Why Filet Mignon Is So Tender—and What That Tells Us About the Human Psoas

Filet mignon is prized for being the most tender cut of beef—but why? In this episode of What I’m Reading, What I’m Thinking, we dive into the anatomy of the cow’s psoas major muscle (aka the tenderloin) and explore why its underuse makes it so soft. Then, we connect the dots to the human psoas—an often misunderstood muscle that’s more stabilizer than mover.
I share how the human psoas differs from the iliacus, why it's not just a hip flexor, and how it works synergistically with the quadratus lumborum. We also talk about its role in posture, pressure regulation, and the fascial system—and why this deep, internal muscle deserves more attention in both movement and bodywork.

📘 This episode draws from research used in writing my upcoming book where fascia, fluid dynamics, structural, and function come together.

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Research
1. Bogduk & Pearcy (1995) – The psoas major muscle: A reviewClinical Anatomy, 8(5), 339–346https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/a...
2. Neumann, D. A. (2017) – Kinesiology of the Musculoskeletal SystemElsevierhttps://www.elsevier.com/books/kinesi... https://www.amazon.com/dp/0323287530
3. Andersson et al. (1995) – The role of the psoas and iliacus muscles for stability and movementScandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sportshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7552754/
4. Willard et al. (2012) – The thoracolumbar fascia: anatomy, function and clinical considerationsJournal of Anatomyhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
5. Hodges & Gandevia (2000) – Activation of the human diaphragm during postural tasksJournal of Physiologyhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...