Search the Community

Though doing a body scan while stretching would seem intrinsic to any stretch technique, a search of this site with the word "scan" produces no results, and I dont remember it being explicitly mentioned anywhere. But maybe it appears in other guises. During a stretch, I've been doing a scan of the areas affected - and other areas as well. So for instance in a held single leg standing hamstring stretch, I first feel what is happening in the toes, then the balls of the feet, the arch of the foot, the instep, the ankle, the Achilles tendon, the calf muscles, the back, sides, and front of the knee, the different thigh muscles (in so far as I can distinguish them), the buttocks, the hip, the waist, the back, the shoulders, the arms, the neck, the head, the other leg. In other words, though I concentrate in more detail on the areas most closely involved in the stretch, I scan the rest of the body as well. This enables me to form a total picture of how the whole body is involved in the stretch. Then I can try relaxing areas that seem tight or that are being worked unnecessarily, and focus my attention on the areas that are being stretched, or that I intend to work on. This may seem slow and tedious, but after the first time I do it, I find I form a mental picture that means I can slip into it very quickly on later attempts. It would seem that doing something like this could help, and indeed be essential, in body awareness and body work. I’ve only tried it a little myself so far, but hope to tell my students about it soon, in case anyone finds it useful. I wonder has anyone tried it (whether in this form, or another one) and what has been your experience? Thanks, Jim.