Anatomy & Movement · definition
A general term for increased muscular contraction, stiffness, or the sensation of tightness.
How the term is used
Muscle tension can occur for many reasons, including posture, effort, stress, training, guarding, pain, fatigue, or habit.
Why it matters
It prevents one-to-one claims that tension always has a single emotional or structural cause.
Read the guide Yoga for Beginners: What Yoga Is, How It Works, and Where to Start
Where this comes up
Where this fits in a practice
The guides explain the idea in context; the service pathways are there when reading is not enough. Educational content only — nothing here is medical or mental-health care.