Posting clips from my local and international workshops; instructional videos on movement, flexibility, and strength; short segments from activities in the Monkey Gym at the Australian National University; and we will have segments from my new DVDs, too. Enjoy!
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I've always had seriously tight hamstrings and this strentch hits the spot. Feels extemely euphoric and a massive tension release when I relax.
YT ate my comment!. Relaxing is the key. It's also the reason to not go in too hard in the beginning (this increases the fear). As @alithk said below, befriending this emotion can be very helpful.
Really enjoyed the interview and subject matter which has interested me for decades. Thank you . One small comment to Kit ..(who articulates the subject so well) Is that I believe you unintentionally made an incorrect statement ..although it's obvious what you meant, You stated "Thoughts are never experienced in the present moment" Of course .. that's wrong ..in reality there is only the present moment in which to experience things ..(whether they are about future or past events .)
I noticed a similar thing with Kabbat Zinn who defined mindfulness as "“the awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally". Again .. one can only do anything in the present moment ....I believe it would be better phrased " TO the present moment " Pedantic perhaps but definitions are important I think .
The apparent problem turns on how wide or long the "present" is. The longer you meditate, the shorter this becomes. What you describe is what the mind *tells you* what's happening ("I am experiencing thoughts *now*") but that is not what's happening. Thoughts are always _about_ something, in the near or distant past, or the near of distant future. To see this clearly, one needs to be very still, and this takes time. If you breathe in now, and focus all your attention on the sensations of those movements, you might be surprised to find there are no thoughts at all. And when I say, "thoughts are never experienced in the present moment",: I am talking about small fractions of a second only, in some cases. There's much more, of course, and if there's interest I can develop this. My final suggestion to ponder is the difference between the conceptual realm (all communication, thoughts about things, and all language) and the experiential realm, sensations in the body. Thoughts are always about something, not the things themselves. Another way to express this is to say, 'Thoughts take time', and by the time you have thought anything, the present has slipped into the past! In any case, sincere thanks for commenting; the limitations of language make talking/writing about this is inherently difficult, I hope this attempt helps,
Truly enjoy this stretch.
Me, too!
Thank you so much for posting this video.
Does figure four stretch also strech the sacral end of piriformis? It seems like a similar movement.
Try both, Matt, and please do report back.
So many gold nuggets here, including "the acquisition of flexibility is a black art". What really resonates with me is that I've historically (now age 36) over the past 10-15 years tried to gain flexibility by following advice from individuals who acquired that flexibility at a young age and those techniques (in the form of sets and repetitions) did not yield the results I wanted. Ultimately, as mentioned in this video, we need to take an individualized approach and in this way, Stretch Therapy is helping me explore the stiffness and kinks in my own body.
Thank you so much, Matt. And the relaxation practises, too, are a crucial missing part from all other systems I have been exposed to.
Thank you for this excellend tuturial. For the back arches exercises it is most important to distribute the load all over the "back chain"(hips, lower back, upper back) because our S shaped spine already has lordotic curve in lumbar area, so that lordotic bend or curve should not be exaggerated by exercise, otherwise se can hurt spinal discs. Thanks
Adding to that, the right cueing can target any particular part of the spine, too.
I'm surprised I can actual do it I've tried before but it always hurts my ankles and ur video is the only one I found that explains why that its and once I fixed that I could sit in it with no pain
This remains the best video on this stretch.
The version we have where the front leg's hip is up on a bolster is even better; this need to be 150mm (5'') or so thick. Makes this one even better. Thanks for commenting.
Hi sir, I have an ankle sprain that won't heal, since 2019. Did Mri and nothing substantial apart from 'ligaments not looking 100%', i have a flat feet. the ligament that hurts is anterior talofibular ligament, does this exercise help me?
Read all the comments below, Dai, to see how others have fared with this exercise. You have had this ankle sprain for five years, so you have nothing to lose by trying it. Pay attention to all the sensations coming from your feet and ankles as you try this, and go gently in the beginning.
