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08. Lateral Weight Shift Standing Rotation with Abdominals

This technique focuses on your body’s ability to rotate, a fundamental movement of being a human. It particularly emphasizes appropriate grounding with a bias to the left side respecting the natural asymmetry of the human body while engaging the abdominals on that side. If you can master this technique you will find your posture and movement significantly enhanced, fluid and free!

Left Lateral Weight Shift Left Rotation with Left Abdominals

Left Lateral Weight Shift Right Rotation with Left Abdominals

Instructions:

  1. With your feet about hip width apart, shift your body to the left so that you make a straight line with your left shoulder, hip, knee and ankle. You should sense the majority of your weight through your left heel and ankle. Do not overshoot your hip out to the side past your ankle.
  2. Shift your left hip and pelvis backwards. Your zipper (or pretend you have one) should be pointed about 15 degrees to the left. 
  3. Reach 1-2 inches down to the ground with your left arm as you sense your left abdominals engage and your front lower left ribs fold into your belly.
  4. As you softly, slowly and fully inhale through your nose, rotate your torso to the left as you reach forward with your right arm and pull backward with your left arm as if you were shooting a bow and arrow. You should sense an opening in the area between your right shoulder blade and spine and a closing between your left shoulder blade and spine.
  5. As you completely exhale through pursed lips simultaneously return your upper torso to the center while maintaining your pelvis oriented to the left.
  6. As you maintain your weight through your left leg with your pelvis oriented left, and your left shoulder lower than your right, inhale through your nose softly, slowly and fully and rotate your torso to the right as you reach forward with your left arm and pull backward with your right arm as if you were shooting a bow and arrow. You should sense an opening in the area between your left shoulder blade and spine and a closing between your right shoulder blade and spine. As you reach in the right  direction, it will be more challenging to maintain your pelvis oriented to the left and left abdominals.
  7. As you fully exhale through pursed lips, simultaneously return your upper torso to the center.
  8. Perform 5 cycles while maintaining your weight shift and pelvic orientation to the left with your left shoulder lower than your right.
  9. You will now switch your breathing pattern so that when you rotate and reach to the side you will exhale through pursed lips. When you return to the center you will inhale through your nose.
  10. Perform 5 cycles while maintaining weight shift and pelvic orientation to the left.
  11. You will now perform the same series but shifted to your right leg with your pelvis oriented to the right. 5 cycles inhaling and rotating to the side and exhaling when returning to the center followed by 5 cycles exhaling and rotating to the side and inhaling when returning to the center. 
  12. Finish with 5 cycles of each breathing pattern while weight shifted and pelvic oriented to the left. You will always start and finish with your pelvis oriented to the left and your left shoulder lower than your right.

Perform 1-3x/day. *Unless otherwise directed

    • Optionally, use your testing technique to determine your optimal frequency and duration to perform.

 

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