The Grand Horizontals - 4 - Swing Like A WPGA Pro

Annika Sorenestam. By Keith Allison - originally posted to Flickr as AAAA0046

The Grand Horizontals - 4 - Swing Like a WPGA Pro

Aligning the Shoulder Girdle for Clean Turns and Elegant Posture

A variation on the “Flexors and Extensor” lesson

Some movements are simply more graceful and elegant when the torso turns as a whole. As in: swinging a stick - bat, club, oar, ski pole; getting in and out of a car; turning to look confidently over the shoulder; carrying something close to the body.

The corners of the clavicles are delicate/strong points. The outer tips are the arm’s only skeletal connections to the body’s structural core. (Much as it sometimes seems the shoulder blades are connected to the ribs, they are not.) And how often do we attend to the full length of the beauty bones?

This lesson riffs on a classic lesson - “Flexors and Extensors” for those who like to know - designed to strengthen and release the spine. The collar bones are the featured soloists who hold the entire shoulder girdle together.

Lie on your back, with your legs crossed. This helps the two sides of the pelvis roll in unison and loosen up the low back. Then come the triangle arms, extending to the sky, opening the spine between the shoulder blades. Reaching with one arm, then both, pin attention to the collar bones as they expand outward and down to hold the entire torso together as one. The entire sequence is about cleanly translating the power from the hips through the center to the edges. The grand finale is a much-needed rolling self-hug with a focus on the collarbones to help lift the chest and undo habitual slumping.

The Voice-O-Meter sounds this week:

  • Lung Sound - SSSSSSSSSSSS - the sound of wind in dried leaves - releasing grief and making space for courage

  • Heart Sound - HAAAAAAAA - the sound of a sigh of relief or a giggle - releasing hate and impatience and making space for love

Science nerd candy this week: If you haven’t found time to watch these two videos, do so this week. Both are comprehensive and accessible, though a bit longer than my usual recommendations. Watch them at 1.75x with the captions on if you are pressed for time:

How You Might Feel After This Lesson: Connected through the entire torso; Ribs open and flexible; Breath deep and wide; Arms resting easily in shoulder sockets; Shoulder girdle - shoulder blades, clavicles - resting comfortably over upper ribs; Ready to swing; Regal posture with your beauty bones ready for viewing.

BY ZOOM New Students: Register here

Jacki Katzman