The 'Long Class' Experience

The 'Long Class' Experience

Dave Wardman

"This is workshop work.....!!"

[Kit Laughlin during a phone conversation with me sometime mid-2014]

The above quote happened during a deeply interesting and flowing phone conversation I had with my mentor last year.  We were having one of our discussions that darted all over the place effortlessly: practical physical cultivation methods, stretching, strength and conditioning, dharmic topics, philosophy, etc,.  It's a beautiful thing to have people in your life that you can communicate with unrestrained and completely naturally across all the things that are most meaningful in your life!

Kit blurted out this line "This is workshop work!" - and we both fell silent for a few moments, knowing something very important had just occurred. 

The specific "This" we were talking about was the method of Stretch Therapy (the parent art of Physical Alchemy).  Stretch Therapy occurs in a number of settings: private sessions, classes and workshops.  Something Kit* and I (and others) have been aware of for a while is that there is something different, something very special, about experiencing this work immersion style in groups at a workshop level. 

There a many possible ingredients in the creation of the workshop experience: space, duration (most workshops are 2-3 days - the bodymind warms up and becomes more plastic, more open to change), the 'tribal' aspects of doing an activity with a group of like-minded people is a supportive environment, the method, the teacher, the students - and so on. 

Classes are fantastic, and have similar dynamics to workshops.  But they are not as powerful as the workshop experience.  Something I have been contemplating deeply since the phone-satori with Kit is: 'how can I make classes more like the workshop experience?'.  Why? The closer I can get my classes to the workshop level of re-patterning, the more powerful they become and the more effectively and efficiently the methods can work for my students.  

Hmmm, what elements to tinker with?  I have chosen duration (to start with). We have been temporally patterned in a certain way in this society.  Since high-school most of us are conditioned to do roughly 9-5pm, on 5 specific days out of 7. We are used to a lunch break of around an hour, with or without another small break or two.  This is not a natural pattern, IMHO, but it is what we have to work with. 

So, I have been testing out extended duration 'Long Classes' in my Physical Alchemy Experimental  classes - see HERE.  These are between 2 - 2.5hrs in duration. 

The results so far are overwhelmingly in favour of this being a superior way to train the method in class format.  It seems that for Stretch Therapy, after a hour (the normal duration for ST classes, and mos exercise classes) the body (nervous system and other soft tissues) is starting to get into a plasticity state slightly sideways to normal consciousness - a state where deeper change becomes easier to attain.  The increased integration time and lack of haste facilitated deeper relaxation, too.

But how to implement this out of 'the laboratory'..  Luckily Cherie and I have already found a way to implement this new format of long-play physical immersion - we do it on Saturday!  We are currently running these classes on alternating Saturdays at the Sydney Stretch Therapy studio. 

  

Also, coming very soon in 2015 I will be running Hybrid Monkey Gym/Stretch Therapy classes in Sydney.  Details to come very shortly.  PM me (dav.wardman@gmail.com) if you are interested in attending or have any questions about programming this type of experience with other training modalities.

I intend to run two classes per Saturday in this manner ASAP.  Having experimented with this on myself and a number of my collaborators, it is obvious that this is the perfect way to run non-workshop classes.  They even work wonders on one class per week (or even fortnight, which is something very interesting).  This work is alive!  It is a living art.  I, and others, are constantly trying to evolve the method (which we already knows works so well) along the lines of effectiveness, efficiency and depth. 

I am also contemplating an evening Long Class,  if enough humans are interested. Doing this type of format in the evening has often been giving me and the other collaborators very deep and rejuvenating sleep, and being able to go home and sleep soon after aids the experience, in my reckoning.  

Come explore the art of re-patterning your bodymind for increased movement quality, relaxation and suppleness.  It's fun and it feels amazing!  

Please PM me if you have any further questions about the methodology specifically or generally (dav.wardman@gmail.com.

Join the Sydney Stretch Therapy facebook group for more class details, fun and community.  


Dave

*HERE - also, for trainspotters, hard to see in this image but Kit is wearing his 'Resist Mediocrity' t-shirt. 

Physical Alchemy Schemata Diagram I

This (above) is a diagram I have been playing around with (in my mind) for a while, but haven't put pen to paper (whiteboard) on; until today.. 

This is the bones of the method; in diagram form.  I am sure this diagram will go through a number of changes, but as it stands I a quite happy with it.  Remember, this is just my take on movment and awareness training (Physical Alchemy style).  Take whatever is useful for you, and discard the rest.

I use some categories from my Physical Alchemy statement of Intent in this post - see HERE.  I suggest you read that one before this one..

Basic Strength Training (Tiger Body - Strength & Flexibility)

In the Physical Alchemy approach to strength training, the exercises are picked to improve the structural health of an individual, and to provide a solid foundation for the complex movements that the individual has picked to work on in the Complex Movement category.  

The health (hormone profile; structural health; soft tissue quality; etc) aspects are emphasized above the performance aspects, unless there is a good reason to preference performance (the person wants to compete in a competitive activity that they love).

For this reason there is little emphasis on general conditioning, other than walking and mobility conditioning style work (putting movement and mobility drills, that are done for their Radical Plasticity, joint opening and health benefits; into a circuit for some ambient cardiovascular effect of a low-medium level). 

People are encourage to do specific conditioning work (which can have a general conditioning micro- or meso-cycle) for the Complex Movement art(s) they have chosen to work on as the primary conditioning they do. 

