Claire's Log

[Claire]

I too am waiting for my Warrior Wellness tapes and started this morning with 5 minutes after every meal.

Date: Fri 5.28
Time: 8:30 am
Place: Living Room
Energy Level: 4 - overslept, still catching up from Ranch, tired, have headache, feel scrunched.
Exercises: Shoulder circles, Thoracic (spelling?) circles, hip circles, ankle circles, wrist circles. Pilates: Roll up, Roll Down, Single leg stretch, Single straight leg stretch.

Sets: 1 set of each

Reps: Circles: 3 each side, Pilates exercises 10 each

Rest Period: Circles, 2 breaths, Pilates none (flow from one to next)

RPE: 2 but sweaty at end!

RT: circles 2 (not sure I am doing them right!) Pilates 6

RPD: circles 2 except thoracic 7 It is interesting that I had totally forgotten that we had learned these at Ranch until someone mentioned it here. I am really blocked in the middle of my back and have a really hard time getting it to move. I can't even imagine the muscles that I need to use to move it! I always feel frustrated, hopeless and tearful when I try to loosen up this area. And I have a constant pain between my shoulder blades when I try to correct my round shouldered posture and stand or sit straight.
Pilates: 2 except hip flexors - I tend to grip with them and this causes me a lot of pain. Do you have any ideas how to stop gripping with my hip flexors?

Sensations: Lots of cracking and popping in shoulders, hips and ankles while doing circles. It feels good to stretch.

Feelings: It feels to good to move, and stretch, I feel tearful/angry when I feel the pain in my back, makes me want to roar!

Images: Nothing specific

Thoughts: I definitely have a block in my back. It feels a bit frightening to open up what is there because it feels huge. But I am ready.

Questions: I would like to hear your thoughts on the back block and how to stop gripping with my hip flexors. I feel like the gripping is a protection of my pelvic floor (anyone who has had a baby will understand this!) so lifting my legs in the air does not strain my lower abs. I keep trying to lift from the core but when tired, it always goes to my hip flexors.

Phew! What a lot to say about 5 minutes of movement!
Claire
:D

[Scott Sonnon]

Claire,

Do you have someone who could help you with an exercise? If not, we can rig something for you do to alone.

If you can do it with a partner, have them cup the back of your ankles as you lay on your back. If you don't have a partner, get a sturdy broom handle or piece of wood and lay down in a doorway with your feet in the arch. Place the broom on the far side of the doorway and put your feet over it so the handle rests about ankle/calf height. The handle should be of sufficient length to be much larger than the door frame and sturdy enough that it won't bend or buckle when you pull against it. Now, pull your legs against it so that it remains off the floor. Can you picture this (the equivalent of someone cupping your ankles)?

Okay, there's a unique mechanism in the body called "reciprocal inhibition" which we'll use to release your hip flexors (HF). Your HF are associated with your hamstrings, so if you pull against your partner's hands or the broom handle, you're contracting your hamstrings. By contracting your hamstrings you inhibit your hip flexors - disallowing them from the scrunch to protect your pelvic floor.

Now, as your pullling with your hamstrings, keep your hands on the floor to steady yourself, and push with your heels to lift your pelvic upward towards the ceiling. Exhale. Push to the maximal range of motion. Then, without relaxing your hamstrings, relax your pelvis gently to the floor. Do this five times, holding at the top for an additional second each time (first 1 second, then 2, 3, 4, 5.)

On the fifth, while you're at the top, drift your pelvis right and left (like a small section of the pelvic circles we did at Ranch, but now horizontal.) Exhale!

Relax down, and gently and slowly stand up.

Now do your pelvic circles - 5 times each direction. Come back with your discoveries. I suspect you will have a major release through this exercise.

[Claire]

Thank you Scott

The Warrior Wellness tapes arrived yesterday, so I did the beginner one (watched the other two!). I found the four corner balance drill (is that the right name?) difficult to do because of the gripping hip flexors so had lots of pain and could hardly lift my legs.

