Wow. Dear Alfons, this was like a mountain of breathing went on inside of me. It's like a mountain opened up inside and could be filled with air which i was missing. Really missing, and somehow didn't know it. When we are kids we have this body awareness, but we forget as we become these important responsible adults. :) Shoulders are saying. Well, maybe i'm not just a bunch of wire cables and girders after all. The response is genius as you said, thanks to you, and to Dr. Feldenkrais. No doubt an enlightened personality. Thanks so much.

@donnak5080

Жыл бұрын

.

Wow. Was on my back for nearly an hour processing this lesson. Had 2 very nasty rugby accidents when I was 15-16 years old - scrum collapsed and twice nearly broke my neck. Very traumatic and no time to process. Well I did today as if I was back there. As if I finally brought part of me that was missing back together. My body and I very grateful for these videos which I am doing pretty intensively at moment to move SMA out of my body am 53 yet move like an 87 year old. Each lesson brings me nearer to a life where I can walk and move again. Thanks again Alfons. Awesome.

Alright so here it is my actual comment on My Seventh Day!!! I have been having a stiff neck and weak upper back muscles for the past 8 months and been doing physio to recover. I feel great on my Seventh Day. I have been doing this method alongside my physio exercises but I must say that I get a great feeling after the Feldenkrais sessions more than the strengthning exercises. Unfortunately there are no Feldenkrais teachers where I live so this channel is a gift. Thanks a lot Alfons.

I was interested in this lesson for addressing emotional trauma, but, ironically, of all the lessons I've done of yours, this was the one that ended up helping me most with physical pain. About a month ago, I fell over on some slippery tiles and twisted my right shoulder. I didn't think it was actually injured and never saw a doctor about it, but it's been very sore ever since and a lot less flexible. Flexibility hasn't completely returned, but the pain, amazingly, in ordinary positions, seems to be gone. Maybe it was partly something to do with the fact that this was a lesson that felt like it could have made it worse, but, in line with your teaching, I was always trying to do it in a way that wouldn't hurt. Thanks, Alfons! Feldenkrais is a revelation and your brilliant lessons are something I've quickly come to value very much.

I was surprised to notice that after the first time doing this lesson my long-standing (over 60 years) reverse curve in my neck has gone and is replaced with a normal curve! I have been using a soft woolen neck roll to sleep on, and have done so for years, but this is the first time I have a normal curve in my cervical spine. I just repeated this lesson and notice this time how 'right' my chest and lungs feel: both spacious and relaxed....thanks, Alfons

Dear Alfons, I wish I could be as eloquent as some of the other people who have responded below. Their words speak for me too ... that 'mountain of breathing' ... even now, sitting writing this, my lungs are filling with air all on their own, very proud of themselves! I have tears of gratitude for what you give us, give me. The back of my neck is tingling with joy. Thank you. And see you in the next lesson!!

@blaggie2

Жыл бұрын

good to do this again; have been feeling the tension that is probably old trauma for some time. there's a lot of melting, releasing, and all that air again, thank you xxxx

Alfons, it is always a treat to follow your lessons! I have experienced repeated whiplash, thoracic spine and neck trauma in early childhood, as well as sexual abuse. Injuries as an adult, as well. I was a little stiff and uncomfortable in the beginning of this lesson. My increased mobility and ease at the end of the lesson were wonderful- and interestingly enough, my shoulders feel light, broader and spacious- for the first time! My eyes feel soft, heavy and relaxed, so I'm finding this lesson's effects are both widespread and potent. My whole upper body has loosened and my chest feels lifted (more room for air!) I'm also pleased that your book arrived today from Amazon! :-) Many thanks!

Hi Alfons, this is time two on this lesson. I think I was pushing a little today, wanting to "make my neck freer". It was wonderful to go for a walk yesterday after the lesson and sense the freedom in my eye movement, the sensation of breathing through the back of my body, being able to swivel my torso this way and that so viewing the walk like a "movie" and me walking through it. I find the information about trauma interesting and helpful. No doubt this area of my body has been "dead" to me. I do know that I tried to trap uncomfortable feelings, especially anger, within my chest so it would not emerge through my mouth. Have done other kinds of "work" with that, but it is a very nice feeling to be freeing up my body. Thanks!