Why?  For most normal individuals, doing an inordinate amount of strength training normally leads to over-training and injury, and quickly reaches a diminishing returns point.  Sure, if you love it and it's your passion, or favored movement activity, no problem (i.e Olympic lifting).
Also, specific conditioning drills (boxing; wrestling/grappling; martial arts; Parkour and Free-running; dancing) are normally much more fun than general conditioning drills, so why not do them instead (especially if you are not competing professionally)? 

My personal preference is to keep strength training sessions to two or three times a week (depending upon other activities undertaken); and keep my energy for skill work (which often has a strength-skill component, anyhow).
A lot of times people, rightly or wrongly, go for making exercises too advanced too quickly - or picking exercise that don't transfer particularly well to other endeavors (see Steve Maxwell's post on this HERE). 

The Basic Strength Training work each week is constitutional and soft tissue quality training.  The motor patterns are kept reasonably simple to keep quality and form to a high level.  Resistance is (obviously) one variable that is increased to keep improving, but in the Physical Alchemy approach a high degree of emphasis is placed upon improving bodily awareness and strength-control in an exercise (without resistance going up; which works well with body weight exercise) and working on different, increasingly difficult ways of breathing (or retaining breath) during movements.  More on this in a later post.

Advanced Stretching & Soft Body Skills (Tiger Body - Flexibility; The Re-Enchantment of the Body)

In contrast to the strength training, I like to use a lot of advanced stretching, limbering, suppleness, mobility and soft body skills work in my training - programmed in a way so I do something every day, but do not do the strongest methods more than twice a week (This too, will be a detail later post).

As I mentioned in my what is Physical Alchemy piece (HERE) - I am of the strong belief that there are many (some recognized, some not) health (from Daoist, osteopathic and structural integration perspectives on health), aliveness and awareness benefits gained from this type of work (on top of the useful, but more mundane improved flexibility and movement capacity) - and so I preference this type of work very highly, and specialize in it because of this. 

Complex Movement arts (Tiger Body - Agility; Strength; Flexibility; Play & Movement Lexicon)
My opinion is that it is here, not in strength training (again, unless it is your passion), that you should chase after complexity, high skill exercises and playfulness - once you have a sufficient foundational capacity of strength, flexibility and agility to do said activity (this depends upon the individual and the activity/art).

These activities have life-long learning benefits, creativity enhancement and creative expression aspects, and offer a sense of community/tribe. Master a few, and learn an instrument, and you're on your way to becoming a Renaissance man or women..! 

Examples: Martial arts; dancing; Parkour and Free-running; sports; even just joint mobility and movement patterning do for fun and health.

The Re-Enchantment of the Body
This is all things body awareness, kinesthetic intelligence and sensitivity.  This includes stand alone body awareness exercises, as well as awareness exercises that can be added to Basic Strength and Advanced Stretching and Soft Body Skill exercises.

It also includes specific exercises for Freeing the Breath and learning to bring Deep Physical Relaxation to the body (both, also, later detailed posts).

For me, some of the deep appeal of this type of thing is the creativity enhancement and character armour dissolving qualities.  


Qi Gong Skill-set
Flowing on nicely from The Re-Enchantment of the Body are more specific Daoist Qi Gong (Tao yin) exercises, that I am only just beginning to practice recently.  Already I can see that they will fit into Physical Alchemy very nicely, hence the addition.  Many potential health, awareness and aliveness benefits here, I feel.. 

Zen/Ch'an (Awareness; Intent) 
As a lay practitioner of Zen/Ch'an, all of the above categories are also ways of practicing, for me.  I do not do this for health or performance benefits, even if these come of it.  I simply practice Zen, and also love movement and having fun doing all things Physical Alchemy.

One of my teachers, Kit, once said to me:

 "All these things (health; stretching; movement/martial arts; strength training; etc) - simply give you the longevity that you are probably going to need to get over your own ignorance and attain your True Nature" KL (Paraphrased - this was the gist of it).  

This is pretty much the approach I take; other practices to aid Zen (and for enjoyment), rather than doing meditation to aid other practices -  though I do find that making movement a practice is very rewarding.

Having some base contemplative/Dharmic practice is a personal thing, and not essential to enjoy, or gain benefits from, the other categories. But, if you do find something that works for you - it does add an extra something (or maybe takes something away..) to all the rest. The increase Awareness seeps into everything and enhances...life.

The practice of Zen Buddhism (or any other method/path - Vipassana; Tibetan Buddhism; Daoism; yoga; tantra; etc.etc.) is also an 'end' in itself - hence the arrow pointing off into the Void.  

The Arrows of Influence  

Basic Strength --> Advanced Flexibility (Stretching) & Soft Body Skills:  a solid foundational strength aids a lot of the stronger stretching postures, and also aids the ability of muscular contraction, sequencing, bracing and un-coupling of movements.  Essentially we are after 'optimal responsive tonus' - muscles that are strong and supple, and that stay relaxed until needed - are respond quickly and in harmony. Then go back to resting again.

Advanced Flexibility (Stretching) & Soft Body Skills --> Basic Strength:  Improved range of motion, relaxation and removal of inhibitory properties (neural; trigger points; fascial adhesion's; scarring; etc) plays back into capacity to access muscle fibres and to enhanced sequencing. 

Basic Strength & Advanced Flexibility (Stretching) & Soft Body Skills ---> Complex Movement Skills:  A strong foundation of strength, flexibility and agility from which to more effectively, efficiently and safely learn fun, new movement patterns and skills.  (Why no arrows back?  Again, this is a prototype diagram and for now I am thinking the influence is stronger in this direction - let me know if you thinking I should have double direction arrows here).

