I was having a conversation with my wife about the “bandahs” in yoga. I don’t know what started it, but I do know that it was something that perked my ears up. She said the bandahs are “locks” inside the human body. They help create stability in movement. Well it just so happens that in performance and rehab we’re always looking for ways to increase stability inside the movement system. Any time there is slack in your movement system, something grinds, packs, stretches against it’s will, holds tension in a spot that shouldn’t, takes pressure at a location that shouldn’t, and generally clogs up your kinetic workings. So I researched bandahs and it turns out yoga is very correct.
Yoga has been around for a long time. Yoga knows its sh*t! Every time I branch out and learn more about a movement discipline, be it technique, style, positioning, action or internal working, from strongman, powerlifting, martial arts, dance, fencing, gymnastics, or sports, I always end up intersecting myself somehow in research or random conversation in which I discover that everything I just learned, yoga knew it first. So in this case of movement stability I’m not surprised, but I am delighted.
There are three bandahs along the spine. They are the located at the perineum, the middle of your waist, and the front of your throat. Activate one to become more stable in that region, activate all three to become stable in the spine. Activate all three during movement in order to preserve force production, maintain proper joint alignment, share force across a wider range of muscular systems during strength movements, transfer force more efficiently and effectively in explosive movements, reduce risk of bone, joint and muscle injury, increase your natural agility, balance and coordination, and breathe better.
Muladhara Bandah is your pelvic floor muscles.
Uddiyana Bandah is your transverse abdominis muscle.
Jalandhara is your anterior neck muscles.
To engage your pelvic floor muscles, simply pretend you’re in 5 o’clock rush hour traffic and you have to go number one, AND number two. Clench and hold while you breathe.
To engage your transverse abdominis, place the webbing of your forefinger and thumb directly on the thinest part of your waist, just below your ribs. Reach your forefinger and middle finger around to just outside where your “six pack” would be on each side, and pinch those fingers and thumbs together at that spot. Flex between your fingers and thumb and hold while you breathe.
To engage your anterior neck muscles pull your chin down towards your chest until you’re looking down and your chin is touching your chest. Then drag it upward and backwards until your gaze is straight ahead. Hold while you breathe.
And the fourth one I’d like to use today in combination with all three; flex your lats and pull your shoulders down towards your hips.
Stand, engage all four, and see what you feel like.
The first method of training these locks is through breathing. Engage all four, breathe, and feel the massive amount of mental concentration that is required to engage all four. You are stable. If you cannot hold all four locks while breathing, you are not ready for movement. Practice breathing while holding them while you breathe, sit, stand, walk, drive, chill or eat. They should be active in some way, 100% of the time you’re awake.
When you have no problem holding them active in stillness, then you are ready for movement. Try locking your body and breathe in the following positions;
Plank
Bridge
Squat
Handstand
Deadlift
Bottom of Pushup
Bottom of Pullup
But don't take my word for it. Read more about the bandahs below;
So Cool! I am starting with the pelvic floor Bandahs and working from there!
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