HOW TO ESTABLISH A PROPER ARCHED VERTEBRAL BRIDGE
The primary goal of this exercise is to establish structural integrity by achieving proper anatomical alignment, which results in opening the vertebral joints providing the greatest possible flexibility and mobility required for efficient, effective, and nearly effortless movement, in order to redirect, balance, or generate a massive amount of force at will. To accomplish this goal we should focus on:
THE 10 STEP METHOD FOR NOVICE PRACTITIONERS
This is a step-by-step method for the complete novice. It utilizes a general starting position that should allow us to comfortably establish the proper arched vertebral bridge. With a little experimentation and practice, we should quickly develop a "feel" for it. Proper physical structure will simply "feel" right. Typically, if it doesn't feel right, we're doing something wrong. Once we learn to establish a proper arched vertebral bridge, we can utilize the much more expedient and effective advanced method.
Take special note that our starting position, the position of our legs and feet (stance), is precisely that. It's simply a place to begin this particular exercise. It is not intended for use in actual combat. Remember, at this point we are focusing solely on learning to establish a feel for the proper arched vertebral bridge.
1. Place feet parallel to each other.
2. Stand up straight as possible.
3. Relax the knee joints.
5. Rotate the pelvis upward by relaxing the lumbar muscles. (Lumbar Slouch)
7. Relax the thoracic and shoulder muscles allowing the shoulders to drop downward and roll forward. (Thoracic Slouch)
9. Relax the cervical muscles, allowing the cranium to drop downward until the mandible rests on the sternum. (Cervical Slouch)
10. Lift the cranium as little as possible to acquire a comfortable position.
OVERVIEW
Essentially, we're performing an abdominal crunch (or a sit up, if we prefer) while in a standing position. Although, we are not contracting our abdominal muscles to accomplish the task. Rather, we're relaxing all the posterior muscles from our cranium to coccyx. To grossly over simplify, we're actually just slouching. However, it must be an anatomically correct slouch of the whole spine from cranium to coccyx.
If we've executed the arched vertebral bridge correctly, we should feel the weight of our upper body mass resting on the pelvic floor. By transferring that weight through our legs and heels to the earth, it should feel as though we're sitting on our heels and rooted to the earth. This is achieved by proper alignment of C7, the xia dantian, and the center of our heel (slightly behind the ankle joint) directly on the centerline of the coronal plane. Such alignment is accomplished by relaxing the ankle joints to the anterior or posterior as necessary, not by increased bending of the knee joints.
At this point, we should be extremely relaxed. There should be virtually no muscle tension anywhere in our entire body. Our muscles and joints should feel loose, open, free, flexible, and mobile. Consequently, movement should be comparatively unrestricted, smooth, flowing, and effortless.
This is the genuine meaning behind the concept of sinking qi (氣) to the stomach, at least on a purely physical level. We're establishing a physical structure that effortlessly transfers the weight of our body mass to the xia dantian. From that point, the weight of our body mass and any additional force applied to our body is effortlessly distributed through our legs to the earth.
CONCLUSION
Once we believe that we've achieved a properly arched vertebral bridge, we can progress to the next phase. At this point, it becomes necessary to experiment and test the integrity of our structure. We must make certain our structure is correct.
The primary goal of this exercise is to establish structural integrity by achieving proper anatomical alignment, which results in opening the vertebral joints providing the greatest possible flexibility and mobility required for efficient, effective, and nearly effortless movement, in order to redirect, balance, or generate a massive amount of force at will. To accomplish this goal we should focus on:
- relaxing the spinal column to form a proper arched vertebral bridge,
- eliminating unnecessary muscle tension,
- eliminating unnecessary pressure on vertebrae,
- eliminating unnecessary pressure on intervertebral discs.
This is a step-by-step method for the complete novice. It utilizes a general starting position that should allow us to comfortably establish the proper arched vertebral bridge. With a little experimentation and practice, we should quickly develop a "feel" for it. Proper physical structure will simply "feel" right. Typically, if it doesn't feel right, we're doing something wrong. Once we learn to establish a proper arched vertebral bridge, we can utilize the much more expedient and effective advanced method.