So I did your hip flexor release exercise last night - it felt very good to stretch them out that far. I tend to not push them that far usually and I was a little scared I'd hurt myself. But I didnt'! Anyway, this morning I did the beginner tape again, and this time the fcbd was a breeze! I was shocked, huge difference, not gripping with the hip flexors at all, effort but no pain and I could lift my leg. It can only be from last night's stretch exercise. So my question is - should I do the hf exercise every day?

The only exercise I simply cannot do on the beginner tape is the moving your neck like an egyptian one. I'm telling my neck to move but all that happens is my head turns! I never could do this when I was a kid either when everyone was doing it in a dance move. I remember being very frustrated about it! Have you got any babysteps that I can do to convince my neck that it really can move this way?

Thank you so much
Claire :D

[Scott Sonnon]

Claire,

Congratulations on your release! That's superb!!

Exchange the Four Corner Balance Drill for the 'reciprocal inhibition' Spinal Rock. Perform the Spinal Rock every day for two weeks, and record your progress.

The Neck Egyptian, laternal neck flexion, remains one of the most challenging elementary movements in Warrior Wellness, so don't worry. Stand with one side of your body against a wall, arm nice and tight by pushing with your outside foot slightly into the wall. While continuing to push into the wall, lead with the angle of your jaw (not turning your chin at all) and move your head (Egyptian style) away from the wall. You may see a sudden jump in coordination.

Again, congratulations on your release!!! Keep at it, daily. Record your feelings, sensations and images. It may be the source, but it may only be a site. Let the door open to go more deeply if you need to.

[Connie Brown]

Claire, on the Egyptian neck thing I was the same way at first, but now it moves. practice did it.

[Claire]

That's good to hear Connie. I will practice! When I first started doing Pilates this happened to me a lot. I couldn't do the move, I couldn't even locate the muscle I needed in my body to do the move, it would frustrate me sometimes for weeks until suddenly, I would get it. Once I've got it, the body remembers how to do it and its great!

Scott,

Exchange the Four Corner Balance Drill for the 'reciprocal inhibition' Spinal Rock. Perform the Spinal Rock every day for two weeks, and record your progress.


What is the "Spinal Rock" Will I find that on the Warrior Wellness tape? I have all of those but no books as yet.

Thanks for your comments. I will keep going with the hf release exercise. I am not sure if it is the source either (maybe my mid back).
Except, now I'm remembering when I first started Pilates my trainer would do long (2 mins or so felt like hours LOL) quad stretches with me. It hurt a lot and I would have all kinds of feelings come up and be in tears for the entire time. Actually, I'ld be in tears through most of the session! I had forgotten that. There are a lot of unshed tears in me I think.
Claire :D

[Scott Sonnon]

Claire,

The Spinal Rock series can be found explained exhaustively in Be Breathed (http://www.circularstrength.com/bebreathed.html). However, you can imagine the exercise you worked on to release your hip flexors earlier in this thread. Here's a photo from Body-Flow book:
http://www.circularstrengthmag.com/images/shoulderbridge.gif

[Claire]

Claire’s Log

Time: 9:00 am
Place: Living Room
Selection: Beginner Warrior Wellness
Sets/reps: with tape
Rest: with tape
RPE: 2
RT: 5 I don’t have much range of motion in my neck, elbows or knees – I am working on keeping my arms still while I do the elbow and wrist circles.
RPD: 2
Sensations: Lots of popping in the elbows, shoulders and knees. My neck is really really tight.
Feelings: Feeling strong and relaxed in this kind of movement. Afterwards I feel really good – energized and supple.
Images: Saw my Mum and her difficulty in moving and saw that it doesn’t have to be that way for me. Wondered if I could get her to do this tape!
Thoughts: None, still concentrating on the video to get technique right
Questions: I replaced FCBD with hf release exercise as shown. Also did hamstring stretch and hip stretch (the one at the end of the video but on the floor instead of standing – ankle over thigh)

I ordered Be Breathed and the Body Flow book and am excited about seeing them! I am feeling like I need to read more to get the big picture while I am working on joint strength.

