The relationship of the hip joints to the neck and arms

In prone position, on the belly, right knee bent with the right foot towards the ceiling, you explore how movements of your right ankle, and how tilting the right lower leg to the right, is connected with your hip, up your chest, up to your head. You explore these connections with the help of many different positions of your head and arms. Please note: introduce rests and pauses as needed for your learning (to be able to notice even small changes or differences).

The position and habitual tension in your neck and arms might determine or interfere with how well you can move your feet, legs and pelvis. And vice versa. In this lesson you explore how your hip joints relate to your pelvis, chest, shoulder girdle, arms, and neck. You will discover compulsory connections and constraints, but also learn how to free yourself from such.

twisthip-jointsprone tilting_the_legs_prone_1

1

Prone position, on the belly. Head turned, to whichever side is more comfortable. Hands to either side of the head. Both knees 90 degrees bent, with your lower legs standing vertical.

Flex + extend right foot

Which direction feels easier for you? Can you make smooth movements? Where is your ankle's neutral position?

  • Before you begin: notice your personal neutral of your right foot, is it parallel to the ceiling? Or are your toes pointed sharply towards the ceiling?

    During flexion and extension let your toes remain passive, make the movement with your right ankle only.

Flex + extend right foot

Which direction feels easier for you? Can you make smooth movements? Where is your ankle's neutral position?

2

As before, but head turned the other way.

Flex + extend right foot, head turned the other way

Head turned in the other direction (your less preferred position).

  • Additionally to working with your ankle, a question will appear: does the orientation of your head matter?

    No immediate answer is given. Rather than providing a purely intellectual explanation, the movements throughout the lesson will help to understand through feeling, sensing, noticing, and movement.

Flex + extend right foot, head turned the other way

Head turned in the other direction (your less preferred position).

3

As before, but with the head turned any way you like.

Flex + extend right foot, refine

Vary in speed (faster, slower) and extend (bigger, smaller).

  • Decrease from fast and big to small, fine graded movements.

    Move your foot from your ankle, do not flex/extend your toes.

Flex + extend right foot, refine

Vary in speed (faster, slower) and extend (bigger, smaller).

4

Supine, on your back.

Rest on your back, compare

Compare the sensation of length in your right and left leg, and the points of contact with the floor.

  • Where and how is your back and pelvis making contact with the floor?

    Take rests and breaks throughout the lesson as you need.

Rest on your back, compare

Compare the sensation of length in your right and left leg, and the points of contact with the floor.

5

Prone position. Head turned, to whichever side is more comfortable. Hands to either side of the head. Legs spread comfortably. Both knees 90 degrees bent, with your lower legs standing vertical.

Reference movement

Tilt right lower leg to the right

Sense where the articulation of your right hip joint is.

  • Keep your right knee in place where it is, only lower your right foot towards the floor to your right.

    Observe your breathing, to see if there is a pattern between moving and breathing.

Reference movement

Tilt right lower leg to the right

Sense where the articulation of your right hip joint is.

6

As before, but head turned the other way.

Continuation

Tilt, head turned the other way

Feel if the position of your head affects your ability to tilt your leg.

  • Keep your knee bent 90 degrees. It's a tilt of the lower leg, not an extension/flexion of the knee.

Continuation

Tilt, head turned the other way

Feel if the position of your head affects your ability to tilt your leg.

7

As before, but head turned once to the right, once to the left.

Continuation

Tilt, keep turning head

Look for differences, notice finer and finer distinctions.

  • Keep your knee bent 90 degrees at all time. It's a tilt of the lower leg, not an extension/flexion of the knee.

Continuation

Tilt, keep turning head

Look for differences, notice finer and finer distinctions.

8

Prone position. Head turned to the left. Both knees bent 90 degrees.

Tilt, flex + extend right foot

While you tilt your right leg to your right, flex and extend your right foot.

  • Find a rhythm for each individual movement, and also for how you combine those movements: flexion, extension and tilting.

    Find different speeds and rhythms.

    Have your head turned to the left.

Tilt, flex + extend right foot

While you tilt your right leg to your right, flex and extend your right foot.

9

Prone position. Head turned to the left. Both knees bent 90 degrees.

Reference movement

Tilt right lower leg to the right

Observe if it has become easier, and if the range of motion increased.

  • Observe how the flexion/extension made the tilting bigger and smoother.

Reference movement

Tilt right lower leg to the right

Observe if it has become easier, and if the range of motion increased.

10

Prone position. Head turned to the left. Right knee bent 90 degrees. Left leg extended, resting on the floor.

