Rhythms are a natural part of life that help soothe and comfort us. People are drawn to the rhythms in music. Babies are drawn to the rhythm of their mother's heartbeat. Our bodies are built for rhythm. Rhythmic movements, rhythmic breath.
When these rhythms are off, the result is noticeable. Any of my family can tell you my musical sense of rhythm is very poor. Fortunately for me, I chose to work with bodies, not music!
Back to the body, yoga and tai chi help the body learn to move more smoothly and build strength in places prone to weakness to keep our bodies balanced against stressors in their daily use. You notice when this rhythm is off when you find a "catch" in your back/neck/shoulder/hip.
Most people don't think much about their breathing or the impact it can make on their body. It is helpful to practice breathing exercises to avoid putting strain on weaker muscles in the neck and upper back, and to develop the diaphragm muscle. Begin with visualizing an oval. As you reach the end of your inhale, you are at the top of the oval, and as you complete your exhale, pause at the bottom of the oval before returning to the inhale. Done correctly, this exercise should not cause you to become dizzy or hyperventilate.
Your breathing can also impact the results of your massage sessions. When you breathe in a rhythm, I can adjust my techniques to work in sync with your body. Particularly when working with a trouble spot, it is helpful to focus on your breathing. I will lighten my pressure or pause while you inhale, and as you exhale slowly, I will work into the trouble spot. When you and I work in rhythm in this way, your guard is released so your muscles aren't resisting the work, your body becomes more receptive to the work I'm doing, and faster progress can be made.
Working in rhythm with my clients' breathing is one of my favorite things, unfortunately, not a lot of my clients utilize this tool they possess. It is my hope that by addressing it here, clients will become more aware of how to get even better results from their sessions with me.
No comments:
Post a Comment