I am really loving this! It loosens me up for the day.

Claire :D

[Claire]

ps. I tried again against the wall - neck doesn't want to know :)

I will keep going, I know it will come if I keep trying.

[Scott Sonnon]

Claire,

Try pressing your neck away from the wall as hard as you can. Then relax/exhale and move your neck laterally towards the wall.

[Chuck Kechter]

Claire,

A couple of the things that helped me with this mobility exercise was 1. the use of a mirror and 2. to put my hands together OVER my head--isolating my shoulders.

I tried using Coach Sonnon's suggestion of using a door frame, but found, that for me, I still had too much shoulder movement. Hands overhead seemed to isolate them, so I could "focus" on the movement of my neck. I only used the mirror for the first few weeks of practice, so that I could see, and re-enforce that I was really moving my neck in the appropriate ways. Once I felt I had the movement down I stopped using it--so that I could change the focus on feeling the movment, as opposed to "just" seeing it.

I hope this helps.
Good work so far!

Chuck

[Claire]

Thanks Chuck, I will give that a go for sure.

I am wondering if my difficulty with the egyptian move has anything to do with an injury I received when I was four years old.
I was out riding on an unpaved road covered with flint when a train went by and spooked the ponies. They bolted, I fell, my foot was caught in the stirrup and I was dragged for about half a mile on my back. I was knocked unconcious and don't remember anything until I woke up in my Mum's bed. I was scratched and bruised (I still have scars on my hands and in my head) but I guess I wasn't that badly hurt or I'ld have been in hospital. Luckily nothing was broken but since then I've had a lot of problems with my neck and the top two vertabrae of my spine.
I have noticed that the movement I've been doing over the past couple of days is releasing my neck a bit and I'm feeling less scrunched. It is very encouraging.
Claire

[Scott Sonnon]

Claire, great discovery. Keep with the neck mobility exercises and you'll continue to see improvement.

[Claire]

Well I tried putting my hands above my head and I think maybe I got 1/16th of an inch movement to the left. Still none to the right LOL - am perservering. I just wish I knew which muscles it takes to do this move, I could sort of visualise them moving. Right now, I just can't feel how to make the move.

Claire’s Log

Time and Date: Monday 5/31 9:00
Place: Living Room
Selection: WW – beginner and hf release
Sets/reps: with tape
Rest: none
RPE: 2
RT: 5 my circles are still more like elipses in most cases.
RPD: 2
Sensations: shoulders, elbows and knees still cracking and popping a lot,
Still have pain in spine top mid back (if I lift arm straight in air, bend it behind my head, where my fingertips reach is exactly where the pain is) This is a constant pain not just when I move.
Feelings: feeling good
Images: None in particular
Thoughts: my balance is improving really quickly – I’m surprised
Questions: none today thanks!

Claire :D [/b]

[Scott Sonnon]

Claire,

When you touch your fingers to the pain in your back, on a scale of 1-10 what is the discomfort level?

Now, perform the Arm Screw we practiced at Ranch 10 times (both sides). Exhale and go more deeply into the movement each repetition. Allow the same side hip and knee to fold as you roll the shoulder over more and more.

Then return and touch your fingers to the spot on your back again and let me know what the discomfort level is a 2nd time.

[Claire]

Strangely enough, the pain disappeared yesterday afternoon and hasn't come back!
When it does, I will do as you suggest and report back.
Something is working!
Claire

[Claire]

Claire’s Log

Time and Date: Tuesday 6/1
Place: Living Room
Energy Level: 7
Selection: Half of WW (stopped at hip circles)
Sets/reps: with tape
Rest: with tape
RPE: 4
RT: 5
RPD: 5 shoulders and low back are a little stiff and store
Sensations: maybe a little less popping in shoulders and elbows
Feelings: impatience
Images: none
Thoughts: I think I’m holding my lower body rigid while I do the upper body exercises and vice versa – should it be more fluid than that? Should I be relaxing the part of the body not working?
Questions:

I have a clubbell question after reading the Getting Started article. I will need to do clubbells indoors. Will there be enough ceiling clearance for me to be able to work with them properly? (without being afraid of bashing the ceiling :) I don't want to buy them and not be able to use them!
Thanks
Claire

[Scott Sonnon]

Claire,

Only use enough tension in your body to create a stable platform for the movement. Don't create general tension throughout.

