Source

• Alexander Yanai Vol 5
• Reel 17, Track 2, Lesson 3

Synopsis

Lying face up, with one arm extended overhead and one arm down alongside, you experiment with variations of tilting the crossed knees to the side, rolling the whole body to the side with the head resting on the upper arm (then lifting the head sideways), and taking your long leg (extended to the ceiling) to the side and in the direction of the head, all focused around extending the hands away from one another (at the end, with turning the head), and the movement of the shoulder blades that this requires.

Lesson Outline

1. Face up, legs long: extend R arm on floor over head, and L arm down alongside (backs of hands on floor). Distance hands from one another, without moving the head. Continue with the R leg standing, and pushing with R to push the spine up, again without moving head.
2. Other side (starting already with L leg standing and contributing).
3. Extend L arm over head on floor; bend both knees, stand feet, and cross R leg over L. Sink legs to R. Change legs and sink L. Continue so that R shoulder lifts, and body turns so head comes on to L upper arm, while the L arm turns palm down.
4. Other side. How pressure on floor pushes shoulder blade to new place.
5. Return to first side, and stay in end position (of 3). Take R arm around top of head to hold temple and lift from floor.
6. Repeat second movement of 3 as reference, and check in lying face up.
7. R arm long overhead, R leg crossed over L; sink legs R to roll head onto R upper arm. Stay and lift head with L arm.
8. Both legs standing, L arm long overhead. Lift R leg in air, R foot to ceiling, and take R leg to the L, keeping L knee standing over foot, so R hip lifts. Then, cross R leg over left and sink knees to L. Stay L and lift R leg/foot in direction of L hand.
9. Both legs standing, L arm long overhead. Cross R leg over L, sink R, and straighten R leg, taking it in direction of head.
10. Both legs standing, R arm long overhead. R leg crossed over L. Sink to the R. Stay, and take R leg in direction of R hand. Then, stand R leg and take L leg (lengthened to ceiling) to the R, and then move in arc towards head.
11. Repeat 1. Add turning head to look towards R hand, lifting L hip. Then, turn to look to L hand. Then, alternate.
12. Other side.
13. R hand up, L down, but palm down. Press R hand into floor; R thumb turns towards neighbour. L foot standing, continue. Turn head once R once L.
14. Other side.
15. Both feet standing, both arms extended, backs of hands on floor, overhead. Lift pelvis and feel how arms lie now. Keep this, and slowly lower pelvis to floor.

Focus of Moshe’s Teaching

Paragraph here.

There are few explicit instructions where to focus the attention; the instructions are more mechanical, less sensorial (IMHO). Although lesson is very influential on the base of the neck and the scapulae, these are not mentioned. Mention is made of what happens in the side of the ribcage. (BParsons)

Related ATMs

• See Coordinating Flexor and Extensor Theme
• See also Theme Shoulders
• Tag Lengthening-arms. See full list of tags below.

Resources:

• Recording at: http://kinesophics.ca/twisting_pelvis_long_arm

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

• Add your thoughts about the lesson here.
• Please sign your comments
• Differing viewpoints are welcome and desired!
• Add extra reference movements to start with: E.g Standing, reach to the ceiling. Standing side bend, slide hand down trouser seam. Supine, lie one or both arms on the floor above the head. Etc. (BParsons)
• I found this lesson very effective for increasing the ease with which the arms could lie on the floor above the head. I enjoyed sensing the increasing freedome of the ribs in the flanks. (BParsons)
• The movement sequence is quite complicated, especially in the last third. Thus many people might find the lesson complicated. (BParsons)
• Some actions actions on the left and right are not done symmetrically, the second side progressing faster. There might be a danger of some persons being rushed into positions that their shoulders can not adapt to, without the necessary prep work. (BParsons)
• There are many lessons that contain movements that are contained in this lesson. E.g. the movement of the shoulders away from each other resembles the action in the Erol Flynn lessons. The movement of one arm down resembles lessons where the palm is slip towards or under the heel. The lengthening arms are palm up, and later palm down and there is rotation of the arms as one turns to the side. This is also found in Erol Flynn lessons and reaching like a skeleton lessons, inter alia. (BParsons)
• My teaching tip would be to do both sides symmetrically. I would also draw attention to the movement of the scapulae throughout the lesson. (BParsons)
• At start, instruction is to move arms away from each other “without moving the head”. One feels the scapula moving away from each other. But subsequently there are fewer explicit instructions where to focus the attention, the instructions are more mechanical, less sensorial (IMHO). Although lesson is very influential on C7, the base of the neck, the scapulae, there is no explicit mention of that. The mention is more made to what happens in the side of the ribcage. (BParsons)
• I have added a lesson tag “tilting knees crossed supine” to distinguish it  from “tilting knees uncrossed”. (BParsons)

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