Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1451559
L i s te n to T h e A B M P Po d c a s t a t a b m p.co m /p o d c a s t s o r w h e reve r yo u a cce s s yo u r favo r i te p o d c a s t s 21 The best way to keep a strong core in any scenario is to pull your belly toward your spine. Then, line up your body directly behind your hands by determining whether horse stance or bow stance is most appropriate and adjusting accordingly. Don't twist at the spine. Use the principle related to the hips to switch positions so your body is directly behind your stroke. Then, if your hips are facing in the direction of your work, your spine should naturally align above them and keep you from twisting in the spine. To keep the chest open and head lifted, pull the scapula back and down. This leads us to the first principle of the next body region. SHOULDERS, ARMS, WRISTS, FINGERS, AND THUMBS Principle 1: Pull the scapula back and down Principle 2: Apply strokes at an angle greater than 90 degrees Principle 3: Keep the wrists relaxed and in a straight line as often as possible Principle 1 matches the principle related to keeping the chest open. When you pull your scapula back and down, your chest naturally expands, and slouching is avoided. This also supports keeping your head lifted and elongated with your entire spine, negating unnecessary stress on the neck. When seated, the same principles apply. Focus on keeping your feet solidly on the ground and using them to generate power for your stroke, shifting the direction of your hips and your stance depending on the direction of your stroke, and using the positioning of both stances, all while seated on a stool (preferably one that rolls) or a ball. This means you'll be shifting your hips in the seat. The seat is beneficial for ensuring your weight is centered between your legs since you will have downward pressure of your body on the seat. All of this comes first from the feet pushing against the ground and is then sustained by the balancing of the core above and between the legs. (Can you see how these principles all go together?) Use your back foot to apply pressure forward and your front foot to pull a stroke back. This keeps the whole body always moving. The tendency with sitting is to keep feet, knees, and hips stagnant, requiring the upper body to do all the movement, which places a significant amount of stress on the low back and shoulders. In addition, practitioners often keep their legs together right in front of them. So, a key point is to keep your legs wide so you can easily switch position from side to side or front to back. HEAD, NECK, AND BACK Principle 1: Maintain a strong core Principle 2: Line up the body directly behind the hands Principle 3: Keep the chest open and the head lifted