With rapid changes to the work environment, individuals are spending most of their working hours at a desk, leading to problems like neck pain, back pain, poor posture and muscle imbalances. To avoid this, it is recommended that individuals incorporate exercise into their daily routine.
Developed by Dr. Moshé Feldenkrais, an Israeli physicist in the mid-20th century, the Feldenkrais method is an effective treatment for enhancing bodily movements and alleviating health problems.
Recently, this method has gained popularity due to its emphasis on mindfulness and improving full-body awareness. The Feldenkrais exercises are rooted in the principles of neuroplasticity, offering a holistic and drug-free approach to healing.
If you’re struggling with body pain or physical discomfort, the Feldenkrais exercises may be the solution you’re looking for. In this article, we bring you 5 ways to achieve flexibility with the Feldenkrais method.
Let’s begin!
1. Understand and Listen to Your Body
When it comes to achieving flexibility through the Feldenkrais exercises, it is important to cultivate a deeper understanding of the mind-body connection.
The Feldenkrais method encourages individuals to be attentive of their physical sensations and observe the root cause of their pain. Once they acknowledge the signs that are causing them pain or discomfort, they can opt for solutions to deal with them effectively.
Given that every individual’s body is unique and what works for one person might not work for another, it becomes vital to understand your body’s response to these exercises first. This understanding enables your therapist to tailor the Feldenkrais exercises to suit your body’s needs and capabilities.
2. Practise Mindfulness and Consistent Movements
Engaging in mindfulness practices and consistent movement is essential to maximise the advantages of the Feldenkrais exercises.
Mindfulness induces a state of relaxation and flow, enhancing your ability to be more attentive. Being fully aware of the areas that cause pain helps you detect subtle sensations, tension and patterns in your body. This heightened awareness enables you to identify where action needs to be taken.
With the help of the Feldenkrais techniques, you can develop consistent exercise patterns and alleviate pain. By incorporating the habit of regular exercise into your daily routine, you can stimulate the brain’s adaptability, facilitating efficient movements.
Slow and deliberate movements ensure that the nervous system processes and learns each action carefully. Thereby allowing the brain to develop new neural pathways that facilitate lasting changes, enhancing the body’s overall flexibility.
3. Utilise Props for Exercise
As a versatile approach, the Feldenkrais method makes strategic use of props that greatly enhance the effectiveness of the practice.
Props are simple tools or resources that assist in providing support to the body while performing exercises. Yoga mats, yoga blocks, straps, belts, blankets, chairs and cushions are employed as props to deal with pain in an effective yet playful manner.
Moreover, using props refines body posture and allows individuals to make subtle body adjustments to gently challenge their range of motion. As a result, it enables individuals to safely participate in the exercises and achieve greater flexibility.
As these flexibility exercises utilise props, they are better suited for a group setting or personalised coaching. That’s why we offer group lessons and personal one-on-one sessions to help individuals reduce stress and alleviate pain with the Feldenkrais method.
4. Seek Professional Help
Instead of attempting the Feldenkrais exercises on your own, it is best to seek professional help. A trained practitioner possesses in-depth knowledge and hence, is more equipped to help you with your specific issues.
Moreover, under expert guidance, there are very few chances of risks related to improper form or over-exertion. This enables individuals to participate in the exercises without stress and helps experts establish better connectivity within the individual’s body.
By analysing patterns, range of motion and movements during the exercises, experts encourage individuals to discover their body’s full potential. In this way, they are able to promote the right levels of comfort vs discomfort so that individuals can achieve better flexibility.
5. Cultivate Patience
Since the Feldenkrais method requires a gentle and mindful approach, cultivating patience becomes highly important.
Patience allows practitioners to honour their body’s progress, preventing the temptation to force or strain their muscles beyond a limit. This awareness encourages a non-judgemental approach, fostering a sense of self-compassion and reduced frustration.
While performing the Feldenkrais exercises, rushing through the process to heal faster can hinder the development of flexibility and result in injuries. This is why it is essential that individuals allow their bodies to naturally and slowly adapt to these exercises for long-lasting flexibility that feels effortless.
Through consistent efforts, you pay more attention to the body’s signals, respecting its pace and limitations. Instead of aiming for immediate results, you gain an appreciation for the journey of improvement.
Choose Naomi Sato to Gain Flexibility with Feldenkrais Exercises
Nurturing the body and mind through flexibility exercises helps alleviate the symptoms of pain caused due to exertion or injuries. By practising the Feldenkrais exercises under my guidance, you can delve into a realm of happy healing.
At Naomi Sato Holistic Therapies & Calm Coaching, we provide a supportive approach when it comes to dealing with pain through personalised guidance. With years of experience in providing mind and body coaching along with self-care tools to overcome body pain challenges, I specialise in a wide array of holistic healing therapies.
What’s more, our services include deep integrated massage, insomnia techniques, postnatal massage, EFT, and other holistic treatments.
To experience the profound benefits of the Feldenkrais exercises, connect with us today!