How to improve balance and reduce foot & toes tension| Feldenkrais Style

In this video I talk about relationship between habitual stance and balance, tensions in toes and feet, and how you reduce muscular tension and improve standing balance by changing how you distribute weight on your feet.
My name is Taro Iwamoto. I am a Feldenkrais practitioner and movement expert. On my KZread channel I share videos of Feldenkrais based mindful movement, tips and strategies to improve your functions and life!
Movement is vital to your health. Improving your movement therefore means improving your health and life. 3 key things are: 1) Daily movement practice to improve movement quality (MOVE WELL) 2) Incorporate good movement into daily activities (MOVE WELL AND MORE) 3) Awareness and mindfulness of your movement and lifestyle (MINDFUL MOVEMENT)
Please consider subscribing to my channel to stay updated on the latest videos. I typically upload videos on Wednesdays (6am PST).
"LIKE," COMMENT & SUBSCRIBE
If you find the video helpful, please "like" and subscribe.
And please leave your questions, feedback and requests for videos in the comments.
GET TIPS IN YOUR INBOX
Get helpful tips from improving your movement and function when you subscribe to my Trans4Move newsletter.
www.trans4move.com/trans4move...
LET'S CONNECT
FB: / trans4move.taroiwamoto
Website -- www.trans4move.com
Profile -- / taroiwamoto
Contact -- trans4move.com/contact-taro
#FeldenkraisMethod #Mindfulmovement #Balance

Пікірлер: 91

  • @bmackillop9937
    @bmackillop99373 ай бұрын

    Many thanks

  • @firerose7936
    @firerose79362 жыл бұрын

    I'm so glad I found your channel! Balance is definitely the thing I am missing.

  • @milou66
    @milou662 жыл бұрын

    Thank you, Taro. This is very useful for the subway.

  • @LisaNewman-qe2ie
    @LisaNewman-qe2ie Жыл бұрын

    Enjoying and practicing!

  • @morganniciomhair8284
    @morganniciomhair82842 жыл бұрын

    Thank you!I've been wiggling my toes all wrong!This is great!

  • @ritabriffawomenwhosucceed
    @ritabriffawomenwhosucceed5 ай бұрын

    Thanks for your help today with standing up. I really appreciate your time and work.

  • @michaeleckert5877
    @michaeleckert58775 ай бұрын

    Thank you.This is very helpful.😊😊😊

  • @madubaladil1648
    @madubaladil16483 жыл бұрын

    Originally I was looking for exercises to stretch my feet and ankles. However, this video shows in a very nice and simple way how to reduce tension from the beginning. That helped me alot. Many Thanks.

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    3 жыл бұрын

    my pleasure!

  • @user-hz3im6rc4n
    @user-hz3im6rc4n2 ай бұрын

    This is fascinating, Taro! It prompts me to think of the fitting of my shoes, and the style of my shoes may influence the movements of my toes inside the shoe box?! Just a thought.

  • @wendymiller9325
    @wendymiller9325Ай бұрын

    Your videos are always interesting and helpful. Thank you for generously sharing your expertise 🙏🏻

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    Ай бұрын

    thank you:)

  • @primrosephili5715
    @primrosephili57152 жыл бұрын

    So many times I have felt like falling backwards and toppling forward when walking or standing. It is tiring, the curling of the toes and trying to balance from falling backwards. I am glad that I found out that there is a neutral position to it.

  • @MSchipper
    @MSchipper2 жыл бұрын

    My weight is always in my heels and I'm lifting my toes constantly. Walking in barefoot shoes made me aware of this and it's very hard to change, because even with walking, I tend to have my weight in the back of the feet. And I finally realized why I can never keep my stirrups with horse riding. It's because I am always lifting my toes. Barefoot walking has helped me a lot already and I try to be mindful how I am standing while I am doing every day activities like washing dishes. It will be helpful I'm sure to implement your exercise in this way too, so thank you.

  • @vivianshackelford4674
    @vivianshackelford46743 жыл бұрын

    Very interesting noticing these changes in toes. Thanks loads for this instruction to recognize the relaxation spot! Much appreciate having this awareness for future use!

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    3 жыл бұрын

    My pleasure!

