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Category: Featured Article
Habits and Choice
Habits and Choice
In our classes we explore the way in which our habits influence our freedom of choice. We all have habits, some of them that are very useful. Consider the way we can drive a car or clean our teeth without making much conscious effort.
Other habits are not very useful or even harmful such as constantly hunching the shoulders or poor posture at the computer. Holding the breath is a habit we often consider to be bad, however even our ‘bad habits’ have uses. It’s useful to hold your breath for example when you are diving underwater. Â In Feldenkrais we are not trying to get rid of our habits, but simply to become aware of them, so that in any one moment we have freedom of choice.
Moshe Feldenkrais often said that unless you have at least 3 options you have no real choice. Is having 2 options real choice? Imagine if someone told you that for the rest of your life you have 2 choices – you can wear any colour of clothing you like as long as it’s black or white. Would you have real freedom of choice? What about all the shades of grey in between? and all the colours of the rainbow?
In every Feldenkrais lesson, group or individual, we present you with a variety of different and often novel movement options. These unique and different movement combinations awaken our sense of curiosity, facilitating learning. This begins the process of freeing ourselves from habitual ways of moving, thinking and feeling that may be limiting us. It’s as if each Feldenkrais lesson adds new colours to your movement palette, giving you true freedom of choice.
Spinal Mobility – Alison’s Classes in Fourth Term 2016
Neck and back pain are one of the most common health problems affecting people in our community today. They often cause us to restrict our movement to protect ourselves. While this may help in the short term, long-term it may result in chronic, persistent or recurrent pain. According to award winning author Norman Doidge, the patterns of self-protection may themselves become the primary source of pain and disability.
In our classes we learn how to free ourselves from these restrictive patterns. There are pain-free ways of softening, turning and bending our spines. We will also be investigating how our breath, the use of your eyes and tension held at our jaws and hands can influence the mobility of the spine. Improving the efficiency of our movement patterns helps us to find a more fluid, comfortable and even graceful style of movement. Our aim is to improve our ability to bend and twist the neck and back, so we can relieve our own pain and tension.
Flexible Chest and Spine
A Flexible Chest and Spine – The Hidden Key to Freeing the Neck and Back
The Hidden Key to Freeing the Neck, Back and Shoulders
Most people don’t consider their chest and spine as playing a large role in feeling comfortable and at ease through the neck, shoulders and back. The first instinct when dealing with neck and shoulder pain is to spend time working on localised ‘knots’ and muscle tension. However this could be addressing the symptoms, whilst ignoring the underlying cause.
The thoracic spine, and the rib cage serve as the support structure for the entire upper body. Finding comfortable alignment and releasing through the chest and spine allows the rest of the body to relax. In turn, when there is stiffness through the chest and spine, the neck, back and shoulders work overtime to try and correct this, leading to muscle tension, ‘knots’ and pain.
The ‘knots’ are not actually a ball of tangled fibres as you might imagine, they are trigger points. Trigger points are highly sensitive points in the muscles and connective tissue, which can refer pain to other places. In Feldenkrais we don’t massage or manipulate the ‘knots’. Instead we address underlying causes – stress, poor posture and inefficient use of the muscles.
How Feldenkrais Can Help
Feldenkrais uses a process known as ‘sensory-motor learning.’ Students are guided to closely attend to how they are moving, reducing unnecessary and wasted effort. The Feldenkrais Method accesses our brain’s own neuroplasticity, allowing us to revise and replace movement habits which may no longer be serving us.
READ MORE about how Feldenkrais actually works.
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Our Mental Map of the Thorax
We begin the process of re-educating our posture and muscle use by improving our self-image.
When Moshe Feldenkrais talked about the self-image he was not referring to self-worth or self-concept. What he meant was the sensory map of the entire body that each of us carry in our brain. Our self-image is not totally accurate and is constantly open to change. Neuroplasticity allows us to continually refine and update our mental maps
Our mental map of the thoracic spine and ribs is often particularly vague. For one thing the back of our ribs are out of sight and therefore often out of mind. Secondly, it’s usually the hardest part of the body to reach with the hands. (Think about trying to apply sunscreen in between the shoulder blades!) Thirdly, the sensory nerve endings are spaced far apart in this area compared with say the hands and lips. As a result our ability to feel the difference between 2 different points is poorer in this area.