@@KitLaughlin Thanks for replying Sir. I did MRI last week and I was diagnosed with ATFL tear. Radiology doc says its grade 3. Ankle/sports doctor says its a 2 but very close to a tear. The doctor is leaning towards a surgery. some people tell me Physical therapy is better. what do you think?
@@DaiPasha Not a 'Sir'. Just Kit. I cannot offer any perspectives from here, over an impersonal internet, that your doctor and physical therapist have already suggested. The fact that you have had this problem for five years, if my memory is accurate, suggests that surgery is likely to be effective, but you will have to decide. Best wishes, KL
@@KitLaughlin thank you Kit! :) Appreciate your help.
@@KitLaughlin But generally speaking Kit, even though its an old injury, never had Physiotherapy treatment before, you think Physiotherapy won't heal it? its too late for it?
Love this stretch ❤❤❤ Sun 16/06/24
At the classes we ran at the ANU, this was one of the all-time favourites. To watch someone's posture change in a few moments was always satisfying. Thanks for commenting.
Many thanks Sir, 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Such amazing videos kit. Could you ever make a video on the horse stance?
I can, definitely. Lower body body-weight strength training is what I do myself-no one needs a gym, unless you want to do bodybuilding (great pursuit, but not my thing at 71!). The horse stance is a staple of this kind of training (as well as many variations of the single-leg squat, speed skater squat, and Cossack squat), so thanks for the request. I will do this.
@@KitLaughlin 71! I applaud you sir, i only wish I will look as good as you at your age!
@@icealpha1035 Meditate enough; do enough (just enough) resistance training, and stretch from time to time, and you will!
Love your shirt Kit! 🕉️🪷
That's a Jim McAirt original. Find him here: zennotzen.bigcartel.com/ All my, and Liv's tattoos have been done by Jim, too, and by hand-no guns. Three thumbs up for Jim!
I'm not really feeling it in the hamstrings. I'm feeling it more at the front of my leg.
This exercise's position uses tension in the hip flexors (where you feel that sensation at the top of the back leg) to hold the lower back straight-this is deliberate (and you get a free HF stretch!). This will pass, in time. Please do keep going and report back if anything changes.
@@KitLaughlin thanks Kit, I'll keep it up and see how it goes
Many thanks Sir,👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks, sincerely.
When I do 0:15 I get this sharp pain in the back of my thumb area, any ideas on how to remedy that?
Go more gently to let the body get used to the position. It's probably something being compressed. In time, all the other movements will move whatever it is that's sticking, and it will feel more comfortable.
@@KitLaughlin Thank you, I'll go more gentle with it.
@@petrichorpse Do let us know how you go-this helps all the silent users! Thanks for posting.
How did it go?
@@foobar99 I've been stretching twice every day, these exercises and a few other ones due to how much I need to use my hands/forearms. I have a greater range of movement and the pain is less sharp-still the slightest hint of soreness in that area but not nearly as bad. I really focus on trying to massage my thumb while in that position and stretch it well afterwards
Love it, feel great after doing!
Tell your friends! And thanks for commenting.
Length of stick please?
Any broomstick will do.
❤❤❤❤
Love this,thank you Olivia.
Any idea how to handle tennis elbow pain?
Yes. Work your way through this sequence; one of them will hit the spot exactly: kzread.info/dash/bejne/eaGByLlrm6bRlag.html Twice a week (recovery is essential). And try the free relaxation audios from our site (putting the link in the description above).
This stretch is absolute heaven
Works, doesn't it? The secret is the simultaneous stretch of both ends of the main muscle affected, as well as a ton of facia. Thanks for commenting.
@@KitLaughlin indeed it does provide some wonderful relief to the area. Thank you kindly for sharing the excellent content.
Would this technique be safe for patients with hypermobile joints?
