Addressing the Red Light Reflex (the "Flower" movement) is one of the best movements for this. I highly recommend working one on one with a Clinical Somatic Educator, however. Get a skilled second set of eyes to help you begin to figure out your sensory motor amnesia. What you're describing is a full body stress reflex posture.
I don't use a backrest. I don't need one when I'm sitting balanced on my sit bones. I actually sit on a stool more often than not. It allows me to shift my position whenever I want to or need to. If you're relaxed in the center and sitting on your sit bones you're less likely to need support for your back.
How strongly do you contract in either direction compared to an awareness through movement lesson that does these exact movements only within range of comfort
Awareness through movement lessons are quite different and designed for a different purpose. They're wonderful, yet meant to increase sensory awareness and improve movement through differentiation and very gentle movement. Pandiculation is different (yet complementary to ATM classes) and changes the resting tension level of the muscles/reduces nervous system tension a lot more rapidly and in a more full body way. Either way you should always only go to your comfort range.
@@EssentialSomatics I find it difficult to understand how i can be comfortable and yet voluntarily contract such i really feel the contraction. I wouldn't call that sensation comfortable versus a very gentle movement like ATM. I mean i guess if i flex my bicep and unflex it i dont feel uncomfortable but something like lifting elbow head and shoulder while lying on stomach i definitely dont feel pleasant sensations in the contraction of lifting, i really feel the effort to do it the first few repetitions, especially slowly, like theres a real "bracing" sensation when i begin to lift like i really need to mobilize my muscles strongly to begin the movement.
@@ItsAllGoodGames Ahhh! You just shared a very insightful observation: you sense a "bracing" when you begin to lift. This is likely because you're not allowing the FRONT of your body (abdominals, ribcage, chest muscles) to soften and relax AS you begin to lift the head. Think of all the wonderful Feldenkrais videos you may have seen on RUclips of a baby lifting its head, letting its belly go, and pushing down into the floor with its hands. This is the Landau Response ("Green Light Reflex" as Thomas Hanna called it). The baby isn't bracing its abdominals! I highly recommend coming to a class to learn, in real time, how to explore this and move forward with more awareness. It's really hard to sense the gentle and powerful effect of pandiculation when you're braced in the front and back at the same time!
@@EssentialSomatics Yes i have very chronic tension in my abdomen and chest as ive discovered through my personal practice, i believe i do also whats called Co Contraction such that i habitually flex my abdomen when arching my back. I had a suspicion that this would interfere with the pandiculation but im happy you've confirmed it for me. Ive started working gently with the basic lying on back and rocking pelvis back and forth, and pushing off the ground with one foot to begin hip lift, which is also a pandiculation in its own right correct? since you're lifting hip against gravity and lowering. I'm also gonna do the Somatics Flexor cat stretch more frequently to help reduce the SMA in my chest and abdomen and hopefully that'll also help with the CoContraction. I can't really afford classes at this time, but im working diligently on my own, thanks for answering my questions, it helps me make the right decisions with my personal training.
I'd be very interested to know your suggestions for someone who has to use a pedal at the desk. I use it to control an audio player. It can mean one leg being tensed for hours. I can switch legs, but I still end up with leg cramps if I do it for 4 hours. I have a lot of sit pain - piriformis, etc. Would love to know if you've worked with someone with this work situation.
If you're using a pedal you're likely going into a trauma reflex (like driving a stick shift). My suggestion is to take frequent breaks during your day in order to pandiculate out any muscle tension that builds up through repetitive use. Then begin to learn a basic routine of Somatic Movements (and find a class! - go to the ES website, to the Find a Practitioner page) so you can develop strategies for releasing tight muscles even while using the pedal. I hope this helps!
Martha, can't seem to find my left sit down. Any way of resolving what may be a dislocation? I've tried rolling back and forth but I can only find it if I sort of twist and an exaggerated effort to find it ... Feels like tilting.
I wish you had been in my Seated and Standing Somatics class last week! We played with just this sort of thing. The inability to find balance in your sitbones is probably coming from tension in the center of your body where Sensory Motor Amnesia takes hold. It sounds like habituation of a Trauma Reflex, which creates imbalance through the waist muscles. Check out our classes so you can begin to learn to reverse this situation on your own: essentialsomatics.com/essential-somatics-online-classes It's impossible for me to know exactly what's happening for you without seeing how you move and knowing your background, so also consider working one on one with a practitioner who can guide you with skill.
Check out the information in the video description. You can purchase my book, Move Without Pain, from Amazon or Barnes and Noble. The Essential Somatics website has plenty of information about DVDs and courses you can take to learn more. Enjoy!
Indeed, it's very similar! The only difference is that you are pandiculating as you do it. That's what gets the brain to muscle connection back in sync and reduces the tension in the nervous system. Enjoy!
awesome,easy thank you!
You're so welcome!
can u do a sequence of movements that is specific for anterior pelvic tilt and knock knees due to that pelvic tilt please...thanks
Addressing the Red Light Reflex (the "Flower" movement) is one of the best movements for this. I highly recommend working one on one with a Clinical Somatic Educator, however. Get a skilled second set of eyes to help you begin to figure out your sensory motor amnesia. What you're describing is a full body stress reflex posture.
