Exercise is as good for preventing cancer as it is for taking care of your heart. And not only that, it is also beneficial in case of suffering from the disease.
In the long run of benefits produced by physical exercise must be added that it is an aid in the fight against cancer and also in the prevention of this serious disease.
According to a study published in the journal Choose, physical exercise makes T cells (a type of white blood cells that are part of our defensive system) more effective at attacking cancer cells.
The researchers say the finding sheds light on how lifestyle influences immunity and they hope it will lead to new immunotherapeutic treatments.
The ability of T cells to identify and kill cancer cells is essential to prevent tumor growth and is one of the mainstays of current immunotherapy treatments.
EXERCISE BOOSTS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF IMMUNITY AGAINST CANCER
Exercise might improve the outcome of these treatments by increasing the activation of the immune system, making tumor-fighting cells more effective.
If you suffer from cancer or know someone who is going through the disease, it is advisable to talk to the oncologist to establish the most appropriate exercise pattern for the personal case.
The study, led by Dr. Randall S. Johnson of the Karolinska Instituted (Sweden), one of the most advanced medical research centers in the world, concludes that metabolites produced by muscles, such as sodium lactation and that reach the blood plasma improve the effectiveness of T and CD8 immune cells, which are able to reduce the growth of tumors.
EXERCISE REDUCES CANCER RISK
The study was conducted with laboratory mice and with people, who pedaled on bicycles for 30 minutes.
The authors of the study recall that physical activity affects all body tissues in one way or another. Previous research had shown that exercise could reduce the risk of many types of cancer.
In addition to the effect of exercise on immunity through metabolites generated in muscles, exercise has been shown to reduce systemic inflammation, increase the number of circulating immune cells, and improve response to vaccination.
WHAT TYPE OF EXERCISE IS MOST BENEFICIAL FOR PREVENTING CANCER?
Dr. Kathryn Schmitz, of the Department of Public Health Sciences at Penn State School of Medicine, points out that if in the past doctors advised cancer patients to rest and avoid physical activity, today they should do the opposite.
Schmitz says exercise can be “dosed” precisely, just as drugs are done, to address different patient situations.
30 minutes of aerobic exercise (running, swimming, cycling) three times a week is enough to improve anxiety, depression, tiredness, quality of life, and overall physical functioning.
It is also beneficial to do resistance exercise (weights, machines, rubbers, etc.) twice a week.
Exercise increases the chances of survival for people with cancer. This is proven in the case of breast, colon and prostate cancers, but all patients are advised to follow the same beneficial exercise guidelines for healthy people:
150 to 300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity or 75 to 150 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity activity.
Of course, the exercises must be adapted to the preferences and condition of each patient.
Exercise not only improves the effectiveness of the immune system but can reduce the side effects of cancer treatment.
Schmitz believes that both doctors and the general public should be as aware of the benefits of exercise in relation to cancer as they already are about its advantages for heart or weight.
The body is influenced and influences the mood and mental state. Experts in postural hygiene and psychology recommend self-observation to correct the positions adopted by the body.
Johannes Michalak, professor of psychology at the University of Witten/Herdecke, investigates the interactions between emotions, thoughts and physical appearance. He first examined the gait patterns of depressed patients and found that they move more slowly and with less energy than mentally healthy people. It seems like a logical consequence, but Michalak and other scientists wonder if changing the way, you move could improve mental state.
HOW POSTURE AND FEELINGS ARE RELATED
Michalak showed in several studies that depressed people remember positive thoughts better when they are associated with a new gait or certain chi kung (Chinese energy gymnastics) exercises.
The researcher suspects that in our network of memories, experiences and emotional states are linked to a physical posture. If a node of this network is activated, for example when adopting a certain posture, the corresponding emotional information is automatically activated.
However, Michalak finds it questionable whether an upright stance alone leads to a more optimistic outlook on life. To be effective it is necessary to associate the posture with positive thinking, something that is not automatic. Together with an international team, he has analyzed more than 70 studies to find out how mood changes when you change your posture.
SELF-OBSERVATION AS A KEY TO GOOD POSTURE
Michalak recommends staying at all times to the position that is adopted or, at least, stopping from time to time and checking if one really feels comfortable in the position adopted. In this self-observation, it is necessary to look if tensions or other discomforts are experienced. In this way it is possible to self-correct in time, before bad postural habits are established and injuries occur.
It is advisable to incorporate stretching and relaxation exercises into daily habits, if possible, in front of the mirror, to promote body awareness and control of movements and posture. Ten minutes a day is enough.
This self-care is essential during the developmental phases of the musculoskeletal system. Teenagers who continuously look at the mobile are creating excessive tension in the neck and adopt a posture that can create physical and mood problems.
The human head weighs about five kilograms and if tilted exerts significant pressure on the cervical spine. With an incline of only 15 degrees, the load increases to 13 kilos. Poorly trained muscles are not able to compensate for the effort. The sedentary lifestyle, in addition, makes the abdominal and back muscles little do not adequately support the spine. In the long run, the chances of suffering problems in the shoulders, neck and lower back increase.
In addition to a sedentary lifestyle and poor posture, the other cause of physical discomfort and discouragement is stress.
POSTURAL ADVICE DURING VARIOUS ACTIVITIES
Walk correctly. Keep your neck straight, so that the crown is at the highest possible point. The shoulders should not fall forward and the arms should hang loosely and relaxedly.
Run optimally. Just like walking, you should look forward. Keep your legs parallel and swing your arms slightly bent. Don’t run stiff.
Foot movement. When walking and running, place your heel first and rest your foot toward your toes. This relieves pressure on the vertebrae.
When standing. Check your posture from time to time: stretch your neck, tuck belly, keep your shoulders under your ears and your legs slightly apart. Change from time to time the leg on which more weight falls.
Grip the weights well. To pick up a weight, bend down by bending only your knees, keeping your back straight, and grasping the object with both hands as close to the trunk as possible. Carry only what your strength allows, do not make absurd efforts. The mistake is to keep the legs straight and tilt the trunk to pick up the object.
Pay attention to balance. It is best to carry bags on both sides to distribute the weight.
Face to face with the mobile. To look at the screen, whenever you can put the mobile at eye level to avoid tilting your head.
Activate your body to breathe deeply, oxygenate and improve your general condition.
The lungs need exercise and space to function to their full potential. If they are very limited, you get tired right away when doing physical activity or even talking.
Brisk walking, jogging, swimming or cycling are exercises that demand an effort from the lungs and, therefore, train them and contribute to their strengthening. It is advisable to perform 30 to 45 minutes of this type of aerobic exercise daily.
But also, the lungs do not need to be corseted by respiratory muscles lacking sufficient elasticity. They even influence the musculoskeletal structures of the upper and lower extremities, head and neck.
A lack of mobility in these regions translates into difficulties breathing easily and widely.
