Ned's log

[Kit_L]

34 minutes ago, Ned said:

I did some forward rocks at the bottom and I have 5-10 degrees more in my ankles' range of motion before my heels start to feel like they’ll come off the floor if I tilt farther

And you can try holding on to something in front of you, and while pressing an elbow with one arm onto the quad near the knee, you can really add some force to the ankle-bending—and the knee will go further forward. I used to do this when in a full squat with 60kg (bar and two plates) on my back; this loosened the ankles pretty quickly. And, yes: the Elephant Walk is really underestimated, IMO. It is so natural and gentle, but as everything straightens, real stretching can happen. And the way you're focussing on the relaxation part will pay massive dividends.

[Ned]

I took a couple poorly framed videos of myself squatting this morning both with and without weight and put together a couple stills for comparison.  I also didn't realize that my ankles were just out the frame until afterwards (I'll have to rig something up to keep my phone from falling over), but the bottom of the frame is level with the floor.  All of these are with my heels on the ground and they stayed in contact the whole time, I stopped going forward when I felt the weight going through them start to lessen.  I'm either a whole lot stiffer there than it feels like or else I'm pretty much at the limit for my forward ankle bending already.  In either case, I want to do some more strengthening around my current end position before anything else. 

The top part is about as far as I can go forward with bodyweight, it may not be quite maximal since I was grabbing the frames off my phone which is maddeningly imprecise for that task, but it should be close.  The middle part is holding a 24kg kettlebell (might not be heavy enough, but I'll tense up a lot more if I go up a size) with my elbows resting on my knees/quads resting the weight down.  I did alternate which side the weight was going through and tried a few different positions for my elbows (one of which was a rather intense pointy part jamming into my quads) without any noticeable change in the angle before my heels started to come up.  The bottom part is my usual resting squat.  The weighted version is slightly deeper (~2 degrees) than the forward leaning bodyweight in the image, but I'm not 100% that isn't from sub-optimal frame selection on the first part or being a little more warmed up going into it since they both feel the same when my heels start to lift. 

I expect I'll gain some further insights into my weak links and how to fix them in the squatting mastery course, but I'm going to keep focusing on the starter course since I'm learning a great deal about what areas I need to work on in general as well as how to stretch and relax.  I may start incorporating some of the limbering movements from the mastery course in my warm up though, since I'll want some time to explore them anyway.

[Matt Chung]

> I'm either a whole lot stiffer there than it feels like or else I'm pretty much at the limit for my forward ankle bending already.  In either case, I want to do some more strengthening around my current end position before anything else. 

I'm also curious about the end range of motion. That is, how does one tell whether or not they hit their limit? Question applies more generally to other muscles (e.g. calves).

[Kit_L]

@Ned. Do I have a treat for you (and @Matt Chung😞 I present RollStretch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1nxYoWA0GI

If you look at the squat images above, your calves and hamstrings are not flowing outwards very far (the second images shows this), and this is because these muscles are not soft enough yet in this position. If you look at the thighs and calves of someone with a deeper squat, the hip joint comes lower to the ankles because the muscles let the knee joint close more than yours do—and please don't get me wrong—you have an excellent squat. Those last degrees you want, though, will come from further softening, allowing the knee joint to close further. Stretching helps this (of course) and the final part comes from using the "rod of correction". 

The whole story goes like this: everyone needs enough ankle ROM to let you move your weight forward enough so that you don't fall backwards (and this is why tibialis has to work so hard before you do), then enough quad–hip flexor relaxed ROM to allow the knee to close fully, and enough suppleness in the calves and ankles that they can flow sideways to allow the final knee closing.

Anyway, have a play with this and report back! Great work.

[Ned]

Thanks @Kit_L.  It's good to have the whole story.  I probably have more work to do on the quad-hip flexor end of things as well since when I hold my back straight I get quite a bit more hip and quad involvement in the bottom position. I'm likely compensating for a lack of flexibility there with more rounding in my upper back.  It's fascinating to me how things like that are connected.

I can feel why it's called the "rod of correction".  I found leaning forward into a position almost like a child's pose let me relax a little more and I could control the weight using my forearms instead of my fingertips which made it more comfortable for the length of time I was holding myself up.  I can tell that I have a lot of work to do in that area.  I'll try incorporating that a few times a week and see how it goes.  I'm also expecting that I'll feel what I did today quite a lot tomorrow, but the muscles there feel a little softer already, and I can feel some longer deeper bands of tension that I'll need to work on. 

