WELCOME TO MONTHLY THROUGH LINES

Hey all – it’s Simon here from Chromatic Yoga.

It’s November. 

The weather is cooling off. Leaves falling from trees. Wind picking up. And the days are getting darker.

I’ve already had a yoga student come into class warning me that she has slipped on her icy deck walking outside in the morning. 

Now’s one of the times of year our practice really shows up for us (I mean, who are we kidding, is there ever a time of year that it doesn’t? 

And that’s where CHROMATIC MONTHLY THROUGH LINES comes in!

In Chromatic Yoga, we keep things straightforward. That’s why we’ve launched this “Monthly Through Line” community initiative. It’s designed to help you – our Chromatic Teachers – focus and intelligently design your classes to best support your students. If you’re not a Chromatic Teacher yet, and are simply here to practice, that’s great too. You’ll be able to apply these through-lines to gain more insight in to body biomechanics and potentially access the poses you’ve always wanted to do but perhaps haven’t fully gotten yet. 

How it Works:

1. On the first of every month, we announce the Chromatic Monthly Through-Line. We zoom in on one body part and explore all the ways it affects our yoga practice throughout the month.
2. We highlight a Physical Through Line (PTL) you can incorporate into your classes each week, along with pose suggestions and cueing techniques.

• WHAT IS A PHYSICAL THROUGH LINE? 

• A Physical Through Line is a term we use in Chromatic Yoga that is defined by the muscle engagement, or joint action that we focus on through the duration of the yoga class. Certified Chromatic Teachers construct their classes around a PTL (Physical Through Line) in order to create a more effective learning environments for students. As a student you can expect that each Chromatic class will include a PTL. Of course, you will do other postures and other muscle engagements within a Chromatic class, however there is a strong emphasis on the PTL.

3. Share how you’ve used the PTL by tagging us on IG and in our Global WhatsApp Group! 

For November, the Chromatic Monthly Through-Line will be based on….

the KNEE – …

When we think about yoga practice, we often focus on the big movers: the hips, shoulders, or spine. But the mid joints of the leg – the knee – is what translate strength and stability between the hips and the feet and out into the mat.

The knee is a hinge joint that allows for flexion and extension, while also having a small amount of internal and external rotation. 

This month, we’ll explore the four primary actions of the knee:

• Week 1: Flexion of the Knee Joint

• Week 2: Extension of the Knee Joint

• Week 3: Internal Rotation at the Knee Joint

• Week 4: External Rotation at the Knee Joint

Each week, your Chromatic practice will focus on one of these actions. By paying attention to these subtle yet powerful movements, you’ll discover new ways to strengthen your legs, stabilize your joints, and build longevity into your yoga practice.

Week 1: Flexion of the Knee

What It Is: Flexion of the knee bends the leg, drawing the heel toward the buttocks and shortening the back of the leg.

Key Muscles:

• Hamstrings (biceps femoris, semitendinosus, semimembranosus – primary movers from ischial tuberosity to tibia/fibula)
• Gracilis and sartorius (synergists crossing the knee medially)
• Gastrocnemius (assists by crossing the knee joint)

Why It Matters: Knee flexion builds mobility and strength in the posterior chain, allowing safe deepening in forward folds, squats, and binds. It integrates with hip extension for balanced leg alignment, protecting the knee from strain in weight-bearing poses.

This Week: Explore active hamstring engagement in Skandāsana (bent knee side), High Lunge, or King Pigeon (back leg) – notice the balance between strength and mobility, and how hamstring–adductor interplay stabilizes the knee.

Week 2: Extension of the Knee

What It Is: Extension of the knee straightens the leg, lengthening the front of the thigh and aligning the tibia away from the femur.

Key Muscles:

• Quadriceps (rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, medialis, intermedius – primary movers via patellar tendon to tibial tuberosity)
• Gluteus maximus (indirect synergist for femoral alignment)

Why It Matters: Knee extension creates length and power in the legs, supporting lift-off in standing balances and backbends. Mindful extension prevents locking into the joint, promoting stability through quadriceps control.

