Flying Flutistas

Flying Flutistas

Flying Flutistas
 

Movement Lifestyle for Musicians..for Life!

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We were made to move.  This year I have spent time investigating movement, not only from the Body Mapping anatomy perspective, but in how I move through the day.  I realized that much of my organizational work was accomplished sitting in a chair at my desk, and recognized the disconnect of this practice from the paradigm of a healthy movement lifestyle that I have chosen to pursue.

What does a movement lifestyle mean?  To me, it means sitting & standing less, moving more. Looking for novel ways to move my arms, legs, torso, my whole body.  I am in search of physical ease and freedom and improved precision and coordination not only for health but for my career.  To do this, I walked off the beaten path through the woods over its varying terrain, hung from a bar for increasing lengths of time, crossed monkey bars (hooray!!), climbed my first 5.10at the rock gym, crawled around my house including up and down the stairs, and challenged myself to imagine new ways of moving.

Oh look, a rock to climb on - varying the terrain!

Oh look, a rock to climb on – varying the terrain!

Here are some easy ways to cultivate your own movement lifestyle:

  1. Make every activity a chance to explore movement.  For instance, I have been doing a lot of gardening lately.  Gardening gives me the chance to squat, crawl, sit in different ways, and move my arms for raking, digging, spreading mulch.  All great movements to practice and build movement awareness. (Plus, raking up last year’s leaves wasn’t as daunting when I approached it from the movement practice perspective.)
  2. Alter your work set-up – put your computer on the coffee table and sit or squat on the floor, or put your computer on the kitchen counter to stand and do leg movements including balancing .  Each new configuration offers new ways to move.
  3. Why walk when you can crawl – crawling offers so many movement nutrients.  You can baby crawl, toe crawl, bear walk and more!  Not only does crawling engage the opposing muscles of sitting, it activates cross body patterns that activate both sides of the brain.  So during the day when I have the opportunity – at home or in the gym, I crawl instead of walk.  My kids roll their eyes, but crawling has built strength, and fine tuned coordination of the limbs, and it looks silly so you can laugh.
  4. Hang more!  It feels great to hang from a bar (especially the flying types) allowing the weight of your body to stretch soft tissue in the arms and torso.  Look for ways to “hang-out” at the gym, in your backyard, at the playground, or from a tree branch on your walk.

    Hang!!!

    Hang!!!

What does this have to do with being a flutist?  Everything!  The better I move, the better I play.  My day is filled with movement practice and awareness building that allows me to dig into the musical details when I practice because I have already cultivated a toolbox full of movement choices to draw from.

Don’t think you have enough time?  Many of these things easily integrated into what I already did every single day!  Taking a few minutes to crawl around in practice sessions allows me to come back to the music refreshed and with new ideas that come to me as I crawl.  Don’t have a gym membership?  Your environment has all that you need to any of these!

Even more importantly, what does this have to do with being a human?  EVERYTHING!  It is so much fun to be aware of the movement of the hip joint or the rotation of the spine, you find yourself giggling.  Good movement is also health promoting, and self-care that we all deserve.  It keeps joints moving, activates the brain, and enables us to move with poise that tells the world a lot about who we truly are.

Here are some of my favorite resources to learn more about movement and challenge yourself:

Balancing at the Parcourse on the Charles River in Boston!

Balancing at the Parcourse on the Charles River in Boston!

A Powerful Response to Fear

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Gasp

Gasp

Recently, I have had the opportunity to confront some fears.  I have used these experiences to reflect on how I learned to conquer the thoughts and sensations that typically accompany my insecurity.  Here are some thoughts and the steps I took to powerfully respond!

The mind filled with perilous thoughts, heart racing seemingly out of control, sweaty palms and an awkwardly shallow breath, this is what I  often felt when faced with a task I wasn’t truly sure I could do. The insecurity was not always the reality, instead it was the creation in my mind.  For some, experiencing these symptoms is a game-ender, the only choice is to walk away.  Others find a way to move beyond the limits of fear, courageously facing possibility, this is my story.

Listening to stories of people overcoming fear inspired me that there was hope, but often I was left wondering what their secret was?  What was the magic bullet that would allow me to step beyond the limitations of fear?  Blocking out fear didn’t work, in fact it magnified my fear making it more scary, more crippling.  I experimented with many techniques to break free from fear’s stranglehold, nothing was reliable until I learned to refocus.

Allowing the fear to be a part of my experience was the first step.  Refocusing my attention beyond the fear to the internal sensations of movement was the key that changed everything. This simple step put me fully in the moment, able to think beyond the irrational thoughts that often had the power to derail an adventure, a performance.  This may seem a unusual response to fear, allowing it to be part of the experience, but it works for me.

