Mula bandha, also known as the root lock, is a yoga pose that focuses on engaging the root of your body, which yoga is found at the base of the torso in the perineum. Practicing mula bandha exercises as part of your yoga routine helps achieve numerous health benefits as well as a more focused and energetic yoga practice.
Practice
To practice mula bandha exercises, begin by tightening your perineal muscles. At first, when you begin working these muscles, numerous muscles will contract together, including your anal and urogenital muscles. Eventually you want to contract only your center perineal muscle and not your anal or urinary muscles. Each time you practice mula bandha, repeat the contraction 25 times if you can. Avoid holding your breath. Instead try breathing in and out as you contract and release your perineal muscles.
Usage
Your yoga teacher may ask you to engage mula bandha while you are performing other yoga poses. By engaging your perineal muscles you can add energy and awareness to your yoga practice. Practicing mula bandha while performing other yoga postures can help increase your flexibility and generate heat in the body. Keeping your perineal muscle engaged can help the circulation in your pelvis as you perform various yoga poses and help you maintain an awareness of your core muscles, protecting your body from injury.
Health Benefits
When you practice mula bandha exercises, you are strengthening your pelvic floor muscles. A strong pelvic floor can help prevent urinary incontinence later in life. If you are a man, exercising your perineal muscles can prevent possible prostate problems and impotence. Women can perform perineal exercises to prepare for and recover from childbirth as well as prevent uterine prolapse.
Tips
Properly performing mula bandha exercises can take years of practice. For the best results, consider working one-on-one with a yoga instructor who can help you work towards performing mula bandha exercises appropriately. When practicing mula bandha exercises, it can be helpful to sit on the floor and bring your heels in toward your perineal area. By placing one heel right against your perineum, you may be able to feel if you are in fact contracting the correct muscles as you practice.
Member Comments