Some people have no idea what they look like from behind.
When we look in the mirror our front body is our general view point. Yes, we do
turn around to check out the back sometimes but even then it’s not typically a
straight-on view. There’s a different self awareness between front and back
body for most people. Most of our daily movement is front body; we move
forward, lifting our knees, flexing at the hips and moving our arms in front of
us. There also is a tendency in exercise for people to emphasize strengthening
these same muscle groups because they want to tone what they can see in the
mirror - of course!
Spine extension during the recent workshop intensives in
Venice Beach, CA
At the Dailey Method we know for a balanced and truly
healthy body and life we need to have strength inside and out, upside and down
and front to back so we continually emphasize balancing out the work between
the muscles all the way around the body. We believe that quality back body
strength has components to help anti-aging.
What do the back muscles that The Dailey Method targets do
for us?
Postural support: we need the muscles of our upper back to
hold our shoulders in place in order to have good posture and to allow for ease
and full range of motion for our shoulder joint. Good posture makes us look and feel more confident. In addition, strengthening the scapular
stabilizers (including the rhomboids and the serratus) takes the load off of
the muscles of the neck and rotator cuff resulting in greater comfort through
all of our daily activities
Core power: People tend to think of their core as solely
their abdominals. The core consists not only of the abdominal muscles but also
your gluteals, pelvic floor, deep spinal muscles, and even your diaphragm. The
deepest layer of abdominal muscles, the transverse abdominis is more than just
a front body muscle. It wraps around your waist and connects to your spine via
a layer of connective tissue called the thoracolumbar fascia. Use of the core
from all four sides helps to support your low back, preventing injury and
helping you to move with a more graceful and balanced posture.
A high lifted seat AND a healthier spine! The Dailey Method
is well known for the strong back body appearance that comes with our signature
seat and thigh work. But did you know that at The Dailey Method you are
also creating a more stable pedestal for your spine to live on and better back
body support for your knees? The gluteal and hamstring muscles are crucial for
many functional movements such as climbing stairs, getting out of the car, and
bending down to pick up groceries. Equal strength and flexibility in your front
and back body will keep you injury free and create healthier joints from head
to toe.
We hope this inspired you to give it your all during prone
seat work and spinal extension!
Happy extensions,
-- Jill and Kerry
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