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Feedback is a general term we use for when we wake

Feedback is a general term we use for when we wake up our body with props.

*Constraint* is a way to view feedback.

According to the dictionary, constraint means restriction.

But like all good boundaries, constraints (like the wall) create new opportunities.

Swipe L for 6 ways the wall restricts movement (and as a result, actually **creates** new opportunities.)

1️⃣ I keep my head, back, sacrum, at least one part of my upper extremity pressed into the wall and usher a lot more movement into my shoulder joint—a potent, active stretch for my shoulder muscles.

2️⃣ I press my finger tips against the wall and mobilize my spine and hips with a significant amount of spinal rotation already in place. The triplanar motion range of motion I can explore is greater because of the wall’s constraint. A constraint is often a source of leverage, and (therefore) greater joint freedom in terms of range of motion.

3️⃣ because the wall limits my neck motion, I can better mobilize my thoracolumbar spine, and get a good inner picture of where my head is in space as it relates to spinal wave. Here the constraint creates more awareness.

4️⃣ again because my crown is affixed to the wall, I restrict movement of my neck and just work on cervical rotation, when it would otherwise rotate AND also laterally flex. (BTW, this could feel really good to you! Try it.)

5️⃣same as 4, but now I can sense my spine’s position from the top down and better isolate shoulder movement against gravity.

6️⃣here the wall restricts movement of my hand in space (similarly, the floor restricts movement of my oposite side foot) providing me with a clearer perception of my spine then I would otherwise get in tricky cat/bird dog.

You know I just added a new class to the Virtual Studio class library?

It’s called Wall Flow!

Check it out along with all the other classes in my Virtual Studio.

link in bio 👀

Episode 3 of the Movement Logic podcast is ready f

Episode 3 of the Movement Logic podcast is ready for you! Listen wherever you get your podcast.

In this episode, @sarahcourtdpt and I discuss massage and self-massage including:

🤔some common (accurate or otherwise) claims about their benefits, and what the research has to say (it’s not what you might think).

🤔 What is massage, and how is it different than manual therapy in PT?

🤔 Can massage increase proprioception?

🤔 Does everyone benefit from massage, or do some people not need it?

🤔 If there really is a problem with our fascia, is massage the answer?
What therapeutic benefits does massage have?

🤔 What role does massage play in helping trauma-affected populations?

Search Movement Logic: Strong Opinions Loosely Held wherever you get your podcasts OR watch the video on our website www.movementlogictutorials.com/podcast. Insta access by clicking the link in bio 👀

Take You & a Block with me live and get the record

Take You & a Block with me live and get the recording (to keep!) through @stillnessandmovementstudio for only $11 THIS WEDNESDAY 10:30am ET.

Link in bio 👀

Have you noticed that in the yoga asana practice, we tend to rely a lot on verbal cues (talking) and visual cues (demoing)?

Over the years, it’s become clear that despite their prevalence, these types of cues have limitations, like—

1. Few people excel at learning through sound alone (verbal cues). Showing and telling can be a better solution, but…

2. When a teacher relies on showing (visual cues; aka demo-ing), they can’t keep an eye on their students and might miss opportunities for helpful instruction.

3. Plus, teaching online might hinder your ability to see how any of your cues (verbal or visual) land with your students.

It’s a lot to see—or not to see. Am I right?

Because of this, I regularly incorporate a third type of cue in my teaching: tactical cueing.

See myriad examples here! SWIPE LEFT.

To be clear, this way of using props is NOT about making the pose easier.

It's not meant to be a stand-in for a hands-on adjustments. (It's also not about correcting or fixing anyone's alignment, frankly.)

It's about capitalizing on the largest organ of the body which is extremely sensory rich.

Your skin!

As well as some other organs that are incredibly sensory rich.

Muscles!

The block provides a touchpoint so I know where my head's at.

The block also provides leverage to isometrically engage muscles so that my nervous system gets more information about where I am in space.

It can be that simple. Touch yo self!

Take You & a Block with me live and get the recording (to keep!) through @stillnessandmovementstudio for only $11 THIS WEDNESDAY 10:30am ET.

Link in bio 👀

I started out a little too confident as a teacher.

I started out a little too confident as a teacher.

I didn’t know what I didn’t know.

I shifted more toward the middle of the spectrum to know better what I didn’t know.

This strengthened my humility (and curiosity).

But it didn’t tamp down on my willingness to get started.

After I learn something new, I apply *some piece of it* immediately.

What I DON’T do is try to apply ALL of what I learned immediately.