Re-Enchantment of the Body ---> Complex Movement; Basic Strength & Advanced Flexibility (Stretching) & Soft Body Skills:  Although the diagram does not currently have two of these arrows, the enhanced breathing, relaxation and kinesthetic intelligence flow nicely into the three categories at the top.  The arrow back from the Flexibility (Stretching) & Soft Body Skills skills to the Re-Enchantment of the Body is indicative of the strong link between the two in both directions.

Re-Enchantment of the Body <--->  Qi Gong Skill-set:  This should be a reasonably obvious connection.  Some of the more basic awareness exercise flow on into more complex Daoist practices, then flow back into the basic exercises. These are very similar categories, but I didn't want to put Qi Gong 'into' The Re-Enchantment of the Body because there are so many arts and practices under the banner of 'qi gong' that it seemed a bit foolish - even though qi gong does very much re-enchant the bodymind.

Qi gong <---> Stretching:  I have a strong feeling that qi gong and stretching/soft body work (done the Stretch Therapy way) is going to be a very auspicious, mutually re-enforcing combination. 

Zen/Ch'an -->  I talked a little bit about this above.  All things become practice, hence the lines going out.  I have contemplated putting arrows back to this from 'Stretching' - i.e being able to Sit in a more comfortable position in zazen, or control movements better in kinhin.  Also, possibly back from qi gong, though I haven't practice qi gong for long enough to make any judgement about that one. 

At any rate, I had fun making a linking diagram of the things I encompass Physical Alchemy (which are also some of my favorite things).  Quite possibly I could have had more arrows (even arrows showing influence from everything to everything else), but again, this is just prototype #1!

Hopefully you got something out of this (even 'just' a good laugh).  Let me know if you have any useful suggestions or experience in the combinations mentioned above. 

Emotional Anatomy

Brain Pickings have just posted a short article reviewing Stanley Keleman's great book Emotional Anatomy.  See HERE. 

The book is part of the Stretch Therapy reading list, and is an interesting read - along with containing some fascinating and classic illustrations and drawings (some of which are in the short review article).  If you have a chance to pick up a copy in a second-hand book store I recommend it. 

It offers some perspectives that can be useful in describing some of the 'higher benefits' gained from stretching - and partially explain why I view Stretch Therapy as an excellent bodymind re-patterning system, as well as a with its ability to improve range of movement available to the tissues and joints. 

Physical Alchemy

Physical Alchemy is the name of my business and also the name of a movement, re-patterning and physical cultivation method I am creating based upon my studies, training and experience in the last 12, or so, years.

I am a practitioner and instructor of Stretch Therapy and Monkey Gym [Strength & Flexibility] methods, and a practitioner of soft tissue therapies.  The methods I employ are fundamentally about transmutation (positively changing, transforming and refining) of the physical body.  

Theoretically, I draw influence from the sciences (anatomy & physiology; ecology; biology; exercise science; neurobiology; psychoneuroimmunology to name a few); the intellectual heritage of the Stretch Therapy™ syllabus; the Structural Integration [Rolfing and others] school of bodywork; human ecology; art; history and philosophy of science and medicine; anthropology and the life sciences of China, India and greater Asia.  On a movement level I draw influence from the traditional and modern martial arts; the Stretch Therapy system; Western physical culture old and new, and my own exploration. On a more mystical level I am heavily influenced by Zen/Ch’an Buddhist practice; Daoism; Sufism; Gurdjieff and the enneagram.  An odd mix, I admit.

My fascination with transformative practices and methods began with my first bodymind transmutation via training in the martial arts. I experienced another of these transformations using the Stretch Therapy method; and then again through practicing various contemplative methods and techniques. 

Each of these transformative periods and the practices involved in them led me to view my previous incarnation (my self before the training) as only being partially alive; embryonic.  

 The reality I inhabited after each step was so radically different that it rendered the ‘old me’ obsolete – with only the true aspects of myself coming along for the ride into each new stage.  Often difficult, sometimes painful, nevertheless what happened was alchemical each time.  I had been transmuted.  I had learned new information, yes;  but I had also put down much unnecessary baggage and felt the lighter and happier as a result. 

These transformations now inform my observations of the world. Sadly, what I (and other peers) perceive is there is a silent epidemic of lack of body awareness and embodied presence in the people who live in Western cultures (and many other developed nations) and it robs us of the joy of living with full aliveness. 

Many people move around in unnatural and unconscious ways, unaware of their surroundings and themselves (yes, even their own bodies!).  They are armored against sensitivity and creative expression.   They are often collapsed, hunched, weak, tight, restricted, brittle and uncoordinated when they could, and should, be open, graceful, strong, supple, agile and bodily aware.  Moreover, many are either unaware of this reality, or rigorously deny that it is happening at all – very few simply see this, accept it and start doing something about it. 

I believe if we are to survive and flourish in this 21^st century, we need people coming forth at full capacity and full creativity.  Working at transforming your own bodymind to some degree is a great place to start (and possibly the only place to start).

This was the seed from which Physical Alchemy germinated. Now I am blending the elements I found most useful from the teachings I have studied into the ‘bones’ of my method.  The ‘muscles’, ‘organs’, ‘fluid systems’ and ‘nerves’ of the method will be added via my continual practice and refinement of what I have been so blessed to have learned from my teachers, and from what other influences I continue to study and explore.

Although I will explain the core of the Physical Alchemy method below, let me preface those comments by first saying that a lot of what makes up the Physical Alchemy method is un-learning.  

