Course notes: I have been studying for years why so many people injure themselves in yoga. There are a few things to look at but one of them is the overstretching we are doing to our bodies. YES, people feel good when they stretch! I know that I feel so deliciously good! When we are injured, our first instinct is to stretch it out.  But stretching does not solve the problems.   We know this because the pain returns. And often returns with a vengeance.  So what is happening??? Stress, trauma, dehydration, and overuse are causing muscles to shut down.  One of the ideas is that the nerves between your brain and your muscles are like battery cables.  And those battery cables are a little disrupted. So we need to fix the connection between the brain and the muscles.  Because of this disruption, Your muscles LOSE the ability to contract and contract on demand.  Our job in Applied Yoga Anatomy + Muscle Activation™ is to get the muscles connecting to the bran again.  Your muscles are not weak. We just need to strengthen the battery cables between your  brain and body One of the key muscles to get activated are the Obliques. The Obliques: are imperative for movement prevent lower back pain enable flexion and rotation of the trunk stabilize the spine during rotation Getting these obliques to reactivate - to reconnect is not that difficult.  Remember! You are not weak. What is weak is the connection between your brain and your obliques.