We are only as good as our 'base of support' because the body works from the ground/bottom, up to counter the pull of gravity- especially noticeable in climbing. To be efficient in countering these effects of gravity, our posture (core) needs to be in a position that can produce downward force that is perpendicular to the 'ground'. If you are smearing on a vertical wall- your shin has to be at a particular angle between your foot (base) and your center of mass to produce downward force which will hold you 'up'. If that shin angle changes, you will slip in the direction that it gives to.
Concepts behind these exercises
'Feeling' and sensation based learning.
'Project' because these exercises you will figure out more by feeling through them on your own, as opposed to me telling exactly how to go about them. However, as you progress I will add some detail and complexity.
The processing of experience.
BODY
(Peripheral Nervous System)
[ how we experience ]
HUMAN
(Nervous System)
[ how we PRocess ]
BRAIN
(Central Nervous System)
I train the nervous system. Rather than directing my focus on the response of soft tissue or even the neurological aspect of training, it makes more sense to me, to train that which controls the adaptations of both. My approach to movement training revolves around the manipulation of experience, therefore, the response.
By developing sensory perception of what's happening within the body, we are more accurately able to assess our physical condition, providing opportunity for honest discussion between our thoughts and our feelings - wants vs needs. Validating our physical state allows us to be, human. To do as we need. It enables us to take responsibility in caring for our own self and offers solace against the dozens of external sources that inundate us with conflicting input. It recognizes that every day is different, and adjusts with us.
To be human is to be in process. Wellness is not a destination that you can arrive at. It is a constant exploration and examination of our practices- what is it that we truly care about? Do our intentions match our actions?
The purpose here is to develop a physical practice that teaches you how to care for yourself- through connection. In organizing our complex lives and identities, we tend to dissect them into progressively smaller parts, gradually disconnecting ourselves, until we are just pieces no longer recognizable to one another. A physical practice that allows us to feel how our body is connected as one sentient being, offers us a metaphor as great or as small as we need apply it- a body connected by systems to provide movement, a brain that is connected to a body, how we connect to other people or our environment, how we connect to ourself or to purpose and meaning, how we connect ability to expression.. Connection is the bridge to expansion and growth, the more we connect, the greater comfort we have. Fear resides longingly in our unfamiliar and disconnected places.
where do you fall?
ego centric
As the cognitive creator of needs and wants (ambition/goals), your mind tends to get carried away with it's own best interest. It is highly motivated by reward and/or shame. Lover of coffee.
ambition
We've got a lot of things to do in our day, so to get more
accomplished, we outsource the work to body until it crashes.
Typically the vehicle to the more influential, ambition. Your body is just trying to survive in a relatively comfortable place - it's pretty fond of that longevity idea, also naps.
BODY centric
WORK
effort vs efficiency
which best delivers on getting you what you want?
There is a cultural agreement that the harder you work and the more effort you put in, the better your life will be. When laid out in the simplicity of an equation, however, the logic doesn’t add up.
physical work ever increasing effort ever increasing difficulty
+
=
We are trained to believe that exhausting ourselves leads to progress. If we consider, though, that we have limited resources of time and energy, making things infinitely harder lessens what we are able to do.
Imagine that you have a never-ending labor job — the task gets more demanding the longer you do it. Eventually, the cost of doing starts to outweigh the reward. With no set finish to satisfy the process, you stop, and wonder how you could have failed with everything you've invested. Working a desk job does not free you from this fate. That physical stress comes in the form of emotional stress, which is a lot trickier to regulate...
We need to rethink our rationale so it makes sense.
What if we made what we did easier?
physical
work
+
=
ever increasing ever increasing
ability
efficiency
Taking less time and effort to achieve the same state means we can get further utilizing the same resources. We can gain ground versus exponentially spinning our wheels. The process of refinement leads to improved results. The struggle comes in the form of learning and connecting — which makes future work (a constant, remember) more productive. Capacity grows as the process requires less and less to sustain itself.
safety
feeling of
nervous
system
needs
environment
awareness
development of
external
internal
+ community
+ surroundings
+ relationships
brain
emotional condition
body
physical condition
spine
24
hours
per day
100%
are spent in a combination of...
(
laying
sitting
kneeling
standing
)
breathing
supports
structure
not to be confused with providing it
posture
If efficiency and ability are to share a mutual relationship, then we need to create a foundation dependent upon how we spend the majority of our time. These positions need to be our safest and strongest, if they are to allow us to do all that we want in a day, especially if we intend to load these positions with additional weight or time.
The spine is the literal connection of your mind to body - it's context is imperative
to your well being. Efficiency looks like these four positions dependent upon
one postural system, not four separate. This system produces a dynamic multi-dimensional sliding-scale of flexion and extension, orchestrated by rotation.
The arms and legs serve as extensions of this system, their function is a reflection of the coordinated effort of the whole.
posture
efficient
external
structure
internal
structure
breathing
The key to manipulation of experience.
movement
allows efficient
body
peripheral nervous system
allows change
autonomic nervous system
[ determines ]
sympathetic
nervous system
feels like
- increased heart rate
- holding/irratic breath
- reduced ability to move
- discomfort
- high tension/rigidity
- fear/anxiety
- no tension
[ fight / flight ]
unsafe
parasympathetic nervous system
[ rest / digest ]
safe
body
)
)
)
(
)
(
(
brain
(
you
feeling
thinking
(you cannot change one without the other)
both are dependent on the other to process
experience.
The brain is to comprehend with available information-
to create expectation based on past experiences,
a known.
The body is to feel- to let go of a created known, in order to find what is.
It is vastly different; to be within a body, instead of having one. When you have a body, it tends to create a lot of questions and hardly any answers. What do I do with it? What does it need? It seems like conversation with a stranger, because it is. The difference between a stranger and friend? Time spent. All the rules for building healthy relationships also apply to the building of one with ourself. We must begin with where we are and with what we have.
My job is to get this conversation going. To objectively show you 'here' and build a personalized framework towards 'there'. Having comfort and confidence in our bodies stems from understanding how they work. My goal is to provide guided sessions that get you closer to yourself and any ambitions you choose to pursue.
how?
movement
exploration
The ability to take an exercise and break it down into parts which can be understood both in concept and through feeling. It is the development of body awareness that brings any goal closer - whether it is based in strength, skill or flexibility. Since we are all unique by means of function and past experience, movement exploration allows for an individual to adapt exercise to meet their current needs. (Rather than having to adapt to the exercise). This is a tool that allows for continual advancement.
how to feel
+
how to connect
