AY517 Twisting with the hand on the knee

Source

• Alexander Yanai Vol 11 Lesson 517
• Reel 33, Track 4, Lesson 3
• Duration of the recording: 44 min.

Synopsis

• Seated in a chair (preferably with a slatted back), the student uses the chair back as an aide to twisting to each side where a number of different movement as performed to increase awareness of and movement in the spine, shoulder blades and pelvis.

Lesson Outline

Note – the position(s) used throughout the lesson are as follows: for the Right side: the student turns to the right and puts their right hand around the slat or upright at back of the chair, down low on the right side to pull around to the right, with the left hand on the right knee, elbow straight, using the left hand to pull the right knee a little left (pulling left shoulder forward, right shoulder back). This arrangement is reversed when sitting to the left.

Between each movement sequence, the student gets up and walks around.

1. Sit forward in chair so both feet are on the ground.
2. With R hand, turn to right and place R hand at base of outer slat on chair to Right (as note above).
3. Using L hand on R knee, begin pulling R knee a little L, L shoulder goes forward, R shoulder goes back.

“Pay attention to the spine from the coccyx on the chair, from the sitbones on the chair, through the pelvis, in the belt, at the base of the spine, in the chest, to the shoulder blades. Pay attention to what the shoulder blades do.”

4. Stand up and walk around between movements.
5. Repeat sequence above facing to L.
6. Turn again to R, notice L shoulder goes up, R shoulder goes down as it turns.

• Make movement so that L shoulder goes down and R shoulder goes up instead.
• Return to L shoulder up, R shoulder down in turning. Repeat many times, gently.

“Pay attention to where you feel this in the back. In which place in the back do you feel the crossing of these two movements, the pushing of the pelvis up and the movement of the arms that is the opposite of the usual? You feel in the back that there is a special place and at this place you can feel that the muscles work differently from usual. The vertebrae also work differently from usual. Find exactly where this place is in the back. It is at the end of the chest.”

7. Repeat sequence facing L.
8. Turn again to R, let head turn with shoulders, then have head turn opposite to shoulders, so head goes to left as left shoulder comes forward.

• Pause to tilt head L towards L shoulder, leave head there on shoulder. Let L shoulder go lower so that tilted head can go lower. Let head lift and lower repeatedly, softly.

“The ribs on the left side go very deeply into the body. Once again, you feel very different in the back. Now, both shoulder blades go up. Pay attention. Both shoulder blades go up. Pay attention to both shoulder blades because the left one touches the chin in the left shoulder, in the left shoulder blade. Then it must be lifted; otherwise, it does not touch.”

9. Repeat sequence facing L.
10. Turn to L again, turn head with shoulders both to L and R, many times, softly.

• Turn head to L, pause, make pecking movements with chin.
• Make downward nodding/pecking movements with forehead.
• Make pecking movements (downwards?) with nose.

11. Repeat sequence facing R
12. Turn to L, tilt head towards one shoulder and then the other.

• Move shoulders up and down so that the amount head is tilted towards each shoulder feels the same. Do this many times, gently.

“You must feel this with the shoulders. That means the left shoulder needs to go up high. If it does not go up high the head will not go down so low. That is it. Lift the left shoulder toward the left ear. Lift the left shoulder toward the left ear. Each time that the ear comes, lift the left shoulder. That means to straighten the left elbow and pay attention to the shoulders. You see? Continue like this. It turns out that the body moves on the hip joint, on the left hip joint such that the entire back goes right/left with the head.”

13. Repeat sequence facing R
14. Turn to R again, gently look up towards ceiling, bending head backwards, gently many times.

• Pause with head backwards, face to ceiling, turn head L and R.
• Let back, shoulders, pelvis join in to make turning head L and R easier, many times.

15. Repeat sequence facing L.
16. Walk around

Focus of the teaching

• In addition to the movements, what theme or ideas did the teacher focus on

Related ATMs

• Tag Sitting-on-a-chair
• Tag Fast-movements
• Tag Turning-in-sitting
• Tag Shoulders
• Tag Pecking
• Tag Sitz-bone
• Tag Thoracic-spine

Resources

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