RELEASES TENSION FROM YOUR LUNGS AND WIDENS YOUR BREATHING
The exercises we propose will improve your breathing capacity. If you incorporate them into your daily routine, they will serve to strengthen your lungs. In a short time, you will notice a greater physical resistance and you will feel that you have more energy. You will feel more cheerful and vital.
These exercises favor the oxygenation of the whole organism. Make them every day and repeat them 10 times each.
1. OPEN THE RIBS
Standing, take in air through your nose while tilting your body to the left.
Raise your right arm above your head.
Draw the air out through your mouth while you regain position and switch sides.
2. EXPAND THE CHEST
In a sitting position, interlace your hands on your knees and bring them above your head, always with your arms stretched to the maximum.
Lower them slowly as you exhale.
3. “INFLATE” THE BELLY
Lie on your back with a cushion under your knees and another on your head.
Breathe in through the nose and make the belly swell.
These simple physical exercises are “gymnastics for the brain.” They teach children and adults to calm down to gain mental effectiveness and overcome small fears.
Life is a continuous learning that should be joyful, but sometimes there are difficulties to adapt to new situations and acquire skills. Then attention is directed to the mind, as if the problem were hiding in some corner of the brain.
The brain gym (“brain gymnastics”) proposes to use movement to enhance learning capacity, as certain gestures improve coordination between the cerebral hemispheres, the circulation of vital energy and the harmonious integration of emotions and thoughts.
Brain gym techniques have their origin in knowledge developed by different disciplines, such as kinesiology, the Feldenkrais method, the Alexander technique and jin shin jyutsu. It collects theories of learning by psychologist Jean Piaget and educator Maria Montessori, as well as discoveries from optometry and neuroscience.
With them Paul and Gail Dennison delved into the so-called educational kinesiology, which studies the links between learning and movement.
BRAIN GYMNASTICS FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS
Children especially benefit from brain gym techniques, which can be part of their study, relaxation and play habits. The effects are seen in skills needed to learn effectively, such as reading, writing, arithmetic, speaking, memorization, self-control and positive attitude.
Adults can improve their ability to function safely and effectively in activities or situations that presented them with difficulty.
On the other hand, people who spend too many hours in front of the computer helps them compensate for certain muscle tensions and stress on sight and the nervous system. Both children and adults perform the same exercises.
1. SWITCHING OFF I: MASSAGE ON THE COLLARBONES
The sessions begin by drinking a glass of water, among other things because it is essential for neuron communication. Daily stress causes information from the nervous system not to circulate properly, which generates problems of confusion and fatigue.
In kinesiology, this imbalance is called switching off. To solve it, the following three-step correction exercise can be carried out, which favors the flow of information through the three axes: left-right, up-down, and forward-backward. Spend about half a minute on each of them.
Place the fingers of one hand around the navel and exert light pressure. This hand that is around the navel remains still, while the other moves and with it we massage each time at a different point.
Start, while exerting that pressure around the navel, performing with the other hand a massage in and out under the collarbones: place the index and middle fingers under one of the clavicles and the thumb under the other.
For a matter of body polarity, it is advisable to repeat changing hands in each exercise.
2. SWITCHING OFF II: LIP MASSAGE
Keeping one hand on the navel, with the other rub then slightly above and below the lips.
Remember to repeat changing hands.
3. SWITCHING OFF III: COCCYX MASSAGE
Finally, in the third step of switching off, massage the coccyx with your knuckles up and down.
Repeat changed hands.
4. NEUROLYMPHATIC MASSAGE
With the tips of the fingers of the right hand massage the sternum, and with those of the left hand, the lower part of the ribs. This stimulates the kidney and spleen meridians, important for intellectual functions.
The massage lasts about 30 seconds. Attention: hands are not changed, that is, no massage is done on the right side.
5. CRANIOSACRAL DYNAMICS
This exercise acts on blood microcirculation to promote the arrival of nutrients and oxygen. Place your fingers on either side of the sagittal suture, at the top of your head. With firm pressure, move your hands away as if you wanted to separate into two parts. It is repeated 5 times.
6. CROSS MARCH
As if you were walking in place, alternate flexion and crossing hands and arms, so that they cross the lateral axis and the anterior-posterior (as in the image).
This exercise allows to integrate the two cerebral hemispheres, activating the neurons of the corpus callosum. In addition, being dynamic, it contributes to maintaining physical fitness.
7. CROSS MARCH II
In a session it is usual to perform different cross marches to reinforce the connection of hemispheres. At each step the knee is raised and crossed in front of the other leg, while the opposite arm is brought back, towards the hip of the leg that is raised.
8. HEART MERIDIAN
Exert gentle pressure by massaging into the center of the chest with one hand, and at the base of the skull with the other. This technique prepares the heart meridian for learning. Hold the pressure for 30 seconds.
9. HEART MERIDIAN II
The fingertips contact slightly with the highest point of the head. To find it, extend your palm by supporting the base above the eyebrows until you touch the end where the tip of your middle finger reaches. Then raise your palm as in the photo.
This exercise provides energy to the brain.
10. COOK ANCHOR I
Cross your arms and interlace your fingers (we can bring your hands to your chest), at the same time you cross your legs. The feet should be next to each other in parallel. With the tongue resting on the roof of the mouth we concentrate on breathing for two or three minutes.
Some visualization can also be performed.
11. COOK ANCHOR II
Uncross the legs so that the feet are parallel. Put in contact the tips of the fingers of the hands and remain so for about three minutes, breathing slowly and deeply, also with the tongue on the roof of the mouth. The trunk should not go backwards, the shoulders remain low and relaxed.
12. RELEASE OF EMOTIONAL TENSION
The purpose of this simple technique is to enhance the energy of the anterior part of the brain – the most rational – so as not to respond with the basic patterns of fear, anchored at the base of the brain.
Rest your head resting loosely on the other person’s legs and let them gently put their hands on your forehead. You should both concentrate on relaxed, deep breathing. It should be kept like this for four minutes.
The technique, which helps to integrate emotions, can also be applied on oneself in any relaxed position. While doing it, you can visualize what you intend to do well, whether it is an exam, a public talk or any other activity that the person has in mind.
13. DRINK WATER
The brain gym sessions end as they begin: calmly drinking a glass of water, an element necessary for the optimal functioning of the organism and symbol of “flow”: we want information and emotions to flow.
Brain gym instructors draw attention to the importance of performing exercises with intention and focused on breathing. The environment should be serene. Moreover, it is necessary to feed correctly. In this sense, it is generally advised, for example, to moderate the intake of sugars.
HOW BRAIN GYM EXERCISES WORK ON THE BRAIN
Paul Dennison wrote in 1986 his first book on brain gym, a technique that is applied today in more than 80 countries by specialized therapists, in order to introduce it into educational practice, sports, companies or health and personal development centers. As do Emilia Ferraris and Vicenç Claveria, who have consultations in Vilanova i la Geltrú and Barcelona.
Vicenç, who combines his work as a kinesiologist, mathematics teacher in secondary schools and teacher trainer, explains that he uses brain gym techniques both in the classroom and in individual therapy. It has been proven that they serve to improve concentration and to free yourself from emotional tensions.
