Feldenkrais Method ®
Feldenkrais Exercises Bring Awareness Through Movement
The Feldenkrais Method ® is a form of somatic education that helps to increase your awareness of movement and teaches you to move more efficiently. It helps improve your ranges of motion and increase flexibility and coordination. It is often used by dancers, actors, athletes, and musicians, but can be useful to anyone.
This method of movement was developed by Dr. Moshé Feldenkrais (1904-1984). Feldenkrais was a Ukrainian-born Jewish physicist. He was also martial artist, who practiced judo and wrote many books on the topic.
In 1940, Feldenkrais started working as a scientific officer in the British Admiralty. He was doing anti-submarine research in Scotland, when an old knee injury started flaring up. To avoid getting a knee operation, he started trying to rehabilitate himself. He experimented with different movements and self-observation techniques. These techniques eventually became the Feldenkrais Method ®.
The Feldenkrais Method ® consists of two main parts:
Awareness Through Movement ® Classes
Functional Integration ® Lessons
Awareness Through Movement ® Classes consist of a series of movements taught to a group. The lessons can last from 30 to 60 minutes. The movements are based on functionality. Some movements are abstract and take you through a large range of motion. The movements usually start small and gradually get bigger and more complex.
Functional Integration ® Lessons are the hands-on part of this method. The instructor uses a gentle touch to guide you through movements. These sessions are tailored for the needs of individuals. During the lesson you will be asked to lay down on a comfortable table. Sometimes you'll be seated or standing as you're guided through movements.
The Feldenkrais Method ® can help people who suffer from:
chronic pain
arthritis
balance problems
cerebral palsy
multiple sclerosis
stroke
After a session you feel lighter and looser. This method helps you feel more graceful and even helps enhance your self-image.
Feldenkrais Exercises
Here are some examples of exercises used in the Feldenkrais Method ®.
This exercise is effective if you have back pain.
1. Lay on the floor on your back with your legs striaght and your arms relaxed at your sides. Imagine that your laying on a balance beam. Can you stay balanced? If you were to fall off what direction would you fall? If you had to roll off the beam in the hurry which way would you roll off?
2. Bend your right leg so you can rest the sole of the foot comfortably on the floor. You may need to do some adjusting to get the most comfortable position. You don't want the foot to be too close or too far from the body. Feel grounded through the foot. Push down through the foot and lift your right hip off the floor slightly. Your leg should remain over your foot the whole time. The movement should be quite small. Relax again. Straighten you right leg and bend you left leg. Do the same movement with the left leg.
3. Now bend both legs so both feet are flat on the floor. Stretch your arms out to the side so your making a T shape. Now let your knees slowly lean to the right. As they lean be aware of the shift of weight on the soles of your feet, the twisting in your pelvis and low back. Only let them go as far as you feel comfortable. Then bring them back to center and do the same thing the other direction.
Active Sitting
Feldenkrais Method ® involves being aware of how you move and correcting incorrect movements. You can use these techniques at any time. Let's look at how to use them for sitting.
When you sit at your computer or just a desk for a long peroid of time you often don't notice how stiff you are until you get up. Many of us sit in positions that put strain on our bodies. We tilt our necks at uncomfortable angles, slouch, tighten our shoulders and do so many things that can cause imbalance in our bodies.
Think of the way you sit as a habit. You get into the habit of sitting a certain way even if that way of sitting may be bad for your body. This bad habit may seem comfortable to you because you've done it for so long. Your muscles have adjusted to that position.
When you sit at a desk to work be aware of how you're sitting. Are you shoulders and arms relaxed? Is your neck relaxed? Is your head straight and balanced on your neck? Is your back straight but relaxed?
Correcting the way you sit will feel uncomfortable at first, but once you become accustomed to it, you will notice a difference in how you feel physically.
