July 7, 2025 • 14 mins
In a recent conversation with a fellow yoga teacher, she asked me if I’d ever consider doing an episode on the psoas muscle. Of course, I said YES!
I truly love diving into topics like these! There are certain muscles that every yoga or movement teacher should understand on a deeper level, the psoas is definitely one of them. It’s widely referenced in classes, but just as often misunderstood. So today, we’re unpacking what it is, what it does, and why it matters so much in the way we teach.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Monica (00:00):
In a recent conversation with a fellow yoga teacher, she
asked me if I'd ever considerdoing an episode on the SOAs
muscle, and without hesitation,I said, absolutely, yes.
This is one of those topics Itruly love diving into because
there are certain muscles thatevery yoga or movement teacher
(00:22):
should understand on a deeperlevel, and the SOAs is
definitely one of them.
It's widely referenced, but justas often misunderstood.
So today we're unpacking what itis, what it does, and why it
matters so much in the way weteach.
(00:43):
Welcome to the EssentialConversations for Yoga Teachers
Podcast with me.
I'm Monica Bright and I've beenteaching yoga and running my
yoga business for over a decade.
This is the podcast for you.
If you are a yoga teacher,you're looking for support.
You love to be in conversation,and you're a lifelong student.
(01:07):
In this podcast, I'll share withyou.
My life as a yoga teacher, thelessons I've learned, my process
for building my business andhelpful ideas, tools, strategies
and systems I use and you canuse so that your business
thrives.
We'll cover a diverse range oftopics that will help you,
(01:29):
whether you're just starting outor you've got years under your
belt and you wanna dive deep andset yourself up for success.
I am so glad you're here.
Listen, I don't take myself tooseriously, so expect to hear
some laughs along the way.
Now let's do this together.
(01:52):
Welcome back to the podcast.
I'm Monica, and I'm so gladyou're here.
Here is where we get real aboutyoga's role in helping students
with conditions and injuries andwhat you can do to help them
find relief while they're inyour classes.
I was recently speaking with oneof my yoga teacher colleagues,
(02:13):
and she asked.
To me if I'd record an episodeon the topic of the SOAs muscle,
and I immediately said, uh,yeah.
I honestly do enjoy doing deepdives into certain muscles that
every yoga teacher or movementteacher should have a solid
understanding of.
(02:34):
So today we're going to discussthe SOAs muscle because it's
widely referenced, but oftenmisunderstood.
You've probably heard it calleda hip flexor.
Maybe you've even heard thatit's linked to trauma or
emotion, but how well do youreally understand what the so as
(02:55):
muscle does and why it mattersso much for yoga teachers to
know it deeply?
Let's discuss.
Its anatomical function.
Its evolutionary history, itsrelationship with pain and its
role in modern movement andyoga.
The SOAs major is a deep,powerful muscle located in the
(03:18):
core of the human body.
It's part of the group, commonlyreferred to as the Iio SOAs,
which includes the SOAs majorand the iliacs.
The SOAs originates along thelumbar vertebra, T 12 to L five,
runs diagonally down through thepelvis and inserts on the lesser
(03:39):
trocanter of the femur, which isthe upper inner thigh.
It is primary job is hipflexion, bringing the thigh
towards the torso or the torsotowards the thigh, but it's not
just a mover, it's also astabilizer, particularly of the
lumbar spine and pelvis.
(04:00):
It's the only muscle thatconnects the spine directly to
the legs and that makes it abridge between the upper and
lower body, structurally andfunctionally.
Here's something fascinating andnot often discussed, but I teach
it when I'm teaching yogateachers about functional and
applied anatomy.
(04:21):
The role of the SOAs changeddramatically when we evolved
from quadrupeds to bipeds.
In four-legged animals, the SOAshelps flex the hip during
walking or running, but thespine is more horizontal.
When humans became upright, thespine became vertical, and the
(04:42):
SOAs had to adapt to serve bothmovement.
And postural stability,particularly in standing and
gait mechanics.
This dual role stabilizing andmobilizing is unique to us
humans who walk on two feetinstead of four, the SOAs has to
hold the lumbar spine in placewhile also helping us walk, lift
(05:07):
and bend.
So think about it.