Improving Awareness of the Chest and Thoracic Spine
The thoracic spine is not only the longest section of the spine, it is also normally the stiffest. The reason for this is the attachment of the ribs cage. The ribs serve the function of protecting the vital organs within the thoracic cavity, including the heart and lungs. Although the ribs are made of bone, they are more flexible than we might imagine. They have moveable joints at the back, where they articulate with the spine. They also have bendable cartilage attachment to the sternum (breast bone) at the front. The lowest 2 ribs are even more flexible, because they don’t attach at the front but ‘float’ freely at one end. For this reason they are called ‘floating ribs’.
If the thorax is used like an immobile block more strain is shifted onto the relatively mobile neck and lower back vertebrae. Without the protection of the ribs, these sections of the spine are prone to injuries such as cervical or lumbar disc herniations. Learning to better mobilise the chest also helps with the co-ordination of the arms and legs for walking, running and sports and a huge variety of other activities.
The Chest, Ribs and Diaphragm in Breathing
Holding on to unnecessary tension in the chest and abdomen increases the effort required to breath. At times tension is so great that the breath is held completely. At other times breath is not held but it is restricted. This can occur at the end of the breath in or the breath out or somewhere in between. Sacrificing breath markedly impairs our ability to function efficiently and drains energy.
Breath holding and tension around the chest and diaphragm are a common response to physical, mental or emotional stress. Under stress the sympathetic nervous system takes over, resulting in the ‘Fight, Flight or Freeze’ reaction. In our current world we are constantly called upon to achieve, produce results and keep up with a myriad of small and large tasks. This includes keeping up communications through social media and the internet.
Many people use television or social media platforms to relax when they finish work, however the content often keeps the mind revving in high gear. We are losing the art of unwinding and allowing our parasympathetic nervous system take over. The parasympathetic nervous system allows us to ‘rest, digest and repair’. For better sleep and more daytime energy, we need to know how to wind down before we go to bed.
A Mobile Mind and a Comfortable Body
By improving the accuracy of our mental maps as well as the mobility of the chest and ribs we can enhance all of the above functions. We reduce strain on the neck, shoulders and lower back by sharing the work load more evenly. We enhance our ability to easily and comfortably bend and twist the spine in all directions by listening to which sections of the spine are overworking and which could participate more fully. We can connect our limbs to our central axis so that we may use large muscles to provide the power, while smaller ones are reserved for accuracy
Breathing can become simpler, lighter and more spacious, as we learn to use more of ourselves. The mind naturally becomes calmer and our sleep deeper and more refreshing. As we re-discover the pleasure of letting go of excessive effort, our parasympathetic nervous system naturally takes over. Some people even fall asleep during Feldenkrais class – and this is perfectly ok (but we’ll wake you up if you start to snore loudly!)
5 Ways to Counteract Sitting at Work
Five Ways to Counteract Sitting at Work
1. Micro-breaks
Eye breaks – every 20 minutes spend 20 seconds focusing your eyes on something 20 feet away from you (the 20 – 20 – 20 exercise). You should also blink the eyes a few times to lubricate them.
Deep breathing with an overhead stretch (sitting or standing). Interlace the fingers. Take a deep breath in as you raise your hands overhead and turn the palms towards the ceiling, looking upwards slightly. Repeat 3 times.
2. Walking breaks
Once every 30 to 60 minutes move away from your desk and walk briskly around the office. These short periods of activity that are simply part of your daily routine are known as ‘incidental exercise’. They are useful for preventing stagnation of the circulation. They help to raise your metabolic rate. There are many apps available to help remind you to get out of your chair.