Yes. If you have someone do what I did with Olivia, the technique is safe. The joints are not stressed at all.
I feel this in what feels like my glutes. Am I doing it wrong?
No, deep in the glutes is where piriformis is, so that's to be expected. As everything loosens, you'll be able to feel this more clearly. Keep going (after a day or two of rest) and please report back.
@@KitLaughlin thank you!
Im very tight , I cant even get my leg over my other knee, hip is almost facing the sky , thanks kit for inspiring me to make changes into transforming my body and learning to relax deeply to heal my body pains thankyou for your work
Thank you. We can all be comfortable in out bodies, in time, I believe.
@KitLaughlin yes I believe to ,especially the relationship between mind emotions and body effect the tension on the body , also thanks olivia for your work 😆
@@Ethanwaynewulf Exactly. We have been writing and teaching this forever, it seems. Have a loot at our site; huge amount of free information and articles there. Link in description.
It’s a great detail video tutorial; thank you very much for sharing!!
I have very bad trismus after radiation treatment.I can only fit one finger in my mouth and i think my neck and jaw tightness is also interfering with my breathing.My ENT team are at a loss after many scans but i think your exercises my be the solution.Can severe neck and jaw tightness interfere with breathing ? Manyvthanks for the video.
A huge number of factors can interfere with breathing, chief among them anxiety. Do try the jaw exercises, try the free relaxation recording (in the description above) and go to our site and read the "Relaxation Wiki". Please do report back.
Thank you so much for the gift of this lesson and the added relaxation practice. Looking forward to starting your back programme but it's so nice to be able to get an idea of your approach through this fantastic free video before making that commitment
Hi Kit, Matt's mom here... we met in North Vancouver when you were here. You just popped onto my KZread feed... of course I subscribed 😊
Florence! Please give my love to Matt.
Wicked video, thanks. I don't know why this video did not come up in my search for the past few years in my search.
Works great thanks...............................amazing things you're making available here, big thanks again;
amazing knowledge, bless you love and light
Love your videos they have been so helpful! I have a question: when I do this stretch my lower back is straining during this stretch, and when I relax it I end up losing balance/support and fall.
Put your back up against a wall, move away a little bit while you do the exercise, and if you fall the wall with catch you. Thanks for commenting.
I have flat feet, my arch is well defined and pronounced but when I stand (put weight on it) it collapses right away. I use orthotics. My podiatrist told me there is no way to exercise/correct flat feet. I'm excited to try this exercise and see if I get any results, I have struggled with my posture as a result of this for years. Thank you for uploading this.
A quick test: stand in bare feet with your weight evenly distributed. Without looking at your feet, lift only your toes up away from the floor. Now feel where the weight from your body is going through the feet - most of it is likely to be behind the big toe and the heel. Again, without looking into your feet, try to feel the pad underneath the *little toe* side of your foot, and press that down into the floor. When you can feel the little toe side of your foot pressing onto the floor (as well as the big toe side), now look down at your feet and see if the arch is lifted off the floor. It is only muscles in the hip that control the position of the foot in relation to the leg - when you rotate the leg outwards, from the hip joint, the arch lifts off the floor, usually. Please do that and report back. This exercise is designed to wake up the connection between this rotation and the soles of the feet. Once the brain knows how to do this, all you need is that awareness plus a bit of extra strength. As well, read the article linked to in the description above. Good luck!
@@KitLaughlinThank you! I did this test and I found my arch does lift off the floor. It's pretty uncomfortable and I feel almost like a cramping feeling in my arch the longer I hold it like that. I tried the exercise and found my calves were super sore after, like a full workout. Is that normal (nice bonus if it is) Thanks again! :)
@@michaelbennett6517 100% normal reaction. The exercise targets a lower leg muscle that does form the arch (tibialis posterior, as noted above), but It is much more than that: the whole exercise teaches the body how to place its weight on the feet. As the linked article notes, this is a proprioception phenomenon, and we are teaching the body how to do this. Go slowly and do not exaggerate the little-toe side weight shift. Thanks for commenting.