That's a big job for one muscle.
Side note, you have two SOAsmuscles, one on the right side
of your body and one on theleft.
The next bit of information issomething I love to teach about
the SOAs muscle.
it's the SOAs and quadratuslumborum relationship.
(05:28):
These two muscles are closeneighbors.
They both attach to the lumbarspine, while the SOAs primarily
flexes the hip and stabilizesthe spine, The QL works to side
bend the spine and stabilize thepelvis when the SOAs is tight or
overused, the QL oftencompensates and vice versa.
(05:51):
this can create asymmetricalloading in the low back,
contributing to lumbardiscomfort, pelvic imbalance, or
strain on the SI joint.
They will often co contract whenwe're trying to stabilize,
especially IMB, balancing posesor core work.
But when one is over, recruitedor short, the other might be
(06:13):
overworked, trying to keep youupright.
Now let's talk about the SOAsand the diaphragm because they
have a critical connection.
The SOAs and diaphragm areconnected through fascia at the
level of T 12.
And L one, and they worktogether to create core support.
(06:33):
So if you're teaching breathmechanics and you notice that a
student's breath is shallow, orif the diaphragm is restricted
from trauma or tension, the SOAsmay.
Also become hypertonic, whichmeans it's overactive and tight.
That's one reason why breathwork.
And so as awareness are oftenlinked in both yoga and somatic
(06:58):
work.
Now, let's talk about pain.
We know that pain ismultifactorial.
It's not confined to damage tosoft tissue or bone, or even one
single event.
The SOAs can contribute to awide range of issues when it's
not functioning well, includinglow back pain.
(07:19):
because of its lumbarattachments.
A shortened or tight SOAs canpull the lumbar spine forward
into excessive lordosis andinward curve, compressing the
discs and creating facet jointirritation.
Hip pain.
If the SOAs is dominant, it canlimit extension through the hip
(07:39):
joint, contributing to strainand back bends.
Think camel dancers evenkneeling lunges.
It can also contribute to pelvicinstability.
Uneven tension in the SOAs cantilt the pelvis forward and
interior tilt, and if it's onone side and not both, then it
(08:01):
can pull one side forward anaction that's not happening on
the other side.
I wanna stress that thesevariations can be very small,
but if you do some investigatingand your student knows that this
is an issue for them, then youcan take this information and
choose what you wanna do aboutit in your classes.
(08:21):
I.
Because of its fossil link tothe diaphragm.
Tension in the SOAs can alsoaffect your breathing patterns,
often resulting in a shallowchest dominant breath cycle.
And nervous system hypervigilance.
The SOAs is closely linked withthe sympathetic nervous system.
(08:42):
Chronic stress can lead to, fora lack of a better way to say
it, constantly on SOAs, leadingto postural holding patterns
that reinforce that fight orflight state.
So why does all of this matterfor you as a yoga teacher?
because we work directly withspinal movement, breath and hip
(09:06):
mobility every time we teach.
If a student struggles inWarrior one, which includes hip
flexion and extension.
Or feels compression in Cobra orUpward Dog, which requires
extension.
Maybe they experience low backpain in Shavasana with neutral
(09:28):
hips, depending on the student'sbody type.
Or if they have difficultybreathing deeply in twists or
forward folds, which requirespinal rotation and some
flexion, The SOAs could beplaying a role here.
Understanding the SOAs helpsyou.
Q more clearly imposes thatdemand hip extension offer
(09:51):
variations that respect pelvicand lumbar positioning.
Incorporate breath work thatsupports nervous system
downregulation and teach corestability that includes not
ignores the deep hip flexors.
You also begin to see that notall back pain is caused by a
(10:13):
weakness or tight hamstringssometimes.
It's about misunderstanding orsimply under supporting the
SOAs.
Here are a few things that mostyoga teachers don't know.
The SOAs is active even in rest,in standing and seated
(10:33):
positions.
It's engaging in order tostabilize.
Some students with SOAsdominance may benefit from more
eccentric loading or cocontraction rather than passive
stretching.
Okay, tight doesn't always meanshort.
A SOAs can feel tight becauseit's weak and overworked, not
(10:55):
because it needs more length.
I could do an entire podcastepisode on the misunderstanding
of this.