I’m more discerning now about what I choose to start with (and when and for whom.)

I start with the low hanging fruit—the stuff I grasp easily that I know will feel relevant to the students who take class with me.

*We* go from there.

Can you relate?

If so, you’ll love episode 2 of the Movement Logic Podcast all about scope of practice (and zones of competency #microscope).

Link in bio 👀

It’s true! I’ve wanted to create my own podcas

It’s true! I’ve wanted to create my own podcast for years. Even better, I get to create this podcast with my friend and colleague, @sarahcourtdpt.

Episode 1 is ready for you! There will be a new episode every Wednesday—duos with Sarah and I, as well as solo episodes from us both, and of course guest interviews!

In episode 1 of the Movement Logic Podcast, @sarahcourtdpt and I discuss how we view movement and how we consider it to be integral to (but also different from) exercise and sport.

This conversation is broad brush stroke, but maybe more accurately, it’s the canvas for many more of our conversations to come.

In addition to this more philosophical question of the difference between movement, exercise, and sport, we also discuss some problems we feel we have as a society with all three.

In some cases it’s a problem of not enough.

In others, it’s a problem of “never enough”.

Give it a listen!

Search Movement Logic Podcast wherever you get your podcasts or click the link in my bio to listen 👂 and watch 👀 the video version on our website.

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but you can

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but you can have a practice separate from the one you teach that’s all your own.

You can let that practice inspire what you do teach. #creativityismultidisciplinary

You can have it remain completely separate, too.

In 2012 I changed my practice to help myself feel better, more inspired, and eager to share my discoveries.

I asked myself how I wanted to feel. I made changes based on what wasn’t working. I sought out creative inspiration.

It started with my practice. And inevitably my teaching shifted too. But that wasn’t the point initially. I think that’s an important distinction.

Let your practice belong to YOU first, teachers.

Really use it to help yourself. To learn and get inspired about movement, your body, your capacity for change and growth.

Because that’s when you gain the most insight for how you can translate it for others. When the time is right and you find the way that makes sense for you and your students, it will come out authentically. It will come from you.

It starts with your practice.

Pssst! If you’re curious for ways to create a shift in your practice and you’ve been waiting for an opportunity to practice with me, right now you can get started with a 2 week trial to my Virtual Studio—2 weeks/$10.

Multidisciplinary movement education—Yoga with Bands, Kettlebell Gym, strength programs, self-massage, and a continuing ed course Strength Science 101, and more.

This discounted trial offer ends June 12 so don’t delay.

Link in bio 👀

Creativity is Multidisciplinary! I feel fortunat

Creativity is Multidisciplinary!

I feel fortunate to provide this creative movement education to students around the world from my home, both in live weekly classes and in an extensive class library.

Wanna experience this firsthand?

If so, I’m running my once a year 2 weeks for $10 discounted trial membership.

It's called Creativity is Multidisciplinary! 😃 🏋️‍♀️🤸‍♀️ 🧠 💡

When you sign up, you can practice with me for 2 weeks live and on demand for .71/day.

Come on in and see what I’ve been building these past 2.5 years. Spend a couple of weeks taking live and on demand classes—strength, kettlebells, yoga, resistance bands and more.

But don’t delay. This offer ends June 12th!

One-click cancellation, no strings attached. Once the two week trial ends, if you decide to stay on, you will be charged the regular membership price.

LINK IN BIO 👀

Bible thumping energy is like big dick energy. Som

Bible thumping energy is like big dick energy. Some of us are more susceptible. I’m drawn to confidence and charisma. I can demonstrate them, too.

But doubt and skepticism are rare mental powers we can cultivate to buy ourselves future time, to consider conflicting viewpoints, to get a bigger picture before our minds are made small.

They help us see the gray, through the bull 💩. They are a truthiness firewall, or vitamins that help us ask, “is it that simple?”
・・・
#repost Yoga evangelism feels similar to what I felt in my conservative Evangelical Christian upbringing. I felt an ‘us’ versus ‘them’ mentality - our Christianity is better than yours (because God told us so, and good luck proving whether He did or didn’t.)

Assumptions were made in a way that put others down, sometimes all the way to hell, poor bastards.

Meanwhile, the chosen few, ‘the true believers reading the holy books’ were the ticket holders to heaven. They worshipped the right way, held the correct beliefs, the true faith. Their souls were saved.

I left my religion which never felt true to who I wanted to be in the world. I found yoga and made it my own over time. In yoga, I practice a personalized spirituality using embodied tools - so different from sitting in a pew. The holy book thumping evangelists are still here, though.