Take special note that our starting position, the position of our legs and feet (stance), is precisely that. It's simply a place to begin this particular exercise. It is not intended for use in actual combat. Remember, at this point we are focusing solely on learning to establish a feel for the proper arched vertebral bridge.
1. Place feet parallel to each other.- Distance should measure approximately one shoulder width from the outside edge (blade) of the right foot to outside edge (blade) of the left foot.
- Shoulder width is not the measurement of distance between the instep of each foot.
- The correct measurement places the feet directly underneath the shoulders.
- Soles of the feet should be flat as possible.
- Do not lift the heels, toes, or balls of the feet.
- Weight should be distributed evenly to both feet.
- Toes, knees, hips, shoulders, and eyes should all face forward.
- Knee joints should not be locked out to the posterior.
- Knee joints should not bend any farther to the anterior than is comfortable or absolutely necessary.
4. Coordinate respiration with movement.
- Inhale deeply utilizing the diaphragm, filling our lungs with air.
- This should create pressure on the internal organs, causing the abdomen distend.
- Exhale slowly while executing step 5, allowing tension to flow out of our body.
- A profound understanding of coordinating our breathing with physical movement of our body is imperative. This subject will be discussed, in detail, later. At this point, it is only important that we understand the act of breathing itself causes physical movement of the body and this movement must be coordinated properly with any other physical movement that occurs simultaneously.
- Do not contract the gluteus maximus muscles to perform this pelvic rotation. This is not a pelvic thrust. We may call it a pelvic tuck or pelvic tilt, if we prefer. Nevertheless, it is a rotation of the pelvis resulting in an angular alteration between the hip joints (the point at which the femurs join to the pelvis) and the sacrum.
- The primary goal of this step is to eliminate the pathological convex curvature of the lumbar vertebrae. This relaxes the posterior lumbar muscles attached to the lumbar vertebrae, pelvis, sacrum, and coccyx. This causes the joints between each individual lumbar vertebra to open providing greater structural integrity, flexibility, and mobility. Additionally, it compresses the muscles of the lower abdomen, protecting our internal organs without causing those muscles to contract.
- Consequently, this will alter the alignment of the lumbar vertebrae and angle of the pelvis, sacrum, and coccyx. Altering the angles of these structures raises the pelvic floor. This has the added benefit of creating a supportive shelf for the internal organs to rest upon, essentially creating a structural foundation for our internal organs.
 |
| Angle of pelvic "bowl" before pelvic rotation |
|
| Angle of pelvic "bowl" after pelvic rotation |
- A close examination of the pelvis, reveals that it's shaped like a bowl. However, that bowl is resting on its side with the top edge of the rim facing the anterior. This has the effect of dumping our guts out the front of our abdomen. Resultantly, all our internal organs hang from our spine. This creates unnecessary compressive pressure on our vertebrae and intervertebral discs.
- By rotating the pelvis upward and changing the angle, we are attempting to set the bowl upright. This helps to keep our guts inside the bowl. This eliminates unnecessary compressive pressure on our vertebrae and intervertebral discs. Consequently, it eliminates unnecessary pressure and tension on our anterior abdominal muscle tissue. Furthermore, proper pelvic rotation will cause the knee joints to bend slightly and prevent the possibility of locking out our knee joints. That is to say, it's not possible without breaking our anatomically correct structure.
- Additionally, this changes the angle at which gravity enters the body along the centerline to the xia dantian. Without this pelvic rotation, gravity enters the body on the centerline through the perineum approximately halfway between the scrotum and anus. With this pelvic rotation and depending on our flexibility, gravity enters the body on the centerline directly in front of the anus.
- When executed correctly, this pelvic rotation should position the xia dantian directly above the center of the heels slightly behind the ankle joint on the centerline along the coronal plane. If we find this is not the case, this alignment should be accomplished by relaxing the ankle joints to the anterior or posterior as necessary, not by increased bending of the knee joints. This is the first step in transferring the entire weight of our body mass to the center of our heels slightly behind the ankle joint. Consequently, this is the first step in anchoring our structural framework to the foundation (earth).
6. Coordinate respiration with movement.
- Inhale deeply utilizing the diaphragm, filling our lungs with air.
- This should create pressure on the internal organs, causing the abdomen distend.
- Exhale slowly while executing step 7, allowing tension to flow out of our body.