Let me know if you want me toadd it to the queue, and I
totally will.
And walking and slow locomotioncan be more helpful for
regulating the SOAs thanisolated hip stretches.
So while you might feel temptedto teach a lizard or a low lunge
(11:20):
and call it a day, a morethoughtful approach might
include breath based practicesto calm, sympathetic tone, GL,
and posterior chain activationto create balance and functional
movement like walking, lungingand standing balance work.
So here's the takeaway.
(11:42):
The SOAs isn't just a hipflexor, it's a central player in
the story of our spines, ourpelvis, the breath, and the
nervous system.
As yoga teachers, when weunderstand its complexity, we
stop oversimplifying movement.
We stop defaulting to stretch itor engage it, and we start
(12:06):
seeing how our queuing, oursequencing, and our presence can
help students move better andfeel safer in their own bodies.
Developing an inherentunderstanding of what each pose
asks of the body, plus whatstudents' bodies can and cannot
tolerate, will help you helpyour students, either in your
(12:29):
group classes or private clientsettings.
If you wanna go deeper into howto understand anatomy in a way
that really applies.
To the students that show up inyour classes.
This is exactly what I mentoryoga teachers on.
I'm currently working with ateacher who has injured
students, and she wants todeepen her acumen on what to
(12:53):
offer with ease.
Remember, you don't need tomemorize every joint direction
of movement to be effective orevery single muscle in the body.
In order to be a good, informedand educated teacher, you just
need to understand how tosupport the students in front of
you, and that's what I helpteachers do.
(13:15):
Okay.
Understanding anatomy,biomechanics, and the effects
yoga Asana have on the bodyhelps you help your students.
It's so important for us to havethis conversation so that you
remember that students of allshapes, sizes, alignment and
abilities come to your classesand you can serve all of them.
(13:37):
You know that my goal is for youto love the yoga teaching life.
It's important to understandmovement And the issues students
come to your classes with.
If you want to inquire aboutworking with me, let's jump on a
strategy.
Call and discuss your currentneeds and ways I can help you
right now.
In the meantime, subscribe tothe podcast so you're always in
(14:00):
the know when a new episodedrops, and share it with another
yoga teacher who you think wouldlove to be in on these
conversations.
And thank you for helping tospread the word about this
podcast.
Alright, that's it for now.
Bye.
In a recent conversation with a fellow yoga teacher, she
asked me if I'd ever considerdoing an episode on the SOAs
muscle, and without hesitation,I said, absolutely, yes.
This is one of those topics Itruly love diving into because
there are certain muscles thatevery yoga or movement teacher
(00:22):
should understand on a deeperlevel, and the SOAs is
definitely one of them.
It's widely referenced, but justas often misunderstood.
So today we're unpacking what itis, what it does, and why it
matters so much in the way weteach.
(00:43):
Welcome to the EssentialConversations for Yoga Teachers
Podcast with me.
I'm Monica Bright and I've beenteaching yoga and running my
yoga business for over a decade.
This is the podcast for you.
If you are a yoga teacher,you're looking for support.
You love to be in conversation,and you're a lifelong student.
(01:07):
In this podcast, I'll share withyou.
My life as a yoga teacher, thelessons I've learned, my process
for building my business andhelpful ideas, tools, strategies
and systems I use and you canuse so that your business
thrives.
We'll cover a diverse range oftopics that will help you,
(01:29):
whether you're just starting outor you've got years under your
belt and you wanna dive deep andset yourself up for success.
I am so glad you're here.
Listen, I don't take myself tooseriously, so expect to hear
some laughs along the way.
Now let's do this together.
(01:52):
Welcome back to the podcast.
I'm Monica, and I'm so gladyou're here.
Here is where we get real aboutyoga's role in helping students
with conditions and injuries andwhat you can do to help them
find relief while they're inyour classes.
I was recently speaking with oneof my yoga teacher colleagues,
(02:13):
and she asked.
To me if I'd record an episodeon the topic of the SOAs muscle,
and I immediately said, uh,yeah.
I honestly do enjoy doing deepdives into certain muscles that
every yoga teacher or movementteacher should have a solid
understanding of.
