PSOAS? So What?

By Brandon Hetzler, SFG II

If that is your mindset or you are of the mindset of, “Oh, you mean half of the IlioPsoas group?” then you are drastically missing a keystone to your own strength and performance as well as the strength and performance of your clientele. If. Think you understand the importance of the psoas, ask yourself these questions — if you don’t know the answer, then it would benefit you to keep reading:

1. How does the psoas affect breathing?
2. How does the psoas affect your kettlebell swing? (and anything regarding hip extension doesn’t count – if you aren’t aware of the role of the psoas in getting full hip extension you need to resign your SFG credentials and go back to the year 2000)
3. How does the psoas affect your press?
4. Trouble squatting? What is the role of the psoas?

It would appear that I have a closet love affair with the psoas. It is anything but that – I detest those little devils! Mine truly are only here to try and ruin me. And really, it isn’t just the psoas – it is just the movie star of the fascial line that affects everything. Thomas Myers is the Author of the amazing text, Anatomy Trains. In it, he connects everything to everything via some very distinct fascial lines. One of these lines he details is the Deep Front Line (DFL), which essentially connects the thigh to the neck. Here’s how:

• Adductor complex
• Psoas
• Illiacus/Quadratus lumborum
• Diaphragm
• Visceral fascia
• Deep neck flexors (anterior scalenes)
• Many other structures are intermixed into the DFL, these are just the highlights.  Read Anatomy Trains for the full description.

Essentially, this is the best representation of the ‘core’ that I have seen. It is also very close to what many have referred to as the inner unit. The function of the DFL is to provide deep spinal stability which will then allow the extremities and the large prime movers to do their job – move.

One drastic misconception is that of the IlioPsoas. They are two separate muscles that share a common insertion point on the femur. This is where the similarities end. The illiacus is a hip flexor – the psoas is a lumbar stabilizer. They share no other connection, other than being in a close proximity to each other. There is, however, a very strong fascial connection between the illiacus and the Quadratus lumborum – to the point that their fibers run in exactly the same line. If there were a miraculous combination of muscles, this is the one that should occur – the NEW ILIORATUS LUMBORUM. Heard it here first folks!

Illustrations by me – I passed the mail-in draw the dog test for art school back in the day. Secret talent.

Back to the above questions. Breathing tied to the psoas, really? Actually, yes. The psoas ties directly into the posterior crura (back) of the diaphragm. Tight psoas? Restricted breathing, and vice versa. At the same time that tight psoas that is inhibiting the diaphragm continues on up thru the DFL into the anterior neck. Tightness there does two things: 1. Constricts the windpipe (and has a negative effect on the vocal chords. Huh, what does that mean? It means that is why we crocodile breathe thru our nose – it is the only way to get the vocal cords to relax. Constricted vocal chords, constricted airway) 2. Creates Cervical flexion (which transfers to a forward head in order to maintain a level visual field). How many people that chicken neck their swings have anterior hip tightness? I would venture to say several.

Which takes us to the press. The effect of the psoas on lumbar position has been mentioned by many others – anterior tilted pelvis leading to bad back position sound familiar? Half kneeling presses, tall kneeling presses are a great patch to this. THEY ARE BOTH INVALUABLE, But by themselves all they are doing is causing us to address just the anterior hip – not the entire DFL.

Enter the V-Sit (or straddle sit). This brings the adductors into play, forces the psoas to provide lumbar stability, and challenges the rest of the DFL – which then influences the Arm Lines and the Spiral Lines. Now, press from a great V-sit and see where you feel it.

Now a great V-Sit is knees fully extended, toes pointed to the ceiling, chest up and tall and pelvis neutral to slightly forward. Not being able to press half body weight is often blamed on strength. Many times, strength isn’t the only issue – being able to press from a stable platform is the killer. Now, with this it is often the opposite psoas that feeds into shoulder restrictions. (Want more details? Complain to the powers that be until they ask me to write a follow up or track me down at one of my Movement Restoration Workshops.)

Last one, squatting. If the knees travel in as you descend into the squat, that is bad. What is worse is the resulting massive femoral internal rotation early in the squat which affects pelvic stability and turns the squat into something atrocious. So, as you squat with this poor pelvic stability the body throws up the bat signal and in flies the Super-Psoas in an attempt to save the day by stabilizing the pelvis and lumbar spine. It turns on at the wrong times and thru reciprocal inhibition the glutes dial back their activation, which robs you of hip extension strength. Spinal position is lost, glute activation is inhibited, then because of the pull from the psoas the diaphragm is put into a position that the only way it can stabilize is by having us holding our breath. The result is we are just left riding out the squat hoping we survive. The fix? Address some trigger points (Psoas, iliacis, quadratus lumborum, umbilicis, and any others along the DFL). Revisit the v-sit position (and the V-sit press) and add in the Lizard with External Rotation and the 4-point squat. Now, here is a very important note – before doing any of these, you have to do diaphragmatic breathing and soft tissue work, but that can be a whole other article.

Interestingly, there are MANY things that can be done in the V-sit position to address stability and sneak in some mobility work. Master SFG Instructor Jeff O’Connor has a ton of amazing variations that I wish were mine, but I won’t claim them as my own. All are very worthy of inclusion here, but I ran out of space.

DISCLAIMER – The Ilioratus lumborum is 100% a fictitious muscle I made up to make a point. You will not find it in any anatomy book – and if you do, that is a sign of a bad anatomy book.

Movement Restoration Project in Los Angeles
December 8th – 8:00-5:00
Cost $199 before 11/23/2012, $250 after 11/23/12
Pay via Paypal – https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=99AJYZ78997FN
Registration Material, Schedule, and more Information will be sent out on December 1st.

CEU’s will be granted via Functional Movement Systems.
Questions? Email Brandon at simplykettlebells@gmail.com

Hosted by Matt Seki and Progression Wellness Center
508 S. Vincente Blvd
Los Angeles CA 90048