The Art Of Mastering Movement

“The anatomical transition to upright posture and gait on two feet was the most profound change in our evolution from apelike creatures. It was the prime trigger of human evolution, resulting in a complete restructuring of  our anatomy and the emergence of the huge human brain that propelled us upward”

Stephen Jay Gould, Paleobiologist

 

“Man’s bipedal mode of walking seems potentially catastrophic because only the rhythmic forward movement of one leg and then the other keeps him from falling on his face. In actuality, it is man in pursuit of his center of  gravity”

J.Napier, The Antiquity of Walkin

On January 15, 2010, the studio held a workshop on the foot with special guest, podiatrist, Dr. Justin Wernick. His notes on fitting shoes correctly are included in this blog. The following are notes taken from the workshop.  Enjoy!

The foot is one of the most important body parts you will ever learn about.  That is because you stand and walk on your feet all day long. In fact probably the only time you don’t use your feet is when you are sleeping or lounging on the couch.  So, it is to your benefit to notice the way your foot connects to the ground and the way you use it for walking and standing because that force translates all the way up and down the body.  Your feet are truly your only physical connection to the Earth.  How your feet related to the ground will dictate your ability to find your center.

Three Things Guaranteed to Make Your Feet Happy

Touch your feet and get to know them.  Where are all the bones?  Do they move?  Should they move?

Your foot consists of 26 bones; 14 phalanges (big toe only 2), five metatarsals, three cuneiforms, a navicular, cuboid, talus and heel/calcaneus.  Note; there are 27 bones in your hand.  Is your foot more like your hand, or is your hand more like your foot?

Notice the way your foot moves when you walk.  There is a slight twisting, can you feel that?  From heel strike to putting your foot on the ground, your foot moves more toward the inside line of the body.  That makes it an adaptive foot.  Then the foot moves more to the outside, making it more rigid, helping to propel yourself forward.

Your foot is a dynamic energy rebounder that allows you to feel the surface you are on, and then propel you forward.  This makes you the most efficient  walking mammal on the face of the Earth.

Exercise your feet to better take care of them and make them happy and healthy.    Don’t forget toe taps, heel taps, and angel wings.  You can also try picking up smooth stones with your feet or write your name in the air with your toes.  Working out your foot intrinsic muscles keeps them able to move and be as dynamic as possible.

Exercises for Your Feet:

Toe Tapping:  This exercise promotes dorsi flexion.  You need 10 degrees of dorsiflexion in normal walking.  If you do not have that this is the exercise for you.  Also, include stretching out your calves.

Position: Seated in a chair with the knees flexed at 90 degrees

Movement: Keep the heel on the ground and tap the metatarsal on the floor.  Especially the area between the first     and second toe.  Tap with confidence.  Repeat until you feel the front of the shines and then do a few more, or about 30 seconds   to 1 minute.

Heel Tapping: This exercise promotes plantar flexion.  You need 20 degrees of plantar flexion in normal walking.  Plantar flexion helps push you away from the ground and propel you forward.  If you have trouble with this exercise, you may be a victim of high heels, or may need help grounding your feet  to relax the front of your shine.  Can you stand and flex your ankle without the tendons in the front popping forward?  If not, put more weight into the floor and try it again.

Position: Seated in a chair with the knees flexed as 90 degrees.

Movement: Keep the toes on the floor, especially the area between the first and second toes.  Lift and lower your heels.     Continue for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Angel Wings Inward: This is an exercise for people who pronate.  Because you are moving your foot into the opposite or supination.  Remember you need both to walk efficiently.   So make sure you do angel wings in both directions.

Position: Seated in a chair with the knees flexed at 90 degrees.     Place a red ball or pillow in between the knees to make sure this      movement is coming from the lower leg.

Movement: Move your foot and toes inward with the quality     moving sand.  It’s like being at the beach.  Do 10 to 15   repetitions.

Angel Wings Outward: This is an exercise for people who supinate because it does the opposite with your feet.  Again, remember to do both directions when you do this exercise.