Rather than ‘your soul is in trouble,’ though, it’s ‘your knee is in trouble if you don’t align your body in this particular way,’ or ‘you aren’t really practicing yoga if you aren’t practicing the Eight Limbs as I understand them.’

I’m glad I’m older now with tools to disentangle myself from these messages, both those I internalized as a kid, and those still flying around on social media like shrapnel in every life context - yoga, fitness, relationships, diet, health, parenting.

I’ve gained tools to redirect away from the fear-mongering. I find myself practicing a form of defiance in being sure of one thing:

I’m sure it’s not that simple.

Make your practice personal, whatever it is. Share from your heart. Make it your own.

Question everything, too. AND learn to trust.

Keep an open mind so you can begin your practice everyday again. Atha yoga anushasanam.

Try this Kitchen Sink Circuit! Set an interval ti

Try this Kitchen Sink Circuit!

Set an interval timer. I like using Intervals Pro for my workouts and to teach with.

Work/rest ratio for 9 intervals, 8 exercises

Work 35 sec, rest 20 sec, do 3 cycles, rest 30 seconds between cycles.

That’s around 25 minutes of heart-pumping fun!

This is the latest Kettlebell Gym Basics class to hit the Virtual Studio. (The Kitchen Sink Circuit classes are some of the most popular in my Virtual Studio. This is 1 of 5 Kitchen Sink classes of a total of 49 kettlebell classes, most of which are less than 45 min long! All within a mutlidisciplinary movement library of close to 200 classes. 😮)

If you’d like the receive this *whole class free in your inbox* (which includes a targeted warm up, thorough pre-teach of each exercise, and lots of options to scale each exercise, plus an active kettlebell stretch session at the end) click the link in my bio to get on my mailing list. 👀

Today was a good day in Rocket City (Huntsville),

Today was a good day in Rocket City (Huntsville), Sweet Home Alabama. We made a rocket ship in the morning—a project at the back of one of Eliana’s magazines—and then went to the arts festival downtown.

We’re settling in slowly to life in the south. That NYC edge is softening. I wear sun dresses now—a new thing I’m trying.

I don’t have many friends here.

I’m not gonna lie. It’s a little lonely. I work entirely from home. Even though I’m fairly introverted and love my alone time, it’s a little too much on some days.

Loneliness is its own form of stress and I get a little overloaded. (I miss my friends in NYC and elsewhere.)

We got our first birthday party invite for next weekend. That’ll be fun. And we won the neighbor lottery. We hang out with our friends next door regularly while our daughters (ages 3, 4, and 6) play on the trampoline, tree swing, monkey bars, sandbox, swing set, slide, and club house between the two yards. It’s heaven to watch them play.

I joined a CrossFit gym. I can climb a rope now. I know what a barbell clean and snatch are. I regularly hit a PR. My strength and power are improving rapidly, especially in combo with the other work I’m doing with my strength coach. I feel welcome at this gym and I look forward to working really hard and finishing way behind almost everyone else. It’s humbling and very physically challenging, which I benefit from here where the livin’ is easy.

This is not where I saw myself ever, especially at age 18 on my way from a poor rural town in Wisconsin to Upstate New York to get my BFA in Acting.

It’s not where I imagined I’d end up after living in NYC for 19 years and working as an actor, waiter, English teacher, and then yoga teacher and trainer.

But, despite never imagining myself here, I’m glad I made it! I’m glad for this twist and turn.

I’m content.

Another new thing I’m trying.

Gratitude helps. So does my privilege. Strength training, visits and phone calls with friends does wonders. Time with my sweethearts—Nathan and Eli—bring me joy. And I love my work.

And that’s my check in, Insta fam.

It’s been a while since I made a post like this—maybe another new thing I’m trying.

Hey hey now! Ketanji Brown Jackson to become first

Hey hey now! Ketanji Brown Jackson to become first black woman on Supreme Court. She’s also the first public defender on the Supreme Court, which is actually also incredibly significant. 🎉

Learning about strength makes me want to strength

Learning about strength makes me want to strength train more. Funny how that works, isn’t it?

In fact I’d say at least 50% of my motivation to strength train comes from my intellectual curiosity about strength (which is an extension of my continuously evolving curiosity about the human body.)

The other 50% is to reach my goal of becoming a badass old lady just living her life.

#anaerobicadaptionstostrengthtraining #badassoldladygoals #studybreak

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