The squat is one of the most used Primal Patterns® movements and yet is most poorly performed by people. Since we have progressed to sitting on chairs, driving and spending endless hours seated we have actually regressed in our range of motion. Every [...]
Have you heard the term ‘The three diaphragms?’ Well we actually have four main ones in total – the cranial, cervical, thoracic, and the pelvic diaphragm. I have actually seen literature talking about five, six, seven and eight diaphragms.They come together in all movement particularly on inhalation and exhalation when the pressure is transmitted through [...]
Breathing - Part 2 The abdominals as well as the diaphragm play an important role in respiration. The abdomen can be likened to a liquid filled, flexible container, which can change its shape but not its volume (i.e. is non compressible). In contrast, the thorax can be compared to a gas filled container, which can [...]
Breathing This is one of the most basic functions in life, then why is it that most of us are breathing incorrectly? Do you know that many of us are breathing too fast, with short sharp shallow sharp bursts? Breathing affects the PH balance of the body; it’s the primary function of the diaphragm. Stress [...]
Back bending is an action that takes place in every day life, from reaching up to a cupboard, changing a lightbulb, to putting a jumper on. Then why is some us find this challenging and don't have the ROM (range of motion) to reach our desired drop backs or experience pain when doing even the [...]
Spinal Stabilization – Do we need it? Part 1 During my travels in New Zealand I visited the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. I came across a most magnificent canoe – “The Waka ceremonial canoe”. The 35-metre-long canoe needs a minimum of 76 paddlers to handle it safely on the water. It weighs 6 tonnes when dry [...]
Why is it that some of us are able to tilt the pelvis and some of us cannot? I have seen this time and time again in seated forward bend asanas, GYROTONIC handle unit, and Pilates variations of the roll down and roll up. We are forever being sold solutions to gain flexibility in our [...]
The Oxford dictionary tells us that Alignment is "Arrangement in a straight line or in correct relative positions", but is this technically possible in our body, never mind our lower extremity. We know from looking at the axis and levers at school that we require equal balance, a bit like a see saw effect. When we [...]