I did a little work with the stick on my quads afterwards since they're quite tight as well, but I may need to grab a rolling pin and use that. 

 

[Ned]

Program 5 - Adductors, hamstrings, hip flexors, back bend

The elephant walk today as quite pleasant again.  My lower back as well as my hamstrings had a nice stretch in this.  My knees were quite bent, and my belly and chest stayed in contact with the thighs.  There's usually some burning in the bottom of my quads by the time I finish this stretch and I'm okay with that.  I'm amazed at how I can relax in this position compared to when I first tried it and how much more relaxed I am by the end. 

The tailor pose is a nice one for me today.  My feet are still quite far forward, but my knees are closer to the ground than the first time I tried it.  I haven't reached the maximum depth yet from relaxing during the out breaths.  I was still sinking deeper on each one when we stopped and I'm curious about how much farther I could go if I stayed there for longer periods of time. 

The wide leg elephant walk is still easier than I thought it would be.  Having the cue to keep contact with the thighs makes in incredible difference in how much I can relax, which has a huge impact (at least subjectively) on how much more range of motion I can find.  I have a long way to go with this one too before my legs are straight.

The passive backbend went much better for me today than the first time.  I had a cushion at the right height ready to go.  I ended up with some stretch in my chest as well this time.  I'm not sure if that's from the height difference of the cushion, or if I'm noticing and starting to be able to let go of some tension there to feel a stretch. 

I like the c-shape stretch.  I didn't go very far into it today just a nice way to end the session. 

Lying relation practice (did one yesterday too).  

[Kit_L]

17 hours ago, Ned said:

since when I hold my back straight I get quite a bit more hip and quad involvement in the bottom position.

For the same reason tibialis gets sore in the position: tibialis is working in the contracted end of its ROM to pull the knee forward as far as possible, while at the same time, hip flexors (and rectus femoris, one of the quads, the only one that crosses the hip joint, is pulling the body forwards—all this in the service of having your centre of gravity far enough forward that you are not falling backwards, and hence stable enough to relax in the bottom position. Until you can do that (and the only way to do that is to stay in that bottom position, whether you're holding onto something or not) the final part—the muscles we are talking about softening and all moving sideways, the bones will not get closer then where you are (which is already a great squat). As you noted, it's all connected. The next time you get into a squat, just feel the tension in either calf muscle with a finger – that has to actually be soft enough to move sideways.

Re. ROC (rod of correction; we all used to get such a laugh out of that one): twice a week max. There is a lot of fascial reordering going on there, if you've ever pulled a calf (I have; such pain!) then even more. If you look at the hamstring–calf where the rod is, you'll see the sideways movement of both I was talking about. And I saw a worker in a perfect squat yesterday, and I was visualising where his bones were, and the thigh and lower leg bones were almost together—and both calf and hamstrings had moved almost two inches sideways on the outer part of his leg. I wasn't fast enough to take a picture.

[Ned]

December 12
3x20 pushups, some time in the bottom of a squat
Lying relaxation practice.
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December 13
7.5km of cross country skiing.  My right IT band is making me aware that I probably should have increased my distance more gradually.   I'm hopeful that it will settle down in the next few days and not become a lingering issue.  I also foam rolled it a bit and it’s definitely quite tight.

Today ends my second time through module 1.  I found all of these movements have become much more pleasant to experience as I become more familiar with them and learned how to relax in them.  It’s also interesting how my perception of effort, intensity, relaxation, and tension are changing and what my reaction to each of them is now compared to when I started (and I'm sure that in the grand scheme of things, I'll back to now as a time when I'm still just starting).  I’m impressed by how much more I learned and how much more I could relax in the stretches going through the module again, and I’m very glad I followed the advice to redo it before heading on to module 2. 

Program 6 - Side bend, rotation, hip flexor plus quad, spine flexion

The side bend today was quite a bit tighter on my right side than my left.  A nice stretch for my sides and when the arm went up across the body for my lats as well.  I didn’t feel like I went as deep as I probably could have, but it was enough for today.  The relaxation matters more than to me than trying to push what I can do, and I think by relaxing continuously I probably end up going deeper than I would if I just tried to go for more intensity at the beginning.  