I have connected with muscles deep in my lower core that have helped my posture dramatically. I am standing, squatting and moving in a way that feels natural and for the first time in a long time pain free. This awareness has come from the teachings you have shared. THANK YOU ALFONS! See you in the next lesson. . .

@ImprovingAbility

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you Tony! I really appreciate your commitment, feedback and your real support you sent to me this morning. I’m very happy to hear about your success. Keep rolling! 🙏🍀☀️

@painmagician

4 жыл бұрын

@@ImprovingAbility Thank you Sir!

I enjoyed this lesson. The best part of all was the invitation to explore and find my own easiest way to do these movements. Honoring the integrity of one's body while incorporating new discoveries, is as you say, "a practice of self respect and love". Thank you!

@lindaclark798

7 жыл бұрын

trama I was physiologically abused like many people I am just watching this lesson right now but later tonight . I know I have alot to learn with this feldencraist process . Thank you Alvonse . I just started this stuff as a result of a knee pain I had , so the knee pain sent me to you tube and to you. So my pain was a blessing because I have had wonderful results with your lessons my knee pain is gone and I love this movement awareness stuff I am walking different and my chest is freeer and I am breathing better after every lesson I feel better. You are a great teacher

Thankyou Alfons, I am a fan! You are a very engaging teacher with humor, I enjoy your lessons and the differences I feel in my body. I first knew of Feldenkrais half a life time ago and have a few books by Moshe and others, but didn't get to attend my first lessons until two years ago. I like being able to follow along at home and be able to see what you are doing if I'm not sure. Thankyou again, it's wonderful you are sharing these series of classes!

Thank you Alfons. I find the most "counter-intuitive" move of lowering the eyes and lifting the head (and vice versa) very emotionally releasing. I began to cry. I'm been filled with unreleased emotions for weeks. Thank you.

The lessons and your teaching this series (and other lessons too!) have been very helpful in pain relief, ease in movement, alignment, and posture improvement. Thank you so much! I will try to continue to contribute every week or so via paypal because I appreciate your lessons being available to the public. Of course the contribution is a small amount, but hopefully others contribute as well and therefore it supports the making of these lessons.

Thank you Alfons. I very much appreciate these videos.

Your head and shoulders feel so light as though something has melted away thank you so very much for this experience

Thank you Alfons. I just love your lessons and you!! As a trainee in the program, you are one of my favorite go-to teachers!

Every day, in every way, I'm getting better! thank you.

Such fluent explanations & relaxing manner, thank you, Alfons.

I've been practising Feldenkrais movements for six months or more, using your KZread videos. These last two lessons have been the most difficult but satisfying. I was very aware of tension in the opposite side in the gluteus (buttocks) as I was lifting the head and elbow I.e. Lifting the right elbow produced tension in the left gluteus.

@ImprovingAbility

7 жыл бұрын

+Allen Adamson Right on! We will elaborate on this diagonal relationship further in the next lesson. Thank you for your feedback and happy to know you're on board :-)

You are so dear! Thanks you very much. I loved this!

Hi Alfons, I just repeated this lesson after some time away from it. Could really sense a need to return to it today. When I started out with it today, I could not feel the bottom right rib at all-it was compressed down-flattened. At the end of this lesson my chest evened out and I feel so full of breath. Thank you again, Alfons. Always so great to be in your KZread presence!! Best, Jeannette

What a surprise, the amount of extra movement. Another great lesson. Many thanks and blessings.😊

its so amazing, I even forgot how much value Feldenkrais has when you really stick to it. Yes it is like in cooperating again. After dissociation to come back into a sense of self ... crazy. I thank you so much for making this available. and then again, after finding our self we have to go back into the world, into the unknown, ...

I had a shoulder o.p bankart, 3 months ago,in this lesson I started with my arm 45 degrees next to my body. Your starting position was impossible for me. But by the end of the lesson, I could put my arm in the starting position. Whoohooo. Thats a big thing. Thanx

@ImprovingAbility

7 жыл бұрын

+Maud v You're very welcome, thanks for your feedback :-) good to know your progress, and it showed that staying within the boundaries of what's possible did pay off. For me this is a practice of self respect and love

Thank you taking the time to share your knowledge.

I just did lesson 6 and 7 right now and felt awesome, the first day i started my head felt like a bowling ball, now it is starting to feel lighter and can turn easier! not to mention more relaxed and aware.