Position: Seated on a chair with the knees flexed at 90 degrees.     Place a red ball or pillow in between the knees.

Movement: Move your foot and toes outward again with the     quality of moving sand.  Hear the waves?  Do 10 to 15   repetitions.

How to Advance all these Exercises? Try using a little resistance in the opposite direction with a theraband.  For a super hard exercise, when you do the angel wings with the theraband, try a set of repetitions without moving the toes.  Wow, now that is a foot control exercise.

Alphabet Exercises: This exercise with use each joint of your foot.  It is like broccoli for your feet.

Position: Sitting on a chair, lift one foot off the ground.  If    needed you can hold your let with a tie or hand if necessary.

Movement: With your toes write the alphabet in the air.  Start   from A and go all the way to Z.  Make sure the letters are capital, box or printed style letters.

Especially for Your Toes

Big Toe Dorsi Flexion: This exercise keep the joints in the big toe open and able to move.  It will help to bend the toe in push off phase of gait.

Position: On a chair, hold the big toe with your fingers, let the rest of the foot hang.

Movement: Make sure you traction the toe by pulling toward the end of the toe, or by just hanging on to the toe and letting the weight of the foot hang.  Then dorsi flex or bend the big toe back toward you. 

Toe Ups/Downs: This is to work the planter flexors on the bottow of your toes and feet. These muscles are also used for push off in gait.

Position: On the floor with the legs straight and in front of you.       Wrap a theraband around the big toe and pull it toward you.

Movement: Point and flex the big toe.  Do 10 to 20 repetitions.       Then wrap the theraband around the next two toes and repeat.    Then the last two toes and repeat.  Check that you are not   holding the theraband too tight because that can over stretch      the bottom of your toes.  Be gentle, but firm.  Again, make sure  you do both feet.

Toe Curls: This exercise is to help strengthen the bottom of the feet and toes.

Position: On the floor with the legs stretched forward, or lie on  your back on the floor, and allow your legs which are long to rest       on the wall.  You can place a ball or pillow between your legs to     keep the hip, knee ankle alignment.  Place a paper towel or      tissue. under all the toes.  Notice if you can see all the      metatarsal heads peeking up at you like knuckles.  You should have five of them like a fist.

Movement: The legs are long, and the toes are kept curled.    Point and flex at the ankle.  See if you can do it without letting   go of the paper towel or tissue.

Alternative Exercise: Put a towel in front of you and curl it up  with your toes.  Sometimes referred to as “eating the towel”   exercise.

Play Piano: This exercise is the ultimate rainy day activity.  Preferably with friends in front of a fire sipping hot chocolate.  Basically, it takes practice in order to do, and once you have accomplished it your friends will be utterly amazed.

Position: Seated on a chair with the whole foot on the ground.    You can put a pillow between the legs if you would like.

Movement: Lift all the toes and then gracefully place one toe    down at a time, starting from the little toe to the big toe.  You     can also start from the big toe to the little toe, but it is a little   harder.  If you get this down, you may be able to play Mozart   after awhile with your toes.

Shoe Fitting Hints

Measure from your longest toe to the end of the shoe.   Allow 3/8’’ to 5/8” space.

Measure width by squeezing each side of the upper part between your fingers. Should be able to grasp some material.

•The widest part of the foot should fit in the widest part of the shoe.

•The shape of the shoe should match the shape of the foot. Foot stretches about 1/2 size during pronatory & propulsive (heel off) phases.

Ideal Comfort Shoe

•Laced shoe •Flexible at the ball of the foot

•Firm area around the heel (counter)

•Vibram or rubber sole material.

•Modest heel,1/2 to 1 inch

       In the Pilates world there are a few spots on the body that we tend to cue a lot and hence have slight abbreviations for them.  One of those body parts in the mid thoracic vertebrae.  You may remember it from and earlier blog on neutral spine.  This mid thoracic area is sometimes referred to as the T-spot, or thoracic spot. 