Proof of their effectiveness is that students make them their own and put them into practice themselves when they need them. Children who come to his office because of their difficulties in following classes usually improve test results, as well as their self-esteem and their ability to express themselves.
“Every teaching context involves stress, because we feel judged,” explains Vicenç. The consequence is that one may feel blocked or incapable. The brain gym allows you to undo the blockage or difficulty through movement.
Dennison designed 26 simple exercises, many playful, suitable for children from 4 years of age and adults of all ages, which favor effective communication between different areas of the brain and the sensorimotor system. To do this, the exercises act on the three planes or axes where all action takes place:
Laterality works the connection between the right and left cerebral hemispheres. This communication is fundamental for the integration of visual and auditory fields, and for the ability to access rational thought.
Centering refers to the relationship between the upper and lower part of the body, which has to do with communication between the limbic system – the instinctive brain – and the neocortex, which plays important roles in functions such as the generation of motor commands, spatial reasoning, conscious thought and language.
The focus, on which the relationship between the front and back of the body depends, is decisive to maintain a posture that reflects confidence and openness to what happens in the environment.
WHY DOES IT WORK?
The effect of the techniques is explained by the existence of a body brain, formed by the network of nerve cells of the central and peripheral nervous systems, which could have some link with the muscular system and the energy meridians described by traditional Chinese medicine. By stimulating this network, the exercises not only act on intellectual skills, but also on aspects such as managing emotions, stress or relationships with others.
The repetition of intentional movements causes the body’s response to become unconscious, so that, without knowing how, the person feels more competent in situations that previously caused insecurity.
One of Emilia’s patients, after a few sessions, dared to drive along one of the access roads to the city of Barcelona, an experience that until then caused her dread. Now, before getting into the car he switches Ng on (see exercise number 2) and anchors Cook (number 8) … and starts.
Dr. Carla Hannaford explains why brain gym exercises are effective. From research on child development, physiology and neuroscience, sensory experiences related to movement have been proven to affect memorization in the short and long term.
Therefore, he proposes that educators place less emphasis on intellectual routines and devote more attention to experimentation, physical movement and artistic expression.
The great virtue of brain gym is that it is an affordable and friendly technique, very suitable for doing it in a group or as a family, which can help you function better, with joy and security, in any circumstance.
A PERSONALIZED THERAPY
The brain gym offers each person the possibility of developing their full potential, respecting their rhythm and their unique characteristics. “Through kinesiological tests of muscle response, the instructor can choose the exercises that suit each person,” explains Emilia, which allows individualized and effective treatments.
These reflex tests allow the emotional or unconscious causes of the problems that lead the person to the consultation to surface. Therefore, in addition to the physical exercises, in the sessions there is an awareness that is reinforced with the realization of visualizations.
The technique was created to help children and adults with learning difficulties, such as dyslexia or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, but is currently a resource available to all types of professionals in sectors such as art, business, sports or personal development.
Vicenç explains the case of a dance teacher who incorporates the exercises into her classes. Emilia mentions other professionals, such as drawing teachers or sports coaches, and highlights the simplicity of the exercises, which can be performed in any place and circumstance, as well as the speed of the results.
Anyone interested in brain gym, without previous training, can take the basic course, taught by instructors certified by an international foundation represented in our country by the Spanish Association of Educational Kinesiology Brain Gym. This course lasts 32 hours and is the first of the four levels of teaching. Emilia and Vicenç recommend the basic course to parents and teachers. They can apply the techniques with their children, students or themselves.
Frictions, pressures and gentle rubbing help release hidden tensions. We show you how with this exercise!
We use our arms to open doors, hold objects, press keys, write, drive, cook… And with each of these activities small tensions accumulate in the musculature. However, it is not an area of the body that receives much attention.
Often only when during a massage someone presses or manipulates our arm, we realize how pleasant and beneficial it is. When receiving a professional massage is not possible or have someone close to us who can help us, you can always resort to self-massage. The arm is just a very grateful part to practice alone.
SELF-MASSAGE TO RELEASE TENSION IN THE ARMS
Juan José Plasencia, body therapist and author of several works, proposes the following self-massage:
Keeping the arm straight, it performs friction, first from the shoulder to the elbow and then from the elbow to the hand.
Then, starting at the shoulder, gently compress the muscles of the arm and go down to the hand.
Continue to exert tolerable pressure with your thumb on the inside of your arm, from your armpit to your wrist.
Finish with gentle rubs in the downward direction, and make an exit movement by hand.
Grab your wrist while turning your forearm upwards.
Then, with circular movements of the thumb massage the palm of the hand, from the wrist to the fingers.
Take the fingers of your hand one by one and stretch them gently, bringing them back.
Finally, cover the entire hand and make enveloping movements in it.
Do the same movements on the other arm. Benefits: This self-massage favors emotional balance, the expression of vitality and openness to the world.
BE GUIDED BY INTUITION
At the end of the day or during a break at work, massaging your arms can be a good idea to release them from accumulated tensions.
In terms of space, any place in which one feels comfortable, is appropriate. It is important to give free rein to the hands. Once you know the movements and sequences proposed in this article, you can improvise, since no one knows your own body better than yourself.
It’s not all about putting on your sneakers and taking to the streets. It takes a little programming, knowing what type of beneficial exercise is and the intensity with which it can be performed.
Regular aerobic exercise is vital for cardiovascular health and weight management. It is also effective for the state of the defenses and to prevent or combat mild to moderate depression. Of course, it is imperative for healthy muscles and bones.
Despite all the advantages, when one decides to exercise it is common to get bored, tired and consider that one is not made for exercise. This is more likely to happen if we suffer an injury or exercise in a way that is physically and mentally torture.
Actually, exercising improves mood and enhances the feeling of well-being. Any resistance is due to lack of habit, something that can only be solved by insisting. But it’s also possible that we haven’t chosen the right type of exercise or that we’re getting the intensity wrong.
HOW TO EXERCISE TO MAKE YOUR PRACTICE A SUCCESS
First of all, it is convenient to know how much exercise we should practice. The question does not have a universal answer because logically it depends on the physical condition and the objectives to be achieved. But the ideal is to do some aerobic exercise every day, that is, a physical activity that accelerates the heart and breathing rate and makes us sweat.
This doesn’t mean spending an hour on a stationary bike every day. You simply have to do some intense activity or find ways to make ordinary activities more vigorous. Gardening and yard work can be aerobic, housework can be aerobic, and getting out to get the mail can be aerobic. It all depends on how you do it.
For maximum benefit to the cardiovascular system, aerobic activity should be continuous and sustained for more than a few minutes. The recommended is to work progressively until you reach a goal of 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week.
If 30 minutes seems like a long time, think about how much time you spend sitting and inactive. Remember that aerobic exercise is one of the key pieces of a preventive health maintenance program. 30 minutes 5 days a week is a sensible and moderate recipe.