Now I can enjoy more when looking up and around, thank you.

really deep relaxing just watching your video, being totally focused on the instructions and the movements, like being aware 100% in body presence....this was my third video Feldenkrais with Alfons, first time I've ever heard about Feldenkrais was yesterday when doing research on injured foot rehab and I stoped for watching a ballerina having some F- theraphy to heal her foot...very, very, very interesting to listen to you Alfons, no I don't think the video is too long...maybe the lingering in instruction and repetition of description creates the perfect slow down mood to understand with the body how it should be done in the right way. Thanks

Another helpful lesson. Thank you, Alfons! Did this one after doing the previous several times and I want to stay with this one for a bit. Noticed that my neck is very stiff and I have limited range of motion. My ear doesn't get close to the back of my hand so the head lying on my hand position is challenging but it loosened up during the lesson. Love the open feeling in my ribs, yes, I could feel individual ribs! and there is sensation in that place between the ribs.. a totally new part of the body now inhabited. Oh, also moving the eyes in the opposite direction helped me to sense my eye motion, stickiness, hard to follow that little ant smoothly! Glad he is a cartoon, friendly, clean one.

Thank you. Can’t wait to do again. Everything is easier.

Dear One, this was an amazing experience! At certain moment I had to shift to the front and do the eyes and head movement lying on the back as a huge amount of energy arouse, from my whole nervous system! It could be from the eye surgeries I had a year ago, any how always feeling blessed at the end of a session with you! THANK YOU SO MUCH! Love and Gratitude💙💛

You are truly amazing!!!! What an experience I just had!!!! Loved it ! I’m having stiff lower back and with this exercise I felt great. Thanks a lot.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Alfonse. Your videos are terrific. They are really helping me to improve my organisation. You are very generous. Gos bless you. Marcela from Argentina.

Thanks Alfons. Noticeable increase in flexibility and sense of ease and expansiveness in breathing, turning and lifting my head. And my shoulders are more mobile and less tight

Amazing! my neck is really painful, in general. And I accidently tried to do this video before the 6th episode. I had to stop because my neck hurt too much. Luckily a few days later I realised my error and now having done episode 6 I can do episode 7 (this one). Thanks! I wonder why my neck hurts more when you ask me to rest on my hands. When I rest on directly on the floor it hurts less. Well thanks so so much for this somatic adventure. I am learning alot and I am indeed getting better day by day. Blessing!

Again, an amazing lesson. I can feel my ribs a bit and can breathe better. so grateful to you for sharing this lesson. Many Thanks from Cape Town

Congratulation!! I found them very usefull to feel deeply all my body, Bones, and movements. Thanks!!

Thanks!

Tack!

Excellent

Amazing stuff

Alfons, it is so amazing that after Feldenkreis movements you take a walk or do some light yoga movements and you feel so much more capable and relaxed :)

I feel myself there fore I am. That's profound. I never "THOUGHT" about Descarte's statement 'I THINK I am since I heard it in my early teens. How ironic...

Vous apprenez la patience, bravo

Alfons, just wonderful! Thank you so much! More donations coming your way - Love from the British Virgin Islands

@ImprovingAbility

3 жыл бұрын

Well received! Thank you so much! 😊❤️

This helps for when I have serious anxiety building up. Thanks so much

@blaggie2

Жыл бұрын

same for me xx

Thank you for this lesson... I happened to SING after it and got very much surpried: the voice was much nor open, flexibel, strong and articulated! I recommend this way of freeing the neck for every singer! Der Unterkiefer frei und offen als könnte man Möbel drin abstellen ;-) . Genial.

@colinbellvintagehymnssongs5291

4 жыл бұрын

After reading this, I also tried singing straight after this lesson. I tried a classical training piece in which I am struggling with high notes, and I hit the high note pretty easily!!!

Top!

Hi Alfons! Mary here. :) That was amazing! Like yesterday’s lesson, I still feel a tightness on my left neck side, which I believe is causing me a cervical headache or pressure. However, I feel as if my thoracic spine opened up and feels like a big ‘lung’ now. It’s as if I can feel my back far better. I still feel a sprain-like pain in my left scapular (like a restriction when I try to retract it toward the spine). But overall, I feel incredible and have a far looser neck range when I look to the sky. It seems to have also helps my lower back somehow. :) TY, TY, TY!

