Super duper basic flexion
This is such a wonderful, spacious flexion lesson.
It’s a classic lesson from Moshe Feldenkrais’s San Francisco training from the 70s.
Every Feldenkrais training covers flexion if not right in the beginning, then very close to it. Flexion is fundamental to efficient human movement. Ideally we can fold without a bunch of extensors interfering along the spine—which we all do at first!
We’re all either too flexed or too extended and then we just contract more to counter-balance the imbalance. Ugh!
Lifting the head is something babies learn pretty quickly and they do it without all these counter-contractions that adults have.
In essence, to get back to our original sense of balance, we have to re-learn what gravity even means. I know I do. I find after ten minutes or so, I take a breath. I hadn’t realized how much I was holding!
Once you make the comparison of what’s easy versus what’s hard, you’ll wonder why we make it so hard to lift the head!
I recommend doing ALL the flexion lessons this week. Your back will thank you for it.
TIP: It sounds paradoxical, but don’t do too many movements. Do fewer movements with more awareness. Rest a lot.
Each “ah-ha” moment is worth a hundreds reps!
More options
Do more like this in Basic Flexion #1 in the Feldenkrais Treasury. Not a subscriber? Find out more.
Or, download five basic flexion lessons for $29. This one, plus four more! Doing all of these lessons over a week can be life-changing for your back.
Super duper basic flexion for a soft back, 31 min
Basic flexion for a soft back #2, 38 min
Magic back lesson, flexing wrists, ankles, hips, shoulders, 39 min
Basic flexion #3, lengthen back to straighten legs, 41 min
Basic flexion #4, lengthening the back, 45 min
“It is one thing to talk about leaving behind a restrictive mindset. It is another thing to step into that space and feel the freedom of it.”