Be Relaxed AND Strong when you Bend
Bending is one, if not THE most powerful movement humans do. It’s powerful because it influences the way you walk, stand and sit. So if you make this movement a priority, it brings many benefits: strong backs, flexible hamstrings and better balance, just to name a few. When learning to bend, you have to understand your entire spine is involved and the details of how to do it can greatly influence the quality of bending AND how your neck, low back and hips feel. If you are new to my way of “bending” then begin by learning “butt up the wall.” By practicing that video, you get the basics first, then this video will help you gain more details of good bending hygiene.
The strength and flexibility you gain will be exceptionally powerful and will affect the quality of all your other movements. We tend to focus on what we SEE or how we THINK things should look: our chest open and standing tall by lifting up. But this creates more compression on the spine, which you don’t want. Focusing on how things FEEL may take time to cultivate but that’s how the body regains a tall, strong, relaxed back. The body works best if you gain more FEEL and forget about the way it looks for just a moment. It will ALWAYS look better and move and function at its optimal if you follow the way it is designed to move. A little trust in the process goes a long way. Either way, both videos will help you gain some understanding of how to center your body and enjoy/relax while walking. The more aware we are in our bodies, the less injuries occur. It's that simple. To gain this feel or awareness takes time and practice. Mindfulness is the term now used for the simple act of noticing what you are doing in the moment.
People often clam they have tight hamstrings which limits their ability to do what they want to do. This is true, but just having more flexible hamstrings without the added connection to the hips and spine can't provide you with a strong back and ease with movement. If bending was "difficult" for this woman she could not sustain it all day, every day. There is a hidden ease with all movements Westerners are not aware exists. I say "hidden" because it's available to your body if you want to use it and uncover this natural ease. You won't find it in the gym or with your physical therapist or trainer. It's not something you have to "push through" to find. Its mantra is "relax and repeat." Feel the ease and strength surface and experience how well your body is made to move.