Frequency is important. Exercising for 60 minutes, but only once or twice a week does not provide the same results.
Remember also that the recommendation is an average. It’s not the end of the world if you miss a day or two from time to time. You can get it back later. Feeling bad about not exercising will probably hurt you more than not doing it.
INTRODUCE MORE VARIETY INTO YOUR EXERCISE HABITS
One way to fight boredom, if that’s your problem, is to schedule very different activities. For example, one day you can run, another brisk walk, another go cycling, another swim and another jump rope.
You can also include other activities that may not seem “sporty” but have the same effects as dancing (with rhythm), going up and down stairs or jumping on a mini-trampoline.
The variety not only helps to combat boredom, but also favors a complete maintenance and development of the musculature and bones. Just as following a very varied diet is important to get all the essential nutrients, aerobic and varied exercise ensures that you are working your whole body and reducing the risk of injury from repeated movements.
YOU CAN DO IT IN COMPANY BUT WITHOUT COMPETING
A very effective way not to miss the exercise session and look forward to it with joy is to meet to exercise with friends. It’s a great idea, but you should avoid doing it competitively. Competitive thoughts negate some of the benefits of exercise, especially on the cardiovascular and immune systems because competitiveness entails the release of stress hormones. If you can’t avoid the competitive attitude, you’re better off exercising on your own.
On the other hand, competitive sports that are practiced with other people such as tennis, basketball or football do not replace aerobic activities such as walking, running and cycling because aerobic work is intense in nature but intermittent rather than continuous. It is a regular and sustained effort that best tones the cardiovascular system.
HEAT BEFORE AND COOL AFTER
Remember that you should always warm up before starting aerobic activity. The best warm-up is a slower version of the activity you’re about to do. For example, walking or jogging before running. Stretching is great, but it does not replace warming up because it does not prepare the muscles for the effort that aerobic exercise requires.
Take a few minutes to freshen up at the end of the activity. Cooling is similar to heating. You can do the same routine.
DO YOU HAVE TO GET A CHECKUP?
On the other hand, if you have never exercised or have not practiced in years, get a medical checkup before starting regular activity. If you have a history of heart problems, high blood pressure or a family history of heart problems, you may need to perform a cardiac stress test.
Pay attention to your body! Stop exercising if unusual aches or pains appear. And leave it right away and see your doctor if you experience dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting, chest pains or shortness of breath.
If you’re sick (with a cold, for example), forget about exercise until you’re feeling perfect. Then, resume activity gradually. Don’t worry if you’ve lost some fitness; You will return to your level quickly.
Yoga or aerial gymnastics, which is practiced with the help of fabrics, improves physical and mental health and has more and more followers around the world. Do you dare to fly?
Aerial gymnastics or antigravity, also called antigravity yoga, acrobatics with fabrics or aerial dance, experienced a boom in the United States a few years ago and now in Spain it can be practiced in more and more wellness centers, both specialized and in chains of gyms that offer this discipline with expert instructors.
WHAT IS ANTIGRAVITY OR AERIAL GYMNASTICS?
Anti-gravity yoga is a physical exercise technique that combines elements of different disciplines, both sports and artistic.
The creator of this discipline, Christopher Harrison, is a dancer and producer of Broadway shows interested in merging dance, acrobatics and yoga to exercise strength and flexibility in a playful way, making usually difficult postures very easy in the air.
Its staging is of great beauty: a kind of elastic band hanging from the ceiling by two points allows all kinds of movements in suspension, defying gravity.
After a session of Antigravity, you have the feeling of having “flown” and enjoy a relaxing body lightness.
ANTI-GRAVITY EXERCISE IS FOR ALL AUDIENCES
Despite its eye-catching, the Antigravity allows you to adopt very easy and relaxed postures in your most basic sessions.
By lowering the hammock almost to ground level, even older people can benefit from its practice. It is also suitable for learning from childhood, and is very beneficial in the development of proprioception skills, coordination …
In addition, they work strength, flexibility, joint mobility and balance, since in the exercises the muscles of the abdomen, buttocks and lower back are activated.
BENEFITS OF AERIAL GYMNASTICS
Its benefits are no less remarkable: by working without the spine receiving any pressure, the alignment and decompression of the vertebrae is encouraged.
It improves the flow of blood circulation to the head, which increases the ability to concentrate and intellectual performance.
Inverted postures, by decompressing the spine, allow energy to be rebalanced, stimulate the circulatory system and regulate the nervous system.
Stretching the muscles of the whole body and the work of the back allow to improve body posture, cardiovascular endurance and muscle strength and increase the flexibility and mobility of the body.
The feeling of freedom, when working in suspension, relaxes.
The sessions are very fun and the instructor teaches techniques and movements that multiply the possibilities of the body, so that body expressiveness is gained.
Respecting the natural curvature of the spine not only reduces back pain but improves body awareness, breathing and mood stability.
The spine is literally the central axis of the body. In fact, it is the first structure to develop in the fetus. Although it is true that the word column helps to represent an image appropriate to its functionality, that is, of support, support and support, it must be borne in mind that this term can confuse, since it creates the misconception of the column as a straight pillar, totally vertical, when it is not, far from it: it has several curvatures that give it a meandering appearance.
In practice, the straightening of one or more of its curvatures, either in a single area or entirely, affects both the functionality and integrity of the intervertebral discs. Profile view, the spine is characterized by four natural curvatures: sacrococcygeal kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, dorsal kyphosis, and cervical lordosis (kyphosis means convex curvature and lordosis, concave curvature).
These curvatures act together like something like a spring, compressing and expanding, for example, when we walk or run. This pulsation of continuous retreat of the spine when moving is crucial for its proper functionality, because thanks to this dynamism the impact forces on the skeleton are absorbed and the synovial fluid is generated, which lubricates the joints of the spine.
The following stretches help you improve your posture and prevent back pain by making your spine more flexible and giving it back its natural curvature:
Posterior and lumbar quadratus stretch
Stretching of the spinal erectors and adductors
Stretching of the pyramidal muscle
Stretching of the pyramidal and psoas-iliac
Stretching of the pectorals and latissimus dorsi
Stretching of the pectorals, biceps and obliques
Stretching of the pectorals and cervicals
Subsequent stretching
Posterior and adductor stretching
Stretching of the hip flexors
Stretching of the quadriceps
It is also helpful to learn to take time to observe yourself while sitting and to become aware of where your ischia are.
1. POSTERIOR AND QUADRATUS LUMBAR STRETCH
With this stretch we start at the base:
Place your palms on the back of a chair (the tripod in the photo is not necessary) and move the chair away until you notice a stretch in the back of your thighs.
Bend one knee (in the photo, the one on the left side), and keep the other extended.
If you are comfortable, also incorporate a pelvic tilt: rotate the pelvis to the side of the bent knee. Repeat the exercise by changing legs.
