Glossary
Yoga and anatomy terms
The words used across the Stretchtogo courses, with how to say them. Capital letters mark the stressed syllable, so Sthira sukham asanam is STEE-rah SOO-kham AH-sah-nam.
Yoga terms
Stretchtogo uses these ideas as practical working principles for how a session is run. You do not need to be a yoga teacher, or hold any belief, to use them.
A
- AhimsaPronounced ah-HIM-sah
- Non-harming.Where it appears: Lesson 1.4 (pain scale), 4.4 and 6.1
- AparigrahaPronounced ah-pah-ree-GRAH-hah
- Non-grasping.Where it appears: Lessons 4.4 and 4.5
D
- DhyanaPronounced DHYAH-nah
- Meditation.Where it appears: Lesson 3.1
H
- HalasanaPronounced hah-LAH-sah-nah
- Plow Pose.Where it appears: Lesson 4.5
P
S
- SadhanaPronounced SAH-dhah-nah
- Steady personal practice.Where it appears: Lesson 4.5
- SatyaPronounced SAHT-yah
- Truthfulness.Where it appears: Lessons 1.2 and 1.4 (check-ins)
- SavasanaPronounced shah-VAH-sah-nah
- Resting pose lying on the back.Where it appears: Lesson 4.5 and the session close
- SevaPronounced SAY-vah
- Selfless service.Where it appears: Lesson 1.2 (ethics and service section)
- Sthira sukham asanamPronounced STEE-rah SOO-kham AH-sah-nam
- A posture should be steady and comfortable (Yoga Sutra 2.46).Where it appears: Foundation reading, lessons 4.3 and 4.5
U
- UjjayiPronounced oo-JAH-yee
- Steady breath with a soft ocean sound.Where it appears: Lesson 4.5
Y
- YamasPronounced YAH-mahz
- Yoga's ethical guidelines.Where it appears: Foundation reading
Anatomy terms
Terms from the lessons on the muscular system, flexibility and stretching, and the safety notes.
A
- AcetylcholinePronounced uh-SEE-tul-KOH-leen
- A chemical messenger released by a nerve at the neuromuscular junction that signals a muscle fiber to contract.
- AgonistPronounced AG-uh-nist
- The muscle mainly responsible for producing a movement.
- AntagonistPronounced an-TAG-uh-nist
- A muscle that opposes the movement of the agonist; it is typically on the opposite side of the joint.
C
- ConcentricPronounced kun-SEN-trik
- A muscle contraction in which the muscle shortens while it produces force.
E
- EccentricPronounced ek-SEN-trik
- A muscle contraction in which the muscle lengthens while it produces force.
- EndomysiumPronounced en-doh-MIZ-ee-um
- Connective tissue that wraps each muscle fiber.
- EpimysiumPronounced ep-ih-MIZ-ee-um
- The outermost sheath of connective tissue around a whole muscle.
F
G
- GlaucomaPronounced glaw-KOH-muh
- An eye condition involving damage to the optic nerve, often associated with raised pressure inside the eye.
- GlycosaminoglycansPronounced gly-KOHS-uh-mee-noh-GLY-kanz
- Long carbohydrate chains found in connective tissue that attract and hold water.
- Golgi tendon organPronounced GOL-jee
- A sensor where a muscle meets its tendon. When tension in the muscle gets high, it signals the spinal cord to inhibit that muscle, so it relaxes.
I
- IsometricPronounced eye-so-MET-rik
- A muscle contraction in which the muscle produces force without changing length and the joint does not move.
L
- LigamentPronounced LIG-uh-ment
- Connective tissue that connects one bone to another at a joint.
M
- MyoglobinPronounced MY-oh-GLOH-bin
- A protein in muscle fibers that holds oxygen.
O
- OsteoporosisPronounced os-tee-oh-puh-ROH-sis
- A condition in which bones lose density and become more fragile.
P
- PerimysiumPronounced pair-ih-MIZ-ee-um
- Connective tissue that wraps each fascicle.
- PNFPronounced P-N-F (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation)
- A family of stretching methods that combine a muscle contraction and relaxation with a stretch.
- ProprioceptionPronounced PROH-pree-oh-SEP-shun
- The body's sense of its own position and movement.
S
- SynergistPronounced SIN-er-jist
- A muscle that assists the agonist in producing a movement.
T
- TendonPronounced TEN-dun
- Connective tissue that attaches a muscle to a bone.
This glossary explains vocabulary used in the courses. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose or treat any condition. See the courses.