This Week: Feel quadriceps activation in Urdhva Mukha Śvānāsana (Upward-Facing Dog), Vīrabhadrāsana III, or Skandāsana (straight leg side) – focus on eccentric control when lowering, enhancing knee support.

Week 3: Internal Rotation of the Knee

What It Is: Internal rotation of the knee twists the tibia inward relative to the femur, often subtle and coupled with hip actions.

Key Muscles:

• Semitendinosus and semimembranosus (medial hamstrings)
• Gracilis and sartorius (pes anserinus group for medial pull)
• Adductors (longus and magnus as secondary stabilizers)

Why It Matters: Internal rotation refines medial knee tracking and stability, essential for twists and binds. It counters external dominance, fostering even muscular balance around the joint.

This Week: Tune into subtle inward tibial roll in Tittibhāsana, seated twists, or constructive rest – observe how medial hamstrings and adductors create mindful inner knee awareness without overpowering hip rotation.

Week 4: External Rotation of the Knee

What It Is: External rotation of the knee twists the tibia outward relative to the femur, influencing lateral knee alignment.

Key Muscles:

• Biceps femoris (lateral hamstring as primary contributor)
• Gluteus maximus and tensor fasciae latae (TFL via IT band to Gerdy’s tubercle)
• Gluteus medius (posterior fibers for synergy)

Why It Matters: External rotation enhances lateral stability and opens the hips, key for warrior poses and pigeon variations. It balances IT band tension, ensuring knee tracking follows safe femoral patterns.

This Week: Engage the outer line in Vīrabhadrāsana II (front leg), Eka Pāda Rāja Kapotāsana, or Gomukhāsana – notice how glute max and TFL build tension for freedom and grounded external knee control.

Simon’s RECAP AND TIPS

THE DANCE OF STABILITY AND MOBILITY IN THE KNEE

It’s tempting to treat the knee like a simple hinge—bend it, straighten it, done. But in truth, the knee is a dynamic translator: it absorbs shock from the ground, transmits power from the hips, and fine-tunes every step with subtle twists. Flexion gives you depth and cushion; extension gives you lift and reach; internal and external rotation keep the joint tracking like a well-oiled train on its rails. No single action lives alone—yoga (and life) demands they dance together.

For example:

• In Warrior II, the front knee extends boldly over the ankle, yet a whisper of external rotation (driven by the femur) keeps the joint safe while the back leg’s subtle internal rotation anchors the pelvis.
• In Skandāsana, one knee flexes deeply under hamstring control, while the straight-leg side demands quadriceps-driven extension—both legs quietly rotating to keep the pelvis level.
• In Pigeon Pose, the front knee flexes with external rotation for hip opening, but a background hum of internal rotation awareness prevents the joint from twisting under load.
• In Tree Pose, the standing knee locks into mindful extension, while the bent leg’s flexion couples with slight internal rotation to tuck the foot securely.

This dance is everything: flexion and extension create the rhythm, rotation adds the nuance. Master the interplay, and your lunges feel grounded yet buoyant, your balances steady yet alive. Ignore it, and the knee becomes the loudest complainer in the chain.

Notice where else in the body—and in what other poses—this dance appears.

POSTURES TO CONSIDER THIS MONTH:

Week 1: Flexion (knee): drawing heel toward seat, “shorten the back line” Yoga Poses to Explore:

• Skandāsana (bent knee side—deep, active flexion)
• High Lunge (back heel pulls back isometrically)
• King Pigeon (back leg flexion in quad stretch)
• Chapāsana (bent knee bind with resistance)

Week 2: Extension (knee): straightening the leg, “lengthen the front line” Yoga Poses to Explore:

• Urdhva Mukha Śvānāsana (knees lift via quad power)
• Vīrabhadrāsana III (standing leg fully extended)
• Utthita Hasta Pādāṅguṣṭhāsana (straight leg against hand)
• Skandāsana (straight leg side—eccentric quad control)

Week 3: Internal Rotation (knee): tibia rolls inward relative to femur Yoga Poses to Explore:

