Liberating Your Neck and Jaw - 4 - More Jaw Connections - Roll With It

Annika Sorenstam tees off on the seventh hole during the second round of the Ginn Open at Reunion Resort. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Annika Sorenstam tees off on the seventh hole during the second round of the Ginn Open at Reunion Resort. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Liberating Your Neck and Jaw - 4 - More Jaw Connections

Review the Fundamentals of Past Lessons, Then Roll With It

If you have missed a few classes, or want to jump in now, this is the lesson to take the dive. Midway through the Liberating Your Neck and Jaw series, this lesson recaps the highlights of the previous lessons before taking it further.

This is a supine (lying on your back) and side-lying lesson. You might want a little support for your head: just enough to let your neck be long and your bottom ear parallel to the floor. Make sure you can easily nod your head up and down. Sitting on a firm chair is a very good alternative.

Our inspiration is golfer Annika Sorenstam. Do you maybe see her modeling a (very) slight jaw glide as part of her winning swing? Maybe wishful thinking on my part, maybe a secret about to be exposed!

The lesson begins with a review of the head’s up and downing, moves through some lateral slides, and adds shoulders: one by one, and then together, explore the jaw-shoulder connections.

As the shoulders work together to turn the torso, the spine necessarily twists. And along comes the pelvis for the ride, or to support the upper body through a twist, a golf swing, a turn on skis (time to start thinking winter here in the North Country.).

Science Nerd Candy: We’ve looked at the jaw and spine in some detail. As this week is more about review and some moving forward, you might review previous videos. We will take a closer look at the cervical spine, and take another look at the facial muscles and how they connect to the neck and back:

Muscles of face and neck - scientist cindy https:::www.scientistcindy.com:the-muscles-of-the-head-trunk-and-shoulders.html.png

Muscles of face and neck - scientist cindy https:::www.scientistcindy.com:the-muscles-of-the-head-trunk-and-shoulders.html.png

Muscles of face and neck - scientist cindy www.scientistcindy.com:the-muscles-of-the-head-trunk-and-shoulders.html.png

Muscles of face and neck - scientist cindy www.scientistcindy.com:the-muscles-of-the-head-trunk-and-shoulders.html.png

I also recommend Muscles of the Head and Trunk – Scientist Cindy has my sense of humor:  TikTok girls pout their orbicularis oris, a happy dog uses her Zygomaticus Muscles and Michael Jackson uses his sternocleidomastoid muscles (sternomastoid or SCM) with flair. (This is a page, not video, but the gifs rock.)

How you might feel after this lesson: Relaxed, taller, softer neck and jaw; neck, shoulders and hips coordinated; shoulders relaxed; eyes softer; deeper breath; new information about bocks and kinks between hips, shoulders and head; the secret of the jaw in twists; curious about the next lesson.

New Student Registration for the series. Continuing students use ongoing login. $60 for series, pro-rata for students entering mid-session. $15/individual class. PayPal or Venmo: jackisue@aol.com. Or Jacki Katzman, PO Box 116, Bethlehem, NH 03574

Jacki Katzman