Thank you. ❤
Great set, great info. ❤👍🌟
Thanks, sincerely. Half the time (more, actually) YT does not let me know someone has commented. Worse is this morning's event: someone wrote something really nice about the sitting for meditation video, and neither google or YT can find this comment in their own system... Anyhow, sincere thanks for writing.
Love it. Awesome as always mate. You are the stretch GOAT 🙏🏻
Not really, but thank you, sincerely.
thank you for all your videos, just tried this and the tightness in my shoulder is chronic. i will keep doing it and see if it resolves my neck pain. i grind my teeth and have very poor posture from years of working on computers and if i lower my shoulder the pain is like someone put a knife in it so im happy ive found something that makes stretching it tolerable! getting my flexibility back is my 2024 goal so your channel is super valuable to me. would bruxism cause this pain or is it more likely to be posture and how long after doing this stretch would you expect the neck pain to start going
Search for "jaw neck" sequence here and add that. This will target the bruxism directly. Do please report back if this combination is helpful; there is a lot of this kind of dysfunction out there. I used to have these problems myself, but never, now.
@@KitLaughlin thank you and i will do
Whoa. Been having nerve pain in my elbow and paresthesia in my fingers. Did this exercise and the scalene exercise and it’s gone. Not to mention that doing this rotator cuff stretch led to an audible pop and inexplicable release of tension. Felt like I did self-chiropracty!
Excellent-charge yourself $50! Seriously, though, there is a lot we can do to help ourselves. Thanks for commenting!
Ive been very acrive for years and when i did a lot of ballett i suddenly had this sharp pain when even slightly going into pancake or even a simple standing straddle with a slight lean forward. Now i did this and the relieve is insane. It feels like my muscle can move freely before it was like a "micro tearing" sensation. Thank yoj so much
If you don't have that active range of movement, the fascial sleeves of these two muscles can be adhered together-pain and the micro-tearing sensation can be the result. Separating the muscles changes this almost instantly; Thanks for commenting.
@KitLaughlin it is definitely adhered. My ROM is improving by the day. I thank you really so much. Crazy how my pt did not see that...
@KitLaughlin and yes the relieve is instant. Btw hurts like a mf the first time ahhaha
@jonasalopecia1662: I have been a manual therapist since before the term "PT" was invented, and the technique I am showing I developed myself. I am so glad you've had this good result.
@@jonasalopecia1662 I have been a manual therapist since before the term "PT" was invented, and the technique I am showing I developed myself. I am so glad you've had this good result.
Is it ok to do this exercise with scoliosis?
Like all recommendations for people with scoliosis, try cautiously and gently, and see what the effect is. Do please get back to us when you have tries this.
@@emilyk0209 posted this question, but one of the algorithms must have had a conniption, because I could not find her comment here! Here it is: Emily Kennelly wrote: "I’ve been diagnosed with TOS on both sides and trying to avoid surgery. I have an elongated transverse process on one side and have been bouncing from PTs with minimal relief. Love your videos. What’s the best way to modify this stretch; my arms are too short to reach my ankle like that without my body bending down to reach it. Thank you!!" Such a good and important question. The solution is simple: get a belt or a cloth strap, and make a loop in it . You will need to experiment to find the right size loop for your proportions. You put your hand through one side of the loop (say, from under) and grasp the loop between fingers and thumb from above, and you put the other end of the loop itself over the front of the foot, so it bears against the instep. This way, when you walk the foot away from you in that part of the exercise, the hand is attached firmly to the foot via the loop, and you will not have to exert any strength to hold it in position. Let the arm and that side of the body and the neck relax, and let the foot walk the shoulder away from your ear. Please do let me know how you go. This is one of the most effective exercises for TOS. Go gently in the beginning; most of the sensation will be felt in the arm.
