Adurst

As with all things in life...opening one door...leads to a new hallway with more doors. I've had a difficult 6+months of developing the CLM practices. So a narrowed my focus and kept routine. Being able to consciously control and relax my body and mind has proved extremely fruitful to living. I'd say I am no master...but have continued to improve in my ability to be strong with high tension when needed and relaxed when not...but much to still learn and practice.

I've not written in ages I fell off the wagon at the end of March. Lost motivation, got but depressed about not being in a position to take the next steps of commitment for what I wanted to do/precieved I needed to do ....lucky rather then give up everything, I just put everything in "maintence"...kept training 4 days a week...and choose just a couple goals. One being the side splits. Happy to say about 1.5 years since It attended Kit's workshop....I have achieved this goal. I'm also feeling more positive about training harder again

Sure. Depends on how good you want to get, how fast. you can learn everything through exploration...in fact a great deal of our life should be spent here. Much is to be learned by the journey of play and exploration. But, if you have a specific or definitive course or goal. Isolating and repping specific skills and drills will help you level-up faster. There is value in both. And you could live completely satisfied with just play/exploration. The spotting helps you focus on one or two cues at a time. There is an ideal pattern...like handstands....once your good, you can do whatever you like...but in the start body line and tension helps beginners. Some is safety about stepping and falling off Some is the mechanics of the step, arm positions for balance and maintaining eyeline. People tend to drop gaze, flail an arm, Rush the step, without lateral weight shift at hips and fall onto forward step...rather then pushing weight forward with back foot...gradually increasing weight transfer as you move CoM over front foot. There are also techniques to stop the out of control leg wobble.

I highly suggest getting spotted as per the above pics. Start by touching the whole time. Then small releases between steps. Then releases for the step. Then go for it. Just going for it is good. But there is some technique and common bad habits people form. Spotting helps you work on basics and fix one or two things at a time. Probably a good YouTube video somewhere

Don't ask me how I know....but this works....to an extent Key is finding the dose that is therapeutic and not poison/broken jaw Todd Hargrove has some great research/ideas as to why to why this is.

While I have great respect for IP and think people need to rewarded and recognized for innovation..... Scott Sonnon did not invent wrist circles Ido Portal did not invent crawling And Sommer did not invent touching your toes or hollow body hold or... People need to stop fighting over this crap...and focus on their ability to coach and teach and change people's lives. People will flock to learn from the best teachers. And as teachers...once you teach it to someone...it is gone..it is their information to share...it is now their knowledge...no longer just yours!

I'm not quite sure I know what the side bend position is. Pike twisted to outside of foot?

I will...I just won't count...but I'll get in there...ball-park or beyond

I should update that I have achieved all pre-reqs I shall bounce at will, daily...but I ain't counting to 400!

Retract and depress your scapula Roll shoulder down and back while doing stretch. You can't really say where you'll feel things as everyone is different...if you still don't feel it...at all...the pose may be mastered...you might need a harder varient...or your missing a nuance.

Kit Ive found in the last year that two things have really helped me 1) for my flexibility...just going to all of my current (today's) end ranges at least once a day. 2) for my movement intelligence...moving with grace, ease and confidence from one position to another. My request and/or suggestion is to create "daily limber flows" A little sequence that flows well between positions (can be done at any speed). Hits all the major ROMs. These would look similar to a dance warm-up or or mini yoga routine. I've now adopted and played and developed a few of these for myself. They can also incorporate strength work. Main issue is if people can't do a pose, it is harder in this context to modify and regress progresssions. So you might start with some super easy ones and add later. Issue also can be that flexibl in a person isn't even. Ie Loose shoulders and tight hips...so standard easy, medium, advanced...doesn't totally work. Could be linked to mastety series...when you can do these poses...this flow is possible. Happy to help choreography and film if needed

As for Ido's students...these two definitely have expression. Check out Tom: And Shira:

Teaching movement over the Internet is next to impossible. Although Rafe Kelley is making an excellent attempt. The online coaching with Ido is largely preping your body for higher level movement. For movement...there are basically two ways to learn 1) play and slow progress and possible injury 2) coaching with a specialist in the skills you seek to develop. Ideally both are used extensively. Ido would teach you much at an internship. As would going to a contemporary dance class, or learn to dive classes or a parkour jam.

Haha! Pretty much what was going on in my mind when you said it. P.S. As I know you know...The pendulum doesn't have to be all the way to one side there are infinite positions between the two extremes. And in reality this is usually where we want to be. Extremes are "simpler"/"easier" concepts for our over thinking brains...but living in a living flux of equilibrium is the ultimate goal and challenge.

Is the joint popping? Like the head of the femur is roughly repositioning itself in the joint capsule? Or Is another structure getting caught or slipping off during the movement? Do particular movements cause the popping and others not? As general advice...stretch all the way around the hip. -hip Flexors and quads - ab and adductors -hamstrings and glutes Also...I don't roll the IT band...I think rolling it does almost nothing and irritates it.

In my research...it is all...almost the same. What I like about Kit's system is the emphasis on developing your internal awareness. What can you do in that moment to change the sensation that is preventing you from going further. All of the techniques focus on convincing unconscious mind to let you move into a new range. Contract Relax is demonstrating you have some strength and control in that position and isometric strength if you do it hard enough. LPS is just building strength towards end range by loading and moving towards limit of flexibility. Ballistic Stretching is both loading and a little trick that if you do it fast enough the nervous system is not fast enough to stop you from going past your normal limit. That said there are other layers to work on then just muscle length. 1) joints - do they function properly...have capsules closed in? 2) fascia - is everything glued together and tacked down? 3) muscle length - mainly in your head/unconscious mind.

Two weeks in a row of walking up mount lofty in five fingers. 4km trail...500m+ of elevation. Focusing on silence and smoothness of my gait. Plus both times I had a 18kg toddler + backpack + drinks, changes of clothes and beef jerky! First week...my anterior tibialis had major DOMS. Also doing a bunch of other stuff (ballet Barre, intrinsic foot strength and just trying to be about to control each toe individually.

"When I miss the snatch, I go jerk"

Lol...gold! My previous point was just the culture has had an influence/impact on both the language, preferred techniques and how people approach. If nothing else...they are expectations to manage. Definitely lots of techniques that are similar...and how people approach is highly personal...not nessecarly about the system. I did see K.Starrett once advocate putting a tennis ball on the end of a reciprocal saw and jamming that into his legs for short periods. Which could be highly effective. I think any of the names that do not cause a legal battle are Good. The Lifting theme might have a broader audience.

Wasn't lost on me bro And as for the HF...sure you can smash a person with s HF or do a single arm chest stretch on the floor with the arm internally rotated (Palm up), then take hand to full flexion and full rotation forward. For many this would be massive overload. But not nessecarly helpful. Looking like your stretching and stretching are two different things. My big take away over the last year is internal awareness and autoregulation...and Kit started that journey.

ST hasn't gained traction because it isn't about beating your body into submission. MWOD is very much this style. Using techniques labeled as "smashes" and other techniques that are about getting a result in min time. This fits culturally with Crossfit's tendency to be extremist. I know not all are.

I've very much enjoyed your articles. Thanks for taking the time and effort to share.

that was hilarious!

Sweet! Wish you had shown off your B-boy moves at the workshop!

I'm close enough and have large enough testicles that on a good day...hot weather and loose shorts...I can make touch down. calves touch...thighs don't Cody is the person that proved that is possible to me...but I'm not super far away now myself. I can do it with just one or two light finger support