Hammer's Anvil [2017 log]

[Craig]

This year is shaping up nicely already!  Firstly, my travels are reducing - I have secured an apartment in Berlin from January until June so will be a little more stationary than last year. In this time, I am teaching a whole bunch of workshops, and trialing a new type of workshop on physical cultivation exercises from my history of Chinese Martial Arts practice. All except one of my workshops can be found here: http://www.motionimpulse.com/event-bookings/?category=Craig+Mallett , the missing one is one I am sharing with my friend Carsten, and that can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1950777341816092/

Workshops aside, I am also gearing up to return to Sydney, which will happen early July. Upon return I will be working to create some steady classes, and eventually open permanent space for @Dave and I to use as our HQ and practice laboratory.  As part of this, I will be making many changes to the way I operate, all changes will be announced probably here and on facebook. Really looking forward to re-joining the Sydney crew and getting some great classes running!

On the practice front, da xuan practice continues to be the central focus, and will take up ~3 hours of my practice time each day.  This year is already shaping up to be super wonderful on the da xuan front, another initiation in February should really shake things up a bit, and another intensive in april. As the topics of this practice is getting pretty far removed from the Stretch Therapy world, I will keep this practice mostly out of this log, but you can pm me here or on facebook if you're interested.

From a physical perspective, my project in Berlin is going to be physical preparation for my return to sydney.  This will include my first serious look at weight training, which I will attempt to do with my own flavour.  I will also reignite my other physical practices, GST, stretching and basic parkour.  The trick to this will be finding time to fit it in among all of the dx practice, so I will need to train smart and compact.

Some physical goals for 2017 [subject to change when i feel like it]:

• continue exploring and resolving the inauspicious relationship between my internal and external hip rotators. 
• the above should go a long way to helping achieve a higher level of competency in the following postures, which will be my priority for this year: tailor's pose, pancake, pike, and a minor focus on side splits although they aren't as urgent.
• Get a solid side lever
• strengthen overhead pressing pattern
• Build endurance in the muscle up, will build to 5x5
• Deadlifts! Never done these before, so will be nice to see how they go
• Benchpress - attempt to get somewhat strong in these, also never done before. Project to gain strength in this plane without inauspiciously over tensioning shoulders and chest
• Squats - These are already reasonably strong, but will continue experimenting
• Bicep curls - gotta find out what this skin splitting pump is all about!
• Movement - get a smooth wall climb, try to do some play once per week.

Going to aim for 2 sessions per week, one with weights, one with GST and movement, or something like this. Let's see if it ends up being possible!

Finally, will be filming more tutorials while in Berlin, as always happy to take some suggestions but I already have a pretty good idea of what will be next.  Feel free to make suggestions here at any rate! All of the current tutorials can be found here: https://awarerelaxedconnected.uscreen.io/catalog

Bring it on, 2017.

[Craig]

Been experimenting with assisted one arm push ups, and some straight variations of downward dog pushups while I don't have access to gear.  Typically doing single sets of 5 randomly throughout the day.  This feels like a great little thing to have going until I have some more gear! 

Also continuing work on the piriformis and release work on calves and lev scap - this is making for auspicious results combined with the dx qigong. 

In other news, I posted an announcement on facebook (below)...I'm being absorbed by @Dave and Physical Alchemy!! nomnomnom.

 

 

[Craig]

Some stretching has been happening.  Been tinkering with a "Hammeresque" mode of alchemical stretching, and it helped me hone in on the 'one line' [to rule them all] of habitual tension. I managed to get an alchemical calf cramp, and a virtuous lat stretch, both while "doing" the piriformis stretch below. The line in question extends through the calf, up the outer hamstring, across the external rotators, into the left side of the sacrum, up the lat, into the shoulder joint and acj, then  up the neck behind the ear into the head.  Today I brought into awareness the 'gap' that I knew was there but couldn't feel in the lat, and the new awareness lit up the entire line in a non-painful way.

the shoulder and ac joint have both had chiropractic-esque clicking coming from them, 2/9 intensity but the relief that followed was tangible.  The release sensation was quite interesting, because it felt exactly like a chiropractic adjustment, although without any pressure at all, in fact it came from deep relaxation.  Today I felt specifically the click, followed by the feeling of the shoulder returning 'home' to it's correct position, and then felt the tension creep back in until another click returned it to it's position.  There was also a crack that shot up the lev scap into the head that was one of the most glorious feelings ever! Both incidents happened during qigong practice.

Stretching that got done:

- 3 rounds of alchammerical piriformis stretching
- 3 rounds of couch quad stretch with ball behind knee (inhibiting the calf and hamstring with the ball during this stretch was interesting!)
- 3 rounds of standing bent leg pike press to straight leg, focusing on activation and awareness building of deep hip flexors
- some misc handstand fun

 

 

[oliviaa]

That's a great stretch MH. Many of the students at the ANU found this one the most-doable for them if they needed to take the hip flexors out of the stretch to some extent, and all the rails we had in the P&F Room were perfect for this version. The main reason we recommend the floor version with bolster is that rotational torque on the knee can be avoided completely, though I see in your image above that you are holding the knee down so perhaps that does the same (will try ... having some wicked RHS piriformis problems myself right now!). Regarding the back (standing) leg, I've been straightening the back leg in the floor version (up on the ball of the foot), which does a few things: anteriorly tilts the pelvis, loads the stretching hip more because the lever is longer (now suspended off the back leg's toes rather than resting on the knee), and you can variously press out through the back leg's heel or plantar flex and thereby position your weight wherever gets you the best stretch. Super strong!