These rotations are a good way to find knots in my middle back.  There was less stretch on the front of the body today than the first time, and I had to pause a few times to relax the shoulder of the arm pushing against the knee.  It’s a nice stretch, strange shoulder movements to get into it, but I think I found the right shoulder position this time around.  

The hip flexor and quad stretch today was wonderful.  There’s now very little tightness in my right hamstring when it’s the leg in front just a gentle stretch.  The first time I tried the lunge it felt like mostly hamstring and not much hip flexor on that side.  My hip flexors and quads are both relaxing more and I’m able to go a deeper into the lunge than before.  Using the strap for some added quad stretch was quite pleasant as well.  I’m able to grab my foot, but the strap makes relaxing in the position easier and I think I was able to return to my initial lunge depth or a little further with the increased quadriceps involvement.  

The spine flexion was nice as well.  It felt like a very gentle stretch for me today.  The first time I did this one my hamstrings were sort of on the edge of being stretched.  With the one today I just focused on rounding my back to get what stretch I could by breathing.  

Program 7 – Foot sequence

On my left foot, the toes spread very well under conscious control even before the sequence and then more afterwards.  My right foot still needs lots of work in that regard.  The difference before the sequence compared to after it is remarkable though.  I’m starting to be able to get the toes nearer the base of my fingers too which is nice.  This is also the first day that I can actually move the right pinky toe outwards a little bit under conscious control and I can feel the muscle that does it working (cramping) for the first time so I think some practice through the day moving it in that direction will help strengthen it a bit.  I got some toe stretch in the foot pointed backwards position and some stretch through the front of the ankle that were both quite pleasant.  I’m having a hard time relaxing that part of my foot though, but in time it will happen.

Lying relaxation practice. 

[Kit_L]

18 hours ago, Ned said:

The first time I tried the lunge it felt like mostly hamstring and not much hip flexor on that side.

Very common response—if you think about it, we are using tension in the hamstrings to position the pelvis to stretch the hip flexors, but it's equally true to say we are using the hip flexor tension to stretch the hamstrings. The lunge position is really multi-purpose (and then there's the 'boxing the compass' version you'll come to later, which adds pelvic rotations). Everything in the lower body becomes accessible from this one basic position, in time.

And feeling your feet waking up is a real pleasure. Thanks for commenting.

[Ned]

December 14
Wrist work (yellow elastic, doubled green band). 
Lying relaxation.

December 15
Wrist work (yellow elastic, doubled green band). 

The introduction to the contract-relax method with a finger was a good introduction.  I ended up doing all of them as some additional wrist work.  The fingers right in line with the problem area are going to take a while before they get any increased range of motion from it (the others all increased) but the strengthening in that end range will eventually improve that. 

Program 8: Wall pec./biceps, neck flexion, rotation, extension

I had some tingling sensations in the hands during the 45 degree wall shoulder stretches, but especially the back of hand to wall version.  The thumb up version was easier for me than the thumb down version but neither is comfortable enough for me to relax into very well yet.  I’m going to have to explore the angles and movements as limbering movements in the next couple days to familiarize myself with them and find out how to relax more when I’m in them.  It’s a good reminder that just because I’m comfortable in some positions doesn’t mean there aren’t (many) more that I still need to learn about.  

In the thumb down version, I could feel a lot of tension in the front of the shoulder and also in some muscles under or around my shoulder blade.  It’s also quite clear to me that I can’t generate very much force in this position—not that I was trying to do much.  I also got some feedback from my bad wrist that this position isn't one that it's used to being in, so I'm going to have to figure out how to replicate it enough that I can do some strength training with it around there. 

I generally have quite a bit of chest, upper back, and shoulder tension (though much less now than when I started the course) and these two stretches are targeting some of those areas quite effectively.  I’m glad about the difficulty though because it helps me practice relaxing, letting go, and exploring different sensations.  They've also made me aware of some small muscles that I don’t often use and I suspect I’ll feel them a little bit tomorrow even trying to be gentle about it. 

The shoulder stretch with arm across the front of the body was comparatively easier.  I had a pleasant stretch on the outside of the shoulder on each side and an easier time doing the contractions and relaxing afterwards.  It isn't a position that needs no work, but it's definitely one that needs a lot less work than the other two. 

The neck stretches were quite comfortable for me today.  During the neck rotations (side to side) I enjoyed experiencing how the range of motion can be increased with repeated relaxations on the out breaths.  The forward and backward neck bends were fairly comfortable as well.  There’s a lot of tightness in the neck when closing my mouth looking up, but I think that’s to be expected.  