What I mean by this is the removal of inhibition and unconscious culturally conditioned movement patterning from the nervous system; re-modeling restrictions in other soft tissues and dissolving the character armoring that is legion among the adult population of this society (and even among the young, these days - disturbingly).

The Physical Alchemy method seeks for its practitioners to return to the child-like state of wonder, spontaneity (wu wei) and shoshin (Beginner’s Mind). To do this, there must be intentional letting go of inappropriate belief systems and views about the world.  Physical Alchemy is training to create balanced and aware individuals.

The core of the Physical Alchemy method in its current incarnation is: 

The Re-Enchantment of the Body (Yin Training – Body and Spatial Awareness; rejuvenation and Aliveness)

+ Tiger Body (Yang training – Strength, Flexibility & Agility)

+ Intent (Intention towards physical cultivation, longevity and Radical Plasticity - and Intent more generally)

+ Awareness 

 = Physical Alchemy

People often train one, two, sometimes even three of the above categories well – but very rarely are all four cultivated with equal intensity, intelligence and passion. 

The Re-Enchantment of the Body 

The Re-enchantment of the Body is concerned with all things increasing body awareness, kinesthetic sensitivity and the cultivation of a ‘full body map’ of sensory location in the brain.  This involves systematically becoming aware of the interior (and exterior) of the body, of all the asleep and missing sensory information from: muscles and soft tissues, nerves, visceral and digestive organs, lungs and blood systems, other fluid systems. 

It is also the working towards cultivating ‘Total pulsation’[1], a body that has all the subtle motions and pulsings of the organs, glands and other pulsation systems working in harmony; a body that has the nerves and blood vessels un-adhered within the myofascial matrix.  A body that is un-restrained and functioning in a natural way.  The same, or very similar, concepts are found in osteopathy and Daoist medicine and cultivation practices.

Soft Body Skills of all types are included here: self-massage and soft tissue work (using both Eastern and Western perspectives); body and spatial awareness practices; suppleness and stretching exercises that are more subtle and deeper than the stronger stretching methods included in the Tiger Body section. This also has a soft tissue textual component – what is the palpable quality and health of the tissues, besides their movement capacity. It aims at reducing the amount of unconscious, ‘parasitic’ tension in the body and freeing up wasted energy.  

Freeing the Breath (releasing and re-patterning dysfunctional breathing patterns) and Deep Physical Relaxation (learning to activate the Relaxation Response in the parasympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system and bring the experience of deep physical relaxation to the body).   Both of these I view as essential survival (and "thrival" - if that is a word!) skills for the madness, stress, increased communication and uncertainty of the 21^st century.

One of the goals of working with these yin skills is to re-ignite the Radical Plasticity* of the body (it is there in babies and some children).  In my terms Radical Plasticity obviously involves the currently trending neuroplasticity, but is wider and  more general in its scope, basking in the wondrous regenerative capacities of the human body as a whole - when you get it working in the specific manner that is natural to it.  To this end, The Re-enchantment of the Body also involves themes of longevity and rejuvenation.

A great one-line quote from one of my teachers (Kit Laughlin) that points directly at the essence of the Re-Enchantment of the Body, is: “Increasing the sensations of being alive”.  

 

Tiger Body

Tiger Body is the yang counter-part to the yin training methods that are encompassed in The Re-Enchantment of the Body syllabus.  It is training for a balanced combination of strength, flexibility and agility.  It is a body that wastes little energy in movement and has the ability to relax quickly and fully after moving.  It is a body with a high movement vocabulary (movement lexicon).  The goal is to attain the proverbial body like a jungle cat.

To expand just a little further, Movement Lexicon is the continual playfulness and exploration of the vast capacity of movement available to the human form.  It emphasizes quality before quantity, and working on movement patterns without too much of a conditioning component (keeping the system fresh). It is large, visible movements and small, subtler movements, done internally - getting movement into any joint that has movement potential.  

Play is tempered with sessions of specific strength, flexibility and agility work (which are also fun, just not as exploratory).  Methods combine techniques and ideas from: Monkey Gym syllabus; Stretch Therapy™; kettlebell training & bodyweight mobility-conditioning (largely drawn from my studies with Steve Maxwell), agility and movement drills from martial arts; Gymnastics; Parkour and Free-running and Feldenkrais, to name a few.  General conditioning and fitness are not emphasized. 

Awareness

Awareness is a clear mind.  A mind not entranced by wandering thoughts, emotions or stuck in fantasies about the future or past.  Awareness is bringing all of one's faculties to bear on a specific task.  A lot of what is classified as awareness in Physical Alchemy is bodily awareness (awareness of what is going on inside the body) and spatial awareness (what is going on in the immediate environment around the body) - or both simultaneously.   It is precisely the same awareness as the Zen just doing whatever it is you are doing. 

Moshe Feldenkrais has great paragraph about how to use awareness to transform movement in Alchemical Movement.

“In those moments when awareness succeeds in being at one with feeling, senses, movement, and thought, the carriage will speed along on the right road.  Then man can make discoveries, invent, create, innovate, and “know”.  He grasps that his small world and the great world around are but one and that in this unity he is no longer alone”  Moshe Feldenkrais, Awareness Through Movement. 

Intent

Intent involves a direction to which momentum is concentrated (it is the will, the hara); such as directing exercise done towards physical cultivation and the re-awakening of Radical Plasticity in the body.