Hold a hammer over your head with your hand at the bottom of the shaft. If you can do this, you should be fine.

[Claire]

Claire’s Log

Time and Date: 8pm 6/1
Place: Living Room
Selection: 2nd half of WW (hip circles onwards) went on to do 15 mins on gazelle
Energy Level: 4 (tired and didn’t want to do it) but was energized after!
Sets/reps:
Rest:
RPE: 4
RT: 6 circles getting better
RPD: 3
Sensations: feeling a little stiff from work today, aching in left hand (I am right handed but get arthritic pain in my left hand), pain in mid back when correct posture
Feelings: overwhelmed – too much to fit in with work, rr lists, movement, keeping house,
Images: none
Thoughts:
Questions:


Time and Date: 7am 6/2
Place: Living Room
Selection: WW tape to hips
Energy Level: 4
Sets/reps:
Rest:
RPE: 3
RT: 6 not gripping so much
RPD: 4 mid back pain and left hand painful – hip flexors sore
Sensations:
Feelings: better, but still a little overwhelmed
Images:
Thoughts: feel like a newbie, want to whine about having to journal and make time for movement. Laughing at myself.
Questions

[Claire]

I am going offline for a couple of days as I'm off to London for the weekend.
I'll be back posting tuesday or wednesday and will do ww as I remember it while I'm gone. Looking forward to seeing that crib sheet!
Claire :D

[Claire]

While I was away I started to feel scrunched up again - I missed doing the tape. I did a few circles but I have to say I was not very consistent. I did do some on the airplane, not the shoulder ones or the hip ones though - just knees, ankles, elbows, wrists and fingers.

A couple of things I am noticing.

1) I got a bit spooked before I left with my neck - lots of scrunching noises, I have a VERY small range of movement in my neck and I'm really really afraid of putting it out together with T1 and T2 which I have had trouble with for years and years. I guess what I'm saying is I have lots of fear around moving my neck - I cry when I try and do the egyptian move. I seem to able to do the front slide no problem, though with some fear of pushing it, it is only side movements that spook me.

2) I am not doing so well with getting some movement in after every meal. Will work on that. 5 mins of circles in the loo at work - and I am doing half the tape in the morning and half in the evening.

Will post my log this evening.
It's good to be back!
Claire

[Scott Sonnon]

Regarding the neck... there's no way to be sure without seeing for myself... but if there's no physical discomfort associated with the 'creakiness' it relates to the process of release. Think of it as the core issue needing healed. The tension - think of it as a 'splint' that the body uses to protect the area. As the tension releases, your 'dry' joint creaks because it's finally free to move again, but it doesn't yet have adequate nutrition and lubrication (synovial fluid), so it creaks ('dry' areas) and pops (rushing in of fluid). With continued practice, you'll lube up the area, and wash it with nutrition so it begins to heal finally.
Tension prohibits the suppleness of movement needed to lube and feed the joint, so when you feel any anxiety in the area, make sure you take the time to exhale, smile, relax and move it.
You're right in the process of it. Another two weeks at this rate and your neck should feel like it was when you were a kid!

[Claire]

Scott
Thanks for your comments about the neck. I realise that I have been protecting my neck since I was 4 years old. Strange that I have never realised this before! Every time I do the neck exercises I have memories of being very little and riding. Hmmm - I am going to take this one slowly.

And regarding the neck - I don't want to push it to move before it's ready and well washed, but then again I want to move it enough to help it get washed! How do I know how far to go - when I move ear to shoulder, it feels like a huge stretch (but it only moves an inch or two!) so I want to help those muscles to stretch out and relax. I guess the question is, How much stretch is OK and safe?

