Lifting the head towards the right knee
You start by lifting your head while lying on your back. Little by little you add more components for flexion, until curling up to touch your head to your knee becomes easy and elegant.
The front side flexors are activated many times in a gentle and sensible manner, and thus cause the back side extensors to let go. The entire back side of the body – including the lower back – will soften up. Additionally, as a result of a more flexible chest, breathing will become fuller and easier. Areas where there was too little or too much movement will be working more harmoniously according to their function.
flexionsupine flexion_supine_3
Lie on your back. Extend both arms, and both legs, have them rest on the floor.
Reference movement
Lift head
Lift your head, observe how you do it, how it is.
- Do your back muscles let go easily or pull your head back?
Feel your back on the floor, in which areas you touch the floor while you rest and while you are lifting your head.
Reference movement
Lift head
Lift your head, observe how you do it, how it is.
On your back, legs extended.
Lift head, press down on chest
Press and push with your hands on your sternum and chest to help lift your head.
- Press and push in a way that helps shorten your front side, and thus helps lifting your head.
Do you raise your clavicles and chest when trying to lift your head? Here we try to clarify and establish a clear flexion pattern.
Lift head, press down on chest
Press and push with your hands on your sternum and chest to help lift your head.
On your back, knees bent, feet standing.
Roll and lift pelvis
Find the connection between lifting your pelvis and lifting your head. Establish a see-saw movement.
- The higher you lift your pelvis, the more difficult it is to lift your head. Play with this sea-saw movement: when your head comes up, your pelvis goes down, and the other way round.
Dr. Moshé Feldenkrais said „When we know what we do, we can do what we want”.
Roll and lift pelvis
Find the connection between lifting your pelvis and lifting your head. Establish a see-saw movement.
Lie on your back, with your legs + arms extended, resting.
Reference movement
Lift head
Lift your head to see how it is.
- Does it already feel easier than in the beginning?
Do your shoulders participate in the curl-up movement? Do you let your front side become shorter, in the way we explored up to know?
Reference movement
Lift head
Lift your head to see how it is.
Lie on your back, with your legs and arms extended.
Lift head + knees in concert
Lift at the same time, keep your feet on the floor.
- Keep your feet hanging, drag them along on the floor.
Lift your head and knees concurrently, at the same time, dependant on each others movement, weighting, pulling.
In this way you engage even more of yourself. But instead of being more strenuous it becomes easier.
Lift head + knees in concert
Lift at the same time, keep your feet on the floor.
On your back, interlace your hands and place them behind your head (not behind your neck), elbows towards the ceiling.
Lift head with both hands
Lift head and knees concurrently, in concert.
- Like before, bring your feet to stand at the same time as you lift your head. Direct your elbows towards your knees.
This recruits more flexor muscles (e.g. pectoral muscles, subclavius muscle, serratus anterior). Thus the pattern of flexion becomes clearer, and the extensors need to let go.
Lift head with both hands
Lift head and knees concurrently, in concert.
Lie on your back, with your legs and arms extended.
Reference movement
Lift head
See how it is now, what has changed?
- It probably got a lot easier already, many improvements came together. The overall pattern became clearer.
The more movements you do with the flexors, the more the extensors must yield, let go, and thus make it easier to lift the head.
How do we expand further on this theme?
Reference movement
Lift head
See how it is now, what has changed?
On your back, legs bent and feet standing apart from each other, hands interlaced behind the head.
Right elbow + right knee towards each other
Lift your head with the help of your hands.
- If your elbow and knee don't touch just yet, don't force it. It will happen soon enough. Just stick with the lesson.
Fell how much your back muscles are still interfering. The harder it is to curl up, the harder your back muscles are pulling you back.
Right elbow + right knee towards each other
Lift your head with the help of your hands.
On your back, feet standing, hands interlaced behind your head.
Continuation
Let head turn to the left
Same movement as before, but feel that your head can turn to the left.
- Move slowly, so you can feel the details in your chest, spine, pelvis…
Which area of your back flattens more to the floor than others?
Dr. Moshé Feldenkrais said: „Movement with attention to detail can transform us instantly, and improve more than just the movement itself.”
Continuation
Let head turn to the left
Same movement as before, but feel that your head can turn to the left.
On your back, feet standing, hands interlaced behind your head.
Left elbow + right knee towards each other
Direct your left elbow towards your right knee. Allow your head turn to the right.