Based on how the session today felt, there’s a good chance that I’ll come back and redo this module as well.

Lying relaxation practice.

[Ned]

December 16
Wrist work (yellow elastic, doubled green band).  Wobble board work one and two leg balances, rocks side to side and forwards and backwards, two leg squats, and circles.

I have some shoulder soreness from yesterday’s program.  Usually, I tend to be annoyed about that and hope it goes away immediately.  This generally adds tension and probably makes it stick around longer.  My reaction to the soreness today (while still not an enjoyable sensation) also contains appreciation for the increased awareness of those parts and the recognition that this soreness means I’ve already taken action to improve the situation in the longer term.  I’m also staying much more relaxed than usual about it.  

Lying relaxation practice.
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December 17

Bar hangs since all the snow melted.  

Program 9 - Hip flexors + quads, back bend, seated rotation, neck flexion extension

My lunges felt quite tight today.  I spent a lot more of the day than usual sitting on chairs or driving, so I suspect it’s at least partly related to that.  Relaxing after the contractions got me what seemed like a couple inches deeper into the stretch.  I wouldn’t say they were pleasant to do, so I’m not certain if I’m going too deep before I try doing them or if I’m just not used to the sensation yet.  There was more effort involved in bringing my weight off the knee cap than I thought there would be as well.  I'm also amazed by how much my range of motion increases after the contractions. 

The back bends were both enjoyable.  I’m having a much easier time staying relaxed in them now.  The straight arm version needs more work than the bent one, but I was able to find a mostly relaxed position.  I felt most of the stretch in the top of my abdominals.  The forward bends to stretch afterwards are also becoming much more relaxing.  When I first started, the forward bend always felt like they needed another back bend or something to balance them out, whereas now I finish them feeling reasonably balanced.

The seated rotations today were good.  The knots I discovered the previous time I did this stretch are significantly reduced but not entirely absent.  I’m also finding it a lot more comfortable as I get more used to the position.  The shoulder setup is also feeling more natural than the first few times. 

The neck exercises today were fine.  My neck itself isn’t especially tight in the forward bend.  So I’m using the slump to try to stretch my middle and upper back a little more on in breaths. 

Lying relaxation practice.

[Ned]

December 18

Lying relaxation practice.

December 19

Wrist work (blue elastic, doubled green band).  Squatting, wobble board work.  Bar hangs.
---

Program 10 - Chair hamstring, tailor pose, lunge hamstring, wall legs apart, chair piriformis

I’m not sure what I make of the chair hamstring stretch, it’s definitely effective as a stretch, but it also felt a little bit unstable in some way.  My natural inclination was to move the foot forward a little to increase the stretch, rather than lengthening backwards as Olivia’s instructions in the video indicate.  I suspect that’s just being a little unfamiliar with the position.  I felt quite a stretch in the hamstrings, and gained a little increased range of motion during the post-contraction relaxation phase.  

The tailor pose felt a little tighter today than the last time, but my feet were also a little closer to my body, and my knees are definitely heading down from when I first started.  The contraction, and subsequent relaxation produced quite a strong stretch through the groin, but my knees dropped at least an inch afterwards and my belly stayed soft.  I’m still amazed at how well the contractions work to increase the range of motion.  

The lunge hamstring stretch was an interesting one for me today.  I was surprised by the idea of pushing myself backwards initially and I needed to pause to readjust the sheet I was using over the usual carpet so I could slide far enough back (went more than I thought).  The contractions and relaxation produced quite intense sensations in the hamstring of the stretched leg and also gave me a fairly intense stretch of the hip flexor in the opposite leg.  I was also surprised by how much additional slide back the contraction gave me on both sides, I was expecting a a few centimetres and probably ended up going almost the width of my hand.  

The wall legs apart stretch was also quite intense.  I had some pulling sensations on the inside of the knee (gracilis?) during this stretch.  I was also able to start quite a bit closer to the wall than I thought would be possible, which I’m sure is from the work that’s been done already in the course.  I was able to stay pretty relaxed throughout. 

The chair piriformis stretch was a pleasant way to end.  I felt the stretch more than I have previously, but it still isn’t a particularly intense sensation for me.

I expect I'll be quite sore from this program.

[Ned]

December 20
Wrist work (blue elastic, doubled green band).  Less soreness than I thought I’d have based on how I felt after the session last night, but still aware that I stretched. 