        It is located just above the xiphoid process or about at level eight of the thoracic vertebrae.  Some Pilates instructors refer to it as having a bullseye on your body.  This is the approximate area of the apex of your thoracic curve.  The thoracic curve is a primary or kyphotic curve.  Basically, this spot should be the furthest posterior or back than all the other thoracic vertebrae.  You can test this by lying down on the floor  on your back and seeing if this part of your spine touches the floor.  If it doesn’t, you may have posturally diminished your thoracic curve or maybe your upper transverse abdominals are weak.

     If the upper transversus abdominals are weak, this area will tend to protrude forward allowing the lower ribs to spread outward as well as forward.  My instructor used to tell us when she saw our ribs protruding forward was that it looked as if we had four breasts.  It made us laugh and we realized it wasn’t a very attractive look.  What it really meant though was that we were not able to move and keep a neutral spine.  Hmmmmmm.

Below are some exercises for working on your T-spot

1.  Modified Abdominal Sensation – If your Transverse Abdominals are weak it is always a great idea to go back to the Abdominal Sensation exercise described in the Trasverses Abdominal section.  Lying on your back with your knees bent and in line with your hips.  Place a hand on you low ribs, or at the T-spot.  Inhale to prepare, and as you exhale, feel the ribs come together and rotate toward your body.  Inhale again, allow your ribs to move up and out, but try not to let them completely release and allow the mid back to leave the floor.  Exhale, focus on drawing the T-spot inward and down to the floor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.  Modified Curl Up – Again a similar exercise as the curl up in the Transverses Abdominal section.  Same position on the floor with the knees bent and in line with the hips.  Exhale and curl upward.  Notice the ribs coming together and down.  Inhale, and keep the ribs together and down as you lower the upper body to the floor.  Basically, try not to allow the lower ribs to release from each other and protrude forward and up to the ceiling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.  T-Spot Exercise – Same position as the last two exercises.  Arms long, in line with the shoulder girdle and reaching up to the ceiling.  Inhale and allow the arms to move back toward the floor without releasing the T-Spot from the floor.  Exhale, connect the T-Spot to the floor and it will actually help your arms to come back to the beginning position.  Hint: If your arms get past your ears your T-Spot is probably off the floor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As discussed earlier in this blog, Joseph Pilates was a man ahead of his time.  He witnessed the industrial revolution from its’ birth to seeing factories erected in every major city.  He saw factory workers standing doing repetitive motions all day.  He noticed the air quality because of those factories become polluted.  Although it was the general consensus that industrialization was good, Pilates had reservations about it supporting a healthy lifestyle.  The following excerpt is taken from his book Contrology and it is titled, “Civilization Impairs Physical Fitness.”  I hope you enjoy it.

        Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness.  Our interpretation of physical fitness is the attainment and maintenance of a uniformly developed body with a sound mind fully capable of naturally, easily and satisfactorily performing our many and varied daily tasks with spontaneous zest and pleasure.  To achieve the highest accomplishments within the scope of our capabilities in all walks of life we must constantly strive to acquire strong, healthy bodies and develop our minds to the limit of our ability.  This very rapidly progressing world with its ever increasing faster tempo of living demands that we be physically fit and alert in order that we may succeed in the unceasing race with keen competition which rewards the “go-getter” but by passes the “no-getter.”

        Physical fitness can neither be acquired by wishful thinking nor by outright purchase.  However, it can be gained through performing the daily exercises conceived for this purpose by founder of Contrology whose unique methods accomplish this desirable result by successfully counteracting the harmful inherent conditions associated with modern civilization.

        In the Stone Age and onward man lived mostly outdoors with practically little shelter from the elements.  He has not yet lived long enough indoors with protection against the elements to be able le to successfully withstand the daily strains and stresses imposed upon him by our present mode of “fast” living.  This explains why both you and I and all the rest of us are compelled in our own interest to give constant thought to the improvement of our bodies and to spend more time in acquiring and maintaining that all important goal of physical fitness. 