- A profound understanding of coordinating our breathing with physical movement of our body is imperative. This subject will be discussed, in detail, later. At this point, it is only important that we understand the act of breathing itself causes physical movement of the body and this movement must be coordinated properly with any other physical movement that occurs simultaneously.
- The primary goal of this step is to relax the posterior thoracic muscles attached to the thoracic vertebrae, scapula, clavicle, and shoulder joints. This causes the individual joints between these skeletal structures to open, providing greater structural integrity, flexibility, and mobility.
- Additionally, it compresses the muscles of the upper abdomen, protecting our internal organs without causing those muscles to contract. At this point, our shoulders should form a concave arch. From shoulder to shoulder and groin to chin, it should appear as if we are hugging a beach ball and conforming our body to that spherical shape.
- Consequently, the entire weight of our body mass, above the hip joints (the point at which the femurs join to the pelvis), has been transferred to our pelvic "bowl". All our internal organs, except those in our cranium, are resting on and are supported by the pelvic floor. Now, these internal organs are no longer hanging from the spine and causing unnecessary pressure on our vertebrae or intervertebral discs.
- Executed correctly, this should position C7 (the seventh cervical vertebra) directly on the centerline. Now, both C7 and the xia dantian should be directly above the center of the heels slightly behind the ankle joint along the coronal plane. This is the second step in transferring the entire weight of our body mass to the center of our heels slightly behind the ankle joint. Consequently, this is the second step in anchoring our structural framework to the foundation (earth).
8. Coordinate respiration with movement.
- Inhale deeply utilizing the diaphragm, filling our lungs with air.
- This should create pressure on the internal organs, causing the abdomen distend.
- Exhale slowly while executing step 9, allowing tension to flow out of our body.
- A profound understanding of coordinating our breathing with physical movement of our body is imperative. This subject will be discussed, in detail, later. At this point, it is only important that we understand the act of breathing itself causes physical movement of the body and this movement must be coordinated properly with any other physical movement that occurs simultaneously.
- The primary goal of this step is to eliminate the pathological convex curvature of the cervical vertebrae. This relaxes the posterior cervical muscles attached to the cervical vertebrae and cranium. This causes the joints between each individual cervical vertebra to open providing greater structural integrity, flexibility, and mobility. Additionally, it compresses the muscles of the anterior cervical region, protecting the organs of our throat and head without causing any cervical muscles to contract.
- The primary goal of this step is to lift our cranium just enough to be comfortable and provide an adequate range of vision, while maintaining proper protective positioning of our eyes, nose, mandible, and esophagus.
- Ideally, the mandible should lift approximately two to four inches from our sternum.
Essentially, we're performing an abdominal crunch (or a sit up, if we prefer) while in a standing position. Although, we are not contracting our abdominal muscles to accomplish the task. Rather, we're relaxing all the posterior muscles from our cranium to coccyx. To grossly over simplify, we're actually just slouching. However, it must be an anatomically correct slouch of the whole spine from cranium to coccyx.
If we've executed the arched vertebral bridge correctly, we should feel the weight of our upper body mass resting on the pelvic floor. By transferring that weight through our legs and heels to the earth, it should feel as though we're sitting on our heels and rooted to the earth. This is achieved by proper alignment of C7, the xia dantian, and the center of our heel (slightly behind the ankle joint) directly on the centerline of the coronal plane. Such alignment is accomplished by relaxing the ankle joints to the anterior or posterior as necessary, not by increased bending of the knee joints.
At this point, we should be extremely relaxed. There should be virtually no muscle tension anywhere in our entire body. Our muscles and joints should feel loose, open, free, flexible, and mobile. Consequently, movement should be comparatively unrestricted, smooth, flowing, and effortless.
This is the genuine meaning behind the concept of sinking qi (氣) to the stomach, at least on a purely physical level. We're establishing a physical structure that effortlessly transfers the weight of our body mass to the xia dantian. From that point, the weight of our body mass and any additional force applied to our body is effortlessly distributed through our legs to the earth.
CONCLUSION
Once we believe that we've achieved a properly arched vertebral bridge, we can progress to the next phase. At this point, it becomes necessary to experiment and test the integrity of our structure. We must make certain our structure is correct.
No comments:
Post a Comment