Hello movement enthusiasts!
Welcome back to the Post-Covid-19-Therapeutic-Exercise-of-the-Month-Series. As you know, I have been collecting and experimenting with special therapeutic exercises from all over the world for the past 30 years. These therapeutic exercises have made a noticeable positive contribution to my body-mind development and have also caused “a-ha!” experiences among my students time and again. Because they are so effective, I will once a month share one of these powerful therapeutic exercises with you.
I am really convinced of these therapeutic exercises. I have empirically tested their value. What do I mean by that? These therapeutic exercises make us aware of the interplay between our different body parts. They create a kind of unity between our body parts and thus subsequently enable movement that involves and positively influences the whole body.
The therapeutic exercise I share with you today is called ‘Happy tree blowing in the wind’. It makes us aware of how we relieve our thoracic spine by activating our central nervous system through the differentiated circular movement of our upper body.
Relaxing our upper back reflexively
Click on the 1-minute-video below to see how to do the exercise ‘Happy tree blowing in the wind’. I watch it now to see how this wonderful therapy for our spine works.
Now, to you!
Starting position
Stand upright with knees slightly bent. The right arm is stretched upwards. Bend the left arm above your head and clasp your right elbow.
The procedure
Activate your power engine – how exactly you can find out here – and make a full circle with your upper body – 360° – as if you wanted to paint a beautiful circle around the ceiling of your room with the fingers of your right hand. Repeat this 5 times in one direction and 5 times in the other. Then switch arms.
Coaching keys
Use our coaching keys to support you in doing the exercise. Say them and visualise them …
Circling my upper body
- I maintain the vertical direction of pull
- I keep my pelvis steady
- I don’t twist my upper body.
Therapeutic value
The exercise ‘Happy tree blowing in the wind’.
- relieves the thoracic spine reflexively
- promotes differentiated movement in the gravitational field and
- prevents overloading of the lumbar spine.
And last but not least …
The Pilates connection
This wonderful therapeutic exercise creates better perceptual awareness for all Pilates exercises with flexions; such as the Spine Stretch Forward and the Saw.
Try it out: You could, for example, do the Pilates Spine Stretch Forward right after the exercise ‘Happy tree blowing in the wind’. You will be amazed at how easy it is to bend all of a sudden.
Try it & fly with it!
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