Lying relaxation practice.
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December 21
2x15 pushups.  I felt those in a different part of my shoulders than usual today—the same area I felt the pec stretch contractions from program 8.  It's not a bad feeling, but I’m sticking with a smaller volume to see how they feel tomorrow and whether there are more effects I’m not aware of while doing them.  2x2 one legged squats per side.  

I spent a bunch of time in the bottom of bodyweight squat today.  I found a resting spot where almost all tibialis effort goes away today.  I needed to reduce the gap between my thighs and torso so the bottom of my ridge cage make contact with the thighs and at that point whether my back is straight or rounded doesn’t seem to really impact the effort involved in a significant way.  I’m also fairly upright, so it’s not a huge change from before, but I either didn’t have the flexibility somewhere or just never thought to try it.  I’m also about as deep as I’m likely to get (I may get more from the Rod of Correction, but the calf muscles are definitely moving a fair distance sideways when I'm squatting, and they feel pretty soft when I poke them with just a few firmer areas around the side and in deep on the back).  I can rest quite a bit of weight on something that’s 3cm off the floor and with something that’s 2cm I have to rock backwards to sit, so I’m no longer squatting, but my feet can keep full contact with the floor.   I’m calling that a win for now, but I will probably find things in the squat mastery course to improve it later on.  

Program 11 - Cat sequence, elbow backbend, half-bridge, squashed frog, standing legs apart

The cat sequence is one that I’m somewhat familiar with.  I haven’t done the ankle looks before, or the torso movement circles and those are nice additions.  I had a few painless pops during the torso movement circle bits and wonder if that's some fascia releasing.  Altogether, it made for a pretty nice warmup for the upper back and spine. 

The elbow backbend today was quite relaxing.  I stayed relaxed throughout, and I could press the elbows away more than the first few times without adding tension to the lower back to increase the bend a little more.  My shoulders felt a little bit tight when I reached them forward in the child’s pose afterwards (not new), just an awareness that I’ll need to work on that area in the future.

The half bridge is an interesting movement.  It's not one that I find especially comfortable.  I usual stop when I form a straight line without adding any spine curve.  The tail tuck + spine curve gave me some pulling sensations in the outer parts of my knees.  I suspect that’s from quad tightness, but I backed the stretch off a bit to lessen that.  The back flat version used to pull a bit on the inside of my knees when I first started.  Lots of glute activation for me in this one though and fair intensity in my lower and middle back with the curve even after backing it off. 

The squashed frog did not feel at all like how I anticipated it might.  I'm far from sure that I'm doing it right.  Almost the entire sensation was on the outside of my hips with almost no stretch through the groin or inner part of the legs even going as wide as it felt like I could.  I’m also going to do that on some kind of cushion next time because my mat wasn’t quite enough padding for my knees.  Moving forward and backward gave me a pretty good idea of the line of maximum tension, but again it was all on the outside of the hip rather than the groin or inside of my legs.  The contraction here was limited by skin sliding over my knees and how much they were digging into the mat, I did get a little more width afterwards but I'm not convinced I was doing it right.  I was able to stay pretty relaxed throughout though.  I'll definitely spend some time in the next few days to explore it some more.

The wide legged elephant walk today didn't feel particularly intense to me.  Initially, I used the same stance width as the last time I’d done it, and then straightened my legs entirely on both sides without feeling much a stretch at all.  I am moving sideways though, and that might be limiting the intensity.  I'm  going to have to rewatch the cues and then explore it some more I think to make sure I'm not cheating myself out of the stretch somehow.  Today, I widened my legs a little more and then had some stretch.  It still doesn't seem like an especially intense sensation to me in this position compared to almost any kind of straddle, but I like it in any event since it's easy to relax with and I usually notice that I've done it afterwards.  Gracilis is still pulling a little on the inside of my knees at times. 

I also did some movements from the program 7 foot sequence today.  My right little toe is still the biggest limiting factor.  It’s slowly improving, but I think it’s going to be a fairly long process to get it moving the way I’d like it to. 

Lying relaxation practice.

[Kit_L]

2 hours ago, Ned said:

Almost the entire sensation was on the outside of my hips with almost no stretch through the groin or inner part of the legs even going as wide as it felt like I could. 

