Rubber Band Bodies

During asana practice, teachers are always talking about the edge, referring to a point where the body reaches its limit. The term is a grand misnomer. When we think of an edge, we envision a clean sharp well defined line. There is no such beast in the body.

Imagine taking a rubber band between fingers and thumbs of both hands and then moving them away from each other. At some point the slack is pulled taught with no resistance. If you were to continue opening the space between your hands, tension would grow in relation to the lengthening of the band. At some point the strain reaches its maximum and any further movement would result in its breaking.

When we practice asana, our muscles respond very much the same. Our “edge” encompasses the entire range from barely noticeable, to extreme, resistance. Given that, in life, more effort generally yields better results, it's no wonder that so many push their body to the point that the rubber band is about to snap, and then push more. This, however, is unquestionably a case where less is more.

It requires more than a superficial passing acknowledgment that practicing yoga asana about communing with the body, not achieving mastery over it.

Again. Practicing yoga's about communing with the body, not achieving mastery over it.

Yoga asana is great exercise, and there's nothing wrong with taking it as no more than that. True, it may be discounting the most valuable aspects of it, but that doesn't detract from the positive benefits of the exercises and the value of a regular practice.

Even if one thinks all of that “one big family, love the earth, vibrational harmony, spiritual evolution” stuff is all a bunch of crap, that doesn't change the reality of our physicality. The body has its own self protection mechanisms. It doesn't care if its some thug in a back alley or its own mind on a yoga mat whose trying to bully it. It reacts the same.

As you play with your rubber band, it's simply better to hold back from applying maximum force. That way the body doesn't go into defensive mode. If you do feel compelled to go for the gusto (because it can feel really good) it's best to modulate your efforts, so that the muscles don't settle into lock down.

And unlike rubber bands, the body has moods and weather cycles and seasons. A rote strategy doesn't work when the team has different players every game. The coach has to assess each time, and modify the game plan accordingly, in order to get the best results. So slow down and play nice.

It's not mystical, touchy feely or new agey - “Just the physiological facts, ma'am”.