparable to lying on a roller at right angles to the spine is unlikely to occur.
  7. Due to the construction of the human rib cage, there is much less flexibility in the transverse direction than in the flexion or extension direction. The stretch felt relates almost exclusively to muscles that move the arms or the shoulder blade from the trunk or the arms from the shoulder blade. Of course, these muscles are essentially ventral, as they pull ventrally (in direction of protraction or in case of the arm of transversal adduction) and muscles can only contract. Nevertheless, this pose is helpful for many people who have lost flexibility and well-being due to their everyday posture with rather protracted (and perhaps also partially elevated) shoulder blades. Frequently, the persistent slight protraction of the shoulder blades is also associated with a tendency towards excessive kyphosis of the thoracic spine. The reasons may often be at least partly psychomental; a lack of strength endurance in the autochthonous back muscles accompanying the thoracic spine may also be the cause. It should also be checked whether the rectus abdominis is sufficiently flexible and whether the structure of the back is perhaps the result of hyperlordosis.

Known problems that can occur even when performed correctly

Falling asleep of the arms see above
Perceived inability to leave the posture see above
Perceived inability to round the back see above
Feeling of tension in the lumbar spine or cervical spine see above

Variants

Hands under the bum

Instructions

  1. Take the pose as described above, but place your hands under your buttocks at the same side.

Details

  1. If the pressure of the backs of your hands on the floor or mat is uncomfortable, use a softener underneath like a blanket.
  2. This variation helps to retract the shoulder blades.