Twist the "Trunk"

Email Irene at: irene@scientuitive.com

Ever been told that you look stiff when you run or walk? Or have you been told you have little to no movement in your upper back (thoracic spine)? Or do you feel stiff and rigid when walking or running? If you don't then I congratulate you. But if you do, and/or know someone who does, then read on.

Locomotion is a dynamic three-dimensional process that involves your whole body. It involves movements in a forward plane, but also movements in a rotational plane. Often we visualize locomotion as forward plane movements (i.e. our arms and legs propelling or swinging forwards and backwards). However it is the rotational plane movements, which originate from our trunk (shoulders, spine, ribcage and pelvis), which give rise to the forward plane movements of our arms and legs.

To give a real life example I must divert to a brief explanation of some video footage I watched last Fall which opened my eyes to the complexity of locomotion and the need to analyze both forward and rotational plane movements in locomotion. The footage was of a man that was born without any limbs. They videotaped him "walking" in a straight line with the use of nothing but his trunk. This was amazing to watch as he had more fluidity than most of us with all our limbs. A black marker line down the center of his back illustrated the importance of the rotational movements of the pelvis, shoulder girdle, ribcage and spine. It was obvious in watching this black line that rotational movement is key for forward movement as the black line did not maintain a straight line, but moved in a snake like fashion.

So, back to those stiff bodies I mentioned earlier. The following lesson will bring to your awareness another dimension of spinal movement that occurs "within" the trunk and not just around it.

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Here goes!

1. While standing, wrap your arms around your shoulders, so as to hug yourself. Keep your head and eyes looking forward at a designated spot.

2. Rotate your shoulders to the Right and Left so that as the front of one shoulder comes forward, the other one comes back. Repeat a few times.

3. Now in the same position, maintain your shoulders, head and eyes looking forward, but rotate your pelvis to the Right and Left. Do this while keeping your upper body still and your lower body doing all the moving. Repeat a few times. Notice what your ribcage does - does it do anything?

4. Have a seat, keep the arms in the same position, shoulder, head and eyes still looking forward and move your ribs (yes your ribs!) from Right to Left. You may find that you pivot on your sit bones, but try to keep them as still as possible. Repeat a few times.

If this proves to be a little challenging then try this:

5. Instead of starting by looking forwards, turn your shoulders, head and eyes to the Right and stay there. Then while keeping these body parts to the right, turn only your whole ribcage to the Left. You may find it helps to involve your hips and simultaneously turn your Right hip back and Left hip forward to follow the ribs. Repeat a few times.

Now try different variations of the above with:

• Arms at your sides
• Sitting for all movements
• Standing for all movements
• With your eyes closed
• Standing on one leg, and vice versa

Tips for these movements

• Make everything easy and slow. You shouldn't be holding your breath.
• Stretching and/or straining are not the goal.
• For more refinement in the movement, make the movements smaller and smaller and then even smaller while continuing easy breathing.
• With your eyes closed
• Standing on one leg, and vice versa

To sum this all up and leave you with something to ponder, herein lies the paradox -- A movable upper trunk creates a quiet upper body.

Transfer this last statement to other activities you may be familiar with such as alpine and Nordic skiing, cycling and swimming and think about how a quiet upper body that still has internal skeletal movement is essential to using trunk and core musculature to its fullest potential. Happy twisting!

Stay tuned for the next article that will offer the next step for integrating the head and eyes. In the meantime experiment with the above lesson and discover how it might apply to your daily movements in work and play.

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References:
- Awareness through Movement, Moshe Feldenkrais 1977. Based on Lesson 10 - The movement of the eyes organizes the movement of the body.
- Let's Twist Again, Skiing/October 1993

Irene F Gutteridge BSC

Irene received a Bachelors degree in Kinesiology and a Certificate in Health and Fitness studies from Simon Fraser University. She is a registered Kinesiologist through the British Columbia Association of Kinesiologists and a registered physical fitness trainer through the American Council on Exercise. She is completing a Masters degree in Biomedical Science, which focused on high-intensity strength training and skeletal muscle performance in older adults.

Currently she is training in the Feldenkrais ® Method of somatic education and will combine this form of movement education to provide a unique environment for human learning and performance. Her passion for the human body and health promotion has been offered for the past 11 years through a variety of mediums at the community, personal and athletic level. Irene has developed a style of teaching that is both informative and fun. She opens her expertise to those inspired to self-educate their minds and body.