“Be strong to be useful” - a quote from Georges Hebert, is a great principle. Why not be strong, flexible, agile and have a high degree of embodied awareness, too?  It’s fun(!) and feels great on a number of levels for the individual; and there is a great healing on a cultural-body level to be had here, too.  The split between mind and body, and humans and Nature needs to be sewn up. Many of the unfortunate hallmarks of this modern culture: depression; un-happiness and lack of contentment; pain and movement dysfunction; ‘stuckness’ of all types; obesity and anorexia (body image-sense disorders) can be linked to this silent epidemic and often healed via movement and awareness training.    

My aim in bringing Physical Alchemy into the world is primarily at developing a practical method. I’m interested in getting down to practice over knowing a lot about practice and movement.  Studying and reading fascinating philosophies and sciences is great, but at some point you have to put that down and go out and do something. 

 To echo Goethe via Bruce Lee "Knowing is not enough, we must do".  

Physical Alchemy gives highest priority to the doing (which is a type of knowledge), with discernment and diminishing returns being applied to intellectual knowledge and habitual reading. They are obviously useful – but the goal in this system is to become as high a level of practitioner as you can; not a philosopher.

As Physical Alchemy matures, with it, I predict a group of like-minded practitioners will gather; a group that explores, tests and refines these exercises and practices – always looking for improvement and evolution of the methods.  I am very excited by this, as I will learn many new things via this process. 

Classes –  my Stretch Therapy classes at the moment are more about the Re-enchantment of the Body, flexibility and un-patterning aspects - suppleness, relaxation, breathing and of course increasing range of movement (one of Kit’s other favorite quotes is “Attaining grace and ease in the body”).

The Monkey Gym (Strength & Flexibility) classes are aimed at the Tiger Body set of attributes, with play and increase movement vocabulary in there too.  Adding the awareness and intent to either class gives the higher benefits, but must be practiced via the individual. No one can do these for you. 

If you have read this far, something has resonated with you.. come and explore, play and transmutate!

"A child-like man is not a man whose development has been arrested; on the contrary, he is a man who has given himself a chance of continuing to develop long after most adults have muffled themselves in the cocoon of middle-aged habit and convention."- Aldous Huxley.

* The term 'Radical Plasticity' comes from the great book The Protean Body: a Rolfer's view of Human Flexibility by Don Johnson. 

---

[1] Kinesthetic Dystonia part 3B: the contribution of bodywork to somatic education, Structural Integration: Collected Journal Articles, T.W. Myers, 1999.   

Psoas-Nasal Connection..?

Just a short post on an odd and interesting occurrence I have noted twice now..  Often when I find myself up at 1am, and not sleepy, I will have a movement exploration session (with lights off).  Twice now, I have decided to explore stretching of the deep hip flexor (psoas) muscle, via a number of methods.

Getting a stretch directly in the psoas is no small feat, and as I have mentioned in another blog, people often put themselves into poses/postures that should stretch the psoas, theoretically; but in actuality they have little stretch in it and no sensory awareness of it.  This was what I was doing for a very long time, too.  A true psoas stretch is an odd and somewhat confronting sensation (and it can be a very strong sensation).  It feels fantastic after it has been carefully stretched (passive, or better yet, PNF style).

Besides the wide-ranging postural, movement and gait benefits that are felt after this (or I should say, that I personally feel after I do it), I noticed a strange connection.  On the first night I really 'got into' psoas, and felt it tangibly relax (PNF style), I had a moderately strong head cold and blockages in both nasal passages.  After the post-isometric contraction relaxation of the deep hip flexor had happened, and I was in the 'relax and re-pattern' phase of the stretch, my nasal passage on the side of the hip flexor being stretched dramatically cleared.  Hmmm..  interesting.  I stretched the second side and, sure enough, the other nostril cleared.

Two nights ago, I was up at 1am again.  I decided to do some late night deep hip flexor exploration and stretching-with-awareness.  This time I had no cold.  What I did notice was a very large, tangible increase in my awareness of the breath going in and out of the my nostril, nose and nasopharynx!

Two attempts does not make anything conclusive, but it is interesting enough for me to continue to play around with.  If it turns out to be something, the method of its working is an interesting thing to contemplate.. does it work via freeing the movement of lumbar spine (thus whole spine) up; is it somehow linked to the nerves of the lumbar plexus being freed.. or something more reflexive.  First I need to continue to observe if it works every time. 

No nasal sensory enhancement from rectus femoris dominant hip flexor stretches, no matter how good a stretch I get from them (and they are great stretches for other reasons).  Simon Thakur's (Ancestral Movement) comment's from facebook were:

" ..could be some sort of stimulation of the autonomic nervous system. Either the sympathetic trunk in the deep abdomen, or the sacral branches of the parasympathetic system. Either way, there's a reasonable amount of evidence linking breath flow in each nostril to relative dominance of the opposite cerebral hemisphere..."

Do, please, let me know if you try it and get similar (or different) results.

Fascial Lat Stretching and 'Opening Up and Awakening the Sides'

The flavor of the month (last month now) seems to be stretching, un-locking and re-modelling the tissues of the lateral aspect of the body..

I have recently uploaded 5 videos onto Youtube, of various stretches I have been playing around with for the lats and their associated soft tissues and investing fascia, and of the Lateral Line (and the 'Deep Lateral Line' connection of the QL --> Diaphragm --> Mediastinum --> Scalenes; if you are sufficiently body aware and supple already); Back Functional Line and Spiral Lines (using the myofascial meridians terminology of Anatomy Trains - see 2nd edition of the book for the fascinating details).