My process unfolds like this…

  • Acknowledge the fear, allow it to be part of the moment. Notice the shaking, the thoughts, any sensations that accomany it.
  • Refocus, go internal find the sensations of movement by awakening the powerful kinesthetic sense available at joints and in muscles.  How am I moving?  Are there places I am not moving?  Release, move!
  • Become aware of the movement of the ribs, responsible for moving the breath in and out of the lungs.  As I pay attention to the breath, I also notice the fear, but it is blurry, less powerful.
  • Expand awareness to include the bottom of the feet.  Feel both feet connected to the floor equally.  This connection is empowering, sending energizing support up through the body.
  • Add knees into awareness.  Are they locked, balanced or bent?  Release into balance, allowing the upper leg bone to be poised directly above the lower leg bone.
  • Next, broaden the visual field to include the peripheral space, notice the ceiling floor, colors and textures of the space.  Enjoy that security that comes from being fully in the space.
  • Feel the textures of the clothing I am wearing, softness, scratchy, tight, loose whatever my outfit is today.
  • As this all unfolds, I notice that that I can feel rib movement, contact with the floor, my knees, clothing and the fear is diminishing.  WOW!

I continue this broadening of my awareness to include hip joints, ambient noises, anything that brings me into the present moment.  This gentle expansion of my awareness allows the fear to reside in my experience usurping it of it’s debilitating power, empowering me with the strength I need to move ahead, to step into a new realm of possibility.  As the process unfolds, my heart rate slows, breathing becomes fuller, and the sweat on my palms is no longer distracting.  I am ready to perform.

Learning this process at the trapeze rig was a powerful lesson, teaching me important skills for facing fear in any area of life.  In my first two trapeze classes, as I contemplated walking up the ladder to the board (24 feet up), I was practically paralyzed by a fear of heights, I was ready to walk away.  Luckily I didn’t because in the third class a magical transformation happened as my fear became exhilaration, and I found a place that I could learn to move, experience time, as I showed myself I was capable of more than I imagined.  This experience continually empowers my playing, my teaching, and my being.  No longer do I have to be limited by fear, and neither do you.  Choose to face fear by refocusing to strength on the inside!

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The Amazing Spine: Protect Your Back, Improve Posture & Enhance Movement

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Spine close Up.001If I had to pick one word to describe the spine it would be AMAZING!  The spine supports the body, moves, protects the spinal cord, and more!  I want to help you to understand and find your “neutral spine.”  Why?  Returning to neutral spine over and over helps protect your back from pain and potential injury, improves posture, and enhances movement.  Our modern lifestyle means that caring for your spine is more important than ever!

Important spine facts everyone should know:

  • The spine spans the distance from the base of the skull (right behind the earlobe) to the level of the hip joints.
  • 24 vertebrae, 23 discs, sacrum, and coccyx comprise the spine.
  • Viewing the spine from the side, its shape includes 4 natural curves.
    • 2 internal: neck and lumbar (i.e. low back)
    • 2 external: thoracic and sacrum/coccyx (i.e. tailbone).
  • At neutral, the two internal curves curve 1/2 the depth of the body front to back. (WOW!)

Take a moment right now to familiarize yourself with your own spine.  Stand in front of a mirror, use your hands to locate the top and the bottom.  Notice just how long the spine is in your body.  Move around and imagine how the long, segmented spine contributes to the movements.

So what is neutral spine anyway?

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4 Natural Curves of Neutral Spine

Neutral spine honors the 4 natural curves of the spine.  Think of neutral as a place to return to over and over throughout the day, kind of like home.  With the help of my excellent Pilates teachers I have learned to find and return to neutral spine, you can too…

3 Steps to finding a neutral spine..spine pics labeled.001

  1. Lie on the floor with knees bent, feet flat on floor.  Knees and feet – hip joint width apart.
  2. Place the meaty part of your thumbs on the two ASIS bones (the bony points on the left and right of your pelvis, found slightly below your belly button to the left & right.)
    1. Connect the thumbs in a straight line between the two ASIS.
    2. Next connect the tip of each pointer finger on the pubis symphysis. This is where the two pelvic bones meet in the front.
    3. Your fingers outline a diamond, imagine a teacup sitting on the surface of this diamond.
  3. Tip your pelvis forward and back.  You are probably noticing that your spine and head move in response to this pelvic movement.  Gradually make the forward and back movement smaller and smaller until you come to a rest with the diamond parallel with the floor, so that the teacup will not spill.  Celebrate, you have found your neutral spine!

Ask yourself the following questions about neutral spine..

  • Does neutral spine feel familiar or strange to me?
  • Do I feel more or less curvature in the lower back?
  • Has my breathing changed?
  • What else do I notice?
  • Make a note of the changes.

Now that you have experienced neutral spine lying down, you can use it to compare to standing, sitting, exercising, flying through the air and more.  If you notice your spine isn’t in neutral, go ahead and restore neutral.  If you cannot remember what neutral feels like, repeat the steps above.  The more often you remind yourself about what neutral feels like, the easier it is to return to neutral!

When I began Pilates, my lumbar spine immediatley sunk down to the floor, similar to the picture on the left.  The natural curves had diminished and my muscles were working hard and there was pressue on the nerves.  With practice, the balance of my postural muscles changed and I naturally come to neutral, like in the picture on the right.

Neutral - notice the space between the low back and the floor.

Neutral – notice the space between the low back and the floor.