(02:34):
So today we're going to discussthe SOAs muscle because it's
widely referenced, but oftenmisunderstood.
You've probably heard it calleda hip flexor.
Maybe you've even heard thatit's linked to trauma or
emotion, but how well do youreally understand what the so as
(02:55):
muscle does and why it mattersso much for yoga teachers to
know it deeply?
Let's discuss.
Its anatomical function.
Its evolutionary history, itsrelationship with pain and its
role in modern movement andyoga.
The SOAs major is a deep,powerful muscle located in the
(03:18):
core of the human body.
It's part of the group, commonlyreferred to as the Iio SOAs,
which includes the SOAs majorand the iliacs.
The SOAs originates along thelumbar vertebra, T 12 to L five,
runs diagonally down through thepelvis and inserts on the lesser
(03:39):
trocanter of the femur, which isthe upper inner thigh.
It is primary job is hipflexion, bringing the thigh
towards the torso or the torsotowards the thigh, but it's not
just a mover, it's also astabilizer, particularly of the
lumbar spine and pelvis.
(04:00):
It's the only muscle thatconnects the spine directly to
the legs and that makes it abridge between the upper and
lower body, structurally andfunctionally.
Here's something fascinating andnot often discussed, but I teach
it when I'm teaching yogateachers about functional and
applied anatomy.
(04:21):
The role of the SOAs changeddramatically when we evolved
from quadrupeds to bipeds.
In four-legged animals, the SOAshelps flex the hip during
walking or running, but thespine is more horizontal.
When humans became upright, thespine became vertical, and the
(04:42):
SOAs had to adapt to serve bothmovement.
And postural stability,particularly in standing and
gait mechanics.
This dual role stabilizing andmobilizing is unique to us
humans who walk on two feetinstead of four, the SOAs has to
hold the lumbar spine in placewhile also helping us walk, lift
(05:07):
and bend.
So think about it.
That's a big job for one muscle.
Side note, you have two SOAsmuscles, one on the right side
of your body and one on theleft.
The next bit of information issomething I love to teach about
the SOAs muscle.
it's the SOAs and quadratuslumborum relationship.
(05:28):
These two muscles are closeneighbors.
They both attach to the lumbarspine, while the SOAs primarily
flexes the hip and stabilizesthe spine, The QL works to side
bend the spine and stabilize thepelvis when the SOAs is tight or
overused, the QL oftencompensates and vice versa.
(05:51):
this can create asymmetricalloading in the low back,
contributing to lumbardiscomfort, pelvic imbalance, or
strain on the SI joint.
They will often co contract whenwe're trying to stabilize,
especially IMB, balancing posesor core work.
But when one is over, recruitedor short, the other might be
(06:13):
overworked, trying to keep youupright.
Now let's talk about the SOAsand the diaphragm because they
have a critical connection.
The SOAs and diaphragm areconnected through fascia at the
level of T 12.
And L one, and they worktogether to create core support.
(06:33):
So if you're teaching breathmechanics and you notice that a
student's breath is shallow, orif the diaphragm is restricted
from trauma or tension, the SOAsmay.
Also become hypertonic, whichmeans it's overactive and tight.
That's one reason why breathwork.
And so as awareness are oftenlinked in both yoga and somatic
(06:58):
work.
Now, let's talk about pain.
We know that pain ismultifactorial.
It's not confined to damage tosoft tissue or bone, or even one
single event.
The SOAs can contribute to awide range of issues when it's
not functioning well, includinglow back pain.
(07:19):
because of its lumbarattachments.
A shortened or tight SOAs canpull the lumbar spine forward
into excessive lordosis andinward curve, compressing the
discs and creating facet jointirritation.
Hip pain.
If the SOAs is dominant, it canlimit extension through the hip
(07:39):
joint, contributing to strainand back bends.
Think camel dancers evenkneeling lunges.
It can also contribute to pelvicinstability.
Uneven tension in the SOAs cantilt the pelvis forward and
interior tilt, and if it's onone side and not both, then it
(08:01):
can pull one side forward anaction that's not happening on
the other side.
I wanna stress that thesevariations can be very small,
but if you do some investigatingand your student knows that this
is an issue for them, then youcan take this information and
choose what you wanna do aboutit in your classes.