@ImprovingAbility

5 жыл бұрын

Hi Mary! Good to hear! I love your discoveries. After this series continue with my latest "Free your Neck & Shoulders" video, and then complete the 3-part "Relief for Shoulder & Neck" series. You should be all set! 😅😊🍀

@zephyronfire3821

5 жыл бұрын

Alfons , oh my gosh, you are a sweetheart! TY very much for your guidance & direction! I will totally follow your videos after this series, with those two immediately following. Yeah, I’m in complete awe over how this is all unfolding. I like your word, “discoveries”, as that is exactly what this is! It is an awakening for sure and I thank you truly for putting yourself out here on youtube & sharing a pathway to discovery...you are really helping so many people! A bit misty-eyed when telling you this. From my heart, to yours, TY!

Luv ur videos. Nice jeans!

EXTRAORDINARY TEACHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@ImprovingAbility

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Paul ! ❤️

Thank you so much Alfons. You have collected so much info and organized it in a way I won't be walking into a Horror House BUT walking by it. One question, recently I fell and broke 5 spinal vertebrae. I am not wearing the protective shell anymore. Even lying flat on the bed sometimes takes me a while to adjust to. Not sure what to do. STILL, even sitting, this helps.

@ImprovingAbility

3 жыл бұрын

5 vertebrae!!! 😟 oh my dear, please take good care of yourself! I think I will do a video on basic positions and movements around neutral spine.

while I can definitely feel the benefit in my neck of this series of movements I feel very nauseous after lying on my stomach for such a long time. And my sternum and chest hurt -- it's so unpleasant. I hope we get on our backs next time!

Great video as always! As with the other lessons this helped me to awaken those muscles on my back. I tried stretching and strengthening and nothing works like Feldenkrais. So funny when you were talking to the microphone as if we were in the microphone. “Where are you?!”

@ImprovingAbility

4 жыл бұрын

🤣❤️

Dear Alfons, as a trainer or as I like to refer to it today as facilitator in cybersecurity I appreciate the way learning is redefined and regardless of the content, I greatly appreciate this way of teaching through experience and not through lecturing. Back to somatic studies, I feel stress in neck and shoulders due to travel change if beds and lack of sleep. This exercise relieves but the stress quickly returns, de-mobilizing headmovements. As I like to combine yoga and feldenkrais, I feel that both methods can relief this muscle stress, but only for short while. Does this indicate that I am not connected yet in a somatic way or should I just sleep on it? :) Bought your workbook as guide in which I enjoy sensing your passion for moving and I am going to get myself educated in Feldenkrais before retirement. Thanks for sharing and caring. PG.

Found good improvement in movement, but find it difficult lying on my chest - my breasts are painful in this position. Would a pad under them hamper the process?

Alfons, at the end of the video you talk about the next step to do all this incorporating more of the legs. I looked around but did not find it, could you give me the link for the following movements please ? as always, thank you so much for all you great work and sharing it out ! very very very appreciated.

@ImprovingAbility

Жыл бұрын

Hi Marie, here’s a list to the playlist, must be Day 8 I suppose, kzread.info/head/PLcGwQrrRmOBCHy9Zlj-03wKE-s5ZCcZyV Best greetings!

hey thanks a lot for all your efforts in sharing this practise/knowledge. how many times in a day or days or weeks can I follow this. I am currently having neck and upper back issues so want to know a routine I could follow to help. thanks

@ImprovingAbility

7 жыл бұрын

Hi, thanks for your comment. I would say 10-20 minutes or more per day is not too much. Use my videos or practice from memory. Keep at it until you feel at ease. Check out my other videos too, especially "Relief for Shoulder and Neck"

@JohanRoyDsouza

7 жыл бұрын

Feldenkrais with Alfons yes that is what I have been doing for past two days and trying the rest as well to understand the method better. thanks for your prompt response.