- Which area of your back flattens more to the floor now?
Left elbow + right knee towards each other
Direct your left elbow towards your right knee. Allow your head turn to the right.
On your back, feet standing, hands interlaced behind your head.
Continuation
Right + left elbow alternately
Move once your right and once your left elbow towards your right knee.
- Find a rhythm for when you move, for example with your breath: lift your head while breathing out. Why not while breathing in?
Take your time to explore, don’t do too much.
Continuation
Right + left elbow alternately
Move once your right and once your left elbow towards your right knee.
Lie on your back, legs extended, arms extended next to your sides
Take a break, observe
Feel the differences between your right and your left side.
- Your right side might has changed in ways your left side hasn’t yet.
Lets continue to do more on the same side, to make the differences even more apparent.
Take a break, observe
Feel the differences between your right and your left side.
On your back, stand your feet, hold your right knee with both hands.
Chin + right knee towards each other
Touch your head to your right knee. Do so with your chin, and then also with your mouth and nose.
- What part of your head did you chose at first?
The chin must clearly lift and come forwards. It's an entirely different movement for the neck compared to when touching the forehead to the knee.
Do not use force, do not strain yourself.
Chin + right knee towards each other
Touch your head to your right knee. Do so with your chin, and then also with your mouth and nose.
On your back, stand your feet, turn your head to the right, put the palm of your left hand onto your right ear (rest your head onto your left hand). Keep your head turned to the right.
Left ear + right knee towards each other
Keep your head turned to the right.
Left ear + right knee towards each other
Keep your head turned to the right.
On your back, legs and arms extended, resting.
Reference movement
On your back, see how it is
You can use any movement from this lesson as reference. See following examples.
- Some areas have relaxed even further, and are more easy to sense.
Your pelvis might be easier to tilt, and your lower back easier to flatten to the floor. Don't keep your lower back flattened to the floor, just see how it is.
Is it easier to breath? Does your chest feel more responsive towards your in- and out breath? Did it become easier to breath into the back of your chest?
Reference movement
On your back, see how it is
You can use any movement from this lesson as reference. See following examples.
Lie on your back, legs and arms extended, feet spread at least shoulder width apart.
Reference movement
Lift your heel
Keep your legs extended and lift one heel and then the other heel off the floor. Which one is easier?
Reference movement
Lift your heel
Keep your legs extended and lift one heel and then the other heel off the floor. Which one is easier?
On your back, legs extended, arms extended, resting.
Reference movement
Lift head
Lift your head and see how it is.
- You should feel a clear difference compared to the beginning of the lesson: easier and smoother.
It's not that the muscles got stronger, but the „organization” that got better.
Reference movement
Lift head
Lift your head and see how it is.
On your back, legs and arms extended.
Reference movement
Lift head while bending knees
Lift your head and at the same time bring your feet to stand. See how it has improved.
Reference movement
Lift head while bending knees
Lift your head and at the same time bring your feet to stand. See how it has improved.
Lie on your back, stand both feet shoulder wide apart, hands interlaced behind your head.
Reference movement
Elbow + knees towards each other
Explore various combinations of elbows to knees. See how it has improved.
- Also touch your left elbow to each knee. Is it different than with the right elbow?
Try the previous combinations. What has improved even further?
Reference movement
Elbow + knees towards each other
Explore various combinations of elbows to knees. See how it has improved.
On your back, knees bent and feet standing. Hold your knee with both hands.
Reference movement
Head to right knee
Your nose, mouth, forehead, right ear, left ear, to your right knee.
- Try some of the many variations from this lesson. Did it improve further?
Try it with your hands behind your head, and also by holding your knee with both hands.
Reference movement
Head to right knee
Your nose, mouth, forehead, right ear, left ear, to your right knee.
In standing
Reference movement
Come up to stand
Does one side feel longer than the other?
- Sometimes one side feels a lot different than the other, and there's also visible differences.
One side of the face might even look longer and more relaxed than the other.
Reference movement
Come up to stand
Does one side feel longer than the other?
In standing
Reference movement
Turn, and see how it is
Turn as if you would like to look over your shoulder. Turn around yourself. Does one side feel easier?
- Feel free to repeat the lesson towards the other side at some other time.
Reference movement
Turn, and see how it is
Turn as if you would like to look over your shoulder. Turn around yourself. Does one side feel easier?