Thanks

:D

Claire’s Log

Time and Date: 6/10 7:30 am
Place: Living Room
Selection: WW hips to end
Energy Level: 3
Sets/reps: with tape
Rest:
RPE: 4
RT: 6
RPD: 2
Sensations: burning in legs – felt good!
Feelings: feeling more graceful – I love how resting for a couple of days always seems to help assimilate the movements so technique and balance are improved next time
Images: watching tape
Thoughts: feels good to move again
Questions: posted them!

Was too tired to do anything in the evening. Went to bed at 9


Time and Date: 6/11 7:30 am
Place: Living Room
Selection: WW beginning to legs
Energy Level: 5
Sets/reps: with tape
Rest:
RPE: 3
RT: 6 except elbow circles 3 they feel clunky
RPD: 1 it all just feels great – was going to stop at hips but my body needed to go on and loosen out my hips.
Sensations: still lots of popping and creaking in shoulders and elbows particularly – grinding and stretching in neck. Mid back still painful – must learn that spine roll from Be Breathed!
Feelings: happy -
Images: had visions of my body with good muscle tone and joint mobility – yeah!
Thoughts: none really
Questions none today

[Scott Sonnon]

Claire, don't go above an RPD of 5 for now and you'll be fine with your stretch.

[Claire]

Thanks Scott,
Well I woke up this morning after a dream about being beheaded (really :shock: ) and I've put T2 out in my sleep again. So it hurts to turn my head to the left and right or down. This happens regularly (first time when i was about 11 i think) and over the years I've had several ways of dealing with it - osteopothy, network chiropractic, massage, pilates exercises, but I usually have to use pain killers for at least a few days just so I can function :( So far I haven't today as I would like to try and fix this without pain killers this time.

I've done Warrior Wellness legs to end, and arms (not head) this morning and butterfly and the hip flexor exercise. All have been ok. It's just the pain in the neck :roll:

Any ideas for gentle ways to work through this?
Thanks for everything Scott, these circles are really bringing up a lot of stuff from the neck area for me. I don't usually dream about being beheaded :lol:

Claire

[Scott Sonnon]

Claire,

It's all part of processing out the tension. Drink extra water. Perform Warrior Wellness neck and shoulder mobility exercises throughout the day. Bathe the area and adjacent areas in movement at least once/hr. You should be 50% better by tomorrow and right as rain the following day. Feel good about this because it's the last of the tension clinging to hold on. The muscles still think that they're needed to protect you, so don't get frustrated with them, and don't fear it. Just let them know that they did their job, it's okay now to release and let the healing begin.

[Claire]

I did as you said Scott, (neck and arm circles throughout the day) and it is loosening up. Not 50% better yet :) I would say 30% but that is still pretty good. This morning I did WW all the way through - the pain is sharp when I do the ear to shoulder exercise on the right, still painful on the head turning exercises (both sides) but not as bad as yesterday.

I also did butterfly and spinal rock (which is like a more open pilates "roll like a ball" exercise!) I'm finding a lot of correlations between your body flow and pilates which is great because I already have that foundation!

Claire’s Log

Time and Date: Sun 6/13 9 am
Place: Living Room
Selection: WW beginner tape, butterfly, spinal rock
Energy Level: 10 sea air yesterday gave me a GREAT night’s sleep, no beheading dreams!!
Sets/reps: with tape, 10 butterfly (slow), 10 spinal rock –
Rest: 5mins between tape and butterfly, 2 mins between butterfly and spinal rock to find exercise in book and check form.
RPE: 5
RT: 10 –
RPD: 1 but 8 in T2
Sensations: pain moving neck to right, pins and needley type pain in right shoulder (related to T2) some clicking in shoulders, elbows, knees, otherwise joints seem to be smoothing out yeah!
Feelings: love moving like this – hopeful that constant problem with putting out neck will be solved
Images: none, watching tape
Thoughts: Grateful for Pilates background – I get Be Breathed, body is comfortable moving that way.
Questions: Neck problems not withstanding, I feel ready to move on. What’s next, WW intermediate? My Clubbells are on order – should I be getting any books/tapes to prepare for swinging?

