Psoas Stretch vs Psoas Release?
A psoas stretch is part of almost any yoga pose.
The psoas muscle connects the upper and lower body as one of three muscles connecting the legs to the spine.
It lies deep in the core and any movement involving the pelvis involves the psoas.
It works a lot. 24/7 even.
So I teach something referred to as release work.
Release work is pretty simple. It is the opposite of stretching. All it means to do is put the body into a state of relaxation. Of not working.
And for the psoas that is a true gift.
As a yoga teacher, it is my job to stretch people. But it wasn’t long before I came across people who didn’t seem to be served by stretching.
They would come to class regularly, and put in the work. But their hips or hamstrings, or whatever they hoped to lengthen, never seemed to actually lengthen.
I came to realize that a muscle that is full of tension cannot be stretched free of that tension.
And from my perspective, it is the psoas muscle that carries or holds onto that tension.
What a conundrum. So many exercises we do involve a psoas stretch and I am saying I don’t think stretching the psoas serves everyone.
Especially if you are in chronic pain.
In certain cases, we must learn to relax, or release, the tension from a muscle. Only that way can we get back to the point where we can stretch it effectively.
In the case of the psoas, my take is pretty simple. If you have no pain in the lower back, hips, or groin, you should do psoas stretches to your heart’s content.
While relaxing the psoas would also be great, I can see why there wouldn’t be a great incentive to lay around for 45 minutes not doing much.
If you are in pain, suffering from tight hips, lower back pain, groin pain, etc, then psoas release work is an essential option.
Always with the idea that when you are ready you return to deeper psoas stretches.
Psoas release work is about relaxing. But it is also about exploring your psoas and your pelvis, and your body’s alignment.
Healing begins with awareness.
Psoas releases are about stepping back a little to listen to your body and come to a better understanding of how your body works.
Dysfunction in the nervous system usually comes down to the imbalance of excitation and relaxation.
Psoas release work attempts to influence that imbalance.
Sometimes a psoas stretch is exactly what you need for physical and emotional well-being. As someone who is not currently in pain, stretching my psoas brings me joy and happiness.
But when you suffer from chronic pain as a result of an accident, injury, or trauma, letting go can unlock a lot of tension.
Learning to relax and release chronic tension from the psoas is a gift everyone needs.
Release work is a beautiful way to heal the body and/or complement a rigorous training program.