I had started to play around with different vectors of stretching the lats (and 'sides' more generally) when I had access to ladders bars for training (I think a lot of people stuff around hanging off ladders bars when they are available..there's something natural and human about it).

I was talking with Simon Thakur, a while back, about 'Opening up, strengthening and becoming more aware of the 'sides' of the body - and lateral movement, especially lateral spinal waves and undulation' which led me to explore this fascial and neuromuscular stretching (soft tissue remodeling) aspect some more.


Here are the videos:
Basic 3 Lateral Line and Fasical Lat Stretches
Video 1 (Basic Hanging Fascial Lat Stretch)
Video 2 (Spiral Lat and Hip Stretch from Modified Pigeon Pose)
Video 3 (Hanging Fascial Lat Stretch with Spinal Wave and Spiral Movement Enhancers)

[+1] Here's a great basic side stretch video by Stretch Therapy/Monkey Gym Senior Instructor Olivia
Video 4 - Liv teaches the kneeling side bend
The 'basic' side stretch can still work wonders on more advanced practitioners, if they have the body awareness and micro-movement control of the spine - aiming at as pure a lateral flexion as possible. 

[+1] Also, Check out Simon's Lateral Spinal Wave VIDEO

2 Advanced Fascial Lat Stretching Variants (Get comfortable with the easier versions before attempting)  
Video 5 (Advanced 'Spiral' Fascial Lat and 'Opening up the Sides' montage)
Video 6 ('High Hang' Fascial Lat Stretching)


Besides opening up the often restricted coronal/frontal plane of movement, these techniques remodel the soft tissues over, around, between and inside of the ribcage - thus freeing the breath*.

Along with specific breathing pattern and diaphragm work (pranayama; qi gong; butyeko; etc) this can tangibly increase, not only the movement capacity of the body, but the sensations of being alive and offers numerous health benefits, too.

Hanging!

Hanging is *awesome*! Whether it's from some ladder bars; a tree; a door-frame; a bus stop, or bar - it feels great and has a simultaneous strengthening of the deep grip muscles (if you actually grip the bar actively) and stretching/re-modeling effect on the lats and other pulling muscles, and on the various chains of fascia and connective tissue in the arms.

You can also get into the 'poplar tree' of the various 4th layer(? - iliocostalis group; etc) back muscles via adding different spiral vectors and directed breathing techniques - which is great, as these muscles are notoriously difficult to isolate in stretch.

Once you get a feel for how the greater tissues of the latissimus dorsi can be wound-up, you can create numerous variants which can be done off just about anything upright that is stable (pole; doorway; tree; etc), to varying degrees of success.

 

Spirals!

Spiral vectors from the legs, trunk and arms work very well.  Multiple spiral vectors works even better. You can 'play them off against each other' and wring the adhesions out of your soft tissues.  Interestingly, the latissimus dorsi (and pectoralis major; among others) has a twist (spiral) in the morphology the muscle.. perhaps this is why they feel so good to twist like a wet towel? 

For me personally, the feeling and observation of how the lats, pecs and traps get involved in the straight arm gymnastics holds (especially when you are strict with keeping the sternum up; so, not holding for maximal strength, which uses the hollow shape, but training for max strength-control from a position of postural alignment), I have wondered if what was happening was that I was learning to use the lats, pecs and traps, in essence, as a 'secondary rotator cuff' - by training them to stabilize and control a straight arm in various positions.. not sure how accurate this is, but a tangible re-patterning of the muscles occurs when you learn to do straight arm work ala gymnastics, and various other holds, in combination with traditional concentric/eccentric work -  or at least this is how I experienced it feeling in my own shoulders and arms.

This alignment (upper thoracic extension/sternal lifting with scapulas allowed to move down the rib cage) is often not possible for a person to maintain on the rings or paralettes for very long, or at all (or even in daily life, for some).

This is often related to daily postural and movement habits.  Sitting in a chair, and having the usually things happen (tighter hip flexors; collapsed ribcage and diaphragm; hyperkyphosis; scapula coming forward and around the rib-cage; etc.) tightens the latissimus dorsi in a specific way; and predisposes you to use only a discrete sector of this massive and variable muscle when you do you strength training exercises.

This discrete sector is usually the over-facilitated sector anyway, and leads to thick ropey strands appearing in the lats as vectors of force have connective tissue laid down in their paths. I have observed this a number of times with people into strength and conditioning work; boxing and other sports involving repetitive pulling.  Certain fibers of the latissimus dorsi are heavily preferences due to scapula position; rib-cage angle and spinal curves (obviously, and especially, thoracic). I am sure it is not everybody, but it is an interesting pattern. 

Finally, on stretching longer chains of fascia and connective tissue more generally, I have found that these long chain stretches respond well to a number of different methods - other than just standard contract-relax (PNF), as emphasized in the beginning and intermediate stages of Stretch Therapy classes.

Some of the 'enhancers' I use are:

• Mirco-movement exploration (lots of different easy to more difficult vectors - simple sagital plane work; rotations; figure 8's, spirals and waves)

• Directed Breathing (especially for muscles/tissues attaching to the trunk and ribs/abdominal area). 

• Outside Support (Tractioning & Bracing via partner assist).  This often uses a belt (judo belt or fabric sash for comforts sake) or manual assistences.


* The name of a blog post I am writing about a core fundamental of the Physical Alchemy system. 

