When studying anatomyit’s helpful to make things easy so you remember where what is located to be able to find your target areas or help out your students. The thigh mandala is one of those tools that were created to use in many situations. It brings insight on the muscles of your thigh.
Within the thigh we find 5 muscle groups: Adductors, Quadriceps, Hipflexors, Glutes(and IT Band) and Hamstrings. Each with their own function which you will see and find below.
Easy to draw yourself, the circle in the middle is your femur, the crescent shape on the outside symbolises your glutes as they are higher up the thigh. The Hipflexors and the Quadriceps share a compartment as we usually stretch or activate them at the same time.
Adductors
Adductors are 5 muscles on the inner thigh. They come from the pubicbone attaching to the femur (one of them, Grasilis, below the knee)
The Pectineus, Grasilis & Adductor -Magnus, -Brevis and -Longus help with adducting (bringing together) the femur. To stretch those, poses in the dragonfly family are your way to go
Quadriceps
Quadriceps are the 4 muscles on the front of your thigh. Three come from the greater trochanter (top of the femur) and one from the front of the Ilium (anterior superior iliac spine) running over the patella (kneecap) attaching to the Tibia (chinbone).
The Vastus Lateralis, Vastus Medialis, Vastus Intermedius and the Rectus Femoris help with extending the Tibia and flexing the Femur. To stretch those, poses in the Saddle family are your way to go. Bending the knee and extending the femur.
Hipflexors
Hipflexors are the 4 muscles on the front of the hip. One of them you also saw in the quadriceps group (Rectus Femoris). Multiple attachement points like the lumbar spine, crest of the ilium and front of the ilium is where the Hipflexors come from. Three attach to the inside of the femur and as you saw before the rectus femoris goes over the patella attaching to the tibia.
Rectus Femoris, Sartorius, Iliacus/Psoas Major (Iliopsoas) and the Psoas Minor help with flexion of the femur. To stretch the Hipflexors Dragon poses are your way to go. Extending the femur and posterior tilting the pelvis. For the Psoas even extending the lumbar spine could be your option.
Glutes & IT Band
Glutes are the 10 muscles on the lateral side of the hip and thigh. One of them (Iliotibital Band) is more or less a long tendon than a muscle. In the functional approach to yoga we add this one to the glute group as we target it when stretching, also it helps all glutes stabalising the body. The Glutes originate frm different attachement points. The crest of the ilium, the sacrum and back of the sitbones. They attach more or less to the top, the outside and the back of the femur.
Gluteus Maximus, -Medius, -Minimus, Tensor Fascia Latae, Piriformis, Quadratus Femoris, Inferior Gemelus, The Superior Gemelus, Obturator Internus and the Iliotract Band help with abduction and extension of the femur. To stetch the glute muscles Shoelace poses are your way to go. Flex and externally rotate the femur while flexing the tibia. Adduction while stretching can increase your stretch around the glute area.
Hamstring
Last in the thigh mandala group are the Hamstrings. 4 muscles on the back op the thigh. It’s debatable whether it’s 4 or 3 yet looking at their originating points we say 4. Three originate from the sitbone (Ischial Tuberosity) and one head of the Biceps Femoris comes from the femur. And why wouldn’t it as ‘bi’ means two. They all attach below the knee so thus crossing two joints.
The Biceps Femoris longhead, -shorthead, Semitendinosus and Semimembranosus help with flexion of the tibia and extension of the femur. To stretch the hamstrings poses from the Caterpillar group are your way to go. Extension of the tibia and flexion of the femur. Flexing the spine in a caterpillar pose could increase your hamstring stretch as it tilts the pelvis and brings the sitbones further away from your knee joint.
Anatomy Photos Used from different sources @ Pinterest