Tilt, left leg extended

With your left leg extended, feel what happens when you tilt your right lower leg to the right.

  • The extended left leg might help you to stabilise your pelvis and better locate the movement in your right hip joint.

    Whenever you feel strain in your neck take a break, or turn your head to the right for a while. Then return and continue.

Tilt, left leg extended

With your left leg extended, feel what happens when you tilt your right lower leg to the right.

11

Prone position. Head turned to the left. Right knee bent 90 degrees. Left leg extended.

Tilt, return quickly

Tilt your right lower leg to the right as before, move out slowly, but return quickly.

  • You start from your „home” position, with your right lower leg standing vertically.

    If it seems difficult at first, you could bend your left knee and use your left foot as a reference point to move away from and return to.

    Observe the internal adjustments you make. Notice which muscles in your buttocks and thighs get activated (and released).

Tilt, return quickly

Tilt your right lower leg to the right as before, move out slowly, but return quickly.

12

Prone position. Head turned to the left. Right knee bent 90 degrees. Left leg extended.

Tilt, move out quickly

Be very careful, do not hurt yourself. Switch speeds: move out quickly, and return slowly.

  • This can be a problematic movement for your hip joint. Therefore be very careful at first.

    For safety, you could do these movements in your imagination first. Then do very small movements. Only then do a little bit bigger movements.

Tilt, move out quickly

Be very careful, do not hurt yourself. Switch speeds: move out quickly, and return slowly.

13

Supine, on your back.

Rest on your back, roll head

Sense how your head rolls in one direction, and then the other.

  • Take enough time to come to rest. Allow your breathing to settle. Look out for differences between your right and left side.

Rest on your back, roll head

Sense how your head rolls in one direction, and then the other.

14

Prone position. Head turned to the left. Right arm down alongside your right side. Left hand near your head like before. Bend both knees.

Tilt, right arm extended downwards

Observe how the change in arm position influences the tilting.

  • Feel if you can sense differences in the way you tilt your leg to the right, and how you stabilise yourself.

    Did the quality of your movement change?

Tilt, right arm extended downwards

Observe how the change in arm position influences the tilting.

15

Prone position. Head turned to the left. Right arm down alongside your right side. Left hand near your head like before. Right knee bent 90 degrees. Left leg extended.

Continuation

Tilt, left leg extended downwards

Observe how the change in arm and leg position influences the tilting.

  • Establish a skeletal image of yourself.

    Focus on your inner feeling and inner image.

    Locate your right heel in space, your lower leg, your right knee, your right thigh, and right hip joint.

Continuation

Tilt, left leg extended downwards

Observe how the change in arm and leg position influences the tilting.

16

Prone position,. Head turned to the left. Right arm extended up over your head. Left hand near your head like before. Right knee bent 90 degrees. Left leg extended.

Tilt, right arm extended up

Observe what difference this position of your arm makes.

  • Like before, it's your right foot and lower leg that you tilt to the right.

    To keep things simple, keep your left leg extended and resting. If you have your left knee bent, keep it bent with all arm variations, so that you can compare.

Tilt, right arm extended up

Observe what difference this position of your arm makes.

17

Prone position. Head turned to the left. Right arm extended up over your head. Left arm extended down alongside your torso. Right knee bent 90 degrees. Left leg extended.

Continuation

Tilt, left arm extended down

Observe what difference this position of your arm makes.

Continuation

Tilt, left arm extended down

Observe what difference this position of your arm makes.

18

Prone position. Head turned to the left. Left hand standing, elbow pointing towards ceiling, like in a push-up position. Right arm as you like. Right knee bent 90 degrees. Left leg extended.

Continuation

Tilt, left arm as in a push-up

Observe what difference this position of your arm makes.

Continuation

Tilt, left arm as in a push-up

Observe what difference this position of your arm makes.

19

Prone position. Head turned to the left. Both hands next to your head, elbows resting on the floor. Both knees bent 90 degrees. Knees spread comfortably apart from each other. Lean both feet against each other.

Tilt both feet to the right

Allow your left foot to slide alongside your right shin bone.

  • Have your knees spread apart wide enough so that you can comfortably slide your left foot alongside your right lower leg.

Tilt both feet to the right

Allow your left foot to slide alongside your right shin bone.

20

Both lower legs tilted to the right, as in the end position of the previous movement.

Tilt, only left lower leg back to vertical

Keep your right lower leg tilted to the right, only return your left leg.

  • Make sure your left foot is leaning on your right lower leg when it is resting in the new „home” position.