I liked this lesson, like the rest, but I didn't notice so much improvement in the head lifting. I could lift the arm and head fairly easily at the beginning and end. The big improvement was in how my head sat back on the shoulders when standing, and how much more open the chest is. I have had a couple of bad injuries in my neck - one when I fell on my head on a trampoline and it bent to one side with all my body weight on top....so I noticed that when doing the exercise where we would lie with the forehead on the floor and look up and down, whenever I looked down there is pain in the vertebrae in my neck. I am really interested in these lessons to help with this sort of old injury, but much more interested in the resolving of old trauma - I have been working on this from both a mental and emotional perspective for many years, using meditation and inquiry techniques - so this is fascinating using a physical method. Thank you.

@ImprovingAbility

7 жыл бұрын

Very good points Phil. Physical injury can also be called "Trauma". We approach the realm of movement via movement :-)

After working through some of your videos, I am hoping that you may have the answer to possibly help unlock my pain I have been feeling for months in the rib/abdominal area that of course also incorporates back, shoulder, neck pain also. I feel as if I am possibly “stuck” in what may be the “red light” and just cannot get it to let go. I just started looking into Somatics and feel it could be the answer to my very achy core and back. Is there anything that you can suggest that may help me in these particular areas? I find you technique fascinating and think it would be a lifesaver if I could actually work with someone of your caliber of understanding of this type of release. I have several big stressors in my life, but it seems doctors only want to give meds ... I do have hereditary essential tremor from a very young age (now 64 yrs old female), so I do have a tremor which makes awareness of my body a bit more difficult than one who doesn’t have this type of tremor. Any input you could give me would be awesome - thank you for making these videos and I would say don’t apologize for the length of your videos as you are giving free lifesaving lessons on wellness!!

I have bad piriformis, ischias, isg. For me i resolved or felt it in the back down to two points in the buttocks. I feel now a little dizzy and nausea but I think because I adressed something in the middle back I havent adressed like never! Hope it is good!

Greetings Alfons & company... a different understanding of trauma is presented by Abraham Hicks....suicidal thoughts and life not working 2015......I do not trust ppl who have gained their status...monies by focusing on illness....I am tickled at the thought of someone..anyone finding Abraham Hicks......our nonphysical counterparts perspective on trauma....wanting to off yourself at that.....tickled....this causes me life the so called trauma experts opinion made me feel Worse....they are trained by a corrupt 1 present and need to be awakened from their toxic slumber...lov Kayla....you Alfons made me laugh by the look of you listening to the speaker

Dear Alfons, I find this lesson very hard to complete. Especially in the latter part of the lesson I have trouble doing the movements in a feeling manner. I always get nervous and anxious when I am asked to move my eyes like that so I feel like I have to stop which I eventually do cause it is also kind of frustrating. Yet the first part turns out to be very beneficial already. Any recommendations? Thank you for providing all this content and sharing these very important ideas! All the best Anar

@ImprovingAbility

4 жыл бұрын

Hi Anar, did you start at the beginning of this series?

Hallo Alfons! Ich habe ein paar der älteren Videos angesehen (und mitgemacht!) aufgrund der aktuell langen Wartezeit, bis wieder ein Gruppen Feldenkrais Kurs startet habe ich das Medium KZread befragt und bin auf dich gestoßen :-) Ich bin beeindruckt von der großen Effektivität die diese kleinen Bewegungsabläufe bewirken! Nach einigen Videos nun stellt sich mir die Frage- es wird ja initial auf etwas hingearbeitet. Eine Erkenntnis im Bewegungsablauf zb. - nun, sagen wir, ich mache die Nacken/Knie oder Hüftstunde zum 3. Mal - jetzt weiß ich ja schon wie der Bewegungsablauf flüssiger und vielleicht sogar "richtiger" geht. Trial&Error haben in der 1. Stunde stattgefunden. Kann ich nun quasi im "advanced" Modus die Übungen starten? Oder zielt eine Feldenkrais Stunde immer auf den Progress ab? Quasi: wackel immer erst mit der großen Zehe bevor du das ganze Bein bewegst?

i can't lie down on my front side without pain...it hurts when my chest is pressing against the floor. does this mean i should avoid doing any movements that require me to lay face down?

@ImprovingAbility

7 жыл бұрын

First of all: congratulations for caring about yourself and for trying to improve. Not so common with most people, you're way ahead of the bunch. Much love ! :-) My tips: Do approximations (for example gear more towards side-lying than on your belly), repeat the first 5 lessons in this "Getting better day by day" series, maybe this will make it easier to shift towards prone position. DO NOT force yourself. It's impossible to give more recommendations without having seen or spoken to you. All my best !