Claire
:D

[Claire]

Ooooh, I forgot to mention... the arm screw!!
I have been doing it once an hour, 5 on each side. It is helping a lot. Whenever I feel I'm getting tense from the pain I do it and the neck/shoulder releases some.
Thank you
Claire

[Claire]

Oh shoot, another PS..
I have pretty much stopped trying to do the egyption neck slides while I am in pain. Is that the right thing to do? I find I tense my neck a lot while I'm concentrating on doing this exercise (not that it moves :lol: ) Should I go back to trying to do it, or wait until T2 is back in the right place?
Thanks

[Scott Sonnon]

Claire,

Don't do anything which causes any discomfort of 5 or higher on a scale of 1-10. Move the area with any movement under that discomfort level.

You're doing great!

[Claire]

Time and Date: Sun 6/13 1:30
Place: Living Room
Selection: Head tilts, arm screws, arm circles (together through all planes)
Energy Level: 8
Sets/reps: 10 head, 5 each side of all arm exercises
Rest: flow from one to next
RPE: 2
RT: 9
RPD: 2 with twinges in neck
Sensations: feels like I’m working through something. Neck feels stiff
Feelings: peace
Images: none
Thoughts: am loving that my body is leading me to movement – my head is staying out of the way!
Questions: none


Time and Date: Sun6/13 5:30 pm (before dinner)
Place: bedroom
Selection: Pilates intermediate mat class – half of it
Energy Level: 6
Sets/reps: with Brooke’s cd
Rest: flow from one to next
RPE: 8 – oh my, I could NOT get through the stomach series so I stopped
RT: 8 noticed the circles are helping my pilates technique – cool!
RPD: 3-8 by end – did not try to push through – I stopped and no guilt
Sensations: feels good -
Feelings: happy that I WANTED to do this. Love allowing my body to lead movement and not my head.
Images: nothing particular
Thoughts: need to get back to practicing pilates every day
Questions: none

[Claire]

Well getting all cocky and impatient, I had a go at the intermediate tape :roll:

My body does not get figure 8's yet so the tape went a little fast for me. And those shoulder rolls killed me :lol:

Should I start to practice one or two of the intermediate exercises with the beginner tape. My head/neck is definitely not ready to move on to figure 8's, but I think arms may be.

Thanks
Claire

Time and Date: mon 6/14 7:30 am
Place: Living Room
Selection: WW Intermediate
Energy Level: 5
Sets/reps: beginner head, intermediate arms and elbows
Rest:
RPE: 8
RT: 2 my brain doesn’t do figure 8’s yet LOL
RPD: 6 on shoulder lifts - couldn’t finish
Sensations: lots of burning in shoulders
Feelings: yikes! Laughing at self
Images: watching video
Thoughts: I guess I’m not as ready to move on as I thought
Questions:

[Claire]

Time and Date: Tues 6/15 2pm
Place: The Loo at work
Selection: shoulder circles, (not all planes), elbows, (not all planes) wrists, fingers, knees, ankles.
Energy Level: 5 but very rushed, am late for a meeting and getting a lot of funny looks in the loo. There is an expectation that I explain what I’m doing and I don’t want to.
Sets/reps: 5 each side
Rest:
RPE: 2
RT: 5
RPD: 5 – the embarrassment factor LOL not physical but it made me tense.
Sensations: body tense,
Feelings: hurrying to get it over with, feeling a little silly
Images: none
Thoughts: this does not work – there is not enough room to do arm circles if there is anyone else in the bathroom. I will need to find another place to do this.
Questions