  • @nicolehalfon1776
    @nicolehalfon17763 жыл бұрын

    I learned a lot form this video! Very valuable lesson. Thank you!

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    3 жыл бұрын

    Nice. Do you mind sharing what you learned?

  • @danapeck5382
    @danapeck53827 ай бұрын

    Thanks. Very helpful, easy to understand and apply, much appreciated.

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    7 ай бұрын

    my pleasure

  • @mezzofeldenkrais1647
    @mezzofeldenkrais16473 жыл бұрын

    Nicely presented. :)

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @mezzofeldenkrais6131
    @mezzofeldenkrais61312 жыл бұрын

    Curious to see how you handle people that supinate and pronate in this lesson...do you have a youtube that addresses that? Always enjoy your teaching. Thank you.

  • @darlenecarman7644
    @darlenecarman76442 жыл бұрын

    Great teaching, can you pls guide me towards what might help with heel pain. After doing this I can see how a strong bias could contribute to this

  • @arvee2658
    @arvee265810 ай бұрын

    This exercise can be use as well to find an even distribution of the weight to the heel and the ball of the foot. In my case schifting forward an backward then tells me I can lower down the joint of the big toes using intrinsic foot muscles. After that I can try to relax the toes down.

  • @michaeleckert5877
    @michaeleckert5877 Жыл бұрын

    This is very good.This will help me so much.Your guidance is humbly appreciated 🙏

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    Жыл бұрын

    Thank you!!

  • @natalag3411
    @natalag34112 жыл бұрын

    One of my feet the toes are crooked. Thank you for your help!

  • @frenykhory5158
    @frenykhory51588 ай бұрын

    Thank you for this excercise. It is helpful for my soles too.

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    8 ай бұрын

    what habitual patterns did you find out?

  • @mimilepsge6785
    @mimilepsge67852 жыл бұрын

    I find your videos so helpful. I. 1/2 years ago I broke my toe( first break I've ever had). They put me in special shoe.. But I was not informed about exercises. I have always been very active, walking dancing. Now over yr later I have tight/ numb feeling on bottom of foot and up calf. And.. The little toe is still somewhat swollen.... and that ankle is also stiff as well. And 4 months ago I had sciatica for the first time in my life. I've had some people work on it but they have caused more discomfort Can you give me any suggestions? This is affecting my walking and also my balance. Very upsetting Fred thank you so much for your work

  • @evelynquijano9591
    @evelynquijano95912 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for the wonderful videos. Your explanations and demonstrations are excellent. I was wondering if you could show a video of how the Feldenkrais method can help deviated toes.... many thanks!

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you! you mean likr bunions?

  • @colmrooney414
    @colmrooney414 Жыл бұрын

    maybe its my speakers, I struggle to hear. it needs 50% more volume. I did manage to hear, beyond the noisy cars. And thankyou very well explained

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    Жыл бұрын

    i think its my mic setting so my apology

  • @deannastewart6137
    @deannastewart61372 жыл бұрын

    Trying to locate video on stretches for relieving plantar fascitis

  • @chooihuangtan1230
    @chooihuangtan12302 жыл бұрын

    Looking at my shoes, both heels wear out more on the outer side. My Left big toe has a bunion on the outer side. the area underneath the left 3rd and 4th toe feels weak. How should I try to walk differently? Should I retrain so that initial load is focused towards big toe and the rest will just pan out ?

  • @carlaramos3868
    @carlaramos38683 жыл бұрын

    I'm going to work on this. I have struggled with pain on my left knee, it has improved with exercise but I feel like the problem starts with my left foot, it is very weak compared to the right one. It is hard to explain! But my toes aren't as flexible and I know that I am not placing my weight correctly when I stand.

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    3 жыл бұрын

    there's so much to learn just by paying attention to how you stand on your feet and how you distribute your weight on your feet, right?

  • @carlaramos3868

    @carlaramos3868

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@TaroIwamoto Oh, yes! I hope to improve on this. I know it will take time. I turned 40 this year and realized that I'm just starting to understand how my body works. Thank you for making this video. It's the first I've seen where my problem is adressed.

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    3 жыл бұрын

    I am 42, soon 43, and continuing to improve everyday!