That's probably compression and/or the abductors cramping (these do the opposite movement). If you feel that happening, stretch piriformis first, and then go back to the squashed frog. Alternate as necessary. And be aware that the structure of the hip joint itself can be a limitation which might require a different position to get at those groin muscles. Many Asian people can do the squashed frog quite easily but many western people cannot. As everything loosens, this position does get easier, even if the hip structure is not perfectly suited to the movement.

Now talking to anybody who might be reading this – if any exercise just doesn't feel right in the body when you try the first or second time, let it go for a few weeks and concentrate all the other exercises that you know and can feel are stretching the right things. Then, after a month or two, come back and try it again – many people feel that trying it after a month of doing other things allows it to feel completely different.

[Kit_L]

2 hours ago, Ned said:

and then straightened my legs entirely on both sides without feeling much a stretch at all.

When you are over either leg, just in the same way as doing the Bentley elephant walk, you must have your ribs hard against the thigh. If you can fully straighten your legs with your ribs hard against the thigh, then you have mastered that position. Move on!

[Ned]

Thanks @Kit_L, the piriformis stretch before the squashed frog made a huge difference.  Almost all of the stretch was on the inside of the leg this time. 

I was letting my torso come up off the leg a bit as part of the sideways movement in the wide legged elephant walk.  It wasn't a whole lot, but enough to cheat myself out of the stretch.  I have a long way to go before I'll have that one mastered.

[Kit_L]

6 hours ago, Ned said:

It wasn't a whole lot, but enough to cheat myself out of the stretch. 

I have to quote the great Jack Reacher here: "In an investigation, details matter!"

No problem—if you're paying attention in this life, then everything you do will teach you about where you need to go. It's a fascinating thing to me that human beings are so innately good at cheating – it's probably our superpower in fact. And this is not directed at you; this is just a general comment while I muse over a coffee in the morning, but for me, while I was developing this system, I used to try to make the stretches more difficult and create more sensation rather than less. I know this is not normal! But if you do seek the strongest sensation but of course being in sufficient control that you're in no danger actually accidentally hurting yourself, then your progress is assured. Excellent work, and sincere thanks for making the effort to record the inner experience of stretching here, because that's the part that missing from most stories about it.

[Ned]

Lying relaxation practice yesterday and today.  I'm still pretty sore from program 11 and yesterday's exploration of the stretches I didn't practice well during my first time through it--squashed frog and wide legged elephant walk--so I took the day off from stretching other than a bit of limbering and the wrist stuff that follows. 

The wrist I'm rehabbing also flared up last night, which isn't ideal.  The silver lining was that today I was able to notice and let go of at least some of the secondary tension it caused in my shoulders and upper back (and now I know how some of the tension that was there when I started stretching got there).  A while later, my brain twigged that if it's causing tension in my back and shoulders, it's probably also causing tension in my forearm and that's probably at least part of the discomfort and why the range of motion was as reduced as it was.  I spent some time rolling my forearm on the lacrosse ball, exploring the range of motion and where it felt tight, slowly limbered it, and massaged away some of that extra tension and it feels much closer to how it usually does (still going to need rest and recovery though).  I'm very glad to have the awareness now to recognize the tension that's there, accept what the cause is, and let it (and the mental fabrications it brought about) go so it doesn't become habitual tension again.  I'm sure that 6 weeks ago I wouldn't have had the awareness or insight to do any of that. 

[Kit_L]

@Ned: that's your Christmas present to yourself! Excellent.

[Ned]

Lying relaxation practices the last few days. 

My wrist isn't in an ideal state right now, so it's wrapped except for when I'm doing some very gentle range of motion work with it.  I have been pretty successful in keeping the tension from it transient, and other than being less stable than usual it's feeling pretty normal.  But it's going to be a while before it'll be back to where it was I think.  I haven't stretched (or limbered) much in the last few days and I'm amazed at how much of a difference I feel. 

Program 12 - Wall calf, squat, quads, toe point, sit on heels

The wall calf stretch always feel good.  My calves aren't an especially tight area but it's nice to stretch them anyway.  There's definitely some differences in the sensation between right and left for them though.  I like the contractions with this one a lot.  The bent leg version moves the stretch down into the Achilles tendon, but I don't get a whole lot of movement here.  There's some tightness in the front of the ankle.

I admit that for the squat I didn't use a chair to assist me.  My instinctive reaction after getting out of the calf stretch was to squat and I did it ahead of the video and then just stayed there.  I find the position a pretty comfortable one to be in generally at this point.  Though it took me a long time to get here.  They are a little more comfortable to do after the bent leg calf stretch though.