        All in all, we do not give our bodies the care that our well being deserves (you may want to read that sentence again).  True, we do stroll in the fresh air whenever out whimsical spirit moves us, or whenever necessity compels us to do so, with the result that on these occasions we do, in spite of ourselves, exercise our legs to this limited extent, accomplished, however, at the sacrifice of the rest of our body which after all is much more important to us from the viewpoint of our general health.  Is it any wonder then that this haphazard and wholly inadequate body building technique of the average person fails so miserably in the acquirement of physical fitness!

        Admittedly, it is rather difficult to gain ideal physical fitness under the handicap of daily breathing the soot-saturated air of our crowded and noisy cities.  On the other hand, we can more quickly realize this ambition if we are privileged to breathe the pure fresh air of the country and forests without the accompaniment of the traffic roar of the city, which constantly tends to keep our nerves strung taut.  Even those of us who work in the city and are fortunate enough to live in the country must counteract the unnatural physical fatigue and mental strain experienced in our daily activities.  Telephones, automobiles, and economic pressure all combine to create physical letdown and mental stress so great that today practically no home is entirely free from sufferers of some form of nervous tension.

        Because of the intense concentration demanded by our work and despite the real enjoyment our work may bring some of us we, nevertheless, gladly welcome any additional relief in the form of diversified and pleasant recreational activities, preferably outdoors, in our constant attempts to offset the effects of increasing cares and burdens so common today.  To ease mental strain and relieve physical fatigue we must acquire a reserve stockpile of nervous energy in order that we may really be able to enjoy ourselves at night.  Hobbies and all forms of play tend materially to renew our vitality with accompanying moral uplift.  Play is not necessarily only confined to indulging in conventional games.  Rather the term “play” as we use it here, embraces every possible form of PLEASURABLE LIVING.  For example, simply spending a quiet and pleasant evening at home with our family chatting with congenial friends is, according to our interpretation, a form of play, that is delightful, pleasant social entertainment as distinguished from our daily work.  This finds us cheerful, contented, and relaxed.

        However, many of us at the end of our daily work lack sufficient energy at night for recreation.  How many of us simply spend the night routinely reading the evening newspaper?  How many of us are entirely too exhausted to read, even occasionally, an interesting book, visit our friends, or see one of the latest motion pictures?  When some of us occasionally spend a weekend away from our usual city haunts and environments, instead of receiving the immediate benefits of that desirable change in the way of complete revitalization (without fatigue) as the result of our experience outdoors in the bright sunshine, we are more often than not likely to find ourselves only recovering from the shock of our disappointment about the middle of the following week.

        Why?  Because our previous mode of living and the consequent neglect of our bodies has not prepared us for reaping the beneficial results of this diversion.  We lacked the necessary reserve energy to draw upon for this purpose and the fault lies only with us and not with nature as most of us like to think.  All that any normal body should require is a change from whatever it has previously been subjected to.

        Accordingly, since we are living in this Modern Age we must of necessity devote more time and more thought to the important matter of acquiring physical fitness.  This does not necessarily imply that we must devote ourselves only to the mere development of any particular pet set of muscles, but rather more rationally to the uniform development of our bodies as a whole – keeping all our organs as nearly as possible in their naturally normal condition so that we may not only be in a better position of earn our daily bread but also so that we may have sufficient vitality in reserve at night for the enjoyment of compensating pleasure and relaxation.

        Perhaps with some feeling of doubt you ask, “How can I realize such a utopian condition?  At night I am much too tired to go to a gymnasium.”  Or, “Isn’t it too costly to enroll for a conditioning course in some good gymnasium or club?”  RETURN TO LIFE fully explains how you can successfully achieve your worthy ambition to attain physical fitness right in your own home and at only nominal cost.

        Return to Life is what Joe Pilates called his book.  The full title is Return to Life Through Contrlology.  It was originally published in 1945.  The part you have just read comes in the beginning of the book.  It has a little bit of a sales pitch to it at the end, but Pilates’ really had a passion for wanting people to becoming familiar with their physicality.  He felt it was one of the most important things in life that one could accomplish.  I find this article on physical fitness and society particularly interesting because even though it was written over sixty years ago, it still has a message for us today.