Time and Date: Tues 6/15 8:00 (1 hr after dinner)
Place: Living Room
Selection: WW Beginners
Energy Level: 6
Sets/reps:
Rest:
RPE: 2
RT: 9
RPD: 1 my neck is SOOOO much better!
Sensations: neck still feels very stiff – this is an improvement from very very very stiff! The pain is almost gone
Feelings: Joy – was doing the tape with Mark (my son age 20) and we were laughing alot
Images: Watching Mark, not paying too much attention to my own movement tonight
Thoughts: Must get PAL version of tapes
Questions:

Mark did the tape with me and LOVED it - he used to do a lot of Capoeira and resonates with this way of moving. :D I will get him the PAL version so he can continue back home in London. I wish I'd discovered Warrior Wellness for both the boys when they were practicing Capoeira on a regular basis. You would not believe the litany of injuries. (Well, perhaps you would!) Matthew has had surgery on his elbow after it snapped when he landed all his weight on his left hand and has severe restriction in the range of movement there. He can't straighten his arm any more. Mark damaged his knee badly. sigh I will work on them to do the circles just like I work on them to do breakfast LOL.

As for me - Couple of things I am noticing - I can reach higher shelves and lower down my back than I've been able to for as long as I can remember. Cool! The sharp pain in my neck is almost gone. My usual recovery time for this with either chiropractic work, osteopathy, massage or acupuncture or a combination of several is approximately 2 weeks. Since I put it out on Saturday, this is a recovery time of 4 days. This is AWESOME (and a helluva lot cheaper!) It is still not completely right and I'm continuing to do the arm screws throughout the day which is helping.

I am really really enjoying doing this! :D
Claire

[Claire]

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were busy days for me. Lots of stress at work and social stuff in the evening (my son is visiting). I stopped logging my circles :(
BUT - I did 5 minutes of circles after lunch every day. Funny thing is, my body is starting to complain if I DON'T do them. I find myself doing them unconciously - yesterday I was even doing arm screws unconsciously while heating up my lunch at work. How amazing is this!

More good news - my Clubbells arrived and with my arm straight up in the air, there is an inch of ceiliing clearance. Phew! For once I am very happy to be short :lol:

I took them out of the package, inspected them, held them, rested them on my shoulders briefly to see what that felt like. They feel heavy and black and a little intimidating. They feel "manly" (unlike injuries, right Scott :wink: ) I have not swung them - to be quite honest, right now I'm a little scared of them :shock: if that makes any sense at all.

Next week, I will do the whole tape every morning when I get up and continue to do circles and armscrews throughout the day to release tension.

Claire

[Scott Sonnon]

All great news, Claire!!!

[Claire]

Claire’s Log

Time and Date: Friday 6.24 10 am
Place: Living room
Selection: WW beginner
Energy Level: 5 – I’m very tired and a little sore
Sets/reps:
Rest:
RPE: 3
RT: 9 4CBD rocks since I lowered my leg and stretched out of the hip to relax hipflexor – wow what a difference
RPD: 3 neck still very stiff and creaky
Sensations: lots of grinding and popping – does that ever stop?
Feelings: how good this feels, feel strong, fluid and yes – sexy!! Good Grief!
Images: still concentrating on video
Thoughts: Must make sure I do circles even if schedule has gone mad.

Questions: I am guessing that it doesn’t matter how long it takes my neck to release or to realize that it can do the Egyptian move as long as I keep going gently pushing but not causing it pain – right?


Loving it! :D
Claire

[Scott Sonnon]

Yep. :wink: You're doing great.

[Chuck Kechter]

Questions: I am guessing that it doesn’t matter how long it takes my neck to release or to realize that it can do the Egyptian move as long as I keep going gently pushing but not causing it pain – right?

I thought I would chime in here again, to tell you that you're not alone in the "pain in the neck" department. My cervical spine has always been the worst area of tension, and injury over the years.

And to echo Coach Sonnon, you are right on. . . On soooooo many levels :D .

I have been working with Coach's materials for almost three years, and it has only been about the last 6-8 months that I can perform the egyptian (and now cirlces, infinities, and clover leafs--whooo hooo!).