• Tittibhāsana (legs hug midline with medial tracking)
• Seated twists (inner knee grounds, subtle inward roll)
• Bhujaṅgāsana (thighs spiral slightly inward)
• Constructive rest (knees fall in, pes anserinus awake)

Week 4: External Rotation (knee): tibia rolls outward relative to femur Yoga Poses to Explore:

• Vīrabhadrāsana II (front knee tracks over toes safely)
• Eka Pāda Rāja Kapotāsana (front leg externally rotated)
• Gomukhāsana (bottom leg crosses, outer knee down)
• Ardha Matsyendrāsana (outer knee anchors, femur-tibia twist)

FOR TEACHERS: VERBAL CUES

For the joint actions of the knee this month, try saying:

In High Lunge: Flexion “Pull your back heel toward your seat—fire the hamstrings to create active flexion while the front knee stays strong and stacked.”

In Upward-Facing Dog: Extension “Press the tops of your feet down and lift the knees—feel the quadriceps straighten the legs fully without hyperextending.”

In Seated Twist: Internal Rotation “Roll your inner thighs toward the floor—let the tibia glide inward just enough to wake the medial hamstrings and adductors.”

In Warrior II: External Rotation “Spiral your front thigh open so the knee tracks over the middle toes—engage and IT band light up to guide safe external rotation.”

FOR CHROMATIC STUDENTS:

As a practitioner of Chromatic Yoga you may hear these as well as many other PTL’s in Chromatic Classes around the world. You can also practice these yourselves within any yoga class without the guidance of a teacher.

CHROMATIC TEACHERS:

Let’s see what you come up with this month. What peak postures will you be using? After you teach your class, share in our Global WhatsApp Group which layering postures worked best for you, which did you find students struggled with? We look forward to our collective collaboration to offer top level yoga experiences world wide.

FINAL THOUGHTS ON ACTIONS OF THE KNEE

By Simon Darroch

We’ve spent the month peeling back the layers of a joint most of us take for granted—the knee. It’s not flashy like the hip, nor as obviously delicate as the wrist, but it’s the quiet workhorse that decides whether your lunge feels like freedom or a wobble-fest. Four simple actions—flex, extend, internally rotate, externally rotate—yet inside them lives the difference between a practice that holds you and one that wears you down.

Here’s what I want you to carry off the mat:

1. The knee is a conversation, not a hinge. It listens to the hip above and the ankle below. If the femur dumps inward, the knee pays the price. If the tibia twists without control, the meniscus complains. Every cue you give upstream or downstream echoes here. Train the whole chain.
2. Rotation is the secret sauce. Pure flexion/extension is rare in life or yoga. The tibia must glide and spin microscopically with every step or squat. Practice the micro-rotations in constructive rest or seated twists—they’re the insurance policy against macro injuries.
3. Eccentric control > depth. I’d rather see you lower halfway into Skandāsana with hamstrings screaming than flop to the floor with quads on vacation. The quadriceps braking the descent in Week 2? That’s your new best friend.
4. Feel the “pes” and the IT band like bookends. Medial hamstrings + adductors (pes anserinus) hug the inner knee; biceps femoris + IT band guard the outer edge. When one side sleeps, the other overworks. Wake them both—your knee will thank you in Warrior II.
5. One pose, four questions. Next time you’re in any posture, ask:
   • Where’s my flexion/extension balance?
   • Is my tibia tracking with my femur, or fighting it?
   • Inner line awake? Outer line awake?
   • Can I back off 5 % and still feel the work? If you can answer yes to the last one, you’re golden.

This isn’t about perfect alignment—it’s about alive alignment. The knee doesn’t need to be locked, stacked, or “safe” every second. It needs to be listened to. November was your listening tour. Keep the headphones on.

Now go play. Spiral a tibia, fire a quad, melt a hamstring. Tag your experiments, argue in the WhatsApp group, steal each other’s cues. The knee is only boring until you make it brilliant.

See you in the hinges, 

~Simon Darroch

Chromatic Blogs & Through-Lines