Reach through the legs

I have a new saying to add to Movement Perspectives: “Soggy legs = soggy center.” In movements like the Hundred, The Single Leg Stretch, The Double Leg Stretch, The Side Leg Kick, The Swim, The Swan you need to reach your legs (and feet) towards the wall (or ceiling) (try to touch the wall that the feet are facing). This helps animate the center. When you stretch the legs away from your center it pulls on the muscles in the trunk, which contract in response to the stretch reflex. It elongates the legs and muscles, and adds space in the back, hips and leg joints. It encourages the hamstrings to help support the leg, rather than overusing your hip flexors and thighs. It also tends to place the back and pelvis in the proper position. So my Movement Perspectives’ cues “When in doubt reach out” or “Oppositional pull” automatically animate the center to support your spine without you having to think about it! p. 29 of Movement Perspectives. In this picture of Raisa (lower left picture), she is reaching through her left leg to the ceiling which animates her center in the the challenging Balance Control.