So keep at it, and you'll get it.

Patience (that "evil" word no one likes) is as always the key.

V/R,
Chuck

[Claire]

Thanks Chuck, that is really encouraging. Sometimes I feel like I'm just pretending to do the movement. It moves a fraction to the left, but not at all to the right. :? How did you work on it through all those months that it didn't move?
It sure is a challenging one
:lol:
Claire

[Chuck Kechter]

How did you work on it through all those months that it didn't move?
It sure is a challenging one

Off the top. . . Three things helped me.

1. Inspiration.
Watching video of Coach Sonnon slide his neck around "on" his mandible was very motivational to me.

2. Isolation(s) and Incremental Progression.
Something Scott wrote a while back about the use of isolation(s) to build upon, especially in the recovery stage helped. It made me think about removing shoulder movement, to help realize the sliding action of the cervical vertebrae. He recommended a course (for someone else) that I tried, but found didn't work for me. What I found was, that by creating a small amount of tension in my shoulders (by raising my hands over my head and pressing them together) that I "created" the conditions I needed to begin to see the movement happen (I also used a mirror for this). Once I got to a point where I wasn't seeing any further development--after some relatively huge gains--I changed my tension relation point by clasping my hands behind my back, rolling my shoulders back, and slightly tensing my triceps. I got even more gains that way. And now here I am--for the most part able to play with the movement without those immobilzers.

3. Perseverance.
There is a quote that Steven King wrote that I adapted--for when I got (and sometimes still get) frustrated.
Paraphrasing (since I don't have it in front of me): "There are many writers that are geniuses. There are also a lot of geniuses that have never been published. The difference between those that have been published, and those that haven't is perseverance."
Simplified: Those that get are those that do--till they get (whatever it is) what they want. For me it is as simple as that.

Hope that helps.

Keep on keeping on. It does get easier, and once you've realized your goals, I think you'll find, like I have, that what you've gone through to get where you want to be will be the least of your concern. As you move about in the state of freedom (emotional, movement, overall health and well being, et cetera) that you yourself have put forth.

It is a very cool trip.

V/R,
Chuck

[Claire]

Wow, Chuck - yes that really does help!

I realise that my ROM in my neck is really very small. I feel a very strong stretch in all the neck exercises but when I looked in the mirror while I was doing it, my neck only moves an inch or so. My feeling is that I am not going to be able to do that movement (the Egyptian) until my neck is a lot more relaxed. So, I will keep working on it. And even if it takes me 3 years, it will eventually happen LOL

Thanks for the encouragement Chuck,
:D Claire

[Claire]

Time and Date: Monday 6/28 8:00 am
Place: Living Room
Selection: WW beginner
Energy Level: 5
Sets/reps:
Rest:
RPE: 2
RT: 10
RPD: 2 – neck 5
Sensations: some clicking and popping but getting better
Feelings: I feel tall when I do this LOL
Images: none
Thoughts: getting ready to do this without the tape. Am anticipating exercises and learning the routine.
Questions: None today.

[Claire]

Time and Date: Tues 6/29 8:30 pm
Place: Bedroom
Selection: WW Beginner WITHOUT THE TAPE!!!!! (followed Connies cheat sheet)
Energy Level: 4 before 6 after
Sets/reps:
Rest:
RPE: 2
RT: 5 Doing it in front of the mirror means I am seeing myself instead of Scott – Scott does them a whole lot better LOLOLOL I realize there is a difference in my perceived technique (9 when I can’t see myself) and actual technique (5) My circles are not very smooth and a lot more oval than round.
RPD: 2
Sensations: lots of crunching in my neck
Feelings: I was in tears doing the shoulder circles, feeling a lot of grief surrounding the loss of my marriage and my husband.
Images: Mark, our life together
Thoughts: There is a lot of stuff here that is locked up in my body – I’m a bit afraid to unlock it, like I’m going to start crying and never stop, on the other hand I’m tired of carrying it around with me
Questions: None today