You may simply get up, walk to another room and drink a glass of water or use the bathroom. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you stop working either. The break could be used, for example, to discuss something with a colleague or use the photocopier. Walking or jogging on the spot can provide an additional boost for your circulation. A short but brisk walk during the lunch break is another possibility.
3. Walking meetings and walking phone calls
Standing or walking during meetings helps increase activity level and lifts metabolic rate. If you use a mobile phone at work, make sure you have earphones with an inbuilt microphone. This way you can remain mobile while talking with colleagues or clients.
4. Walk to work
If you live too far from work to walk there, try parking your car further away and walking for the last 10 or 20 minutes. Taking public transport usually involves walking to and from the train or bus, which could be an improvement on taking your car. Research shows that we need an absolute minimum of 150 minutes a week of cardio-vascular exercise. This can be made up of any blocks of exercise that are at least 10 minutes long.
5. Active computer work stations and fit desks
Active work stations and fitdesks are a fantastic way to increase activity levels during the working day. Treadmill work stations allow you walk while you work. Cubii is an under desk elliptical that you can use while you work, without your knees hitting the desk. It has bluetooth connectivity so you can keep track of how far you have pedaled on your phone. Here is an interesting article that compares cycling desks with treadmill desks. The treadmill desks are more expensive but don’t interfere as much with productivity and the ability to work on a computer.
Stretches you can do at your desk
Stretches at work are helpful for reducing muscular tension and feelings of stiffness.
The following stretches can be done without leaving the vicinity of your desk. They target the most common places people feel tension after being at a computer.
READ OUR DISCLAIMER Please seek medical advice before commencing exercises, if you have a painful or medical condition.
Spine twist – Sitting in your chair, twist around to one side and look behind you, hold for a few seconds and repeat to the other side. This exercise helps stretch the shoulders, lengthen the back and fills the lungs with air, expanding the chest.
Forward bend – Sitting in your chair, slide your arms down your legs and let you head hang forwards, hold for 2 or 3 breaths in and out, then return to sitting. This gently stretches the lower back if it has been arching or compressed. It may help to help relieve lower back tension.
Pectoral stretch – Stand up, interlace the hands behind your back and raise the arms slightly towards the ceiling. The pectoral muscles at the front of the shoulders often become tight while using a keyboard. This exercise helps to lengthen them.
Back bend standing – Stand up, tighten the buttock muscles, use the hands to support the lower back and gently lean backwards, while looking upwards. Repeat several times without holding. This helps to counteracted a rounded lower back that can occur from slouching.
Stop sign stretch – Stretch one arm out in front of you with your elbow straight and your palm facing forwards, as in a policeman’s stop sign. Use the other hand to gently stretch the fingers back. Hold for a few seconds then repeat on the other side. This forearm stretch helps prevent Golfer’s Elbow (pain on the inside of the elbow).
Forearm stretch – Make a soft fist with one hand and extend it out in front of you, elbow straight. Turn the thumb side of the hand slightly towards the floor. Use the other hand to gently bend the wrist downwards. Do not do this stretch if you feel strain in the wrist. You may feel a stretch in the forearm if the extensor muscles which attach to the outside of the elbow are tight. Tight wrist extensors can lead to Tennis Elbow.
Also refer to our article “The Risks of Prolonged Sitting”
Improving Posture
Improving Posture
Have you ever tried to improve your posture? How well did that work for you? If you are not satisfied with the results, consider attending Feldenkrais classes. The Feldenkrais Method can help you achieve comfortable and effortless posture through ingenious and mindful movement exercises.
The changes become integrated into your every-day life. Soon you will find yourself sitting, standing and moving in ways that you never imagined could be so easy or comfortable.
Body Scan Exercise in Sitting
Sit on a firm chair with your feet flat on the floor. Come forward in the chair a bit so you are not using the back rest. Sit normally and close your eyes for a few moments. Notice your posture. Stay there for a minute or two just observing yourself. Then open your eyes again.
When you observed your posture, what is the first thing that came into your awareness? What parts of the body did you sense? Perhaps you thought about whether you were sitting or standing up straight? You might have become aware or your head, neck and back. Perhaps you sensed your spine and checked its alignment. Maybe you tried to correct yourself. These are things many of us were taught to do growing up.