  • @janestanton9422
    @janestanton94222 жыл бұрын

    Very interesting exercise.... Any advice for extremely high arches? It affects my balance and my feet turn out and collapse inwards. Thank you. I

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    2 жыл бұрын

    often people with high arches have rigid ankles so they compensate by turning feet out when they bend at ankles. Working on ankle mobility is helpful. In my Improve Squat playlist is ankle mobility video. that might be helpful. i also recently posted two ankle, foot mobility videos.

  • @manaattius
    @manaattius3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Taro! I think I found out that because of my posterior pelvic tilt I loose the weight of my toes. They like to lift. I´m wondering: which one is primal to "correct"- pelvic or feet position....?

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    3 жыл бұрын

    That is very good observation! Everything influences everything, so hard to say which one is playing a bigger role. But a good news is that you can start experimenting with either place and see how it will influence the rest. You influence one part, and you will influence the rest anyway. I dont usually worry about which started first because everything is connected. we need to improve the entire relationship in order to improve.

  • @santiduran6505
    @santiduran65052 жыл бұрын

    Great video my ten yr old doesn’t have balance still can’t walk will try this on him do u recommend there exercise for balance

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    2 жыл бұрын

    sure why not. he can hold onto wall or counter for balance as needed

  • @lazyguy3555
    @lazyguy35552 жыл бұрын

    Does this exercise move the center of balance of each foot to the "bubbling spring" (涌泉) acupoint?

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    2 жыл бұрын

    i'm not familiar with the "bubbling spring" acupoint. Is is the center of gravity?

  • @lazyguy3555

    @lazyguy3555

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@TaroIwamoto It's the soft area behind the large bones of the sole. It plays an important part in Taiji and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@lazyguy3555 thank you for the information!

  • @lazyguy3555

    @lazyguy3555

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@TaroIwamoto I forgot to mention that it does feel like the center of balance to me.

  • @AnneALias
    @AnneALias Жыл бұрын

    I listen to this on 1.75x speed, and it is still slow for me in some parts.

  • @rstuvqrstuv7719
    @rstuvqrstuv77192 жыл бұрын

    How about people who have the habit of putting more weight on one side? How do you assess that habit and correct it?

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    2 жыл бұрын

    Check out my lateral pelvic tilt videos. they are relevant to yout question

  • @rstuvqrstuv7719

    @rstuvqrstuv7719

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@TaroIwamoto Thank you for the reply Taro. I will definitely check that out.

  • @natalag3411
    @natalag34112 жыл бұрын

    My great toe on left foot comes up (all the others stay down). What can a person do for this?

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    2 жыл бұрын

    does your big toe stay up when you shift your weight forward towards toes?

  • @Roonitochka
    @Roonitochka2 жыл бұрын

    Hiya. Thank you for your videos. I watched a few about the importance of sitting on the floor. I noticed you still have a sofa. Why? 😊 Is there still a place in having a sofa and when would you use it? Thanks

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    2 жыл бұрын

    we have moved our couch to the other room and we use Japanese floor table now. if we watch my recent videos, you will notice that there is no couch in the room. We keep our couch for our guests who are not able to sit on the floor comfortably.

  • @Roonitochka

    @Roonitochka

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@TaroIwamoto That's amazing! I'd like to try getting used to sitting on the floor more. I have recently qualified as a dance fitness teacher after a pretty sedentary lifestyle. Since I am not used to it and dancing suddenly often on my toes, my calves are very tight, rock hard and painful. I am doing hamstrings stretches. If there is any video that can be helpful, please recommend. I will be watching more! Thanks so much!!!

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@Roonitochka awesome! as you are starting to spend more time on the floor, your body will start to adapt to the floor. I recommend you try my follow along videos. you can find them under Follow Alongs Playlist. Not many yet but there will be more in the near future

  • @Roonitochka

    @Roonitochka

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@TaroIwamoto Excellent! Will do! Thanks!

  • @Roonitochka

    @Roonitochka

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@TaroIwamoto hi Taro! What if I sit crossed legged on a sofa? Is it better than just regular sitting /lounging? 🤔

  • @soniacheek6768
    @soniacheek67682 жыл бұрын

    Could that be why my heel hurt on my right foot

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    2 жыл бұрын

    possibly. you can explore and find out.

