Twisting the shoulder girdle, arms in right angles

Arms and elbows are held in right angles. They are twisted up and down in opposite directions, one hand moves up, one down. You will do differentiations of your head, shoulders, and chest. You explore the shoulder and arm movements in various relations to gravity (in supine, sitting, and kneeling). The pelvis stays stable most of the lesson.

No other earthly being has as many degrees of freedom in their movements as we humans. This is especially true for your arms and how they relate to the head and chest. In this lesson you will discover order and meaning in a seemingly endless range of random possibilities and combinations. Re-discovering your arm, head, and shoulder movements make you feel refreshed and alive. The entire chest will organize to better accommodate head, shoulder, and arm movements, which will even involve the floating 11th and 12th pair of ribs.

neck/shoulderflexionextensionsupinepelvis-liftedkneelingknee-standsitting90/90-arms chanukia_1

1

On the back

Arms straight to the sides

Review the directions: your in-front, your in-the-back, your downwards, your upwards.

  • In lying supine your in-front is where the ceiling is, your up is in the direction of your head, your down is in the direction of your feet, your behind is at your back where the floor is.

Arms straight to the sides

Review the directions: your in-front, your in-the-back, your downwards, your upwards.

2

On your back, stand your feet. Extend both arms from your shoulders exactly sideways. Bend your arms at your elbows so your hands are pointing towards the ceiling.

Get ready.

Your arms must remain in exact 90/90 degree angles.

  • It is of crucial importance that your arms are straight out and not in an acute angle (closer towards down than up).

    Sometimes how we think something is might be different from how it actually is. We call it subjective vs. objective reality.

    Dr. Moshé Feldenkrais illustrated the importance in strong words: „Everyone feels, internally that he is excellent, but I see discrepancies. It is not only done poorly, the person doesn't realize he is doing it. There isn't any hope when the person doesn't know and thinks his arms are in one line. No other person in the world can help him. Not only another person can't help, God himself could not help.”

Get ready.

Your arms must remain in exact 90/90 degree angles.

3

On your back, feet standing, arms in right angles (90/90).

Tilt lower arms upwards

The back of your hands towards the floor. Keep the 90/90.

  • The essence of this lesson lies in its accuracy. You must preserve the 90/90 degree angles at all times.

Tilt lower arms upwards

The back of your hands towards the floor. Keep the 90/90.

4

On your back, feet standing, arms in right angles (90/90).

Hands upwards, pelvis lifts

Touch the back of your hands to the floor. Keep 90/90.

  • Lift your pelvis high enough so that the back of your hands touch the floor.

    You must preserve the 90/90 degree angles at all times.

    Imagine you're holding a stick with both hands. The imaginary stick cannot bend, get longer or shorter. Catch hold of it by closing your hands into fists. Don't bend your wrists. Lower the stick to the floor above your head.

Hands upwards, pelvis lifts

Touch the back of your hands to the floor. Keep 90/90.

5

On your back, feet standing, arms in right angles (90/90).

Tilt lower arms downwards

The palm of your hands towards the floor. Keep 90/90.

  • You must preserve the 90/90 degree angles at all times.

Tilt lower arms downwards

The palm of your hands towards the floor. Keep 90/90.

6

On your back, feet standing, arms in right angles (90/90).

Hands down, lift head

Touch the palms of your hands to the floor. Keep 90/90.

  • Lift your head and shoulders high enough so that your hands can touch the floor.

    You must preserve the 90/90 degree angles at all times.

    Imagine you're holding a stick with both hands. The imaginary stick cannot bend, get longer or shorter. Catch hold of it by closing your hands into fists. Don't bend your wrists. Lower the stick to the floor above your head.

Hands down, lift head

Touch the palms of your hands to the floor. Keep 90/90.

7

On your back, stand your feet, arms and elbows in 90/90 degree angles, touch palms to the floor.

Lift right elbow only

Keep your right shoulder on the floor. Keep 90/90.

  • Keep the 90/90 degree angles at all times.

    Maybe this thought helps: think of sliding your elbow away from your chest. (But don't actually slide it away, just think of it.)

    If it is impossible try to at least lift your elbow first, and only then your shoulder.

    If this is difficult then you need to make a large change in how you use your shoulder before you can do this.

