Pelvic Floor Revisited: Spiraling In - 12 - Receiving the Belly from the Side (Fiddling Arms)
Pelvic Floor Revisited: Spiraling In - 12 - Receiving the Belly from the Side
Feel the floor in a different relationship to gravity
Based on “Fiddling Arms” by Moshe Feldenkrais
Wrestling this theme to the ground. Another exploration of the inhale/pelvic floor release, this time from the side. Here the triangle arms and bent legs rest on the floor, with the spine and pelvis free from the restrictions of the floor. Twists take on new resonance when the side ribs and legs hold the body up in gravity. How does this change in relationship to gravity bring new awareness of the pelvic floor, especially in it’s receptive state?
There is something deeply relaxing about the fetal position. We begin there, soft baby belly rising and falling with the breath, the pelvis following. The upper body rolls for an upper twist when the top ‘triangle’ arm slides towards and away from the body. The lower body gets the twist when the upper stacked leg slides forward and back over the lower leg. Each twist is a different take on how the abs, low back, glutes, inner legs and sphincters - the pelvic floor system - responds to the breath and stimuli from other parts of the body.
This lesson is yet another opportunity to harmonize pelvic support, ground forces, and breath for power and control. Bring your cork if you like practicing soft face and lips.
Science Nerd Candy Bowl:
Female pelvic floor muscle - 3D animation - Continence Health Australia (2:00) - useful animation of pelvic floor contracting and releasing begins at 1:08.
3D Animation: Depicting the coordination between the diaphragm and pelvic floor muscles - CDI Studio - (0:36)
Set up for sidelying lesson:
Extra padding as desired to lie on side
Support for head - a folded towel or yoga block
Support between knees if desired
Or sit on a firm chair that allows you to side sideways and press your side ribs into the chair back.
How you might feel after this lesson: Heightened awareness of when the pelvic floor is receiving and when it is engaged: Improved sense of overall timing of breath and pelvic floor movement; Hips open and comfortably aligned; Legs aligned in hip sockets, with ground forces flowing easily from foot to hip; Shoulders surprisingly released; Upper back and chest looser and more flexible, Spine warmed up and tuned for allowing twists to flow up and down.