  • @frenykhory5158
    @frenykhory51588 ай бұрын

    The habitual pattern is not so visible for me. My toes does not curl either, but my soles are troubling with pricks like needles. Is it due to nervous system? I am quite flexible otherwise, but would like to learn to retrain the nervous system, if that is the case

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    8 ай бұрын

    while you cannot control what you're feeling (symptoms), you can influence your nervous system by changing your habitual movement patterns, which will then influences reponses/reactions of the nervous system, thus how you feel in your body. Habitual patterns may not be visible to you, but that doesn't really matter because you want to sense and feel them in your body, which requires you to bring your attention and awareness into your body, and sense and feel your body and movement from the inside. By paying attention to how you stand normally (habitually), have you noticed your habitual tendency/bias/pattern towards leaning more towards heels, or front of feet, more towards right foot or left foot? This is not something you see, but something you sense and feel. Changing nervous system and movement patterns happens from the inside, not from the outside. This way of practicing movement is not common today unfortunately, but essential in my opinion, thus, this is what I'm helping people learn through my videos and my mentorship program. People may think "body experts" have the solution to their body issues, but what people don't realize is that only they can sense and feel their own body and can understand their body deeply from the inside, so they have to learn how to connect with their body and how to learn movement from the inside out, not from the outside in.

  • @frenykhory5158

    @frenykhory5158

    8 ай бұрын

    Yes Taro, thank you for the guidance. I do feel and observe the vibrations in the body, but I feel when it comes to do some work I forget the inner and focus outside for the simple work to be done and that is why I forget the goal of focusing within. I feel the irritation of not completing something which needs to be done, like how it was done before😊 I need to go slow first and foremost, not get irritated and do what needs to be done, which will also help the nervous system alongwith the lessons you are teaching. Yes I need to be inside doing outside things. If you need to tell me what will help me, please do so. Thank you once again.

  • @frenykhory5158

    @frenykhory5158

    8 ай бұрын

    Another thing I have observed is whilst balancing on one foot, I tend to balance better on my left foot than my right foot.

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    8 ай бұрын

    @@frenykhory5158 you're welcome:) it's easy to get caught up with our thoughts, and expectations, about what we should do, how we should do, etc, but it's really not about conforming ourselves to expectations, ideas. Letting go of expectations will open the door to new possibilities. When you learn to connect with your body and sense your body from the inside, focus on what's there for you to notice, observe instead of what you think should be there. Noticing and observing what's there is the first step.

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    8 ай бұрын

    @@frenykhory5158nice observation. lots more discoveries to be made about your body, movement patterns:) you will discover those as you continue to practice from this perspective. my balance series might reveal something for you:)

  • @SebastianLis
    @SebastianLis2 жыл бұрын

    is it good for achilles pain?

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    2 жыл бұрын

    sure!

  • @SebastianLis

    @SebastianLis

    2 жыл бұрын

    Please record a video about Achilles please, thank you :)

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@SebastianLis can you provide more specific information? What is your difficulty? How is it affecting your daily life, activities, specific movements?

  • @SebastianLis

    @SebastianLis

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@TaroIwamoto i feel pain after moderate walks, sometimes it's on the sides above heel, and tendon is tender for several months, traditional exercise seem to make it worse, i can walk only short distances and without any weight, groceries as it starts to hurt :(

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@SebastianLis i see. do you have a history of lower back pain?

  • @clarkburglar
    @clarkburglar2 жыл бұрын

    My toes are habitually clenched in one of my feet when I walk. Any advice to do with this?

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    2 жыл бұрын

    are your shoes properly fit for your feet? If you have wide feet, shoes have narrow toe box, that could contribute to that

  • @clarkburglar

    @clarkburglar

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for your response, I appreciate it a lot. It happens with different shoes. I have a lot of tightness on that side of my body so I think it’s related. Can carpal tunnel in the right hand/wrist/arm be reflected down through the foot?

  • @TaroIwamoto

    @TaroIwamoto

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@clarkburglar habitual sitting and standing pattern creates left-right and rotational bias all the way up in the spine, neck, which can influence functions and arms. So it's certainly possible that they may be related.

  • @clarkburglar

    @clarkburglar

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks :)