Lifting the head straight up to look at the heels (L/R)

In prone position, lying on your front side. You lift your head together with your arm to see your heels, one by one. You use the floor to push yourself up. You hold your foot with your same side hand and explore kinematic linkage by pulling your head up by pulling on your shoulder with your leg. (Movements on left and right side are done in succession)

A classic extensor lesson to improve the organisation of your back to lift your head. There's a strong focus on lifting the head straight up in the sagittal plane, and not to sway left or right. Important learning points include: Do not avoid the directions that seem to be unavailable at first, but instead move slowly, delicately, and within the available range. Use less effort in order to have faster improvement. Do not use force to try to achieve movement learning goals. Soon enough that available range will extend and open up new possibilities.

extensionprone extension_prone_1

1

On your front (prone), legs extended and comfortably spread, right hand on top of left hand, right ear on the back of the right hand.

Lift right arm: elbow, hand, and head

Start with your head or right elbow, add more until it's easy to lift your head and arm together.

  • Breath out while you go up, or better: allow air to escape your lungs. In this way you support your spine to move and twist.

Lift right arm: elbow, hand, and head

Start with your head or right elbow, add more until it's easy to lift your head and arm together.

2

Prone, left knee bent, right leg rests extended. Right hand on top of left hand, right ear on the back of the right hand.

Lift right arm, look towards left foot

Switch sides. Use your hand to help your head to turn and lift. Do not bend to the side.

  • Every time lift more simply, lighter and more comfortable. If you haven't yet, you will soon start to see your left heel out of the corner of your left eye.

Lift right arm, look towards left foot

Switch sides. Use your hand to help your head to turn and lift. Do not bend to the side.

3

Prone, both knees bent, spread comfortably. Right hand on top of left hand, right ear on the back of the right hand.

Lift right arm, look at left heel, right heel

Lift your head with the help of your hand. Each time you lift look at the other heel.

  • It isn't important whether you see your heels or not. It is only important to do the movements in the direction of seeing the heels.

Lift right arm, look at left heel, right heel

Lift your head with the help of your hand. Each time you lift look at the other heel.

4

Prone, legs comfortably spread, left knee bent, left hand holds left ankle (not the foot), right ear on the back of the right hand. Left knee stays on the floor.

Pull left shoulder to see left hand

Push your left foot backwards, push with your right hand against the floor.

  • Push your left foot backwards as if you would straighten your leg and thus help your left shoulder to lift. That pull also lifts your head so you can turn your face to see your left ankle and hand.

    Push your right hand against the floor to help lift your head.

Pull left shoulder to see left hand

Push your left foot backwards, push with your right hand against the floor.

5

Prone, left knee bent, right leg rests extended. Right hand on top of left hand, right ear on the back of the right hand.

Lift right arm + left knee, look at left foot

Push with your left hand, see if it has improved. Then also lift your left knee a little bit.

  • Lift your left knee slightly off the floor while you do this movement. Use your left hand against the floor to help your head turn toward your heel.

    Do this many times and it will organize by itself.

Lift right arm + left knee, look at left foot

Push with your left hand, see if it has improved. Then also lift your left knee a little bit.

6

Prone, both knees bent, right hand on top of left hand, right ear on the back of the right hand.

Lift right arm + right knee, look at right foot

Lift your head first, then head and arm, then also your knee. Add step by step, then put everything together.

  • It is not important that you actually see your foot. Do the movement in that direction.

Lift right arm + right knee, look at right foot

Lift your head first, then head and arm, then also your knee. Add step by step, then put everything together.

7

Hands on top of each other, forehead on top of hands, both knees bent.

Lift right knee, left knee alternately

Feel when each knee is lifted, it pushes the elbow on the opposite side.

  • Don't lift your knees high, but short, quick and also change over quickly. Do light movements. Feel the connection of lifting the knee and pushing the elbow.

Lift right knee, left knee alternately

Feel when each knee is lifted, it pushes the elbow on the opposite side.

8

On your back (supine)

Rest on your back

Feel if you seem to be lying differently from before.

  • Where do you feel that something changed in your contact with the floor? Where do you feel that your body does not lie as before?

Rest on your back

Feel if you seem to be lying differently from before.

9

Prone, legs extended and comfortably spread, left hand on top of right hand, left ear on the back of the left hand.

Lift left arm: elbow, hand, and head

Switch sides. Start with lifting only your elbow or head, whatever is easier. Then lift everything together.

  • Do not try to lift high. Any height that's comfortable to reach is ok.

Lift left arm: elbow, hand, and head

Switch sides. Start with lifting only your elbow or head, whatever is easier. Then lift everything together.

10

Prone, right knee bent with right foot towards the ceiling, left leg rests extended.

Lift left arm, look towards right foot

Do not bend sideways. Lift your left elbow, left hand, and head together.

  • Move with small and light movements. Moshé Feldenkrais said: „If you move comfortably you will eventually see your heel. If you move with force, it will only hurt.”

Lift left arm, look towards right foot

Do not bend sideways. Lift your left elbow, left hand, and head together.

11

Prone, both knees bent, spread comfortably. Left hand on top of right hand, left ear on the back of the left hand.

Lift left arm, look at right heel, left heel

Switch sides. Try to make each movement lighter than the previous one.

  • Always look out of the corner of your right eye. You can't look with your left eye since your head is resting on your hand.

Lift left arm, look at right heel, left heel

Switch sides. Try to make each movement lighter than the previous one.

12

Prone, legs comfortably spread, right knee bent, right hand holds right ankle (not the foot), left ear on the back of the left hand. Right knee stays on the floor.

Pull right shoulder to see right hand

Switch sides. Push your right foot backwards, push with your left hand against the floor.

  • Your right arm is like a rope that transfers the push of your right leg to your right shoulder and your whole rib cage softens with it.

    Each person's back can soften to a different extent with each lift and everyone needs to find their amount.

    Let this movement organize by itself.

Pull right shoulder to see right hand

Switch sides. Push your right foot backwards, push with your left hand against the floor.

13

Prone, right knee bent, left leg rests extended. Left hand on top of right hand, left ear on the back of the left hand.

Lift left arm + right knee, look at right foot

Switch sides. Push with your right hand, lift your right knee just a little bit.

  • Lift your right knee a little bit. Slowly lift both your knee and head together, a very light movement.

Lift left arm + right knee, look at right foot

Switch sides. Push with your right hand, lift your right knee just a little bit.

14

Prone, both knees bent, left hand on top of right hand, left ear on the back of the left hand.

Lift left arm + left knee, look at left foot

Switch sides. Lift your head a little with the help of your left hand, then slowly begin to lift your left knee.

  • Allow your body to lengthen. Make it very simple, use very light movements. Do not try to see a lot and do not effort to try to do it well.

    Do the movement many times and each time make it easier.

Lift left arm + left knee, look at left foot

Switch sides. Lift your head a little with the help of your left hand, then slowly begin to lift your left knee.

15

Hands on top of each other, forehead on top of hands, both knees bent.

Reference movement

Lift right and left knee alternately

Feel if it has become easier to do.

Reference movement

Lift right and left knee alternately

Feel if it has become easier to do.

16

On your back, knees bent, hands interlaced behind the head.

Hold a half curl up

Slowly, hold the position. Add some very slow rocking motions forwards and backwards.

  • After all these extension movements a bit of flexion is needed to arrest any further extension.

Hold a half curl up

Slowly, hold the position. Add some very slow rocking motions forwards and backwards.