In this video we'll do the movement that's called pro and retraction.
As I showed you in the planes and directions of movement video,
Pro and retraction is a movement that the shoulder blades make on the back of the body.
So grab your belt.
Bring your arms up in the air.
As you're lying in constructive rest,
The hands are shoulder width apart and you gently hold the belt again.
No need to pull or to squeeze it.
And with straight arms You're going to move your arms towards the ceiling.
And down towards the ground.
And maybe even bring the shoulder blades a little bit together.
Moving the arms back up,
Sliding the shoulder blades away from each other.
And you bring them back down again.
And then that's the movement.
And again as you make this movement,
Notice what else is happening.
The idea is to keep the elbow straight.
Don't overstretch them or bend them.
Notice whether that's happening.
Are there any clicking sounds happening?
Does it feel wobbly?
You make the movement smoother.
Slow down And are you breathing?
Is your back arching?
As you're trying to move the shoulder blades.
So really bring awareness to your upper back.
Feel how those shoulder blades are sliding over your ribs.
Sense them moving away from each other as you bring your arms up.
And as your arms move down,
Feel how they slide towards each other.
Even though they're pressing against the ground as well.
Allow those shoulder blades to kind of slide between the ribs and the ground.
Moving towards each other as the arms go down.
And move away from each other as the arms go up.
Feel how the shoulder blades kind of roll over the sides of your ribs.
Notice whether you want to lift your shoulders up to your ears.
That you don't have to do.
And see if you can bring your awareness more towards the side of the ribs,
Where the serratus muscles that I showed in the intro video are.
And see if you can focus on this area to make the movement with.
So you're not doing it with your neck muscles.
We should also move your shoulders up.
Let's see if you can connect to that side.
And make the movement from there.
And maybe you don't feel anything,
But then just imagine that movement of the shoulder blades on the ribs.
Allow your neck and your shoulders to stay relaxed.
Movement already starts by imagining that you're making it.
Thinking about how it's supposed to happen.
And then making it.
So maybe again.
This range of movement of pro and retraction of your shoulder blades is very small.
Or maybe there's a difference between one arm and the other.
Maybe one arm has much more range of movement than the other.
So just notice what happens.
Don't force anything.
Don't make the movement bigger by creating tension in other areas of the body.
Just practice gentle movement,
However big or small the range is,
And play around in that.
See if you bump into a compensation.
And when you notice that your back is starting to arch or when you start to create tension.
Abracing.
And stay within the range where that doesn't happen.
The movement is wobbly or shaky or one side is easier.
Then sends into those shoulder blades on the back of the body.
Feel into that sliding movement and breathe.
Maybe after a few times of movement.
It becomes easier.
Because where attention goes,
Energy flows,
My teacher always says.
So when there's movement,
And you bring your awareness to that.
The movement can become more fluid because the energy will flow better there.
And also notice what happens in your legs.
Your jaw.
Your tongue.
Your face.
Your neck and the base of the skull.
Notice if there are any tension scraping in while you're just moving your shoulder blades.
Protracting them.
And retracting them.
Making your arms go up and down.
See if you can let those tensions go.
Do the same movement with 5% less effort.
And then bring your arms back to the ground.
And notice what there is to notice.
How does the shoulder joint feel on both sides?
How does your upper back feel?
How does your chest feel and your breath?
What has this movement done for you and what do you notice?
