Jason Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 Just rewatched this video I shot last night and I can see that I'm really huffing and puffing, then holding my breath. This was the last bridge of a 45 minute session that starts at about 40cm and goes down by 10cm each time until I hit the floor. Seems like I'm making progress from my October 9, 2023 post above. Could have sworn my legs were straight at the end, so interesting how deceptive that sensation is. I can feel this in my thoracic spine today. Not the muscles, actually feels sore on the verterbrae. Does anyone else experience that? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Pickles Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 I used to do a fair amount of backbending when I was younger. Firstly, well done, you have very good thoracic flexibility. Next, I'd say its good that you are doing forced exhalations, because the emptier the lungs are, the more chest flexibility you willl have. But I suspect that the way you are doing it, as a series of hard puffs, is not leading to full relaxation and may not be emptying the lungs as much as you can. I was told instead by a contortion trainer to use long slow "Whoooooo..." outbreaths. In the bend, breathing for any backbender becomes a limitation, because the ribs become immobilised. Instead, people move to abdominal breathing, using the lower (floating) ribs which move out sideways. Look at videos of backbending contortionists who have their middles bare. In any case, the stress of backbending and the difficulty of breathing means there is a strong tendency to hold the breath (even partially) and retain some breath in the lungs, which has to be countered. I'd say the soreness in the back is a sign that the cartilage is getting damaged or at least stressed. Not a good idea. I'd suggest going more gently, and keeping out of the range that does this. Eventually it should improve as the tissues adapt, though at some point you will come to an absolute limitation (from the facet joints pressing together - and you dont want to damage them). Jim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 @Jim Pickles Thanks for the feedback. I’ll work on the breathing and back off the intensity. I’m curious, what do you see that shows good thoracic flexibility? I look but all I see is that wicked hinge in the lumbar spine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Pickles Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 The shirt hides it, but the curve of the front of the chest, and the crease in the shirt at the back, show that most bending is occurring in the thoracic-upper lumbar region. If you were mainly bending in the lumbar region, the biggest bend would be below where your bare tum is showing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kit_L Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 @Jason: From my perspective, the way to make the thoracic spine bend even more is to fully straighten the arms (the lats, most likely, are preventing that) and to use the feet to gently move the shoulders close to over the hands (but within the constraint of perfectly straight arms, and as much shoulder elevation as you can manage). You will feel the maximum bend point move up the spine, if you can do this. Excellent work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 @Jim Pickles and @Kit_L, thank you both for your feedback. I’m going to try pressing my chest up against a wall to see how straight I can get my arms. Lats are for sure a limiting factor. Last night I rediscovered the last position in boxing-the-compass and it was incredible how much it loosened up my left side lat. Took some playing around to get the tightest line but I got it. Really was amazing how intense I could make that stretch that in that position by pushing hard against the ground (pushing shoulder away from my ear) and rotating my torso towards the ground. Can’t express enough how happy it makes me to be able to loosen up my lats this way. Nothing else I’ve tried (foam rolling, ladder bar stretches, laying over a roller with hands anchored overhead) has made this much of a change for so little effort and time. So thank you for that! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kit_L Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 I'd love to see an image of that boxing-the-compass position, if you can do this, @Jason. And with respect to the chest to the wall position you mentioned, what really helped me was to have a partner sitting next to me while I was doing this exercise and putting a hand in the middle of my back and middle of my upper back and pressing up and backwards towards the wall at about a 45° angle – that was game changing. And once the chest feels the wall, some kind of remapping happens, and it is much easier to do at subsequent sessions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 @Kit_L, I’m glad you asked because now that I’ve rewatched boxing the compass I can see that what I’m doing is something else. I will try out the bridge with a partner for sure. Thank you for the suggestion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kit_L Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 @Jason: That position and the moves around it is from my 'un-numbered lesson' (on YT, from memory); it's really good for gluteus minimus and medius, and the lower fibres of the lats, and esp. good for the thoraco-lumbar fascia. Noice, as we say here. Do let us know how the partner assist goes. The partner will need to be on the floor alongside you, in a stable position, and the arm that will do the assisting will need to be braced. Wish I was there to help! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 @Kit_L, I tried the hip flexor partner stretch last night with my wife. 2nd time we’ve tried and failed. She keeps sliding down the back of my leg, instead of being able to anchor her butt up against mine. For sure my pants are too slippery so I’ll try a different pair. But I’m wondering if you’ve seen this and have any suggestions? Thanks! Really looking forward to seeing some serious change from this stretch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Pickles Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 Can she push her feet against a wall to stop the sliding? Either that, or sandpaper on the butt. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 @Jim Pickles the wall idea makes me wonder if I can just put some heavy dumbbells on either side of my back leg for her to brace against. It looks so easy in the video with @Kit_L and @Craig! We'll keep trying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kit_L Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 The person on the back leg has to be strong enough in the hands to hold themselves in position, by gripping the calf muscle in both hands. And given that partners are often smaller than the person being assisted, if she uses a wall, she might need boxes on either side of the back leg (which is at 90° to the wall, but not touching it), for feet support. Gripping the calf muscle is best, though, because the contractions pull the leg bones through the sleeve of muscles that's created by this. It's a real, and strong, fascial effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 @Kit_L, thank you. Let’s see how strong Sarah’s grip really is! I’ll work on a set up where she can brace against something as well. Thank you both, @Jim Pickles and Kit, for the feedback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kit_L Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 In the Advanced class, we did this weekly for two years! Everyone's hip flexors got much looser (of course) but the added side benefit was vastly improved grip strength. Holding part of an actual body (as any grappler will tell you) is completely different to using a grip device in a gym! Go Sarah! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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