2. STRETCHING OF THE SPINAL ERECTORS AND ADDUCTORS
Sit on your ischia and on the front edge of the chair. Spread your legs apart to a comfortable maximum (but keeping your knees just above your heels) and flex from your hips, releasing your entire spine down to grip the chair’s legs.
3. STRETCHING OF THE PYRAMIDAL MUSCLE
With one knee bent in front and the other extended back, release the entire spine to the ground to rest your forehead on your palms.
4. STRETCHING OF THE PYRAMIDAL AND PSOAS-ILIAC
Without moving your legs, incorporate your spine and walk with your palms as much as possible backwards. As diaphragm and psoas share the same tendon, when exhaled deeply the diaphragm rises and stretches the psoas more. It is advisable to introduce the abdominals slightly inwards. Repeat the exercise by switching sides.
5. STRETCHING OF THE PECTORALS AND LATISSIMUS DORSI
The most common sitting position at a computer is to have your shoulders slumped forward. This exercise and the following two are used to stretch the muscles that do not allow the shoulders to return to a natural position:
Place your forearms on a firm tree or on a wall, as high as possible but comfortably, and slowly walk backwards.
6. STRETCHING OF THE PECTORALS, BICEPS AND OBLIQUES
Then, with your face facing the tree or wall, rest your forearm on one of those surfaces. Slowly, it begins to rotate the entire trunk to look in the opposite direction. If it is comfortable, turn your other shoulder and bring your arm behind your back.
A cervical lift can be incorporated into this exercise by looking at the shoulder farthest from the support surface.
7. STRETCHING OF THE PECTORALS AND CERVICALS
Inhale and allow deep breathing to lengthen your spine. Turn your shoulders back and, interlacing the palms of your hands behind your back, place them on the back of a chair.
Allow the head to be loosened downwards in order to increase the stretching of the cervical area. Take several deep breaths bringing the air to the pectorals. Then bring it to the shoulder blades as well.
8. SUBSEQUENT STRETCHING
Since the most common sitting posture is on the sacral bone rather than on the ischium, it is very common to lose the lumbar curvature, which affects the intervertebral discs. To perform this exercise, place a thin blanket rolled up under your lower back and lie on your back to stretch your legs on a wall.
The passive extension of the spine hydrates the intervertebral discs, and in this position, in addition, it is achieved without any effort. Enjoy listening to the breath while relaxing your whole body.
9. POSTERIOR AND ADDUCTOR STRETCHING
In the same previous position, the legs are separated until the inner part of the thighs is stretched.
10. STRETCHING OF THE HIP FLEXORS
Keep in mind that sitting in a chair for a long time shortens the hip flexors, especially the psoas-iliac, a key muscle for lumbar stability, so it is of first importance to stretch it regularly.
Bend your left knee, maintaining your position just above the heel, and grab the instep of the other foot from behind, bringing it closer to the buttock. Inhale, lengthen the spine and raise the free arm above the head.
11. STRETCHING THE QUADRICEPS
Place the instep on the back of the chair, inhale and lengthen the spine.
Rotate your shoulders back to interlace your palms and rest them on the backrest as well.
12. MEMORANDUM
I allow you to:
As I sit my two feet rest on the ground.
My weight rests equally on both ischiums.
My sacrum, lumbar and shoulder blades are well supported on the backrest.
My breathing lengthened my spine and widened my vertebral back.
My neck is relaxed and my skull rests on the spine.
My gaze is directed forward, neither up nor down.
My body opens up to this experience, whatever it may be.
Consciously inhaling and exhaling is my new hobby.
13. ISCHIA
You can gently rotate your pelvis on a tennis ball to be aware of bony protrusions: the ischia. You have to sit on these two structures. If the chair is very hard and you notice a little discomfort in that area, you can place a thin cushion under the buttocks in order to cushion the contact of the bone with the chair.
REGAIN THE NATURAL CURVATURE OF THE BACK
When the curvatures are increased or straightened, there is improper alignment that subjects the vertebrae to mechanical stress. In this way, processes of wear of the posterior joints of the spine (the interapophyseal joints) take place and pathological processes such as dehydration, disc degeneration, protrusion or herniated disc, osteoarthritis and nerve disc impingement are initiated.
It is important to have an accurate diagnosis regarding the alignment of the curvatures. Many people, especially women, believe that they have lumbar curvature too accentuated by the fact of having a muscle volume or an accumulation of fat somewhat accentuated in the buttocks; That is why they usually put the pelvis inward (what is colloquially called “relaxing the lumbar” or “lengthening the spine”), both standing and sitting.
But that gesture is far from benefiting the column. What is usually achieved in this way is what is technically called a lumbar rectification, a widespread affectation today, observable already in school-age children.
When the lumbar curvature decreases, the load of the weight channeled by the spine is not transmitted homogeneously throughout its structure and mainly presses on the anterior aspect of the vertebral discs, which leads the vertebral discs to lose their thickness and is considered the main pathway that directs the discs to protrude and herniate.
In addition, this excessive lumbar straightening densifies and shortens the myofascial tissue in its form of ligaments of the spine and makes sitting in an upright and adequate manner increasingly difficult, precisely because the fasciae have become dense, dehydrated and inflexible over the years.
The harmful effect of lumbar straightening does not end here, but continues to affect other levels, such as breathing.
The loss of lumbar curvature is usually accompanied by an accentuation of the dorsal curvature (hyper kyphosis) and, therefore, the closure of the rib cage, which decreases the respiratory volume. Fullness in breathing is thus lost because the diaphragm is reduced the space it has to go down and up; That makes breathing shallower and invites the mind to adopt a more agitated and restless attitude.
Hence the importance of properly aligning the spine, which will help you the stretches we have offered. With good alignment, the diaphragm can be placed in its optimal functional position, with maximum space to move freely, which promotes good emotional attunement.
ATTITUDE ALSO AFFECTS POSTURE
A good physical alignment begins with the attitude, because the meaning we give to life in general and ours in particular directly affects the physical posture. The body somatizes thoughts, continuous internal dialogue and vital attitude.
That is why to be well aligned or “feel well” it is not enough to stretch and follow the advice offered on the best way to sit, but you have to evaluate the pillars of life: its meaning and trajectory, beliefs or convictions, faith you have, the role of love (both the definition and its daily practice, which includes tolerance and forgiveness) …
It may be advisable to carry out this work of personal growth with a professional or in a group. In this way, in addition to being able to value other different perspectives, consistency is ensured and a supportive environment is created.
PHYSICAL ALIGNMENT
Regarding physical alignment, we must remember that there is no perfect body alignment for everyone. There is no rigid and approved correct pattern that suits any type of morphology, age, degeneration and pathological process, emotional pattern, sports activity, work situation, etc.
We all have abnormalities and asymmetries in the alignment of the joints and in muscle tension, even without being aware of it (one shoulder higher than another, flat feet or cavus, scoliotic curvatures, abnormalities in the position of the pelvis, a tendency to tilt the body forward, even sitting, etc.).
