Encountering the squat

[Andrew1]

Hi! My intention for these logs is to explore the changes that may arise from writing and sharing the process with others. My primary goals are to master the squat and reduce unnecessary tension. My approach is to do two sessions per week; lower body and upper body. 

Limbering (aiming to do daily)

• Sumo squat, squat, cossack variations

6/11/21

Stretching

• E3 Relaxed lunge
• E5A Seated piriformis
• E1C Solo Single Leg Dose Pose
• Solo Quadricep
• E4 Hip abduction
• Lower back stretch with chair. Tighter side done twice.

Reflection: I can only handle one set of each of those stretches in a session because it's such a deep experience.

[Andrew1]

So... a sudden surgery happened which knocked me out for a few weeks. I am now recovered and ready to ease back into this.

1/12/21

Stretching

• E3 Partner Stick
• Partner Hip Flexor Stretch

[Kit_L]

 

Ah: the partner hip flexor stretch. Life-changing, once you've done it enough to be able to really relax into its intense sensations. Go @Andrew1!

[Pat (pogo69)]

On 12/2/2021 at 1:09 PM, Kit_L said:

the partner hip flexor stretch. Life-changing, once you've done it enough to be able to really relax into its intense sensations

Can confirm only that I have not done it enough to be able to really relax into its intense sensations.

My hips (and back) desperately need it, but I sufficiently fear it to have avoided talking my partner into regular partner stretching sessions.

[Kit_L]

@Pat (pogo69): if you try this exercise as I demonstrate it (with all my weight and the partner's extra weight on both arms) you can modify the intensity of a partner's weight extremely easily. When I teach this exercise on workshops, as soon as the partner is settling their weight onto the person, I tell everyone who is being stretched to see how easy it is to press the partner's weight completely off them—and as soon as the person feels this is true, that fear you mention disappears. The mind cannot create this experience itself; you have to actually feel how easy this is to do, and when you have, that fear will have gone. It's worth trying, I feel; there is no substitute for the partner HF stretch.

[Andrew1]

• Partner Hip Flexor Stretch
• E5A Seated piriformis
• E1A Wall calf straight leg version
• E5A Seated piriformis

On 12/9/2021 at 9:16 AM, Kit_L said:

I tell everyone who is being stretched to see how easy it is to press the partner's weight completely off them—and as soon as the person feels this is true, that fear you mention disappears.

I found this comment really helpful as I had that exact fear last week. Once I realised that I could push out of the stretch with my partner's full weight on me, fear dissipated. This was my first week doing contractions with the stretch. I'm really looking forward to seeing where this stretch takes me. Next week I hope to do two sets with it.

Reflection: I'm realising that I really like sitting in a kneeling position. It creates a nice folded feeling in the legs.

[Kit_L]

@Andrew1: Thank you for posting this. The fact is that direct experience will trump a conceptual (or anticipatory) perspective every time. The stretch you mention is the most important one for modern humans; I don't want to repeat what I have written on elsewhere, but it really is. Do check in from time to time and let us know how you go.

[Andrew1]

• Shoulder pushdown
• E3 Partner stick
• Chair side bend
• Chair rotation
• Wall hanging side bend

[Andrew1]

18/12/21

• Partner hip flexor stretch

20/12/21

• E5A Seated piriformis

Some of the shoulder limbering with a resistance band (in L3 - Yuri Band Mobility) feel really good. In particular, the internal/external rotation movement as well as the movement that stretches the side muscles of the back, shown below. I've also been trying some shoulder CARs with my hand against a wall.

[Andrew1]

The new year involved some beautiful moments on a lake front - family time, long sleeps, frequent dips (one of the skinny variety for the new year of course) and some paddle boarding. I explored cossack squats, heel elevated squats (many thanks to Liv's youtube video on the topic) and resistance band shoulder movements a lot. A partner hip flexor stretch, a partner stick stretch and a couple hanging side bend stretches took place.

10/01/22

• Followed along the "long-held piriformis stretch" video. That piriformis provides a most interesting sensation.

11/01/22

• Hanging side bend (tighter side twice)
• Floor 45 degree chest stretch
• Cat pose

I am hoping to eventually progress to working on mastering the full back bend. Would someone be able to offer guidance as to when it would be wise to begin incorporating back bend work into my program? My current thought process is that I expect my overhead shoulder mobility to be vertical however, I'm not sure that a full squat with a straight back may be necessary. 

[Nathan]

15 hours ago, Andrew1 said:

Would someone be able to offer guidance as to when it would be wise to begin incorporating back bend work into my program?

If you are doing the daily six (5+1), then you are already doing back bend work. I know you are doing hip flexor work, which is back bend work. Gentle, passive back bending (over a baby whale or other prop, for example) can be added to your daily limbering any time, as long as you remain mindful and do not push yourself. If you keep working on your hip flexors and shoulder mobility, then you will have a much smoother journey once you decide to focus on the back bend. As for when to focus on it, that depends on your own individual goals and circumstances.

Edit: For reference: The Daily Five (Plus One).

[Andrew1]

Unknown date

• Solo hip flexor
• Seated piriformis
• Wall calf stretch

08/02/22

• Resistance band shoulder limbering
• Hanging side bend

I have been relatively unmotivated with stretching recently - it feels uneventful and like another thing on my to-do list after exercise.

In other news:

• I have begun bouldering and I am thoroughly enjoying it. Supplementing the bouldering with rotator cuff external rotation work, chin ups, and lizard push ups.
• I tried an ice bath with some random folks for the first time, lol.
• I'm trying out lessons in the Alexander Technique and I am still making up my mind about it.
• When I go for walks I pop a few cartwheels out and it feels simultaneously clunky and great.
• I'm considering receiving online movement coaching.

Input regarding anything written about is so welcome. Thanks for following thus far!

[Céline Meye]

Quote

When I go for walks I pop a few cartwheels out and it feels simultaneously clunky and great.

Not a very insightful input, but I so relate to this sentence. I started doing the same a few years back, it felt both awkward and great! I lost the confidence and strength to do it after having a kid and loosing my movement practice altogether, but you just inspired me to work on it again.
The sheer playfulness of cartwheeling as a grownup is amazing, and I think it also sets a brilliant example for kids who might be tempted to outgrow their natural variety of movements too soon because it's a "little kid" thing! 

🤸🏻‍♀️🤸🏾‍♂️🤸🏼‍♂️🤸🏿‍♀️

[Kit_L]

Hahahaha! So true. @Céline Meye: if you've lost strength (and hence confidence) pop up onto a wall upside down, and hold for time (ten seconds is enough, in the beginning) and once up, press the ground away from you actively, and tuck your tail a little to make the spine as straight as you can. Do a few repetitions, three times a week. After a few weeks, try a cartwheel; you'll be able to do one, for sure.

[Andrew1]

A joy to read! Thanks for sharing @Céline Meye 

[Céline Meye]

@Kit_L haha, thanks for the prescription!  I just took the first dose 😁
In the process discovered 2 things :

1. I am stronger than I thought but still not going to do handstands free from the whole anytime soon
2. Being upside-down really messes with my proprioception more than I remembered, and I had to come back down first to remember which way was tucking my tail and how it felt 🙈

@Andrew ☺️

I'll keep you posted of my next cartwheel!

[Kit_L]

For adults, being upside down can be quite disturbing, but the capacity returns very quickly. Not wanting to hijack @Andrew1's thread, but do let us know how you go.

@Andrew1: WRT the Alexander Technique, let us know how you go here, too. Personally I am not a fan of systems which prescribe how one is to do things (like how to sit in, and get out of a chair, for example); our approach removes restrictions from one's movement patterns so that one's unique pattern of ease and grace can emerge. No one teaches cats how to move, and IMHO, we can all become more cat-like!

[Andrew1]

A little cartwheel session, a little hanging, bouldering, then

• Solo hip flexor
• Light wrist and toe stretches
• Lying piriformis
• Seated piriformis

@Kit_L I am told by my teacher that the overly prescriptive types were called Alexandroids. Personally, I have found value in exploring what is involved in sitting and standing with as little tension as possible primarily through questioning habitual patterns and following verbal cues that draw forth a not-doing. There's much more to be said but I will leave it for another day.

[Andrew1]

14/02

• Hanging side bend

16/02

• Solo hip flexor
• Wall calf stretch
• Lying piriformis
• Seated piriformis
• Tailor pose
• Best hamstring stretch (brutal... need more hip flexor flexibility...)

Reflections on what was/is limiting motivation: (1) Viewing stretching as a 'session' similar to a workout or activity on my to-do list would put me off stretching. Instead I am trying to aim to do one stretch and see where I want to take things from there. (2) Stretching alongside videos is harder for me than stretching without videos. After realising this, I have put aside most video input as I have a decent grasp of what I am doing. (3) I like beginning with easier variations of stretches before trying harder ones.

[Andrew1]

Revisited L3 boxing the compass and L4 baby flop. Intrigued by the upper and lower body lines the baby flop reveals.

In other news...

• I have been exploring this drill for building balance in a handstand. Definitely still in the process of building comfort with the miniscule moments of the feet coming off the wall. Cartwheels are popped between attempts - seems to lighten the mood a lot. Credit: Bren Veziroglu's youtube.
• I also found a cylinder handrail at a school which I've been attempting to squat up on and walk across. A decidedly cat-like experience! Credit: Ido Portal 'Just Move'.

[Nathan]

1 hour ago, Andrew1 said:

I have been exploring this drill for building balance in a handstand. Definitely still in the process of building comfort with the miniscule moments of the feet coming off the wall.

Shifting off the wall (both facing toward and away from the wall) is a fairly standard drill, but I think all of the great handstand instructors I know would generally advise not doing it like this. Being very close to the wall allows you to remain "stacked" in your handstand line, and pulling off will only require small adjustments. If this works for you, keep at it, but you might try doing it a few inches from the wall and see how that feels.

[Andrew1]

Thanks @Nathan I'll keep that in mind and try a few variations. I must admit, I'm currently a lot closer to the wall than the screenshot I shared.

[Andrew1]

• Limbered with baby flop and cossack variations
• Solo hip flexor
• Wall piriformis

[Andrew1]

• Hanging side bend

[Andrew1]

Main limbering over the past few days: boxing the compass and baby flop

27/02

• Solo hip flexor - just rewatched the YT video on this and realised I haven't tried the second way of contracting yet - it's now on the agenda.
• Floor quadricep stretch

Re handstands, I'm really liking doing a back to wall HS with heel pulls but I am still in the process of figuring out how to properly do chest to wall toe pulls.

I've been exploring a few of the bridge limbers and stretches and I have a couple questions. (1) Based on the attached photo, is it too soon for me to be working safely on an elevated bridge? (2) Which passive back bend is ideal (for those like me without a baby whale) - lying on a foam roller or lying on a piano stool with a rolled up towel on it... or something else?

 

Edited March 26, 2022 by Andrew1
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