4 exercises based upon finding the most efficient way to stand up from
1. sitting in a chair
2. sitting on the floor
3. from laying down
4. you make this one up
Please go through the movement a few times, so if you are sitting in a chair, get up from it 5-8 times and really 'feel into' how you move in this transition.
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Hmm... My movement isn't very efficient.
ReplyDeleteFrom a chair I naturally feel/think of my feet grounding first, sort of taking me out of the chair. Then I tried using/coming from my core and it seemed to work better, but I have to lift my arms to feel light and easy. If I don’t lift my arms I feel super heavy and have to try even harder. Sitting on the floor is similar, when I use my arms by lifting them at the same time (not pushing off, that made it more difficult) it feels smoother and lighter and easier. From laying down, it feels most natural and fluid to roll onto my right side and use my core to guide me up vertebrae by vertebrae. I tried just quickly standing and pushing myself with my arms and this felt difficult and awkward. I might just do that if I am feeling lazy and disconnected from myself. From a yoga squat I tried to stand up with my head guiding, which worked great and felt natural and fluid. Then I tried guiding with my core and it was awkward. I tried to guide with my arms and it was smooth and fluid then too, feels very light.
ReplyDeleteWhen I am trying to get out of my bed lately I am trying new motions- my room is under remodel and I am sleeping closer to the ground and a wall area- so I have to try to get up in a small space and avoid Gabe- my husband who is taking up all the other space- also being aware of not stressing my back- I have tried different rolls or scoots to strengthen my core abdominal muscles and not stress out my back. I find that I like to have to work to get out of the bed versus just rolling off a taller bed- it's all an awareness of my laziness levels and how I feel that day. Getting up on the wrong side of the bed takes a whole new meaning.
ReplyDeleteHaving had some experience with the Alexander Technique, I commonly lead with my head when getting up out of a chair. When the head leads, the rest of the body follows without any unnecessary, supplementary efforts of movements. This allows one to maintain a more efficient and comfortable posture. When getting up off the floor or from a laying down position, I commonly use my core to allow my body to follow my head, which directs my body's movement. The Alexander Technique does wonders for releasing the hips and aligning the head with the spine. On the other hand, when I wake, I disregard everything I have been taught about efficient movement and scramble out of bed using any limb necessary. I find now that simply rolling to a sitting position upon awaking gives me the ability to exercise the same motions that I utilize for getting up out of a chair.
ReplyDeleteGetting up form a chair: I find the movement subtly starts in my core and radiated out through my chest towards the front of my head and down through my legs to my heels. This seems to create the angled push (from the back of my feet to the front of my head) that lifts me both forwards and up at the same time.
ReplyDeleteFrom siting on the floor: I cant decide whether sitting straight up or spiraling is more efficient... Probably spiraling because, my body stays balanced over my center the whole time. However, when I do try to stand straight up as efficiently as possible what happens is... my feet move out in front of me and then my bottom slides along the floor, just barely touching it until I am centered over my legs and then I raise my body up.
From lying on my back: I roll in a spiraling movement from my left shoulder down to my left leg, propelling myself upwards into a sitting which continues to spiral, pivoting on my right leg to standing.
From standing, down to sitting on the floor: My left leg steps back, behind my right and I rolls down along its outside edge, to the side of my left hip and across my bottom.
adam k
In all four movements I feel like I am being pulled from my core by a string. When laying down I feel strings of force or energy attached to all my limbs simultaneously coated in gravity and as I slowly rise up to standing I feel gravity falling around me, a dripping of mass sliding down me, over me, and puddling on the floor around my feet to support me. When sitting in a chair to standing I notice that my feet press into the earth and the earth feels like it is pressing into me like a springboard.
ReplyDeletea woman helped me learn the alexander technique when i was in highschool because of poor posture. it was really hard and tedious and lame (perhaps because i was 13 yrs old). it did help me alot though. then i started to dance alot and the techniques that i learned from alexander i found were easily being strengthened and smoothly incorporated into my life. i think challenging and fun is a good combination for getting things done
ReplyDelete