ReCentering for Sports and Sanity - 3 - Spine Like a Wave
Serena Williams at Melbourne_Australian_Open_2010 By emmett anderson via wikipedia.jpg
ReCentering for Sports and Sanity - 3 - Spine Like A Wave
Variations on the “Connecting the Spine” lesson as taught by David Zemach-Berson
Every vertebra in the spine has a unique, central function. This lesson is a game of connecting the dots down the center line for wavelike spinal action. Apply this in your kayak, serving a tennis ball, swinging the club, swimming, etc.
This is a side-lying lesson. Both sides, actually. The advantage of side-lying is that the spine is free to curl and arch easily, which is the point of this lesson. Side-lying also lets the ribs against the floor serve as spine movement sensors. 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.
We will start with isolated movements, but will end with a full body undulation that starts in the hips and rolls all the way up to the jaw and eyes.
“Central orientation (swinging, running, jumping, throwing) is rarer than it used to be – we’ve decentralized our ancient patterns and use our fingertips and extremities more”
Set Up:
Side lying on mat with support for cheek so nose and sternum level; a bolster between knees to space legs two fists apart can be helpful
Seated sideways on a chair with a flat seat and a straight back, with side ribs resting against chair back, knees and hips level
Healing Sounds:
Triple Warmer/Centerline - HEEEEE - integration and balance
Heart - HAWWWWW - for joy and love, releasing hate and impatience
Science Nerd Candy: Take a look at the first video for a great overview of the movement of the spine, with some useful information about how the shape of the vertebrae affect how each moves. The other videos go into greater depth on the neck and low back.
Spine or Vertebral column | Spine bones joints | Human Spine Anatomy 3D animation | Elearnin – full explanation of spine anatomy (4:40)
Spinal Motion Segment: C2-C5 Animation – (veritas health - short video)
Spinal Motion Segment: C5-C6 (Veritas Health)
Lumbar Spine Anatomy Video (Vertias Health)
How you might feel after this lesson: Relaxed, taller, softer neck and jaw, feet connected to whole and whole connected to feet, deeper breath, new information about blocks and kinks between feet and head, curious about the next lesson.
New Student Registration for the series. Continuing students use ongoing login. $40 / month. $15/individual class. PayPal or Venmo: jackisue@aol.com. Or Jacki Katzman, PO Box 116, Bethlehem, NH 03574