mamboqueen
Well-Known Member
I have trouble keeping my shoulders still in spots where I'm supposed to. Anyone have any good exercises for isolations, keeping the head/shoulders/chest still?
Body Movement
- Thread starter mamboqueen
- Start date
NielsenE
Active Member
Some people will make a "w" with their arms in a door frame, providing some pressure through the arms to center themselves in the opening, as you do your normal isolation exercises the you can monitor the pressure in both hands/arms to see if your moving the upper torso. A slightly "better" variation is to keep keep the arms straight and raise them upwards to the side until they make contact with the door frame. Its harder to feel the pressure, but it doesn't distort the shoulders as much and is more subtle.
NielsenE
Active Member
It depends what asked of the isolation you need to work on:
-- exerting a slight to no pressure into the door frame, provides a mechanism for receiving feedback if you're failing to keep the top isolated
-- exerting a strong pressure into the door frame will "lock" the upper body in place if you need to explore range of motion/ convince yourself that your body can actually do it
other people will just watch themselves in a mirror, but some people need the tactile feedback rather than visual, etc
-- exerting a slight to no pressure into the door frame, provides a mechanism for receiving feedback if you're failing to keep the top isolated
-- exerting a strong pressure into the door frame will "lock" the upper body in place if you need to explore range of motion/ convince yourself that your body can actually do it
other people will just watch themselves in a mirror, but some people need the tactile feedback rather than visual, etc
madmaximus
Forum Master
MQ,
Here's one that's served me well.
You will need a dowel or a broom stick about 4 feet long.
1. The position:
Stand in front of a wall, about 2 feet away.
Hold your elbows up in dance position--upper arms parallel to the floor.
Cradle the stick in the bend of your elbows, holding it in place with both thumbs (approx. at the sternum level).
2. The exercise:
Move to the Left. Start with:
RF crosses in front of LF (in Promenade).
LF to the side.
RF crosses BEHIND LF.
LF to the side.
Repeat as necessary.
(Do the opposite side, starting with the LF to the Right)
3. The all important details:
Keep the stick (and therefore your shoulders) parallel to the wall and the floor during the entire exercise.
Stand straight and high--do not slouch forward.
Turn your head as far as possible towards the direction of movement.
See how much you can open your hip to the direction of movement.
Start with smaller steps at first, eventually lowering to where the full length of the stride is at about 3 or so feet.
4. The CAUTION:
You are dealing with serious spinal rotation here, please DO NOT to OVER-ROTATE your torso--beyond what is comfortable.
I've found this to be just as useful in my Latin as it is in my Standard.
I hope this helps some.
m
Here's one that's served me well.
You will need a dowel or a broom stick about 4 feet long.
1. The position:
Stand in front of a wall, about 2 feet away.
Hold your elbows up in dance position--upper arms parallel to the floor.
Cradle the stick in the bend of your elbows, holding it in place with both thumbs (approx. at the sternum level).
2. The exercise:
Move to the Left. Start with:
RF crosses in front of LF (in Promenade).
LF to the side.
RF crosses BEHIND LF.
LF to the side.
Repeat as necessary.
(Do the opposite side, starting with the LF to the Right)
3. The all important details:
Keep the stick (and therefore your shoulders) parallel to the wall and the floor during the entire exercise.
Stand straight and high--do not slouch forward.
Turn your head as far as possible towards the direction of movement.
See how much you can open your hip to the direction of movement.
Start with smaller steps at first, eventually lowering to where the full length of the stride is at about 3 or so feet.
4. The CAUTION:
You are dealing with serious spinal rotation here, please DO NOT to OVER-ROTATE your torso--beyond what is comfortable.
I've found this to be just as useful in my Latin as it is in my Standard.
I hope this helps some.
m
mamboqueen
Well-Known Member
I am sure you are describing this as you do it, but I'm such a visual person. I'm having trouble figuring this out.
I'm in promenade position (going to the left is completely unnatural to me!). When I put the rf forward and then put the left foot to the side, the next series of movements is like a grapevine in pp?
and thank you, by the way.
I'm in promenade position (going to the left is completely unnatural to me!). When I put the rf forward and then put the left foot to the side, the next series of movements is like a grapevine in pp?
and thank you, by the way.
madmaximus
Forum Master
Sorry MQ,
I was describing this (the Prom. Pos.) from a man's perspective.
For the ladies, it would of course be the opposite.
(LF across RF, then RF to the side...).
And you are right, it IS a grapevine series.
The object being to keep the shoulders parallel to the wall, and rotate the torso on down, independently.
The exercise is viable for left, or right directions though.
Hope this clarifies.
m
I was describing this (the Prom. Pos.) from a man's perspective.
For the ladies, it would of course be the opposite.
(LF across RF, then RF to the side...).
And you are right, it IS a grapevine series.
The object being to keep the shoulders parallel to the wall, and rotate the torso on down, independently.
The exercise is viable for left, or right directions though.
Hope this clarifies.
m
mamboqueen
Well-Known Member
Yuppers. Thanks much; I will let you know how it goes. If you don't hear from me in a few days, I'll be in traction!
mamboqueen
Well-Known Member
Yeah....free broomsticks with each video I sell. *LOL*