The Mechanics of IP

[edededed]

Thanks for the reply!

Interesting how it seems to influence the (somewhat remote) shoulder joints - definitely very interesting, I will have to try to concentrate more on the lower back area... In trying to expand that area, I found it quite difficult for sure! Will try some more...

[jjy5016]

I don't know of any way to speed up the process of getting that expansion of the lower back Ed. My teacher said that it happened over time. The only thing that i can think of that might help is like they do in yoga when they hold a pose, breath in deeply to make more room and then stretch further on the exhale. But I'm not sure it that would work in this case. Might be dangerous, it is after all the internal organs that are taking all the pressure.

[edededed]

Thanks again... I guess I could just put a bit more emphasis on the lower back than usual, as well as more clearly put the butt in (which is my homework these days, anyway)... This is not easy for me, as I for some reason have a big butt, which is a problem that my classmates do not share

[Chris McKinley]

Guys, please don't try using some kind of forced breath work to do anything of the sort. It could be very dangerous over time and it's absolutely irrelevant and unnecessary. You have to be able to feel the area with increasing sensitivity first, and it will take time. It will help tremendously if you can have a partner, bodywork specialist, massage therapist, etc. help you by actually touching the border points of the sacrum while you focus your attention on being able to feel that area, and later in being able to affect it in various ways by learning to isolate and flex the various muscles of the region and getting internal feedback on how that flexion affects the sacrum. Over time, and it will take time, you will be able to feel the area without anyone touching, and eventually you may even begin to develop some small ability to alter the muscular tension placed on the sacrum, thereby influencing its configuration every so slightly.

Distracting yourself by incorporating specialty breathing methods before this point in time will be an impediment since movement of the diaphragm and the resultant pressure on the organs below it and on the pelvic floor will provide strong proprioceptive sensations that have nothing at all to do with the mingmen, and will serve to at best, delay and at worst, prevent your being able to feel and control the actual areas you are trying to develop.

[Steve Rowe]

The inability to expand the lower back is a common problem and finding the cause often means examining the whole chain of movement. My advice FWIW would be:

Work on softening and mentally connecting the body core (see Tom Myers 'Deep Front Line' for diagram) to find the feet. This will give you much of the essential releases.

Release any excess 'holding' you have in the ankles, knees and hips.

As you release the hips gently spiral outwards from the feet until you feel the kua open, when you do you will feel the base of the spine drop and that should release the lower back to open.

If it doesn't, check the positioning of the head and let the shoulder blades slide apart until you feel the ribcage roll down and forwards and 'sit' on the psoas muscles then the lower back can open ( you were holding it from above).

This method checks where you can be preventing the opening from below and above the lower back. As Chris says nothing should be forced and all releases should be 'eased' constantly working on the minds awareness, focus and sensitivity.

And the final caveat is that it often takes time and continually working on this process for it to happen.

The yoga cat stretches can also supplement this and help to get the sensitivity required both on all fours and then standing pushing against a wall and finally an imaginary wall.

[Bhassler]

Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent. Breathe gently into your belly for a while, then hold the belly in and breathe into the chest. Practice until you can go back and forth at will. Take your attention back to breathing into the belly, and as you inhale see if you can (gently) get the back of the bottom ribs to expand into the floor. Once you get that, see if you can allow more and more of your low back to expand downwards each time you inhale. Just be gentle and don't force anything. Don't try to flatten the back or tuck the tailbone or any of that stuff.

Once you have the general movement, you can work on getting the expansion on inhalation or exhalation (or either or neither) and then work on integrating it into your stuff as outlined in the posts above. If you relax and let it happen, it shouldn't take more than a few hours (max) to be able to expand the low back more or less at will. (cough, cough, Feldenkrais!) The time comes in integrating it into your default/martial movement patterns.

[jjy5016]

I do the lying on the floor relaxing and expanding the lower ribs so that they touch the floor sometimes. Good exercise.

[edededed]

Thanks guys, for all the information and exercises

I've been trying a couple out gently, but it sure is difficult to keep the abdomen from inflating greatly (perhaps that keeps the rear from doing much as a result)... but little by little...