'Long Cycle' Bolster External Hip Rotators stretching sequence

HERE it is!  The 'Long Cycle' Bolster External Hip Rotators stretching sequence, perfect for those interested in physical cultivation, movement exploration and soft tissue health.  As mentioned in the video, I have been exploring a medium intensity, long duration protocol for my stretching and physical cultivation practice of late - to great effect.  It's not better than, say, strong partner based stretching or even slower and softer yin yoga style practice - it's just different, and I like it!

It this type of an approach I make liberal use of micro-movements (especially circles; figure 8's and spirals - as well as spine alignment and pelvic movements); Contract-Relax and Hold-Relax PNF variants (at all type of intensities and durations - it's about feeling what is needed/necessary; not some arbitrary duration and intensity protocol for contractions); sequential Contract-relax methods and breathing enhancers (using different breathing methods to affect/effect the stretch and re-patterning). 

In this method, I will often hold the contractions (especially when building up a series of contractions in sequence, such as: 'turn the little toe into the ground' --> sweep the foot through the ground --> press the knee into the bolster --> you can then add some cool stuff with the rotation of the pelvis and spine using the obliques and brace with a counter-spiral from the arms but it is too hard to write down) for significantly longer than in the standard Stretch Therapy approach (but keep intensity medium) and not fully relax the muscle. 

This is what I call a modulation or oscillation of the tension of the contractions - or contracting a muscle, then over-contracting it; then returning to the first state of contraction.  This method works well (in my body at least) when winding up long chains of fascia and connective tissue and trying to get them to un-wind/melt.   

I have at least a couple of other versions of this particular stretch (which can be done off the bolster, too) and a fair few other positions I utilize this approach in. 

Playing around with the breathing to get the nervous system in a relaxed state, whilst simultaneously keeping the intensity of the stretch 'simmering' has useful emotional and mental training benefits to it, IMHO.

Smooth, graceful and aware movement is used through-out the sequence (when possible) and as much as you may want to have the mind elsewhere, the stretch will work best if you focus on the sensations of stretching and/or the breath. 

5000

As I sit here waiting for my epic(!) new video to load to Youtube (it's ~2GB but only 10 minutes long), I noticed that I have just passed 5000 blog views! Thank you Every Body! That is truly humbling.  Kit and I are closing in on day 90 of the challenge, and I must say that despite some late night posts, it has been an enjoyable and highly useful friendly competition.

The video I am loading up is my new 'Long Cycle' Bolster External Hip Rotator stretching, breathing and re-patterning sequence.  I think some of you are going to really like it..  I will talk more about it when I post it up, but it uses slightly different methods than a standard Stretch Therapy/Monkey Gym protocol.  A lot of my explorations of late have been on making my own solo stretching more effective, and this is one of the better experimental results. 

In the meantime, check out THIS article - sent to me by fellow Monkey Gym instructor and RKC Anthony Linard.  It mentions some topics that I have blogged about; namely the need to have movement training/Kinesthetic education for children (and adults).  Great to see so many people writing (and doing something) about this.

Static-Active Flexibility

Static Active Flexibility (stretching) is defined by Thomas Kurz, (in Stretching Scientifically) as:

"The ability to assume and maintain extended positions using only the tension of agonists and synergists while antagonists are being stretched " 

Not a type of movement I do too often (other than, perhaps, a few gymnastics holds that count in this category), but today Cherie decided to put the Advanced Stretching class through a series of hamstring and sciatic pathway Static-Active Stretches and mobilizations that she stuffs around with whilst watching TV at night.  

Why I am writing this, besides the novelty of this somewhat obscure stretching method and it being 11pm, is that my legs feel fucking awesome from it! Super light feeling; relaxed and springy.  

To be fair, I did some standard Stretch Therapy style PNF stretching too, including front splits that was only 4 inches away from the ground (so I'll have to see if I can replicate this feeling again), but it was refreshing to try some of the static active methods).  

I'm sure Cher and I will film these at some stage soon.  The book Stretching Scientifically is worth reading, if you can pick it up somewhere, as is Thomas' other book 'Science of Sports Training' (the lesser known but better one, IMHO). 

An Odd Forward Bend

This odd forward bend is actually a lot more comfortable than it looks; and felt great.  It's also a nice wind-up for the sciatic nerve (and the Central Nervous System).  The contract-relax moves that worked well were: toe flexion; plantar flexion; knee flexion and hip extension, by themselves; in a sequence and/or with spinal extension.  

Post contraction can involve standard relaxation phase, and/or spinal wave of thoracic and cervical spine (brain flossing).  

Obviously the contractions in this position were of low intensity, and mainly about contraction precision. 

Today's Impromptu Soft Tissue Re-modelling Play Session

This morning (after my morning CLASS), I decided to play around on the super soft carpet of the Sydney Stretch Therapy studio. 

I started off rolling my skull around on the carpet with knee and arm supports.  Besides mobilizing the neck (which is great), rolling the skull feels amazing on the muscles and tissues of the scalp.  There's a fair few different vectors of rotation/flexion/lateral flexion you can use for this.. but possibly too tricky to explain here (video later).  Trying to roll all over the scalp fascia and muscles, whilst maintaining slow, natural breathing into the belly. Put some of your awareness into what is happening inside the cranial bones (not inside you 'head'). I did a 2 minutes headstand at the end; just because.

Next on the menu was some hanging latissimus dorsi stretching with a heavy fascial emphasis on the angulation and the contraction type, duration and intensity.  Nice wind-up of some of the arm lines, from Tom Myer's myofascial meridians.  Deep reverse breathing to flare the ribs into the lines of the tension; and ringing the tissues out from the inside, too.  I came back to this with an additional element later - which was so good I am going to film it next Wednesday. All in all, I gave my poor lats a about 6 massive stretches each.  What a difference in posture and movement of the trunk and arms!  In my squirming, I also uncovered some tight sheets of fascia quite close to the ribs that I have never felt before...should be fun un-winding them.