We must bear in mind that if our body is organized in a certain way it is because it is the most balanced position it has been able to achieve within the imbalance in which it is. Many of the pains caused by joint anomalies and myofascial tensions are nothing more than mechanical conflicts caused by the impossibility of the organism to offer an adaptive mechanical response that maintains the functionality of the structures involved.
It should be remembered that improper utilization of the body is one of the most important factors in terms of the appearance of common painful and pathological processes of the musculoskeletal system.
In that sense it is important to find a balance, on the one hand, between trying not to control the body (especially if you have not consulted with a professional) and, on the other, putting your bone structure in its proper position. It is not only about not worsening your abnormalities, but also about improving and avoiding developments of joint degeneration and muscle contractures.
For optimal use of the body there are basic and practical tools that aim to align the bone structure and, therefore, the musculature in the most physiological way possible. The stretches that we have proposed are an example.
Spending many hours sitting ankyloses the hips and causes them to accumulate tension. Practicing yoga helps keep them flexible and unlock them energetically.
There is no doubt that a sedentary lifestyle contributes to health problems such as obesity or osteoporosis, but that same passivity also has harmful effects on the hips and, consequently, on the spine and the rest of the bone structure through important muscles and ligaments.
Imagine, for a moment, that you break your arm and it is immobilized so that you cannot flex your elbow. When the cast is removed after a few weeks, the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and even the skin around your elbow will have shortened, which won’t let you stretch it again at will. To regain the range of motion you had, you’ll need weeks of stretching and rehabilitative exercises that allow you to re-flex your joint.
The same goes for the hips. If we spend days, months or entire years without stretching them properly, they atrophy, lose mobility and cause tension in other parts of the body. In the long run, this lack of mobility can trigger osteoarthritis or other serious bone and muscle injuries.
A JUNCTION AREA THAT ENABLES MOVEMENT
The hips support the entire weight of the upper body and stabilize the relationship between the torso and legs. In the area of the pelvis there is the encounter between the descending force of gravity and the ascending response to contact with the ground.
From an anatomical point of view, the hips function as a “hinge” with the limbs and facilitate three types of movement: flexion-extension, abduction-adduction and rotations.
Walking, sitting, standing, climbing stairs, kicking a ball, dancing or running are all possible thanks to the mobility of the hips.
ROTATORS: MUSCLES THAT STABILIZE US AND ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD
Numerous bones, muscles and ligaments are inserted into the hips. In fact, most hip movements are a natural consequence of actions that originate in the legs or trunk.
An action as common as walking is made possible by a group of muscles called rotators, which function as one and work to stabilize the pelvis and rotate the femur.
To know the state of these rotators, the trunk can be flexed forward, either standing or sitting. The difficulty in bringing the abdomen closer to the thighs may be due to the short length of the hamstring, but it also has a lot to do with the rotators, and is frequently seen among those who start in yoga, especially in men.
One of the most important rotators is the piriformis or pyramidal muscle, which runs from the inside of the sacrum to the upper border of the greater trochanter (at the top and outside of the femur).
When this muscle tightens, it presses on the sciatic nerve and causes pain that radiates down the buttocks and down the leg to the sole of the foot. Sometimes, the tension can even pull on the sacrum and affect the functioning of the sacroiliac joint (which is located between the sacrum and the pelvis) and unbalance the lumbar region.
Often, what feels like lumbar injuries are actually strains on the external rotators, which can be corrected by stretching these muscles.
RELAX THE PYRAMID THANKS TO YOGA
The practice of yoga, with its stretches, push-ups, extensions and twists, is an excellent way to keep the hips toned, flexible and unblocked to compensate for sedentary lifestyle and prevent its associated pain.
This Indian discipline was developed with an ultimate goal: that the student managed to stay hours and hours in the lotus posture or padmasana (crossed legs on the floor) while meditating, for which agile, unlocked and very healthy hips are required.
Yoga twists, especially those performed sitting, such as Vakrasana (twisting posture) or Ardha matsyendrasana (half-twisting posture), or those performed on the floor, such as Jathara parivratasana (posture with the twisted abdomen), result inshortening of the external rotators and hip joint.
If accompanied by conscious and deep breathing, these postures distend the pyramidal, as well as other hip muscles, and allow them to lengthen.
THE FLEXOR MUSCLES: FUNDAMENTAL AND “INVISIBLE”
Other actions, such as cycling, climbing stairs or standing up when lying down, are made possible by the flexor muscles, which are located in the front of the hips.
As with the rest of the muscles in the area, if they are not stretched properly, they affect the position of the pelvis, which in turn affects the back, especially in the lumbar area. Among this group of muscles, the most important is the psoas-iliac, composed of two muscles that join in the pelvis: the psoas and the iliac.
To place them it is useful to visualize the human body without internal organs. The psoas is inserted in the back of the abdomen, at the height of the last dorsal, extends parallel to the spine by the lumbar area and reaches the pelvis. The iliac inserts into the iliac crest, reaches the sacrum and crosses the floor of the pelvis attached to the psoas.
Due to the difficulty of seeing and touching them, confusion about their location and action is frequent.
The practice of some yoga postures such as Dhanurasana (the bow), Kapotas Ana (the dove), Ardha mandalas Ana (alert posture), Anjaneyasana (the monkey) or any of its variants, are very useful to stretch the psoas-iliac muscle, and Navasana (the boat), to strengthen it.
THE TREE (VIRKASANA)
Transfer all the weight to the right foot. Relaxes tension that may appear in the right hip.
Rest your left foot on the inside of your right thigh and bring your left hip down.
Look at a fixed point, breathe and, if you can, raise your arms.
Switch sides.
ROTATOR STRETCH
THE LOTUS (PADMASANA)
Sit on the floor, on your ischia, cross-legged and your back straight. If it curves or goes backwards, arrange a hard cushion or blanket under the buttocks.
Once in the posture, raise the crown towards the ceiling and relax the shoulders.
Rest your palms on your knees and breathe in and out ten times.
THE WARRIOR (VIRABADRASANA 2) – PART 1
Separate the legs a little more than a meter and turn the left foot forward, aligning the heel with the arch of the right foot. Bend your left knee so that it forms a 90º angle with your ankle.
Make sure your hips are relaxed and your pelvis slightly rotated inward. Stretch your arms to your sides and bring your gaze over your left shoulder. You’ll notice how your hips stretch and create space in your pelvis to make up for the hours you spend sitting.
Breathe in and out ten times.
THE WARRIOR (VIRABADRASANA 2) – PART 2
From the previous position, rest your left elbow on your knee and stretch your right arm above your head. Use your elbow as a lever to create space between your left hip and your ribs.
It brings the coccyx forward creating space in the pelvis. Make sure that the outer edge of the sole of the right foot is well supported on the ground and the leg straight.
Breathe in and out ten times.
THE TRIANGLE (TRIKONASANA)
From the previous position, stretch your left leg and gradually lower your left arm towards the floor without closing your right hip. If your hand doesn’t reach the ground, you can rest it on your shin or use a support.
