Amherst 2 – Week 6 – 07/16/81 AM Scissoring legs on floor / Jumping Hurdles

Source

• Amherst Year 2
• July 15 PM2 and July 16 AM2; VHS Tapes 46 and 47; DVD 16
• Duration of the recording: 35 min.

Synopsis

• “Scissor legs” is the position of long legs open on the floor, one turned in and one out, so that the toes of both legs point the same way.

Lesson Outline

• July 15 PM2:
  • Establishing the position of the L leg turned out and R leg turned in, palms of both hands stay on the floor
  • Open and close legs,
  • Take arms/head/shoulders in the direction of touching the L ankle with the L hand and the R ankle with the R hand.
  • Clarify that legs stay straight, and clarify the reaching by establishing the arms outstretched in a continuation of the shoulders, palms down, and taking the whole unit of arms/head/shoulders as though you will touch the ankles.

Focus of Moshe’s Teaching

• The lesson works a lot with the image that you are running, jumping hurdles–in the air, with your legs outstretched, you could touch each ankle with the respective hand.

Related ATMs

Resources

Share Your Insights (ideas, principles, strategies, experiences, …)

From Feldyforum post by James Speer on 9/13/2014

1. Lie on your back. Palms down. Legs long. Notice the shape of your spine.
2. Take the heel of your left foot rightward. Toes of your right foot leftward. Knees bend slightly. Now begin to scissor your legs with both toes pointing left.
3. The outside of your left foot to floor, inside of right. Which side of your pelvis needs to lift off the floor? Lift the right side of your pelvis off floor as you open and close your legs like this.
4. Scissor legs in same configuration. Bring your left hand to left ankle. Right hand to right ankle. When do you do it? Legs open or closed? Head? Spine?
5. Legs same. Alternate – once legs open left hand – left ankle. Once legs open right hand – right ankle. What is the shape of your spine?
6. Come into the position and imagine scissoring your legs with BOTH hands touching both legs simultaneously. Rest.
7. Legs in open position – outside of left inside of right. Place arms perpendicular – palms down. Leave legs still, hip raised and consider head, torso, shoulder and arms as one unit and slide the left hand to left ankle and right hand to right ankle.
8. Same legs open position. Now cross your right leg over your left so your left temple is on the floor. Open and close legs – now as you open and close legs – left hand to right foot, right hand to left foot. Rest on back.
9. Outside of left foot, inside of right to floor. Spread legs – open and close – forward hand to forward foot alternately with backward hand to backward foot. Imagine as you are doing this that both hands go to both ankles. Rest and feel shape of back. Curves larger or smaller?
10. Cross right leg over so you are lying more on your left side with left temple on the floor. Without any preliminary movement, lift your head slightly 6 or 7 times. Notice your belly. Now lift your head and push lower abdomen out. Lift head and suck in belly.
11. Cross your left leg in front, right behind. Lift left arm to ceiling, small gentle movements, many times. Left shoulder blade off floor and return. Where is the twist? Where is the connection?
12. Same position. Reach your left arm and lift head and return. Lift both together then drop shoulder back down, and then head. Lift both drop head, then shoulder. Rest.
13. Lift both arms to ceiling. Alternate reaching with each arm. Feel connections. Reach both together. Head and left arm – Head and right arm. Alternate arms only.
14. Left side, right temple, left leg in front. Interlace fingers, making arms like a ball. Move arms left and right thinking of touching elbows to floor. Your left elbow touches – left leg further forward. Your right elbow touches your right leg further back.
15. Same position. As elbows touch, lift your head. Legs open and close as arms are rolling. Notice shape of spine.
16. Original position – scissors movement. Left leg in front. Right leg behind. Open and close legs and notice the ease now.
17. Cross right leg in front again and do the movement. See how it improves?
18. Lie on your back. Feel the changes then come to standing.

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