Good morning, thanks for the nice video. Just one question, how do you support your back while sitting? Do you lean against the backrest?
I don't use a backrest. I don't need one when I'm sitting balanced on my sit bones. I actually sit on a stool more often than not. It allows me to shift my position whenever I want to or need to. If you're relaxed in the center and sitting on your sit bones you're less likely to need support for your back.
Beautiful))
Thank you!
How strongly do you contract in either direction compared to an awareness through movement lesson that does these exact movements only within range of comfort
Awareness through movement lessons are quite different and designed for a different purpose. They're wonderful, yet meant to increase sensory awareness and improve movement through differentiation and very gentle movement.
Pandiculation is different (yet complementary to ATM classes) and changes the resting tension level of the muscles/reduces nervous system tension a lot more rapidly and in a more full body way. Either way you should always only go to your comfort range.
@@EssentialSomatics I find it difficult to understand how i can be comfortable and yet voluntarily contract such i really feel the contraction. I wouldn't call that sensation comfortable versus a very gentle movement like ATM.
I mean i guess if i flex my bicep and unflex it i dont feel uncomfortable but something like lifting elbow head and shoulder while lying on stomach i definitely dont feel pleasant sensations in the contraction of lifting, i really feel the effort to do it the first few repetitions, especially slowly, like theres a real "bracing" sensation when i begin to lift like i really need to mobilize my muscles strongly to begin the movement.
@@ItsAllGoodGames Ahhh! You just shared a very insightful observation: you sense a "bracing" when you begin to lift. This is likely because you're not allowing the FRONT of your body (abdominals, ribcage, chest muscles) to soften and relax AS you begin to lift the head. Think of all the wonderful Feldenkrais videos you may have seen on RUclips of a baby lifting its head, letting its belly go, and pushing down into the floor with its hands. This is the Landau Response ("Green Light Reflex" as Thomas Hanna called it). The baby isn't bracing its abdominals!
I highly recommend coming to a class to learn, in real time, how to explore this and move forward with more awareness. It's really hard to sense the gentle and powerful effect of pandiculation when you're braced in the front and back at the same time!
@@EssentialSomatics Yes i have very chronic tension in my abdomen and chest as ive discovered through my personal practice, i believe i do also whats called Co Contraction such that i habitually flex my abdomen when arching my back. I had a suspicion that this would interfere with the pandiculation but im happy you've confirmed it for me.
Ive started working gently with the basic lying on back and rocking pelvis back and forth, and pushing off the ground with one foot to begin hip lift, which is also a pandiculation in its own right correct? since you're lifting hip against gravity and lowering.
I'm also gonna do the Somatics Flexor cat stretch more frequently to help reduce the SMA in my chest and abdomen and hopefully that'll also help with the CoContraction.
I can't really afford classes at this time, but im working diligently on my own, thanks for answering my questions, it helps me make the right decisions with my personal training.
what is that, its all good cames.
I'd be very interested to know your suggestions for someone who has to use a pedal at the desk. I use it to control an audio player. It can mean one leg being tensed for hours. I can switch legs, but I still end up with leg cramps if I do it for 4 hours. I have a lot of sit pain - piriformis, etc. Would love to know if you've worked with someone with this work situation.
If you're using a pedal you're likely going into a trauma reflex (like driving a stick shift). My suggestion is to take frequent breaks during your day in order to pandiculate out any muscle tension that builds up through repetitive use. Then begin to learn a basic routine of Somatic Movements (and find a class! - go to the ES website, to the Find a Practitioner page) so you can develop strategies for releasing tight muscles even while using the pedal. I hope this helps!
Martha, can't seem to find my left sit down. Any way of resolving what may be a dislocation? I've tried rolling back and forth but I can only find it if I sort of twist and an exaggerated effort to find it ... Feels like tilting.
I wish you had been in my Seated and Standing Somatics class last week! We played with just this sort of thing. The inability to find balance in your sitbones is probably coming from tension in the center of your body where Sensory Motor Amnesia takes hold. It sounds like habituation of a Trauma Reflex, which creates imbalance through the waist muscles.
Check out our classes so you can begin to learn to reverse this situation on your own: essentialsomatics.com/essential-somatics-online-classes
It's impossible for me to know exactly what's happening for you without seeing how you move and knowing your background, so also consider working one on one with a practitioner who can guide you with skill.
Thanks so much.
You're very welcome!
You said your are Martha, but what is your last name and do you have books?
Check out the information in the video description. You can purchase my book, Move Without Pain, from Amazon or Barnes and Noble. The Essential Somatics website has plenty of information about DVDs and courses you can take to learn more. Enjoy!
Great!🙌🏼
Thank you!
Looks like cat and cow pose in yoga.
Indeed, it's very similar! The only difference is that you are pandiculating as you do it. That's what gets the brain to muscle connection back in sync and reduces the tension in the nervous system.
Enjoy!