Final thing I will talk about, was a passive backward bend over a hard foam roller - but with the foam roller balanced on a small step. *Don't do this unless you know you can*  I had to do this to get into the angle of extension I wanted.  Besides gravity working on the pose, I also used directed breathing to the sternum with double and triple inhales (inhale - pause - inhale more - pause - inhale more).  I got some really nice mobilization of my first three ribs and associated verterbae.  Combined with the lat stretch and I was in pretty close to ideal posture - without tension and with ease. 

Oh yeah, and did some awesome side splits practice for the first time in a while!  At 10:20pm, I am being hit by the post good neuromuscular stretching session feeling of sleepiness and body relaxation.  Time for bed.  Zzzzz...

Sequential Stretching

As I sit here and write this, I feel amazing in my physical body; definitely possessing heightened grace and ease, as Kit often refers to the primary objective of Stretch Therapy - due to the stretches I did this evening (and more importantly, the style in which I did the stretching this evening).

The primary thing that lead to this state in my body (besides the stretching itself!) was a desire to test, explore and play with something I've been contemplating for quite some time - sequencing.  More specifically sequencing of Stretch Therapy style tissue re-modelling and brain re-mapping stretches; strengthen exercises and neural re-patterning techniques - (hopefully) leading to positive plasticity and permanent unlocking of restricted and unaware areas. 

My general questions are as follows:
• How to increase the regularity of 'breakthrough sessions' without lowering the safety aspect of the system?
 • How to use the stretches and strength/re-patterning work to permanently unlock certain common/uncommon tension patterns in the body.
 • Which stretches follow on well from each other (so pose counter-pose is common; but I'm thinking longer chains of stretches and stretches followed by strength or preceeded by mobility, etc.,)?
 • Use of 'enhancers' --> Breathing enhancers; spiral enhancers; partners; bolsters; other aids; etc.
 • Sequencing moves to induce group relaxation (when teaching classes) or group excitation - and playing with that balance to help with the first point (increase the incidence of 'peak' stretching experiences within the parameters of safety, efficiency and effectiveness).

I have two 'chain-stretches', or sequences of stretches and PNF contractions, that I used tonight that are primarily responsible for my current deep well-being state (In-joke for Kit). (This is somewhat similar to vinyasa style asana practice).  

I am going to film both of them, soon.  I'll describe one full sequence now (just in case someone reading this is familiar with the Stretch Therapy system, or know what I'm talking about and wants to try).

Chain-Stretch Lunge I 
• Start in a basic lunge position; both hands inside of the front knee.  Some basic limbering (exploring hip flexor tension of the day, moving partially into a TFL stretch position).

• Now, from the basic lunge position; do a contract-relax style contraction with the front leg - trying to claw the heel and mid-foot through the earth, like a chicken clawing at the ground (hamstrings/adductors/glutes do work).  Medium intensity, concentrating on getting the tightest band of tissue to contract, more than on max intensity. ~ 10 seconds.

• Press the knee of the bent from leg out into the arm (hug knee to provide resistance) ~10 seconds.  Block knee with arm (two positions available..too hard to describe one, will video) ~ 10seconds.

• Standard Hip Flexor contraction - at your desired intensity for about 10 - 20 seconds.  I suggest medium, but focused 20 second C/R. 

• 'Opening up the arm to the roof' - so, if the left leg is back, you will balance on the left arm and the right arm will reach up to the ceiling as you turn the trunk to the right.  Elevate back knee ~ 1-3 inches, then contract-relax the front leg (again like a chicken) through the floor.  Do a stronger and longer contraction this time. Change from natural (nasal belly) breathing, to reverse breathing (abs in on inhale; breathe up into ribcage, slowly and strongly).  Rotate further around a few times.  The go back to basic, but deeper, lunge position.

• Fold down to your elbows in the lunge (or forehead on ground, if you can).  Do a final, strong front leg clawing (extending..well, knee flexion + hip extension) contraction between 10 and 25 seconds.  Hold the final position for 5 - 8 breaths done natural breathing method as slow as you can.

Should take 8-10 minutes.  Done at a slow, deliberate simmer! 

The second chain stretch I did was a modified alchemical version of the advanced piriformis exercise from the Stretch Therapy syllabus.

I'm really looking forward to getting these out there in video format, for people to play around with and report back.  Hopefully you end up feeling as good as I do now.  I'm off to float to bed, now.  (Stretching may or may not grant power of levitation).  

What is this thing called Stretching?

HERE is a great video, just posted today, about some of the deeper and most useful aspects to stretching in the way advocated within the Stretch Therapy™ system (but not limited to this system, of course). 

Here are a few choice quotes to tempt you to watch it:

"A deep knowledge of what's going on inside your body can be made available to you, if you do some stretching from time to time." - Kit Laughlin

"..by rep four or five you're thinking about lunch, dinner, or your girlfriend" - Kit Laughlin

"..when you do become familiar with moving your own body, at some point there will be this momentary experience of this simple pleasure; the joy of movement and the joy of fully experiencing the sensations that are coming to us in huge amounts, every minute of every day, but because so many of us are locked up in what our head is doing; what our mind is doing, more explicitly.." - Kit Laughlin

Kit also did a detailed BLOG here; so you can do further reading, if you like.