AY020 Bending the elbows over the knees

Source

• Alexander Yanai Vol 1 #20
• Reel 2, Track 3, Lesson 1 (according to Eva Laser https://www.somatik.se)
• Reel 1, Track 1, Side B, Lesson 1 (IFF)
• Duration 42 min.
• For German see AYnmal täglich: Die Ellenbogen über die Knie beugen

Synopsis

Continues from AY 12 to leaning on elbow instead of hand, and to standing the foot opposite the arm being leaned on, and taking the elbow to the knee of the straight leg, and knee of straight leg to elbow in circles.

Lesson Outline

Definitions

• RM Position (L foot standing): Sitting with:
  • L foot standing;
  • R leg straight and slightly to the side;
  • Leaning on R arm behind (in some variations, Moshe says to have the L arm leaning on the L knee);
  • Head hanging;
  • Face turned to the R with L ear toward the floor; and
  • L hand behind R ear.
• Reference Movement (L foot standing): In the RM Position(L foot standing):
  • Move L elbow to R knee many times.
  • Lift R knee (straight leg) in the direction of L elbow.
• RM Position (R foot standing) and Reference Movement (R foot standing) is the same as above but with all lefts and rights switched.

Steps

0. Lie supine and scan.
1. Position is sitting with R foot standing, left leg straight, long, and slightly to the side. Lean on straight L arm that is behind you. Lift L leg and make circles.
2. Change direction of the circles.
3. Repeat #1 on other side
4. Repeat #2 on other side.

Note: Steps 5-7 are all done with RM Position (L foot standing)

5. Do the Reference Movement (L foot standing):
   • Moshe says how to do this movement at this point in the lesson and then similar instructions are repeated throughout the lesson: “Be sure your right leg remains straight. Do not make an effort. Make the lightest movement that you are capable of making in this situation. Do not go quickly. It does not matter if they touch, only that you make light movements. That means you need to round your back and shift the whole weight of your body backward. Rely on your left leg for assistance so you could lift your right leg straight and bend your head slightly. Round your back and fold your chest. Contract your abdominal muscles and allow air to leave your lungs. Make many light movements without force. Do not pass your boundary of ease.”
6. RM Position (L foot standing):
   • Lift R straight leg and keep it up. Move L elbow toward R knee.
   • Lean on your R elbow/forearm behind:
     • Lift your R leg and direct it to your L elbow. Gradually, make circles with R leg as if you want to touch your kneecap to the elbow on each pass.
     • Change the direction of your R leg.
7. RM Position (L foot standing):
   • Touch your L elbow to R kneecap and then slide your L elbow down to touch the floor to your right

Note: Steps 8-10 are all done with RM Position (R foot standing)

8. Think about all the movement you did so far.
   • Do Reference Movement (R foot standing).
9. RM Position (R foot standing):
   • Make circles with L leg as if you want to touch your R kneecap to the elbow on each pass.
   • Change the direction of your R leg.
10. RM Position (R foot standing) except lean on your left elbow/forearm:
    • Make circles with L leg as if you want to touch your R kneecap to the elbow on each pass.
    • Change the direction of your R leg.

Note: Steps 11 is done with RM Position (L foot standing)

11. Repeat Reference Movement (L foot standing) and see if it has improved. If you can easily touch your knee, then slide the R elbow in the direction of the floor.

Note: Steps 12-14 is done with RM Position R foot standing but with arms switched

12. Start position is similar to RM Position (R foot standing) but the arms are switched, i.e.:
    • R foot standing;
    • L leg straight and slightly to the side;
    • Leaning on R arm behind
    • Head hanging;
    • Face turned to the R with L ear toward the floor; and
    • Left hand behind R ear.

    The movements are:

    • Touch L elbow to R knee and slide L elbow to the other side until your upper arm touches the knee.
    • Lean on R elbow and forearm behind. Simultaneously, lower your L elbow and lift your R leg (straight) to touch your elbow. “If possible, pass your left elbow to the outside of your right leg so your knee touches the middle of your arm.”
    • Lower your R elbow to your L knee and slide it down to the floor.
13. Do #12 on the other side.
14. Same position as #13. Attempt to touch floor with you R elbow. “Turn your body to the left slowly” “Don’t push your head down, rather move it sideways and behind, under your armpit. You want your whole spine, from your pelvis up, to bend, fold, and turn until your head looks under your armpit.”

End of Lesson

15. Stand up and notice the effect of the lesson.
16. Sit down again. Briefly repeat the movements from the beginning of the lesson (Steps 1-5).
17. Get up and pay attention to how you walk.

Moshe Quotes

• “The intention of this practice, organization, or learning needs to done so whatever, already existing within the system and disturbed by habit, can bring back to life. All the method can do is assist a person to discover his full ability..”
• “To want to be different from what the person really is means the person creates a framework and wants to force his body into that framework. With this model you can exercise your whole life with great disappointment. You can only find what currently is present, and what exists to organize, or allow it to appear. For that to happen you need quiet learning and not the decision, “I have to arrive.” Pulling and pushing to arrive only disrupts. Apart from that, it stretches and pulls in those places that should not lengthen under these conditions. If you listen to where you could improve your organization, the muscles lengthen in a way that remains. It stays as something that has been acquired with the knowledge of how to turn the body. You are forcing your learning if you do it under conditions of difficulty that involve stretching i. e. swinging. Who learns when they do something like that? Accomplishing anything under these conditions it is a damage to the body, and not a help. Anything that is learned is learned slowly, without pushing. Anything you know well is like this. Everything you learned under duress, forcing, through pain, or with effort to succeed are things you forget. You never do them with pleasure and is worth nothing.”

Related ATMs

• Continuation from AY 12

Resources

• Sharon Starika recording
• Using Sharon’s recording, Noguchi doing the lesson at normal speed

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