Consider that parts of your body that may not have been included in your awareness. Your hands and feet? Your chest and rib cage? Was your abdomen free to move with the breath? How long could you sustain this posture comfortably
3 minutes to Better Posture
Now try this short exercise with Ruthy Alon. Then go back to the sitting body scan above and feel the difference.
About Ruthy Alon
Ruthy is an international Feldenkrais trainer who studied and taught with Moshe Feldenkrais for over 20 years. It is hard to believe that in this video she is 85 years old. Ruthy is still teaching, a huge inspiration for those of us interested in healthy ageing.
4 Reasons why trying harder to sit or stand up straight doesn’t work
1. When we try to straighten the spine we often increase effort in the muscles of the back without releasing the flexor muscles in the front of the body. The result is one muscle group working against another. This causes spinal compression.
2. Some of us work so hard in our back muscles to maintain good posture that we end up bowed backwards, thinking that we are actually straight. This ‘military’ style of posture can lead us to be stiff and stuck in our movements. People who do this are usually unaware of it.
3. A common frustration in trying to improve posture is that the changes only work while you are consciously paying attention. As soon as you stop doing that, you slip back into old habits.
4. Yet another problem with this method is that the effort to straighten can result in restriction of the breathing.
4 Ways that Feldenkrais helps improve posture
1. Focusing on dynamic, not static posture
Moshe Feldenkrais described good posture as ‘the ability to move equally easily in all directions’. This is dynamic posture. By contrast, static posture may involve trying to hold yourself still when you are sitting or standing. This may cause breath holding. It’s also literally impossible be completely still. We actually maintain our balance in upright positions by using subtle swaying movements.
2. Reducing effort
As you learn where to let go of unnecessary effort, you will discover how to find more efficient support from your muscles and bones. Learning to move easily in and out of a particular position is just as important as maintaining good alignment.
3. Learning first while lying down
To learn a new way of supporting the body against gravity Moshe Feldenkrais first taught a variety of movement lessons lying down. The reason is that lying down makes it easier to reduce muscular effort. This helps you sense what you are doing more clearly so you can make small adjustments towards greater efficiency. It means you are less likely to fall into inefficient habitual patterns and postures.
4. Expanding the self-image
In the Feldenkrais Method you will learn to bring your attention to each part of the body that is involved in an action. You will learn how even seemingly unrelated parts of the body such as your hands, feet, eyes, ribs and hip joints can influence your posture. The more parts of your body that can be included in your self-image, the more clearly you will know what you are doing. In the words of Moshe Feldenkrais ‘When you know what you’re doing you can do what you want’.
“When you know what you’re doing you can do what you want” – Moshe Feldenkrais.
Relieve Lower Back and Hip Pain with Feldenkrais
Relieve Lower Back and Hip Pain with Feldenkrais
Exercising with Lower Back or Hip Pain
Lower back and hip pain can make it hard to exercise. The alternative – not exercising – can lead to increasing weakness and stiffness, with a tendency to gain weight.
Even if you have already tried other forms of exercise without success, Feldenkrais is different. The focus during the movement classes is on learning to sense your body movements more clearly. Increasing your awareness of your movement habits is the key. That’s why Moshe Feldenkrais called the classes ‘Awareness Through Movement’
‘When you know what you’re doing you can do what you want’ Moshe Feldenkrais
How Feldenkrais Helps
By reducing effort and shifting your attention to the quality and smoothness of the movement, you discover new ways to move with comfort and ease. As you learn to let go of tight muscles, range of movement in your lower back and hips improves. You compare different movement options and discover what works best for your unique body. Better coordination and control of your muscles brings a sense of effortless power.
Help break the cycle of pain and tension in your lower back and hips by enrolling in our regular Feldenkrais Classes in North Perth. All classes are run by a qualified Feldenkrais Physiotherapist.
READ MORE about Feldenkrais Classes.