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Connecting Arms and Legs
Previously known as: Integrating the Legs
Side-lying, integrating movements of the arms, shoulders, head, and torso as you learn to sense and hinge bodyweight in relation to the ground, and between the knees and feet. A great place to start if you can't lie on your back comfortably.
- This lesson begins in standing.
- For all lessons, especially side-lying ones, it’s helpful to have a large bath towel nearby to fold as desired for head support. Not everyone needs it, but most people do.
- Take the time you need as you get into each new configuration to make the folded towel height an amount that’s comfortable in that position. Usually your back-lying head support will be less than what you want for side-lying.
- Also for side-lying, make sure the surface you’re lying on is soft enough for your hips and shoulders to be comfortable as you shift and roll your body forward and backward.
Later in this lesson we begin using a strategy of leveraging the body against the floor, “moving” parts that can’t move because they’re on the floor, in order to propel the rest of ourselves. This fascinating concept comes out of Moshe Feldenkrais’s martial arts background, where he trained to be tremendously efficient using his body in combination with the support surface, in order to nearly effortlessly throw his Judo opponents. He later discovered that we can use the same concept in the quiet, ordinary movements of everyday life and reduce effort and strain.
This lesson is found in the Standing, Walking, and Running lesson collection.
Like most of our lessons, this one can be studied out of context, but you may find additional learning value by approaching it in the order of the collection it’s in.
The lesson referenced “last week” was Activating the Arches.
Members and Patrons only. Please login or join the Project to download this lesson’s MP3 file.
Members and Patrons only. Please login or join the Project to view Nick’s comments about sources he used while developing this lesson.
Members and Patrons only. Please login or join the Project to view related lesson titles and links.
- Comfort & Configuration
-
- This lesson begins in standing.
- For all lessons, especially side-lying ones, it’s helpful to have a large bath towel nearby to fold as desired for head support. Not everyone needs it, but most people do.
- Take the time you need as you get into each new configuration to make the folded towel height an amount that’s comfortable in that position. Usually your back-lying head support will be less than what you want for side-lying.
- Also for side-lying, make sure the surface you’re lying on is soft enough for your hips and shoulders to be comfortable as you shift and roll your body forward and backward.
- Curiosities
-
Later in this lesson we begin using a strategy of leveraging the body against the floor, “moving” parts that can’t move because they’re on the floor, in order to propel the rest of ourselves. This fascinating concept comes out of Moshe Feldenkrais’s martial arts background, where he trained to be tremendously efficient using his body in combination with the support surface, in order to nearly effortlessly throw his Judo opponents. He later discovered that we can use the same concept in the quiet, ordinary movements of everyday life and reduce effort and strain.
- Context
-
This lesson is found in the Standing, Walking, and Running lesson collection.
Like most of our lessons, this one can be studied out of context, but you may find additional learning value by approaching it in the order of the collection it’s in.
The lesson referenced “last week” was Activating the Arches.
- Download
-
Members and Patrons only. Please login or join the Project to download this lesson’s MP3 file.
- Source
-
Members and Patrons only. Please login or join the Project to view Nick’s comments about sources he used while developing this lesson.
- Related Lessons
-
Members and Patrons only. Please login or join the Project to view related lesson titles and links.
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2 Comments. Leave new
Just wanted to say thanks again and keep up the wonderful work. I was just working on the ‘integrating the legs’ session, and the recording, like so many others of yours, is so in tune with the struggles and sensations one has in doing the exercises, that even without being visually or actually present, it’s like being in a real ATM class! And the benefits have been outstanding. Much appreciated.
This is music to my ears — great reassurance that I’m doing what I intend to do! So glad you’re finding value, and thanks also for the donation!