And this is the floor version of the same class:

In this class we work more deeply with the differentiation between the separate parts that form a single action. For this video class in particular, remember that the important thing is not the amplitude of the movement, but the attention that you can dedicate to each part moving independently and unified at the same time.

The shoulders is one of the parts of the body where emotional and environmental factors have an effect. When we have the sensation of «carrying the world upon our shoulders» or «carrying a heavy load» it’s because we generate tensions in the muscles of this area as a response from poorly managed emotional challenges.

But it’s not only the psychological and emotional factors; the environment also has an effect on the state of our shoulders, and we can see very clearly in the winter. We tend to hunch our body and to collapse the neck in an attempt to protect ourselves from the cold. This is why this series of videos is dedicated to relaxing the shoulders and returning them back to their place, and we will learn also a few other things in the process.

First, I want to share with you this image and this video that illustrate the movements of the shoulderblade and that will help you visualize better the work that we are doing:

Where do the arms begin? This class helps us have a better answer to this, by using the arms a whole, from the hand to the shoulderblade.

Mobilizing the shoulderblades. A video class to give relief and relaxation to your shoulders connecting the arms to the spine and the pelvis:

In this video class we will focus in the movement of the clavicles as a strategy to relax the shoulders. And to move the clavicles, we will use the movement of the hands as a vehicle.

In this class we work on the shoulders from the perspective of the joints that articulate with them both from a distal and from a proximal perspective: from the hands and from the hips.

The pelvis and its place in our body. By approaching it from different configurations and movement, we gain clarity about its size, its location, its relationship to the spine and the legs, and its possibilities of movement.

This class gives us the opportunity to connect with the pelvis by engaging it into a very primitive reptile movement with the help of the wall and different configurations with gravity.

Flexibility between the legs and the hips to sit on the floor for meditation.

This class is not only useful for improving the articulation of legs and pelvis, it is also of great benefit for the knees, because it connects the two ends of the leg, giving more freedom to the joints in the hip and the ankle, which reduces the stress of the knee and the amount of work that it has to do for walking, running, dancing and moving around in life.

Exploring the interaction of the femur and the pelvis in the pelvic joint, identifying the distinct movements of the two parts that interact in this part of the body. Also, at the emotional level, we give the body a particularly complex challenge: how do we react when we’re faced with a movement that is almost impossible and, at the same, seems so simple? What are your thoughts and your emotions in relation to this?

Improving the relationship between feet, legs and pelvis, part 1:

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And the part 2 of this series:
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This is a very useful class for relaxing at the end of the day, for resting and reflecting after an intense activity, to prepare yourself for a demanding physical activity that will require intense oxygen intake, and even to help you rest if you are suffering of insomnia.

In different languages there’s a similar idea about the part of our body formed by the ribs and the sternum. In English it’s called rib cage, in Spanish caja torácica (thoracic box) and, in general, it is named around the idea that it’s a strong, protective part of our body that keeps the organs safe.

While this is true, using these names also conveys the idea that this is a rigid, unmoving part of our body, and this is not completely the case. The ribs and the sternum have mobility, and when we become aware of it, our possibilities of movement expand, our breathing becomes deeper, and the articulation of this part of the skeleton with the pelvis, the spine and the legs becomes more clear.

We can distribute the effort of one action by engaging more parts of the body into it, and  the extension of the body can be done in a more conscious way, not by means of brute force, but by coordinating delicately all the elements that participate in it.

An important thing in this lesson is the notion that being whole does not mean moving as a block. We can move different parts in different directions, play with asymmetrical configurations of the body, and still feel integrated. This way, if you have a dysfunctional limb or a part of your body that is suffering pain or is temporarily or permanently disabled, you can still be integrated and function as a complete being.

Using what you have learned in other lessons to roll your body with more of yourself:

Connecting the shoulders and the hips as four corners of the torso to amplify the mobility of the body and to find the center of the torso.