The quad stretch felt very different between sides for me today.  The right leg almost all of the stretch felt like it was just above the knee, and on the left leg it was well distributed top to bottom on my thigh.  The right side was a little awkward to get into given my wrist situation and that may have been part of the difference.  The contractions both felt good, and I got a little more depth from them.  I was quite deliberate about maintaining the tail tuck throughout.

The toe point stretch was lovely today.  On the right side, I felt it from my toes along the top of my foot to my ankle, on the left side I just felt it on near the top of the ankle.  The contractions felt good, a small increase in the range of motion, but not a real significant one. 

The sit on heels is a pretty comfortable position for me to sit in when I'm on a mat (on the floor (didn't try it today) but as recently as last week I still need to take some of the weight off my heels since the front of my ankle flexibility isn't there yet).  With the tail tuck and leaning back there starts to be a bit of a quad stretch, but I have to go down onto block on my elbows to get a stronger quad stretch in this position.  I enjoyed the contraction here as well, lots of awareness in the quads from it.  There was a significant increase in the range of motion afterwards too. 

This session was a very interesting one to me since it spanned some things that I've been working on for a long time and that feel fairly routine to others that I haven't really done much with until I started this course that need a lot more work.

 

[Ned]

December 28
Lying relaxation practice.  I may stop noting this from these logs since it’s habitual now.  But I’ll keep doing them.

My wrist is much improved from where it was a couple days ago, and feels basically normal today.  I’m starting rehab for it from the beginning again since I don’t want to over do it by trying to jump right back to where I was.  For now that means finger extensor and thumb training with the white elastic (roughly equivalent to a broccoli elastic in resistance) and gentle range of motion explorations.  I may also do some gentle contractions not to get more range than I have currently, but to add strength there. 

Program 13 - Floor biceps + leg behind, “reverse chicken”, lying rotation, chest + biceps

It was easier for me to find the right position in the floor biceps stretch than with the wall version.  I still find this stretch awkward with my palm facing up, so it’s one that I should keep working on.  I feel less tight with this version than I did during my first attempt with the wall version.  I suspect that gravity helps me keep my shoulder closer to the floor.  Just a faint hint of a stretch in the bicep and a little more in the chest, but I have a lot of tightness in my shoulders that I think generally inhibits me from fully relaxing in this position.

The reverse chicken stretch is a good stretch for the top of my ankles too.  This one was a little awkward feeling, but I had a good stretch in the back of my shoulders from it.  The contraction gave me some added range of motion afterwards.  I’m still amazed how well those work each time I do one.  

The lying rotation is a nice stretch.  In the thigh to chest warmup, I had some sensation around the top of the hip like I sometimes get in a squat.  It doesn't feel like a pinching (I moved my leg in to experience that) but it's definitely compression of some kind.  I’m able to relax pretty well in this position and my shoulders are both staying on the ground like they were by the end of my daily five sessions before I started the starter course. 

The chest/biceps finisher was a little bit awkward feeling initially, and when I moved back I experienced some cramping in the upper back.  Lots of nerve sensation in my forearms and hands with this one as well.  An interesting position.  I’ll need some more familiarity with it before I’ll be able to truly relax in it, but I kept my chest up throughout.  

I have a little extra time today and I’m feeling generally good, so I decided to do the next program as well.  

Program 14: Piriformis, chair forward bend + sumo, shoulder flexion, three neck exercises

This piriformis stretch instantly caused my foot to fall asleep on my right leg the first time I did it.  So I switched to the left first and then redid the right afterwards (missed the maintain some tension so it’s comfortable—my knees were nearly level without that).  I felt it mostly at the outside back of the hip.  I'm still amazed by how much more forward bend I had after the contraction, and that it's possible for me to bend forward generally now since until quite recently I didn't have much luck with it at all.  

The chair forward bend + sumo was an amazing stretch for me.  There’s a spot in my upper back to was stretched to perfection during one of the twists.  I felt this one mostly in groin though, and found it worked better for me if I was more on the edge of my chair than farther back in it.  

The shoulder flexions stretch was another one that just felt immediately good.  The contraction was very natural, and added some more depth when I was relaxing afterwards.  My arms did fall alseep pretty quickly in this one too .  But my upper back felt lovely afterwards.  