[Craig]

Thanks Liv! The pinning of the knee, especially with a straight arm, does something very interesting in my body, changes it totally. Agree with the knee torque, if you see in the Instagram vid I've got a note there for people to elevate the knee if they are getting inauspicious knee sensations.

I actually prefer the floor variant with the bolster and a good partner too, unfortunately Cherie is too busy smashing handstands to partner me most of the time, nor do we have many good bolsters!! For solo stretch, I personally much prefer this version.

Some of the variables I've been tinkering with:

- leg bent or straight. I've really been enjoying dropping the knee all the way to the floor, then slowly straightening it until locked all the while keeping the pelvis in position. 10 slow pulses like this have been doing wonders.

- gliding the pelvis side to side.... This one is great, not possible on the floor version. 

- presses with the hands... Pressing up with both hands until both elbows lock, then dropping the chest onto the leg. Also single arm presses, keeping one armpit on the leg and pressing the other arm straight puts a great rotational element, and each arm hits a very different line!

-variations on height... Close to the floor has the hf element and interesting things to explore with the back foot as you mentioned. Medium height is the most gentle for me. Super high is great because you hang the body from the piriformis and can get some really cool tractioning in the front leg.

-knee angle... Opening and closing the front knee angle. For this floating variant I prefer having the support only going as far as the knee, so you can hang the pelvis below the foot line. 

It's mostly nice because it's easy to do anywhere, which is a major boon for me right now!!

[jordan]

Great variations Craig, thanks for sharing those (and to Olivia too!).  I've been playing with both this and the floor versions of this piriformis stretch a lot lately and it's nice to have some new ideas to play around with.

 

I have to say that doing the partner version of the adv piriformis on the floor has been a game changer for someone who has only done solo stretching for a few years until a few weeks ago.  There's something that makes my body feel so safe and happy to relax (for long periods too!) when I have a partner lying with their back across mine, and their head relaxed, nuzzled up against the back of my neck.

[Craig]

Today, stretching session

- more piriformis exploration

- side split joint rotations...Guuhhh need to work on these.

- couch stretch with upgrades... Definitely a fascial restriction here.

- kneeling, w-sit exploration

- standing pike deep hip exploration/extended activation... Much more awareness of deep hip appearing!!

- some experimentation of an old concept that I will video at some later point

- 3x7 alchemical planche lean push-ups

[Dexter]

1 hour ago, Craig said:

side split joint rotations...Guuhhh need to work on these

Is this like internally and externally rotating the legs while in side split? If it is I have been playing around with this while in my max depth Pu Bu, and it really hits a restriction I have in the outer hip, I think it is the area where the greater trochanter is. It gets comfortable after some reps, I am wondering if drilling this daily would get the tissues there soft enough one day to do it without warmup.

[Craig]

Yep, I'm turning the knee on the left as far up and to the back as I can (straight leg), then pointing the knee as far forward as I can, then repeat in the right, then both at once. Movements are very slow, deliberate and gentle. Really gets in the deep hip!

[jordan]

do you still have an interest in external resistance training?  have you begun exploring that yet?

[Craig]

Yes, I will begin this as soon as I have access to the proper equipment/facilities - hopefully when I arrive in Berlin tomorrow! There is some tinkering I want to do in this field.

Open parkour class last night. Worked on:

- broad/precision jumping. I actually improved a lot in this despite no training of it over the last year. I suspect it's a result of all the hiking in steep hills and stairs that contributed, as well as continued repairing glute activation.

-depth jumps. Need to be even more quiet!

- rolling. Need to work on hard surfaces now to tidy up small things.

- vaults. Need to work on dash/Kash vaults in a big way, and work on linking multiple vaults cleanly.

- tumbling. Back tuck is still in there somewhere, probably needs an evening of dedicated work to come back to the height and cleanness of yesteryear. Front cartwheels and macaco have both improved, a tricker in the class showed me how to link multiple front cartwheels which is fun! Front tuck needs a LOT of work.

 

 

That was fun!

 

 

[LukeMM]

Nice, where did you train ?

[Craig]

In Munich, not sure what the place was called, my friend took me there. It was in the East somewhere!

[Francesco]

I'm very curious to see how you deal with weight training given your background and current practices. Once you get the hang out of deadlifting I think it would be interesting if you tried high rep kettlebell swings with a relatively heavy weight, they produce a strong systemic effect that could be nice to explore with your level of body awareness; I'm experimenting with  it lately and I believe @Dave or @Robbie C alluded to it somewhere, too

[Craig]

Me too! Off to Berlin now where I should have access to some equipment and an @Emmet Louis for"help" (probably torture). I'll report in regularly.