Hi Kit. I stumbled across your forum regarding overpronation. I have suffered with this condition for around 19 years.. possibly longer but had no such issues prior. I started weight training and gained weight which caused my ankles to overpronate. At the time I was prescribed orthotics which I did use. However, when I lost weight I improved somewhat. Since have a more active job I noticed I had further issues..I have worked on hip strength and lower leg work but still suffer. Left foot had improved but right foot is still weak. Do have APT also so working on core strength also. I have a slant board which seems to help stretch the feet. Just reaching out to see if there is anything I can do. Thanks
To begin, watch the video carefully, and then do the exercise, being careful to attend to the smallest detail. If your feet and lower legs are not strong enough to do a single-leg heel lift, then use both feet to come to the highest point, then take all your body's weight one one leg (still in the highest position) and very slowly (10" or more) lower yourself, resisting all the way. Once you have stretched that leg's calf muscles (the bottom position), repeat. Change sides, and repeat. Re. APT: search for "quads and hip flexors" here; we have the best exercises. Only twice a week in the beginning. It's better to do one repetition perfectly then 10 sloppy ones. If you want more detail on pronating ankles, see the link in the description above.
Ok got it. Thank you. I really do hope I can fix this issue. Some days I feel that perhaps surgery is my only option.
@@jimkennedy7784 Say no to surgery-unless there's a problem that surgery has been suggested as a realistic option. Mark the calendar today, and a date three months hence. Do these exercise twice a week, and please report back.
@@KitLaughlin ok thank you. I try to incorporate some form of foot work a day to help improve my feet. Last question. How often should you stretch hip flexors?
@@jimkennedy7784 Jim, with respect, if what you write is accurate, the footwork that you are doing has not helped you, and this problem has been with you for a long time. You need to do something different, IOW. Please mark the calendar, and start today. As I wrote above, twice a week for the strengthening exercise, and once or twice a week for the quads and hip flexors. As well, please read the article linked to in the description above-there's everything you need to know there.
Just looking at the video makes my wrists hurt! I'll definitely try it and take as much time as it needs, thanks!!!
It's all about getting started. Go gently, pay attention to what your body is telling you, and you'll be fine.
I have failed every test 😢
No problem, really-all this means is that you are not ready yet, and thus you won't hurt yourself as many have! I have another video here that will help-it's an hour-long follow along class: kzread.info/dash/bejne/dIyLt9eTqdS2gZM.html& Do let us know how you go with it.
"The essence of the feeling of being able to rest on something" what a marvelous verbal cue !
Thank you.
Is there a version we can hear better? The birds, or squeaky wheel make it hard to hear him/feel zen as
Sorry, right now, this is the only version (we have moved on to a boat full time). The squeaks are the local cockatoos and uin reality, they are deafeningly loud! I apologise for that. Try listening through headphones, or watch it again and see if you can work out how to do it by only watching. Good luck!
Kit, you’re a fantastic teacher and a beautiful human. Thank you for this and all the other videos.
Sincere thanks, Geoffrey.
Great video thanks. I had a bit of relief. I have TMJ on my right side, and for the longest time I can't tilt my head (bring my right ear to my right shoulder) without feeling restriction and pain like a pinched nerve. Recently, when I try tilting my head the other way (left), I feel extreme muscle tightness on the right. Seems like I have always experienced clicking and discomfort on the right side of my neck just under the skull. I'm not even sure if it's related to my TMJ or something else. To top it off, the other day I was trying to rub the tight muscle in my neck and suddenly felt numbness in my thumb. 3 days later the numbness remains. Do you think something else could be going on in my neck besides the TMJ? After all, I never really feel pain in my jaw.
Look up "Thoracic Outlet Compression Syndrome", then try this sequence: kzread.info/dash/bejne/nmyf0ZShmrLVj5c.html& Go gently the first few times. Please let us know how you go.
@@KitLaughlin I really appreciate it. Looking into it now.