Try to keep your left shoulder, knee and hip aligned, as if you had a wall behind you, and help yourself breath to slightly rotate your ribs from the right side towards the ceiling. You will notice a strong stretch in the hips.
Take ten deep breaths and switch sides.
THE BRIDGE (SETU BANDHA SARVANGASANA)
Lie on the floor with your back well supported. Bend your knees and place your feet underneath, open the width of your hips. Stretch your arms next to the trunk and help yourself with them to, little by little, raise your hips.
If you are comfortable, interlace your hands behind your back and stretch your arms to open your shoulders. You will notice how the front of the legs and the psoas lengthen.
Breathe in and out ten times, release your hands and lower your back to the ground vertebra by vertebra.
EXTENSION OF THE FLEXORS
RELEASE THE PSOAS – PART 1
Standing, take your left leg back with a big step and flex your right so that your knee is aligned over your ankle.
Place each hand on either side of the right foot and look forward trying to align the left ankle with the hip and crown.
Activate the thighs as if you had a magnet between your legs and try not to let your hips rise. You’ll stretch the front of your hips and psoas.
Breathe in and out ten times.
RELEASE THE PSOAS – PART 2
Now bend your left knee and rest the instep on the floor.
Bring your hands to your chest joined together as if praying, and try to bring your hips a little closer to the ground. Confirm that the hips are in the same line.
Hold the posture for about ten breaths.
RELEASE THE PSOAS – PART 3
Then breathe in and, when exhaling, bring your left elbow to the outside of your right knee. Make sure your hips, elbows, and right knee are aligned with your ankle.
Try bringing the ribs on the left side closer to the right thigh. You will notice how you stretch the right hip and the psoas of the left leg.
Breathe ten times and switch sides.
THE DANCER (NATARAJASANA)
Stand upright, feet together and your back straight. Bend your left knee, bring your ankle towards your buttock and grab it on the outside with your left hand.
With an inhalation raise the right arm, and keep it parallel to the ground.
Make sure your hips are aligned toward the front and, with an exhale, tilt your torso forward a little while raising your left leg up. You will notice an intense stretching in the psoas.
Look at a fixed point in front to keep your balance. Hold the posture five deep breaths and with the last exhale release and change sides.
TORSION
Sit on the floor with your legs straight. Bend your right knee and support the sole of your foot outside your left leg, at knee height. Make sure that the ischia are well supported on the ground and the back, straight.
Stretch your right arm behind the spine and with an inspiration extend your left arm towards the sky. When exhaling, bring it to the outside of the right leg.
Breathe ten times.
FOLD
From the previous pose, drop your right knee to align with your left.
Activate the left leg and try to bring the abdomen towards the thighs, with the back straight. You will notice a deep stretch in your right hip. If you can, grab your right foot with your hands.
Breathe ten times and switch sides.
THE ROLE OF THE HIPS IN SEXUALITY
In addition to being physically a crucial point of the body, the hips are also important emotionally and sexually.
A woman’s walking and running is distinct from that of a man because of the constitution of her hips, which have a greater forward inclination and are wider and deeper.
This makes the thighs more apart and the hips wiggle. The purpose of this structure is to facilitate greater openness in childbirth. Also, the iliac bone and the muscles that surround it are located in such a way that they move the buttocks away, so that the contraction of the buttocks does not interfere at the time of giving birth.
The male hip is more solid, more elongated and narrower, but its bone walls are thicker to support greater body weight and ensure good stability in movement.
All this area supports, houses and protects the organs where life is conceived, closely linked to sexuality (the uterus, genitals), as well as the bladder and kidneys.
Flexible hips allow these organs to be kept healthy, while balancing sensuality, sexuality, emotions, intimacy and desire.
Energetically, according to the tradition of yoga, in the center of the pelvis is the second chakra, baptized as Svadisthana and whose translation would be “the place or base of one”. Therein lie sexuality, emotional movement, openness to pleasure, as well as learning a life without attachments, according to its natural flow.
Energy blockages of the hips, which can lead to pain and stiffness, are thought to be related to feelings of fear, repression, traumatic sexual experiences, and conflicts related to family, partner, or social relationships.
The Svadisthana chakra is also related to everything watery in the body: circulation, urine, menstruation, orgasm, tears… that are regulated if this energy center is kept balanced. Yoga offers an excellent tool to achieve this.
Keeping your hips flexible helps you feel well physically but also to stay emotionally healthy, to achieve full sexuality and to learn to change, flow and move with life.
Mental tension and stress cause the body to literally contract. By bringing attention to compressed areas, it is possible to open spaces and recover well-being.
“I’m at my best”; “I can’t take it anymore”; “I think I’m going to explode”, “I have the glass that I can’t fit a drop more”… They are popular phrases that describe states in which relaxation has been lost. We feel impenetrability, we feel thick, rigid, oppressed, overwhelmed, irritable, sometimes even one step away from losing our senses.
If this sensation is constant, it creates a real narrowing and tightness in the body, which prevents the fluidity of blood, nutrients or oxygen. All this brings the dreaded headaches, shortness of breath, haste, contraction or nervousness.
To relieve ourselves, relax and recover the tranquility and freedom of being and being, we propose the following meditative sequence. During this sequence, it is about discovering, distinguishing and appreciating the volume of the body, and cultivating its interior spaces, its looseness and length.
HOW TO DO THE EXERCISES
The exercises must be carried out with the utmost attention: what counts is what is experienced and not only what is done. The path is as important as the final goal.
At the end of the series, you will find an exercise in body recognition and awareness. It is a longer exercise in which we will open spaces in the body and relax it. You can do it at any time, alone or as a complement to the series that you will find below.
If we are very tired, it is better to start with the recognition and awareness exercise that is proposed at the end of the article, then move on to the floor exercises (10 and 11), and continue with the chair exercises (6, 7, 8 and 9). We will leave for the end the standing exercises.
1. THE MORNING STAR
We separate the legs at a distance that exceeds that between the shoulders. We raise our arms laterally until the tips of our fingers face the sky following an imaginary inclined line that crosses the body with the opposite leg.
The shoulder blades should not rise towards the arms, but fall and open to the sides, as if they were small wings.
We repeat it three times.
2. CATCHING STARS
From the previous position we stretch the left arm in the direction of the fingers, diagonally towards the sky. Bend the right elbow slightly towards the right knee. At the same time, we slightly bend the left leg, leave much of the weight on it and stretch the right, which will form a line with the left arm. You have to try not to arch your back.
It is performed three times on each side.
3. THE SUN
Again, from the position of the star (No. 1), we bring the abdomen slightly towards the back and perform a contraction that will be reproduced throughout the body, as if we were embracing a large ball with the front of the trunk, legs and arms.
The movement will produce an opening in the back of the body.
4. LOOKING FOR THE MOON
We bent our legs slightly and opened our torso in the direction of the sky. At the same time, we bring the inside of the arms and hands in that direction, stretching the chest as seen in the photo.
