title: Muscle utilization patterns vary by skill levels of the practitioners across specific yoga poses (asanas).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare muscle activation patterns in 14 dominant side muscles during different yoga poses across three skill levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mixed repeated-measures descriptive study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University neuromuscular research laboratory, Miami, US.
  
  
  METHODS
  A group of 36 yoga practitioners (9 M/27 F; mean ± SD, 31.6 ± 12.6 years) with at least 3 months yoga practice experience.
  
  
  METHODS
  Each of the 11 surya namaskar poses A and B was performed separately for 15s and the surface electromyography for 14 muscles were recorded.
  
  
  METHODS
  Normalized root mean square of the electromyographic signal (NrmsEMG) for 14 muscles (5 upper body, 4 trunk, 5 lower body).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant main effects of pose for all fourteen muscles except middle trapezius (p<.02) and of skill level for the vastus medialis; p=.027). A significant skill level × pose interaction existed for five muscles (pectoralis major sternal head, anterior deltoid, medial deltoid, upper rectus abdominis and gastrocnemius lateralis; p<.05). Post hoc analyses using Bonferroni comparisons indicated that different poses activated specific muscle groups; however, this varied by skill level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that different poses can produce specific muscle activation patterns which may vary due to practitioners' skill levels. This information can be used in designing rehabilitation and training programs and for cuing during yoga training.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neuromuscular Research and Active Aging, Department of Kinesiology and Sports Sciences, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, United States.
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.affiliation: Bala Vinyasa Yoga, Naples, FL, United States.
authors.forename: Kiersten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mooney
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neuromuscular Research and Active Aging, Department of Kinesiology and Sports Sciences, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, United States.
authors.forename: Anoop
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balachandran
authors.affiliation: Bala Vinyasa Yoga, Naples, FL, United States.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neuromuscular Research and Active Aging, Department of Kinesiology and Sports Sciences, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, United States.
authors.forename: Kysha
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Harriell
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neuromuscular Research and Active Aging, Department of Kinesiology and Sports Sciences, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, United States; Miller School of Medicine, Center on Aging, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States. Electronic address: jsignorile@miami.edu.
authors.forename: Joseph F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Signorile
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004576:Electromyography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D015013:Yoga; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Asana; Electromyography; Yoga pose