This is part 2 of the workshop, Just Hanging Around, designed to develop our ability to hang from our arms. In this class we work on more exercises for both mobilizing and stabilizing our parts to make our hanging more efficient as well as introducing Natural Movement techniques for swinging and climbing.
Read MoreA non-hanging “hanging” class aimed to restore our mobility and strength in the right areas to eventually carry your bodyweight from your arms.
Read MoreThis is the movement class from the Farm to movement workshop held at Fishkill Farms this past October (2022). The intent was to rethink about movement from something that we do as exercise, toward patterns that we engage in throughout our whole day. Putting movement in context, we explored what we do with our bodies whenever we garden, or work in and on the ground. This class focuses on stabilizing the lower back and developing healthy knees.
Read MoreThis class series is based on a demonstration by Thomas Meyers (Anatomy Trains) where he illustrates how the movements of the eyes from infancy guide the development of movements with the whole body.
In Part 4 we use the sequence of movement with an eye toward Yoga to explore how each position is an opportunity to explore some possible postures and stretches of yoga and how a sequence of movement itself can become a yoga flow.
Read MoreThis class series is based on a demonstration by Thomas Meyers (Anatomy Trains) where he illustrates how the movements of the eyes from infancy guide the development of movements with the whole body.
In Part 3 we use the sequence of movement with an eye toward Natural Human Movement to explore how each position is also an opportunity to explore locomotion in the context of not just looking at but also reaching for an object.
Read MoreThis class series is based on a demonstration by Thomas Meyers (Anatomy Trains) where he illustrates how the movements of the eyes from infancy guide the development of movements with the whole body.
In Part 2 we use the sequence of movement with an eye toward Restorative Exercise to explore how to bring a better distribution of movement to the whole body by recognizing how to stabilize certain overused parts while mobilizing other underused parts.
Read MoreThis class series is based on a demonstration by Thomas Meyers (Anatomy Trains) where he illustrates how the movements of the eyes from infancy guide the development of movements with the whole body.
In Part 1 we introduce the sequence of movement that brings us from supine (on the back), to prone (on the belly) propped on our elbows, to sitting, to quadruped (all fours), to squatting/kneeling, all the way to standing. Then we reverse the pattern back to the floor.
Read MoreThe muscles around and within the eyes, just like any other muscles, need regular movement to stay healthy. Also, there's a tendency for the body to move in the direction of the eyes - which is fine unless you need to look one way but intend for your body to go another. The visual system also assists with balance. In this class we'll explore the motions of the eyes, work on the dexterity to move the body and eyes independently of one another, and play with how changing our removing our visual cues can help develop better balance coordination.
Read MoreThere are 33 joints in the feet! All of them should be somewhat mobile. However, most of our shoes and man-made surfaces over which we walk limit the movement of the feet themselves. As a result, the joints of the feet become stiff and "sticky". The mobility of the feet can affect both how we use the parts above them (knees, hips, etc) and how well we balance and adapt while walking on uneven surfaces. In this class we run through numerous exercises designed to mobilize the joints of the feet and develop better coordination for balance. Enjoy!
Read MoreFinding the coordination to stabilize the core as you move your hips will not only save you from strain in the lower back and develop better hip flexibility, but it will also give you better balance.
Read MoreIn this class, we'll define neutral shoulder blades in a position that helps keep both the joints of the shoulders and the upper spine more stable, and then we'll explore both how to strengthen that position of the scapula, and how to develop a better coordination of moving the arm utilizing more of the shoulder joint itself.
Read MoreHow we tend to hold our shoulders throughout the day can affect all around the upper body - from the hands to the neck to the upper spine. If we tend to hold the shoulders in one position much of the time (think typing, reading, driving, utensil use, smartphone use), it's important to spend a lot of time moving the arms in the other direction. In this class, we'll talk about "neutral" for the shoulder rotation (watching the "elbow pits") and explore ways to move and stretch the parts around the shoulder so that they can "unstick" from each other.
Read MoreSo many of our daily actions from driving, reading, screen time, & chair sitting lead to the habit of dropping our head forward in front of the torso. Also, other body habits such as thrusting the hips forward or lifting the ribcage can also create the neck position that is the same as dropping the head forward. All of this can lead to neck tension, headaches, and excessive curvature of the upper spine. To lengthen the spine and keep the neck healthy, learn not to tilt the head back, but rather to Ramp the Head!
Read MoreA common adjustment for better "posture" is often to lift the chest.
In this class, we'll identify a healthier alignment of the ribs in relation to the pelvis and then explore some movements to help this adjustment become our new normal.
We spend so much time sitting in modern society, that unless we are very mindful, it is easy to fall into a habit of consistently tucking the pelvis (also known as posterior tilt). This can cause and exacerbate certain issues with tight/short hamstrings, the core, the pelvic floor, balance, hip mobility and more.
In this class we'll identify what a neutral pelvis is in relationship to the parts that surround it and we'll explore some exercise/correctives to help bring the pelvis to neutral.
When you know where your pelvis is, you'll be better able to move the rest of the body better without overtaxing your lower back or losing support from your core.
Read MoreOften as a consequence of the amount of sitting we do, our hip muscles have a bit of trouble stabilizing our thigh while standing, walking and performing other dynamic motions. As a consequence, many of us tend to experience an internal rotation of the thigh. If this happens consistently, we may compensate with a turn out of the feet, and we may experience knee strain, lack of balance, etc. In this class, we'll work on establishing hip rotation to help us find more stability and ease in our movements. However, looking at the kneecap isn't a very reliable way to determine your hip rotation because the kneecaps can be pulled to the side of the knee joint due to an imbalance of tension on on side of the quadricep muscles. A better measurement is the back of the knee or "the knee pit".
Read MoreDeveloping the habit of standing with vertical/straight leg helps with a number of things such as: - loading your hips and legs for stronger bones - developing better hip and butt strength - Releasing chronic tension in the knees and quads. In this class we work on assessing what is a vertical leg, and how do we develop a better balance of muscle activity in the leg by relaxing the frontside and engaging the backside of the legs.
Read MoreThis is a full class exploring the alignment of the feet. When the feet tend to splay outwards, it can cause dysfunctional compensation patterns all the way up the body. This class explores some of the reasons why the feet splay out, what the "ideal" alignment should be, and how to restore the function not only of your feet but of the whole body.
Read MoreFinding Parallel feet or getting your feet to point forward is a way to find better hip engagement, and to decrease stress on the ankles and knees. In this class we explore how to measured neutral alignment of the feet and how to coax your feet back toward that alignment especially if you've spent years adapting toward other positions.
Read MoreUsing an everyday household item such as a broomstick, dowel rod or your favorite walking stick, we'll explore moving all our parts: from shoulder mobility, to balance exercises, hip work, and foot exercises.
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