When studying anatomy it’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 torso mandala is one of mainly focused on the waist area. It’s brings insight on the muscles of your upperbody.
Within the torso we find 5 muscle groups: Thoracolumbar, Cervical, Rectus Abdominus, Transversus/Diaphragm/Obliques/Quadratus Lumborum (TDoQ) and Upperbody (chest/shoulders/arms). Each muscles group has it’s own function which will follow going through the individual groups.
Easy to draw yourself, the oval in the middle is your abdominal cavity where your organs are surrounded by muscles(QL, Transversus) and the diaphragm on top. The outer oval would be the skin or outer muscles (obliques). The square shapes below (or front) are your “abs” with the stripe in the middle symbolising your navel. The squares on the top (or back) are the two cable like muscles, thoracolumbar, and the stripe in the middle symbolising the spine.
Thoracolumbar
Following the hamstrings which are in the thigh mandala logically following up with the Thoracolumbar from the Torso Mandala. The name is derived from the Thoracolumbar Fascia(see slides). You could say that it runs between the sacrum, Ilium and the lowest thoracic vertebra and ribs yet is so complex and interwoven it covers even a larger area let alone it influences even the thoracic area, rib area and sides of the body.
The Thoracolumbar covers lots of muscles along the spine, chest and lateral sides of the body. Many smaller fibers and muscles run in multiple directions along the spinal processes. Most originate from the spine and from there attach to the hipbone, ribs and shoulder area.
Erector Spinae, Serratus Posterior, Quadratus Lumborus, External Obliques, Romboids, Trapezius, Latissimus Dorsi are just to name a few of the more familiar ones that we can stress in the Thoracolumbar group. To stress this group poses from the Caterpillar, Saddle and even Shoelace family are the way to go. Depending of whether you like to add a stretch or compression Caterpillar and Shoelace will stretch something there and Saddle poses compress it. Even Twists might add some flavour when this area needs attention.
Cervical
The Cervical (area/spine) lay in the same line as the Thoracolumbar. We cán feel both at the same time yet we can individually move the cervical area from the Thoracic and Lumbar spine. Though the Thoracolumbar Fascia can have a huge influence on the neck we mention it separately. The muscles from the neck area run from the skull and cervical spinal processes to the Scapula and Thoracic spine. Moving your arms and shoulder blades influence the cervical area as well.
Trapezius, Levator Scapula, Romboids, Semispinalis Capitis, Splenius Capitis and Serratus Posterior Superior are the muscles that move and stabilise the Neck from the sides and back. To stress this group poses from the Upperbody family can help like Gentle Bow, Neck Pull, Rolling Panda or poses from the Caterpillar group are the way to go. Flexion, Lateral Flexion or Rotation of the Cervical create the needed stress to the target area.
Poses like these aren’t often held as long as other poses would. 1-2min should already be sufficient. In the Torso Mandala the Cervical isn’t drawn which might even need a separate mandala 😉 But they are part of the 10 myofascial groups we try to cover here as well.
Rectus Abdominus
Rectus Abdominus we all have them, some show and some are covered 😅 Without you wouldn’t be able to stand straight. Running more or less from the 7th ribs and sternum to the pubic bone. When we speak of the “abs” it’s not just the 6-pack. As you can see in the slides we better call it 10-pack from now on. It again covers a larger area which helps you stand up and bring the spine into Flexion.
Devided by layers of fascia the abdominal muscles run along both sides of the Linea Alba with in the middle your belly button (Umbilicum). The lowest potion of the Rectus Abdominus goes into a ‘sack’ or layer of fascia again. So of all portion if you were able to see them this one would never show on the from as it is covered up. In the last slide you can see that muscle part from the inside of your abdominal cavity.
The Rectus Abdominus helps with breathing or better said helps the Diaphragm go up again into it’s “normal” state.
TDQ
A group of muscles we’ll call TDQ. Meaning the muscles we stretch we we go into a Sidebend and/or a Twist. The corset of the abdominal area holding together your abdominal organs helping you bend the spine lateral and into a rotation and like the Rectus Abdominus helps with breathing. Especially since these muscles are interwoven with the Diaphragm.
Transversus Abdominus, Obliques (Internal and External), Diaphragm & Quadratus Lumborum are connected between the lower ribs, Linea Alba, Spine and the Ilium (hipbone). Poses in the Twist Family will logically stress these muscles. Depending on which side you bend to and lean a little more forward or backward will stress the target area in a different angle.
Upperbody
The last one on the 10 myofascial groups is again outside of the torso mandala. A mouth full of muscles cannot be separated while we target them. They are smaller or overlapping while we move or stretch them making specific isolation impossible. These muscles most of all help to move the arms and shoulders yet influence the neck and spine as well.
Serratus Anterior, Romboids, Levator Scapula, Supscapularis, Terres Minor, Infraspinasus, Supraspinatus (on/under or above the scapula), Deltoids, Trapezius, Latissimus Dorsi, Teres Major, Pectoralis Major, Pectoralis Minor, Triceps, Coracoid Brachialis, Brachialis, and Biceps🥵 are the muscles we focus on in the upperbody. To stress these poses from the Dog family are your way to go. Poses are held less long as the fascia is more superficial and joints are reached easier than for example the glutes/hip area.