Tilt, only left lower leg back to vertical

Keep your right lower leg tilted to the right, only return your left leg.

21

Both lower legs tilted to the right, as in the end position of the previous movement. Put your arms in a position that appears to be helpful.

Tilt right leg even further to the right

Both lower legs are tilted to the right. Starting from this new home position, tilt your right lower leg even further to the right.

  • If you cannot tilt your leg further, think of the possibility. Be patient. Find ways throughout your entire self.

    Do not use force. Do not clench your jaw, do not hold your breath.

Tilt right leg even further to the right

Both lower legs are tilted to the right. Starting from this new home position, tilt your right lower leg even further to the right.

22

Starting position is like before, both lower legs tilted to the right.

Continuation

Return right foot quickly

Same movement as before, but instead vary the speed.

  • You start with both lower legs tilted to the right, then tilt your right lower leg even further down to the right, slowly. Then you return your right lower leg quickly.

    It's a very small movement, not a big one.

Continuation

Return right foot quickly

Same movement as before, but instead vary the speed.

23

Supine, on your back.

Take a rest

Take a rest

24

Prone position. Head turned to the left. Hands to either side of the head. Legs spread comfortably. Both knees 90 degrees bent, with your lower legs standing vertical.

Reference movement

Tilt right lower leg to the right

Observe how you are moving now, what you notice now.

Reference movement

Tilt right lower leg to the right

Observe how you are moving now, what you notice now.

Prone, on the belly.

The lesson could end here

Or your could finish with some bigger movements, to test drive and deepen the new discoveries.

The lesson could end here

Or your could finish with some bigger movements, to test drive and deepen the new discoveries.

25

Prone position. Head turned to the left. Right arm elongated over head, left hand somewhere close to your left shoulder. Both knees bent. Knees spread apart comfortably.

Tilt both feet to the right

Keep your left shoulder close to the floor. Do not roll onto your right side.

  • Twist yourself, lengthen yourself, do not strain yourself.

    If you touch your feet down to the floor, remember this kinesthetic experience.

Tilt both feet to the right

Keep your left shoulder close to the floor. Do not roll onto your right side.

26

Same as before, but keep knees together.

Continuation

Tilt both feet to the right, keep knees together

Keep knees and feet together while you tilt and twist. Let your left knee lift from the floor.

  • Watch out for effort that you don't need.

Continuation

Tilt both feet to the right, keep knees together

Keep knees and feet together while you tilt and twist. Let your left knee lift from the floor.

27

Prone position. Head turned to the left. Both hands like in a push-up position, both elbows towards the ceiling. Both knees bent. Keep knees tightly together.

Tilt, then turn head

After your lower legs are tilted to the right, slowly turn your head to the right. Rest, return, repeat.

  • Think of your torso and your whole self as becoming longer, while you tilt and twist.

    Lift your head slowly and carefully before you turn it to the right. It's a great demand on your neck.

    Work in approximations. You will improve with every movement.

Tilt, then turn head

After your lower legs are tilted to the right, slowly turn your head to the right. Rest, return, repeat.

28

Prone position. Head turned to the right. Both hands like in a push-up position, both elbows towards the ceiling. Both knees bent.

Head to the right, tilt lower legs to the left

Switch sides, review some of the movements. Tilt legs until it feels just as smooth as to the right side.

  • While tilting your legs do not roll your torso, since this would be rolling instead of twisting.

    The twist to one side is probably better than the other. What differences are there?

Head to the right, tilt lower legs to the left

Switch sides, review some of the movements. Tilt legs until it feels just as smooth as to the right side.

29

Prone position. Head turned to the right. Both hands like in a push-up position, both elbows towards the ceiling. Both knees bent.

Tilt, then turn head, then switch

Have your head always turned into the opposite side of where you tilt your lower legs.

  • Tilt your legs. After you finished the tilting turn your head. You turn your head last. Then tilt the legs to the other side.

    Do only what is comfortable. It will get smoother and more comfortable when you do not push your limits, but instead work with what's available easily.

Tilt, then turn head, then switch

Have your head always turned into the opposite side of where you tilt your lower legs.

30

Supine, on your back.

Take a rest

Take a rest

31

Prone position. Head turned to the left. Hands to either side of the head. Legs spread comfortably. Both knees 90 degrees bent, with your lower legs standing vertical.

Reference movement

Tilt right lower leg to the right

Observe how both your movement and your image of the movement have improved.

Reference movement

Tilt right lower leg to the right

Observe how both your movement and your image of the movement have improved.