@emilyeyre4658

7 жыл бұрын

thank you! i really enjoyed doing the last five lessons again since it truly is a new experience each time! after repeating the previous lessons i came back to this one and suddenly no longer found it painful to lay on my front side! thank you for your advice and i look forward to exploring more body movements!

@ImprovingAbility

7 жыл бұрын

there you go !! ❤️

i am having lots of issues with extreme tightness in my body... my whole body is out of alignment spent years trying every different technique i find, i am getting better but still got quite a bit of pain.. my biggest pain is it feels like my mid back is very tight, to a point that chiros ive been to cant even get it to budge.. is there any movements you can recommend that activate and release the tightness in my mid back.. i feel like my spine is compressed because the muscles are so tight they are pulling me down. if it helps i also have lots of knots or what ever they are in my shoulders, i also have winged scapula, feel like my ribs are stuck that it use to hurt really bad if i breath deep and not as bad as before but turning side to side use to cut my breathing and would affect my speech, everything hurts but my mid back is the worse of it i am sure my issues are due to having anxiety most of my life, and couple accidents, now its better with all the stuff i did .. if i can fix this pain ill be in heaven. as i watch i am trying them but if there is any specific movement for the above issues please let me know

Is there a part 2 to the what is trauma video?

@ImprovingAbility

6 жыл бұрын

It's part of the "Getting better day by day" series, "part 2" would be Episode "Day 8"

@lorettawestcolourgardenstu9007

6 жыл бұрын

great, thanks very much and for all your videos!

Классно

Trauma.. complex things. Could this be solved entirely through Feldenkrais?. Talking about Thomas Hanna, in his book Somatics, he had a daily (5~20 min) "cat stretch" to help with the motor system amnesia and fix the red light/green light reflexes. Does such a thing exist in feldenkrais and/or do you know of anything similar? I wish I could like your videos 100 times:)

Excellent helpful video. Thank you. Just to let you know, one phrase you sometimes need to use in your commentary is 'in any case ....', not 'in any account .....' Sorry for this trollish remark, but I'm an English teacher, so I can't help it. :)

@ImprovingAbility

7 жыл бұрын

good to know, thank you :)

@marianneellman1139

6 жыл бұрын

Your english is beautiful Alfons❤💙❤

@deedavis9511

5 жыл бұрын

Alfons, pay no attention to the Grammer Nazi.

Hi Alfons. No offence but I've watched the video above a couple of times and, much as I love Feldenkrais, as you know, I can't see what this has to do with trauma, either directly physical or mental. I've been watching some Peter Levine Somatic Experiencing clips and wanted to mention the technique here because, for anyone who's come to this video looking for help with traumatic experience from Feldenkrais, it seems to me the logical step. The principles and processes of somatic experiencing are remarkably similar to Feldenkrais, but more specifically targeted at unlocking the traumatised body and mind from what Levine describes as their frozen states. His explanation of this idea is in the videos, along with some very helpful techniques.

@ImprovingAbility

6 жыл бұрын

Hi John, as always, thank you for your comment, no offense taken. I think it would be a great question to start a discussion. Mentioning Peter Levine's work is a valuable addition to this video indeed, since not everyone is familiar with the mechanisms and physiological origins that can lead to "trauma". Steven Porges, Bert Hellinger or other techniques like EDMR or even medication are also worth discussing I suppose, but all this talking and theory is not really my cup of tea. Instead, we start in lying on the front side. slightly curled up, one of the safest positions we can assume in this kind of situation (hashtag immobilized, frozen, traumatized, fibromyalgia, chronicfatigue, agoraphobia, polyvagal, anxietydisorder)

Sprichst du eigentlich deutsch, meine es rauszuhören?

@ImprovingAbility

3 жыл бұрын

Ja freilich! 😁 Meine Website auf Deutsch lautet www.feldenkraiswerkstatt.at

The ant can't run very fast...... In our terms.. LoL

@ImprovingAbility

4 жыл бұрын

🤣🤣🤣 true or not?

@rishabhb4800

4 жыл бұрын

@@ImprovingAbility yes it's true

Found good improvement in movement, but find it difficult lying on my chest - my breasts are painful in this position. Would a pad under them hamper the process?