I sat on a block on the floor for the neck stretches.  I’m always amazed at the increased range of motion just from relaxing and breathing out in the looking sideways one.  The cues for the side bend were spot on what I needed to here to find that tightest line.  Generally, my forward neck bends are pretty good, but the contraction was nice today as well.  The forward slump at the end was pleasant as well. 

As tempting as I find Module 3 (especially after watching the intro for it), I’m going to head back to work through Module 2 again.  There were some exercises that I didn’t quite get right the first time through and I'd like familiarize myself with them a little more. 

[Kit_L]

1 hour ago, Ned said:

I may stop noting this from these logs since it’s habitual now. 

Just note "LRP"—save those typing fingers! Personally, I do think it's worth mentioning. It is a kind of reinforcement for ones in self.

1 hour ago, Ned said:

The chest/biceps finisher was a little bit awkward feeling initially, and when I moved back I experienced some cramping in the upper back.

This is now general recommendation for anyone who finds him or herself in a similar position: simply do the opposite movement even if that's not part of the stretch. Remember that suggestion I gave you about having your arms horizontal while standing and reaching out as far as possible in front of you to loosen that place in your upper back? Same thing. Accumulating these experiences literally shows you what your body needs at any point in time. It's probably a bit hard to imagine now but in time all of these movements and positions of ease will seem to be the way that you move through the world and the result will be your body will simply feel more comfortable more often. Keep going!

[Ned]

5 hours ago, Kit_L said:

simply do the opposite movement even if that's not part of the stretch

That was my reaction when I got out of it. 

4 hours ago, Kit_L said:

It's probably a bit hard to imagine now but in time all of these movements and positions of ease will seem to be the way that you move through the world and the result will be your body will simply feel more comfortable more often.

I'm already much more comfortable day to day now than when I started.  Even on days I'm sore from stretching I'm more comfortable than when I starter.  The relaxation practice as much as the stretching has helped with that.  They aren't all ingrained enough to be the way I move through the world, but I've already noticed some changes in how I move as being movements from stretches. 

At the same time, I'm still early enough in the process that I'm sure there are going to be changes and increased comfort that I can't anticipate because I don't have an experience of what relaxation in some habitually tight area feels like until it happens.  Some stretches, like the shoulder flexion I did today almost immediately relax something that I can't ever recall being loose.  If I prod the muscles in my back that stretch relaxed, they're softer (except for the (painless) knotted spots that are now distinct points instead of just whole muscle tightness) than I can remember them being in 25 years and quite possibly before that. 

[Ned]

Balance work.  2.3km run + some walking.  Wrist rehab white elastic.

Program 8 - Wall pec./biceps, neck flexion, rotation, extension

My stretched arm both stayed on the wall for the palm facing the wall version this time.  I was struggling to keep them on the towel the last time, so it's a huge improvement.  With the back of the hand toward the wall version, I was able to keep my stretched arm's shoulder on the towel this time which was a big improvement as well.  My left arm has an easier time in that position than my right one, but not by a whole lot.

In the arm across the throat stretch, I had a nice stretch of the back of my shoulder.  My arm was also touching my throat after the contractions which I think is a little deeper than before. 

The neck stretches all felt good.  At this point, I don't think I hold a whole lot of tension there and my range of motion is already at a point that I'm pretty happy with.  I'm also noticing in daily life that my neck's rotational range of motion has increased quite a bit from where it was when I started, but I still increase it a little more each time I exhale during that stretch. 

I'm glad I came back to redo this program.  I recall being dissatisfied with how it felt the first time through, but this time I was able to stay relaxed and do the movements without struggling to find, enter, or relax in the positions.  My contractions during the wall shoulder stretches were also quite a bit stronger this time through which tends to work a little better for me than very gentle ones in many positions. 

LRP.

[Matt Chung]

> My stretched arm both stayed on the wall for the palm facing the wall version this time.  I was struggling to keep them on the towel the last time, so it's a huge improvement

Nice win! I recall experiencing something similar with that exact stretch. When I had first positioned myself against the wall, I could barely rotate my trunk and I could barely press my stretched arm flush against the wall. And then one day, poof: sort of just happened. Keep it up.

> LRP

At first, I was like what the f*ck does this mean. And then I recall that you've been so consistent (very admirable) with the lying relaxation practices so I put 2 and 2 together. Then I scrolled up and saw Kit's comment and the acronym has been confirmed.