Lift right elbow only

Keep your right shoulder on the floor. Keep 90/90.

8

On your back, stand your feet, arms and elbows in 90/90 degree angles, touch palms to the floor.

Lift left elbow only

Keep your left shoulder on the floor. Keep 90/90.

  • Don't slide your left elbow down, not even a little bit.

    Keep the 90/90 degree angles at all times. We call this a „constraint”.

    Through this constraint you will be able to organize your entire chest better for arm movements, and even involve the floating 11th and 12th pair of ribs.

Lift left elbow only

Keep your left shoulder on the floor. Keep 90/90.

9

On your back, feet standing, arms in right angles (90/90).

Reference movement

Hands down (lift head)

With and without lifting your head. See if it is better than before. Keep 90/90.

  • You must preserve the 90/90 degree angles at all times.

    Observe how your shoulders feel, and if they seem to be wider than before.

Reference movement

Hands down (lift head)

With and without lifting your head. See if it is better than before. Keep 90/90.

10

On your back, stand your feet, arms and elbows in 90/90 degree angles, touch palms to the floor.

Lift both elbows and hands

Lift them at the same time. Keep 90/90.

  • Lift elbows and hands at the same time and for the same distance from the floor.

    Touch them down again at the same time.

    Keep the 90/90 degree angles at all times.

Lift both elbows and hands

Lift them at the same time. Keep 90/90.

11

On your back, feet standing, arms in right angles (90/90).

Reference movement

Hands up

With and without lifting your pelvis. See if it is better than before. Keep 90/90.

  • Keep your feet standing at all times.

    If you want to compare how it is with your feet standing, keep your feet standing. If you want to compare with your feet extended, keep them extended. But do not mix those two configurations, because the differences (for the chest) are too large and you will not feel how it is different over the course of the lesson.

Reference movement

Hands up

With and without lifting your pelvis. See if it is better than before. Keep 90/90.

12

On your back, feet standing, arms in right angles (90/90).

One hand up, one down

Keep the 90/90 degree angles at all times.

One hand up, one down

Keep the 90/90 degree angles at all times.

13

On your back, feet standing, arms in right angles (90/90).

Continuation

One hand up, one down, head rolls

Let your head roll freely. Keep 90/90.

Continuation

One hand up, one down, head rolls

Let your head roll freely. Keep 90/90.

To which side does your head turn?

When you tilt one arm upwards and one downwards, to which hand does your head turn each time?

  • If you don't think too much, you will see that your head always turns to look at the hand that is tilting upwards. It is harder to look at the hand that is tilting downwards.

    If you don't tell how it should be, but give it enough time, everyone will start to do the same.

    For the arm that tilts up the shoulder presses closer to the floor. For the arm that tilts down the shoulder lifts higher from the floor. The head is like a ball rolling down a mountain.

To which side does your head turn?

When you tilt one arm upwards and one downwards, to which hand does your head turn each time?

14

On your back, stand your feet, arms straight out to the sides, bend elbows to point hands towards the ceiling (90/90).

Wringing the shoulder girdle

Left up, right down, straighten on the floor. Keep rolling your arms. Keep your upper arms out at 90 degrees angles at all time.

  • From the starting position: tilt your left lower arm up, tilt your right lower arm down. Once the palm of your right hand is touching the floor, and the back of your left hand is touching the floor, straighten your elbows until your arms are straight out to each side.

Wringing the shoulder girdle

Left up, right down, straighten on the floor. Keep rolling your arms. Keep your upper arms out at 90 degrees angles at all time.

15

On your back, stand your feet, arms straight out to the sides, bend elbows to point hands towards the ceiling (90/90).

Continuation

Change directions

Keep rolling your arms. At all times keep 90 degrees angles between upper arms and torso.

  • Let your head participate and turn. Do this movement slowly and smoothly while keeping your upper arms straight out at shoulder height at all times.

    Once you are clear about this movement change directions for a few times.

Continuation

Change directions

Keep rolling your arms. At all times keep 90 degrees angles between upper arms and torso.

16

Sit in a symmetrical fashion. If you sit on the floor place the soles of your feet facing each other. Extend your arms to the sides like before, bend your elbows 90/90.

Tilt one arm up, one down

Be precise. Keep 90/90. Turn your head to the rising hand.

  • Be as precise as before, when you were on your back. At all times keep the 90 degree angles.

Tilt one arm up, one down

Be precise. Keep 90/90. Turn your head to the rising hand.

17

Sit in a symmetrical fashion. Extend your arms to the sides like before, bend your arms 90/90.

Continuation

Tilt one arm up, one down, think

Keep turning your head towards the rising hand, but THINK of your other arm.

  • While you turn your head towards the rising hand, in your minds eye, observe your other arm, and (in your imagination) watch its hand go down.

    Your are looking at one thing, but imagining to look at another thing. Become more and more aware of what you don't see.

    In the beginning it might be very difficult to do, but it will become easier each time. Keep 90 /90 angles at all times.

Continuation

Tilt one arm up, one down, think

Keep turning your head towards the rising hand, but THINK of your other arm.

18

Stand on your knees. Knees spread. Toes extended backwards. Big toes together. Arms in 90/90.

Tilt one arm up, one down, observe

Notice differences in right and left, and what else moves besides your arms and head.

  • When you turn your head your entire body is leaning to that side. Is this true for both sides?

    Can you feel your chest bend? Your pelvis move? In which directions does it move? Is it the same on both sides?

Tilt one arm up, one down, observe

Notice differences in right and left, and what else moves besides your arms and head.

19

Stand on your knees. Knees spread. Toes extended backwards. Big toes together. Arms in 90/90.

Continuation

Turn towards your back hand

Continue, but turn your head and lean towards the hand that goes down.

  • Can you do the opposite movement?

    Being able to make mistakes, in this case the head movements don't match the twist of the shoulders, is an important part of learning. Only when we are able to make mistakes we are able to know what is a mistake and what is not.

Continuation

Turn towards your back hand

Continue, but turn your head and lean towards the hand that goes down.

20

Kneeling, with your right foot standing, arms in 90/90.

Twist arms, head towards armpit

While your arm turns up lower your head towards your armpit.

  • Move your nose, face, head under the arm that is turning upwards. It's as if you would look under your armpit.

    Don't look down to the floor, but behind you.

Twist arms, head towards armpit

While your arm turns up lower your head towards your armpit.

21

Kneeling, with your left foot standing, arms in 90/90.

Twist arms, head towards armpit

Lead with your eyes, look behind your, twist your entire chest.

  • This differentiates the movements of your head from the movements of your shoulders.

    This is the place where many people feel fatigue the most. When the arms and head always move together, and this continues over a long day of work, the fatigue expresses itself there first.


    Dr. Moshé Feldenkrais said: „This may seem ridiculous. This movement is the hardest to do when a person is tired, when he doesn't want to move, and only wants to sleep. At that moment, if that person learns to organise this movement by himself, he could start his work day over. The fatigue will vanish as if it wasn't there.”

Twist arms, head towards armpit

Lead with your eyes, look behind your, twist your entire chest.

22

On the back, arms in 90/90.

Reference movement

Arms up, arms down

Take your time for each direction. See how it is compared to the beginning.

  • How does it feel? How is it compared to before? How do your hands lie on the floor? Are you more or less accurate than before? Is it easier for you to maintain the right angles?

    Dr. Moshé Feldenkrais said: „It is so easy to do when your shoulder moves and your chest softens. It becomes simple. There wouldn't be any sense in learning this if it was something designed to remain difficult. For instance, walking on your small finger would always be difficult.”

Reference movement

Arms up, arms down

Take your time for each direction. See how it is compared to the beginning.

23

On the back, arms in 90/90.

Reference movement

Turn one arm up, one down

Let your head roll, see how it is now.

  • Sense how your head tries to turn towards the hand that turns up.

    Let your head turn on its axis rather then bending to the side.

    Lengthen your spine and move your head lightly and easily. Let yourself breath freely. Allow your ribs to organize so that your whole spine turns when you turn your head.

Reference movement

Turn one arm up, one down

Let your head roll, see how it is now.

24

Stand, walk.

Stand, walk, observe

Turn your head, lead with your arms to turn your head, see how it is.

Stand, walk, observe

Turn your head, lead with your arms to turn your head, see how it is.