A little help integrating techniques

[Arluk]

A breif history: many structural injuries in my lifetime (24 years). 6 months of Hanna Somatics, 6 months of Warrior Wellness and 3 months of Be Breathed. Lately I've been working on a little Gao sytle Bagua and Body Flow, both of which are doing a great deal of good for my body. I am also dealing with a minor systemic candida infection currently, so my overall energy is kind of low.

I have only recently watched Freedom by Degree and I'm not sure just how to fit it into my practice or even if I should yet. FBD is teaching to isolate the specific ROM of a joint, minimize other body movement and maximize overall relaxation in order to address specific chains of tension that one becomes aware of being related to specific ROMs. I notice that in the Warrior Wellness videos the 6 degrees of movement in the shoulder are less isolated than in the way they are demonstrated in FBD. Warrior Wellness is moving from broad to isolated or specific movement and ROM. FBD is covering how isolated movement dysfunctions should be dealt with in order to re-integrate a specific ROM into multi-joint coordination.

My biggest problems with doing Warrior Wellness have been that my coordination advances very quickly but my chains of tension hold me back. I think that other than healing my body of its yeast problem, working on Body Flow should be my main focus right now. I feel like I am holding on to way too much tension due to fear reactivity.

Employing the help of a Naturopathic Dr, I am at the moment dealing with the candida problem fairly well. Unfortunately my current energy level does not let me do all the practices I would like to. My main question is this; given my temporarily lowered energy level what would be a good mixture of Warrior Wellness and Body Flow, and how can I or should I integrate FBD?

[JasonE]

Marty -

Freedom By Degree has also been called Warrior Wellness Elite. If you aren't already been working on Warrior Wellness Advanced consistently, I would wait before exploring FBD. Most people require a year or more of consistent Warrior Wellness practice to progress from Basic to Advanced. Some people need much more time.

If you have specific issues and would like to incorporate some aspects of FBD into your practice of Warrior Wellness, I would do so gradually and somewhat conservatively.

[bob_stra]

Pick one - whichever is more interesting looking at the moment / speaks to you.

Then -

whatever you're gut is telling you to do, do exactly 50% of that.

Personally, I think the bodyflow stuff might hold you attention for longer, but that's just me, speaking for me.

However, I suspect it might be more demanding.

[Scott Sonnon]

Agree with both Jason and Bob.

I would focus on working upon expanding Warrior Wellness outwards towards Freedom By Degree and ultimately to Body-Flow.

[Arluk]

Jason,

I am mostly thinking that incorperating the technique of isolating an ROM at very slow speeds could be very helpfull in releasing some of the specific tension chains I experience. I find myself vascilating between basic and intermediate Warrior Wellness, I've worked basic until boredome and I've been adding the movements from intermediate but I feel like I've hit a wall. I've been consistantly experiencing the same pattern of tension flare ups regardless of what set of movements I'm doing, I feel like if I just try to stick it out with the basic program I'll end up too bored of it to do it every day. Its been very difficult for me not to just jump ahead of my tension patterns for the fun of new levels of coordination. The intermediate movements have helped my overall ROM and RD a lot, but I keep running up against the same thoughts of this isn't going to help until you get the basic work perfect! What I experience with the basic and really all movements is a deepening sophistication internally, that seems to have no end. I push through my boredom and find another subtle aspect of the basic series of movements that I can expand on. Coordination is easy for me, but the injuries that I have sustained are still tugging at my performance of every level of sophistication I can conjure. I am thinking that Body Flow in concert with the Freedom by Degree isolation of ROM techniques applied to basic movements could be the key for me. I think that one reason I find the internal sophistication of the basic movements so overwhelming and nebulous is that up until I watched Freedom by Degree I had no reference point to focus from.

Does this sound right? Working on my shoulder I need to see, feel and listen to my entire body through my shoulder and even more, through the specific movements of my shoulder one at a time etc. etc. for every articulation of my body. Only after every specific ROM of my body has been zeroed tension wise can I successfully sophisticate internally without dragging my tension patterns into the equation.

Am I on the right track here?

[JasonE]

Marty -

Here's a strategy I've used to gradually sophisticate my Warrior Wellness when dealing with pesky tension chains. Give it a shot and see how it works for you.

Your practice will take longer, but I have found the time well spent.

1. Start off with the Basic movements for the neck and shoulders, moving smoothly at a comfortable pace.

2. Go through again, using the Intermediate movement patterns.

3. *OPTIONAL* Choose one movement from Advanced or FBD, and work it in.

4. Go through a couple reps from Basic again.

5. Move on, working your elbows and wrists and fingers, then your upper and lower torso, hips and thighs, knees and feet, I like to work two or more related areas at a time when working this protocol. My body is more receptive to the more advanced movements when I have already worked more basic movements down to the next link in the chain. By following the advanced movement with a more basic version, I release a little more tension that may creep in while working the more sophisticated movement.

6. I only do a long session like this 1-2 times weekly, though I don't see a reason you couldn't do it daily. It might be best to start with just 1-2 longer sessions like this and see how your body tolerates it before increasing. Over time you should be able to shift the emphasis to less Basic and more Intermediate, with a gradual movement towards more Advanced/FBD.

When your Intermediate feels like Basic, your current issues will probably be history.

Pay close attention to your tension chains and report back with your results and questions. I've never described this practice in detail before, so I'd like your feedback on how the protocol works for you.

[Scott Sonnon]

Jason,

That's solid guidance suitable for an article in CST Magazine!

[Arluk]

Thank you all, I have what I need for sure now. I'll keep the tribe posted on my progress.

Subsequently I'm working on a paper about posture for my Evergreen State College contract. I'll get it on the forum for coments and critisism as soon as I feel its good enough for review.

Thanks again for the amazing support...

[JasonE]

Scott -

Thanks, I'm glad you like it. It's since occurred to me that your own horizontal WW sessions are similar, though worked in a more sophisticated pattern. I'll convert this for an article.

Marty -

Let me know how it works for you, as your issues are more serious. I believe this will accomplish what you have in mind, but your feedback will teach all of us something more. Thanks for sharing your challenges!