Yesterday: 2.5 hour bouldering session. Really miss the days of having a cave at my home to be able to climb regularly. Alas there isn't so much time available for me to do everything and there are daoist skills to be gained, so bouldering will likely live in the random attendance for funsies category from now on.

[Emmet Louis]

Daoist bouldering could be a thing. How do you think all those sages got to the caves! 

 

Also yes to Torture. Middle splits via the water boarding method. 

[Rik]

14 hours ago, Emmet Louis said:

Daoist bouldering could be a thing. How do you think all those sages got to the caves! 

 

Also yes to Torture. Middle splits via the water boarding method. 

Now that's what I'd call "shocking the system".

[Craig]

A couple of sessions recently included:

- more exploration of alchemical pushup methods

- more piriformis exploration.  This one is coming along reaaallllyy nicely, and integrating the changes with the da xuan family neigong is working wonders

- deep hip flexor/lower abdominal activation in pike.  working on the end range closing (to use emmet's term) but in a double elephant walk kind of way.  This one has been wonderful and is producing dramatic results with just a few sessions.

- deep aductor activation in active tailors pose. only one session of this so far, but i feel the results will be much like the pike.  Looking forward to exploring this further.

- straight limb rotations

[Craig]

side note: leg awakening tutorial is rendering now.  Also have loads of time for work in the new berlin apartment so there will be many more video tutorials coming in Q1 and 2 this year.  Ossssuuuuu!

[Craig]

Rendered and uploaded.  Enjoy:

 

https://awarerelaxedconnected.uscreen.io/programs/leg-awakening

[Craig]

Last night: kicks! I've got space to do swing kicks (traditional cma style) in my living room.  Alright! going to bang out sets of these throughout the day, focusing on qualities rather than height.  This is hitting all of the tissue in the inhibited internal and external rotators that I am working on with the piriformis, tailor's pose and active pike explorations.  To the simmering pot with thee!

Variations I'm focusing on:

- straight swing kick

- inside crescent

- outside crescent

- knee up side kick

I think I should also add the traditional side kick which is more like pure abduction than flexion + external rotation like the knee up variation.

[Craig]

continuing exploration of kicks, piriformis and activating the deep anterior hip/abdominal junction. All is going well, surprisingly little DOMS from the kicks.  Side kick needs lots of work, as does the round kick which I've added.

My current piriformis variation is doing magical things for both me and Cherie, I'll film a new video with the new explorations and movements soon.

filming of new tutorials to begin soon.  On the menu:

- stances

- kicks

- waking the wrists (the wrist prep video remastered plus loads more things added)

- deep hip and shoulder awakening - an exploration of rotating in the socket using straight limbs

- qi gong basics

speaking of tutorials, the quickening is upon us, and there shall be only one.  Physical Alchemy has removed the head of ARC and now has all my tutorials.  Same is happening with the website.  You can now find the tutorials here:

https://physical-alchemy.uscreen.io/ 

[Craig]

Taught a workshop in Cologne. Two days of basics, stances, kicks and partner work. I'm super excited to get back into doing my old training methods with knew knowledge and awareness. Also got to learn some incredibly important details from my friend and co host Carsten, if you're ever in Cologne I can highly recommend his classes.

We did:

- joint circles type prep

- leg awakening

-spinal waves

- lifting with the armpits

-how to use all of this to make a good structure

-partner drills to test the structure

-learning the weak points of the structure and how to manipulate it

-grounding with heaven and earth

-qigong basics and how the structure is integral to a good qigong practice

- shi da pan

-basic kicks

- 5 step boxing form (a basic method of training the 5 stances)

- more partner games

- movement leading with the head

- how the head can be used to break structure

- more qigong basics and a little form

 

A great weekend overall. Next stop, Iceland. Physical practice will be reasonably sparse between now and then for many reasons.

[Craig]

Hanging out with @Emmet Louis today. 

- piriformis stretch

- tailor's pose

- bent leg Pike with deep hip and abdominal activation as priority

- side splits with Emmet's wizard assistance

- some kicks

- some random handstandsing

- got the previously mentioned guasha treatment on my quads. Not so bad, but then Emmet discovered a secret way of finding trigger points that need attention, that was gnarly!

[Francesco]

On 9/2/2017 at 5:37 PM, Craig said:

- got the previously mentioned guasha treatment on my quads. 

Damn, I forgot to post about this. I've been experimenting with this both on myself and a few other people with dramatic effects.

What I found though is that it does not work as well as I thought while in the couch stretch (but it is the perfect position to see the before-after change), but it does while in the basic quad stretch; I have people start mostly upright and work on the VMO and VL, then they slowly start lowering (every single person I've tried this onto has been able to lower all the way down after working on the vasti, even the tight ones) until they are lying on the floor; then I start working on the rectus femoris (having them keep PPT). One interesting thing I noticed is that it's as if the rec fem can't be accessed if you don't first work on the vasti.

The results is a massive decrease of the tension felt in the couch stretch, both immediately after and in the following days. The result also seems to be long-lasting (I've done it on two of my students in our long class three weeks ago, and yesterday they were at the same level they were immediately after receiving it).