The neck stays away from the ears, as if we were standing. The arching of the body occurs just below the shoulder blades and there is no sensation of shortening or tension but of opening towards the sky.
The same exercise is performed by rotating the chest, arms and hands from the waist to the right and left with the same position of legs and hips.
5. POINTING TO THE MOON
Now we turn the entire pectoral area slightly to the left, and in that position, we direct it to the sky, without forcing the lumbar area. At the same time, we bend the right leg a little and extend the left arm upwards diagonally; The left leg is stretched out.
The right arm is stretched horizontally at chest height, parallel to the ground. We return to the center and repeat the whole process to the right.
6. THE CONSTELLATION OF ORION
Sitting with our hands on our thighs, we try to feel the two ischium bones of the pelvis in contact with the chair. We lift the right ischium and turn the spine spirally: the right part of the trunk moves forward, and the left, back. The head tilts slightly to the right.
We return to the center and restart the process with the left ischium.
7. MOVING THE CONSTELLATION
Sitting with our arms parallel to the ground, we start the process of the previous exercise, lifting the left ischium, but this time, in addition to the twisting of the spine that carries forward the left part of the trunk, we will extend the left arm and shoulder blade forward and contract the right ones backwards. The head tilts slightly to the left.
We return to the starting position and perform the exercise in reverse.
8. LOOKING AT ORION
From the position of the previous exercise, sitting with our arms parallel to the ground, we lift the right ischium but this time, in addition to the twisting of the spine, we slightly stretch the right arm forward while directing the left towards the sky.
The head tilts to the right and, if you want, looks up.
9. PAINTING THE CELESTIAL VAULT
From the sitting position we place the left hand on the stool or chair and the right, free along the body. With the support of the feet on the floor and the left hand on the chair we raise the hip, trunk and right arm turning to the left as if the arm and right hand painted a semicircle in front of the body. At the same time, it turns slightly to the left.
It is repeated three times on each side.
10. THE MILKY WAY
We lie on the floor face up. We separate arms and legs as if forming a star. We feel the contact surfaces of the body with the ground, listen to the breath and perceive the environment. Then, the left arm and knee approach while the trunk and head roll to the left without losing contact with the ground.
The right arm and hand “paint” a vault above the head to the left.
11. THE EARTH STAR
Continuing the previous movement, the body folds onto the left side. We listen to the breath and undo the posture: we start the stretch of the right arm and leg and roll on the ground to the right. The right arm and hand paint a vault to the right and the position of photo 10 is recovered.
We feel the breath and how the contact with the ground has changed. Everything is repeated on the other side.
BODY RECOGNITION AND AWARENESS EXERCISE
We lie on our backs with our legs bent or stretched out and our arms at the sides of our body. We feel the surfaces of the back of the body that are in contact with the ground. We notice the space inside the mouth. We distinguish the vault of the palate and the free hollow of the throat. Also, its connection with the nostrils.
We perceive the entry of air and the path that runs through the neck and trachea to the lungs. We watch as air moves the empty space between the lungs and ribs. We try to feel the hole in the esophagus, stomach, bladder, large and small intestines, and gallbladder.
THE WIDTH OF THE ARMS AND SHOULDER BLADES
Then we perceive the volume of the right arm, its density, as if we were putting a loop around it. It continues with the volume of the elbow, forearm, hand and fingers of the right hand, comparing them. Gently slide the right arm extended on the floor until it is as close as possible, but effortlessly, to the ear.
It will be noticed that the space between the shoulder blade and the nape of the neck is compressed. We stay in this position for a moment and, with the expiration, we slide the arm to return it to the side of the body; We felt how the narrowing space takes amplitude. The same movement is repeated with the hand in the form of a fist.
We rest, we notice the changes. We roll our head slowly to the right and left to feel its movement, and if it resonates in the back. We rested for half a minute. Then repeat the process with the left arm. Next, we bring the right shoulder to the ceiling, we remain in this position, feeling which parts are enlarged or narrowed.
Then we let the shoulder return to its position and the space is restored. We imagine a hand on the collarbone and another on the shoulder blade, we perceive the space between the two. With the breath we try to carry, in our imagination, a light or a fluid between the shoulder blade and the clavicle. We look at whether the rhythm or breathing space has changed. The process is repeated with the left shoulder.
THE VOLUME OF THE LEGS
Now we feel the volume and inner structures of the right leg, as if we were taking a journey through it. We imagine a thick fluid entering from the hip to the toes, giving it an inner massage. Then we slowly push the right hip along with the right leg and foot down, towards the heel, so that the leg lengthens decompressing the joints.
Try to keep your lumbar vertebrae on the floor, let your whole body help you make the movement and concentrate on the volume of your right leg. Even if the left moves, we remain focused on the right. Then the right leg shrinks as if it wanted to be brought to the ribs of the right side, which will raise the right hip and lower the left.
We rest for half a minute and feel the changes on the right side of the body. The above process is repeated with the left leg.
EMPTINESS IN THE THORAX AND BODY
We visualize a cylinder that wraps the trunk from the pelvis to the neck. When we inhale, we feel that this area is filled with air or light or a dense fluid such as honey, so that the spine lengthens, and space is created between the vertebrae. From there, we slowly slide our arms across the floor, upwards, bringing them closer to the head, effortlessly; The trunk, head and arms are aligned in the same direction.
The legs will be slightly open, as if there is a straight line from the right foot to the left hand and another from the left foot to the right hand. And we return to the movement described above in which one leg is lengthened from the hip, the other is shortened, and vice versa. It is done seven or eight times.
We can observe that when we lengthen the right hip and leg, then the left shoulder and arm approach the spine, and vice versa. We lengthen and contract the legs several times alternately feeling how the tissues of the leg lengthen and shorten and how the movement travels through the spine, elongating and contracting the opposite shoulder and arm and, at the same time, how the body expands.
We rest for half a minute and breathe. We lengthen and contract one arm and another alternately to perceive how the movement travels through the trunk and pulls the opposite leg towards the outstretched arm. It is very important not to stretch your arms vigorously, but to give them space. We rest for half a minute; we feel the contact of the body with the ground.
VISUALIZATION
To finish we visualize that when we exhale, when we empty ourselves of air, clarity enters from the sky through the anterior part of the body, which illuminates the cells; And as we breathe in, we imagine light gliding toward the earth. Then we perceive the total dimensions of our being as they appear in the mind and open three spaces: one in the fontanelle, the highest point of the head, another in the soles of the feet and the third in the palms of the hands, which communicate with the outer space and its vibrations.
We thus open ourselves to what surrounds us and is invisible to the eyes. It is practiced for half a minute. Finally, the two previous visualizations are made face down.
We get up from the ground and feel the new spaces that have opened up. Something inside us has changed and we have another point of view about the environment. We let that space recovered thanks to attention and imagination accompany us during daily life.
Remembering is the beginning so that the amplitude is installed in us habitually and get to feel it without having to lie on the floor, but simply while sitting, standing, walking or doing anything else.