(08:21):
I.
Because of its fossil link tothe diaphragm.
Tension in the SOAs can alsoaffect your breathing patterns,
often resulting in a shallowchest dominant breath cycle.
And nervous system hypervigilance.
The SOAs is closely linked withthe sympathetic nervous system.
(08:42):
Chronic stress can lead to, fora lack of a better way to say
it, constantly on SOAs, leadingto postural holding patterns
that reinforce that fight orflight state.
So why does all of this matterfor you as a yoga teacher?
because we work directly withspinal movement, breath and hip
(09:06):
mobility every time we teach.
If a student struggles inWarrior one, which includes hip
flexion and extension.
Or feels compression in Cobra orUpward Dog, which requires
extension.
Maybe they experience low backpain in Shavasana with neutral
(09:28):
hips, depending on the student'sbody type.
Or if they have difficultybreathing deeply in twists or
forward folds, which requirespinal rotation and some
flexion, The SOAs could beplaying a role here.
Understanding the SOAs helpsyou.
Q more clearly imposes thatdemand hip extension offer
(09:51):
variations that respect pelvicand lumbar positioning.
Incorporate breath work thatsupports nervous system
downregulation and teach corestability that includes not
ignores the deep hip flexors.
You also begin to see that notall back pain is caused by a
(10:13):
weakness or tight hamstringssometimes.
It's about misunderstanding orsimply under supporting the
SOAs.
Here are a few things that mostyoga teachers don't know.
The SOAs is active even in rest,in standing and seated
(10:33):
positions.
It's engaging in order tostabilize.
Some students with SOAsdominance may benefit from more
eccentric loading or cocontraction rather than passive
stretching.
Okay, tight doesn't always meanshort.
A SOAs can feel tight becauseit's weak and overworked, not
(10:55):
because it needs more length.
I could do an entire podcastepisode on the misunderstanding
of this.
Let me know if you want me toadd it to the queue, and I
totally will.
And walking and slow locomotioncan be more helpful for
regulating the SOAs thanisolated hip stretches.
So while you might feel temptedto teach a lizard or a low lunge
(11:20):
and call it a day, a morethoughtful approach might
include breath based practicesto calm, sympathetic tone, GL,
and posterior chain activationto create balance and functional
movement like walking, lungingand standing balance work.
So here's the takeaway.
(11:42):
The SOAs isn't just a hipflexor, it's a central player in
the story of our spines, ourpelvis, the breath, and the
nervous system.
As yoga teachers, when weunderstand its complexity, we
stop oversimplifying movement.
We stop defaulting to stretch itor engage it, and we start
(12:06):
seeing how our queuing, oursequencing, and our presence can
help students move better andfeel safer in their own bodies.
Developing an inherentunderstanding of what each pose
asks of the body, plus whatstudents' bodies can and cannot
tolerate, will help you helpyour students, either in your
(12:29):
group classes or private clientsettings.
If you wanna go deeper into howto understand anatomy in a way
that really applies.
To the students that show up inyour classes.
This is exactly what I mentoryoga teachers on.
I'm currently working with ateacher who has injured
students, and she wants todeepen her acumen on what to
(12:53):
offer with ease.
Remember, you don't need tomemorize every joint direction
of movement to be effective orevery single muscle in the body.
In order to be a good, informedand educated teacher, you just
need to understand how tosupport the students in front of
you, and that's what I helpteachers do.
(13:15):
Okay.
Understanding anatomy,biomechanics, and the effects
yoga Asana have on the bodyhelps you help your students.
It's so important for us to havethis conversation so that you
remember that students of allshapes, sizes, alignment and
abilities come to your classesand you can serve all of them.
(13:37):
You know that my goal is for youto love the yoga teaching life.
It's important to understandmovement And the issues students
come to your classes with.
If you want to inquire aboutworking with me, let's jump on a
strategy.
Call and discuss your currentneeds and ways I can help you
right now.
In the meantime, subscribe tothe podcast so you're always in
(14:00):
the know when a new episodedrops, and share it with another
yoga teacher who you think wouldlove to be in on these
conversations.
And thank you for helping tospread the word about this
podcast.
Alright, that's it for now.
Bye.
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