WW1 neck egyptian - 'assistance' exercises

[KD Jones]

Yesterday, I was working on the 'egyptian' from WW1 - specifically on limiting the movement of the shoulders, keeping the eyes level, and maximizing side-to-side movement. Got a little frustrated... couldn't get it 'natural.'

Today, I tried 2 things:
> Took a longer-than-outstretched-armspan 1.5 inch wood dowel, put it behind my head, put my arms under-then-over, and grabbed as far out as I could. I anchored the hand by 'jamming' the dowel between index and ring fingers but later realized that a pair of those rubbery grippy gloves would have been really useful in keeping the outward pull.
Then I tried to relax the arms, and try the movement.
Also tried after slipping the dowel down from the neck, behind the scapulae.

> Got a couple of dumbells (tried 50s then 30s, I wasn't gumby enough for the 50s), held them with lifting straps to leave the hands relaxed, and tried the movement again, while experimenting with letting the arms fall more to the front or back of the lats, and really pronating the hands.

While I did all of this, I stood in front of a mirror, and focused on stying relaxed in the shoulders, and following the plane of motion of the eyes (making sure they were moving in a straight line from side-to-side), and not shifting the clavicle to 'fake' greater range of motion.

And whizzakers, I think it helped. Showed me REAL quick where my head is truly connected to everything else, and how much more free the union can become. Suddenly I saw how this one piece of the exercise could free ALL kinds of possibilities and result in an increase in level/quality bodily awareness and general health.

Strange... right now my neck feels more connected to my body, and more freely so, than I ever remember it being. (I have ADD, so having my head connected to ANYTHING is a really big deal...)

There. I said it and I'm glad.

Blessings.

[blazebob]

hi look in connies articals links to the cst mags there is a artical by connie on a few things to try and loads off posts on this topic it came really slowly for me then just clicked http://www.circularstrengthmag.com/34/brown.html
i think this is the link who knows i am not to good with computers it came from a post titled warrior wellnes working on page 2 of this section

[Connie Brown]

Very creative, kd. I would have never thought of your solutions. thanks for putting em here!

[Tim Haws]

Another idea might be to "pack" your shoulders by putting your fist in the other palm at about your navel, and keep your elbows tight against your body. Now keeping your spine erect, lead with your mandible.

Good luck!

Tim

[Coach Gostnell]

I like that one, Tim, as well as the others, but yours I can do sitting at my desk. (no one in this office will let me have anything resembling a stick after they saw me going through a weapons form using a broom handle. :roll: )

[Coach Tran]

Very creative, kd. I would have never thought of your solutions. thanks for putting em here!

Yes, indeed creative. KD is showing good insight and creativity by thinking outside the square. Good job and please keep us posted.

[KD Jones]

Thank you all. I hope to be able to make some contribution in the future...

The responses make all the difference, and it's really nice to see that it's already a tradition to post ideas on approaches and assistance here.

(Right now I'm working on a device incorporating a front-seat airbag for a quick increase in ROM on particularly sticky mornings. Having trouble mounting it to the dowel. I'll keep y'all posted.)

Blessings.