The Feldenkrais Method® for Active Lives Train your nervous system!
If you are an active person, you probably want to
protect your body so you can remain active for a long time. One way
our bodies are protected is through the amazing architecture of our
skeletons. When the bones and joints are lined up, the skeleton can
take a lot of force without being damaged, and we can use that force to
propel us into movement.
The trick is, how do you know if
your skeleton is aligned? It's not just a matter of "standing up
straight" - in fact, rigidly applying an external idea of alignment can
cause misalignment, injury and pain. And strength training doesn't
necessarily mean your joints will be supported - if you have a habit
that creates poor alignment, strengthening muscles without
mindfulness will also strengthen the habit!
The Feldenkrais Method
is a powerful way to teach your nervous system to be more responsive
and agile. It may not feel like much while you're doing it, but most
people notice a big difference at the end of a lesson. The nervous
system responds best to slow, gentle movement, done with a friendly, relaxed
attention. When your system is calm, it starts to
seek new possibilities and connections. When your system feels
threatened or is under stress, it resorts to familiar, habitual ways of
doing things automatically. Feldenkrais group classes and
private sessions create a calm, relaxing environment where you are
invited to observe your own movement thoughtfully and quietly.
Here are some ideas from Feldenkrais work that are especially useful for active people:
Be ready to move in any direction, without hesitation or preparation. This ability is influenced by your environment and situation: Running on a muddy trail in Forest Park
is really different from trying a new, challenging yoga pose - but for both activities, you need to
be ready to respond to what's happening, quickly and easily, without
wrenching your muscles and joints. This kind of agility increases as the nervous system builds more connections.
Use central muscles for big work and peripheral muscles for small work.
Small muscles in your feet, hands and other areas are meant to guide
movement, not propel it. Centrally-located muscles are more efficient at doing big movements and moving your whole body.
Use the amount of energy needed for the task at hand, and no more.
Clenching your jaw, furrowing your brow, or lifting your shoulders are
all common examples of things we do when we are using a lot of effort
to get something done. Usually these things don't really help us
complete the task. There are many ways that unnecessary muscular tone
keeps us from doing things efficiently and easily; the Feldenkrais Method is a great way to slow down and notice when we are using unnecessary energy, or what we call "parasitic movement."
The Feldenkrais Method
can help you learn about these principles of movement by developing
your "felt sense" of them. This can happen in private sessions or in a
group lesson. I teach classes on running, biking, gardening, and yoga asanas, but I have also worked with people individually on other sports and activities, such as walking, dressage and swimming.
For more information about Awareness Through Movement® classes, click here.
For more information about Functional Integration® private sessions, click here.
For more information about Moshe Feldenkrais and the Feldenkrais Method®, click here.
Johanna Rayman, Guild-Certified Feldenkrais Practitionercm, Licensed Clinical Social Worker Movement Classes • Private Movement Sessions • Body-Centered Psychotherapy Member of PABA Q Health - LGBTQ affirming - Se habla español 503 - 380 - 5437