Distorted spinal curves. There is no space between the lower back and the floor.

Diminished spinal curves. There is no space between the lower back and the floor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the inside, my spine looks like this…

Distorted spinal curves.

Distorted spinal curves.

Natural curves of the spine!

Natural curves of the spine!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discomfort and pain in your back and neck can be a signal to check in on your spine and restore neutral.  Neutral spine beautifully supports the head, arms, and torso along with movement.

In terms of finding a neutral spine, your “body map” is your guide.  This is your mind’s picture of the spine, and it has a lot to do with how you stand, sit, and move.  Scientists have found that how we think we are designed  (the body map) dictates how we actually move. The more you visit neutral, the more familiar it is, and the clearer your body map becomes.  One of the great things about body maps is you can update and refine them throughout your lifetime, and that is what you just did. Bravo!

Go forth and return to neutral throughout your day!  Don’t stop here, continue to learn about your amazing spine to uncover exquisite freedom and ease as you put an end to back discomfort. I would love to know what you discover.

 

Never Stop Learning!

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It was so exciting to watch an adult flute student integrate new movement ideas in his playing yesterday afternoon. Changes to sound, technique, comfort and expression all resulted from clarifying his conception of how the body is designed to move.  We updated his body map with this new information, and  restrictive tension released that allowed him to move air through his flute with ease.  It was thrilling to hear his flute tone suddenly ring out in an expressive phrase.  WOW!

This reminded me again that we have the capacity to learn throughout life.  At any age we can learn to play the flute more beautifully, move more fluidly, even learn a brand new skill.  This is why I love what I do.  Virtually every day I learn something new about movement or  my own potential, or I assist someone else in discovering that they too can learn to move more fluidly, play more beautifully, more comfortably.  We are so lucky to be able to enjoy the gift of learning throughout life.  The next time you think you are too old to move with poise and ease, redirect your focus.  Learn about the body’s design for movement, find the movement within yourself (often,) and be aware of yourself from the inside using the kinesthetic sense throughout the day.  Your body will thank you and your flute playing too!

Move well & never stop learning!

“Let Me Down!” or Facing Mental Roadblocks

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“Let Me Down!” I called down to my belayer.  My belayer was also my 11 year-old daughter, a skilled rock climber. and my rock climbing coach.  I was climbing up the project she assigned me, a 5.7 rated climb with an overhang (imagine that, an assignment from your child?!)  I had just reached the 1/2 way point of the climb and wasn’t sure how or if I could make the next move.  I could feel the forces of gravity pulling me down at the same time I was attempting to climb higher.  At this point, a voice in my head began saying: “Give up, the next move is too hard, you are not strong enough!”

Was it too hard?  Was I really not strong enough?  For a fleeting moment, a different voice also spoke, contradicting the first.  This second voice was being logical, it knew I was strong and that I could make the move.  It was challenging but within my reach, literally.  This mental road block that the first voice presented held me back, I succumbed  and let go of the wall.

Why do we let that doubting voice deter us?  Listening to the negative commentary in our mind, we avoid opportunities to take chances, to be our best.  This robs us of the opportunity to learn what we are truly capable of and experience the joy in the process of overcoming a challenge.  At these moments, what we really need is to continue to move, to go for it!  Rock climbing is the perfect opportunity to practice shifting focus from the doubtful voice and consider a realm of  possibilities that includes success.  If you have done your practicing/exercising you can do it!  The “it” may not come in the first attempt, but the “it” is within reach.  Find the movements you need and GO FOR IT!  The more often we face doubt head on, the easier it becomes to move beyond the negative words, and be your best!  It’s all about movement, both physical and mental!

Instead of calling, “Let me down!”  Go for it!

Fitness & Music-Making

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It is very clear to me how fitness training enhances performance on the trapeze.  Core strength, range of motion, micro- & macro- movements are integral to coordination in flight.

What do I think of when I think of fitness training?  To me, fitness training is the opportunity to train or build strength in a muscle or group of muscles while at the same time refining movement precision.  In order to access a specific muscle(s) attention to how the movement is performed is essential.  Without accurate movement, the effectiveness of the exercise is diminished.  Take the bicep curl for an en example.  To access the bicep you simply need to flex/bend the arm at the elbow bringing the hand toward the shoulder joint.  Maybe you have observed this simple exercise being performed using a combination of bending the arm, and at the same time shifting the upper half of the torso back in space (usually because the weight in the hand is too heavy for just the bicep.)  Is this really training the bicep muscle? or  Is the bicep being bypassing, as strength from other muscles are enlisted to perform the exercise?

Recently while exercising it became blatantly obvious to me that fitness training relates in the same way to music-making.  Fitness training is the perfect time to tune into  training  both small and large scale movement.  It is also an opportunity to identify movement precision or movement confusion, and to use this information to fine tune movement along with one’s perception of movement.  The more we do this in the gym or on the trapeze, the more easily we can do this in music-making, coordinating just the right movements to create the sound, phrasing and expression we desire.  Fitness and music-making – yes!  It’s all movement.

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