Franklin Method for Tai Chi

Great day yesterday!! Had a client who's goal is to enjoy her Tai Chi class more. We talked about what is holding her back from this goal. Her frustrations stem from her inability to connect with her body. Through some Franklin work she was able to see her tibia, calcaneus, and femur within movement. At the end of the session she was on her femur heads for the first time in hip flexion. Even better she realized this herself! I am intrigued to see how this new awareness will affect her ability to connect with Tai Chi.

©2011 Matthew Deal Pilates

Lifting from our Esophagus

Take a moment and look at the esophagus relative to the erector muscles.  Which one would you say is more centrally located?

The esophagus is a muscular tube through which food can pass from our pharynx to the stomach.  The tube is approximately 10-12 inches long and has diameter of 16mm! This is smaller than the size of dime (18mm.)  Think about this during your next meal.

The esophagus passes through the diaphragm around T10 (Thoracic Vertebrae #10.) When we inhale will our diaphragm go down, or up?  The diaphragm moves downward on an inhalation.  Take a moment to feel this, and think about what the esophagus does on an inhalation versus exhalation.  Try moving the esophagus with the diaphragm versus against it on an inhalation.  

The esophagus will move slightly downward with the diaphragm on an inhalation, and slightly upward on an exhalation.  The esophagus moves with the diaphragm.

Now back to the original question of what is more centrally located.  After careful examination of the image provided above you will see the esophagus is located right in the center, while the erector muscles are located posteriorly (back.)

Let's lift our spine from our erector muscles on an inhale. Let's now lift our spine from our esophagus on an exhale.  When it comes to lifting our spine do you prefer lifting from the back or lifting from the center?

©2011 Matthew Deal Pilates

How has the Franklin Method® Affected Me?

The Franklin Method® has been an amazing journey of self discovery.  I have used imagery to take a dance through bones, slippery slide through muscles and an underwater sea adventure through organs.  This method has given me the tools to look inside myself and address a deeply rooted fear, the fear of consciously working through the loss of a loved one.   

My mother passed six months ago from cancer, and up till now I have not dealt with the loss.  The six week battle was a blur.  The drugs, the hospital, the emotional toll on my family all seemed so distant.  It was like a horrible nightmare I just could not wake from. At the funeral I remember looking at my sister and thinking, "Is this real?" Afterwards I immediately returned home to work. Helping others through movement was a way for me to take my mind off myself.  Tears were building up inside, but they just never seemed to find a way out.  Looking inside myself was scary, the scariest thing I have ever done. My mind would race from one project to another, avoiding the pain swelling up within.  It was hard to focus because I had trained my mind to wander, and as much as I tried I could not pull back the dark curtain housing the nightmare within. My sympathetic nervous system was in complete control of my body. 

About a month ago during a Franklin Method® self practice I began to actually see the organs we had been studying so extensively.  I hesitated, but the allure of this new insight was just too much.  Immediately my mind honed in on the image of my heart. The lungs were stuck to it like a sticky goo I wanted to release, but just did not know how.  I imaged my heart shining like a bright light and the goo began to melt.  My breath was deep and my heart burst forth as a giant light from within.  The fear of looking in began to dissipate.  I took the deepest breath of my life, and as I imaged my lungs filling up and my heart coming forth I began to cry.  The images of my organs was so powerful my sypathtic system came to a screeching halt. My parasympathetic kicked in and endorphins began to flow.  Images of my mother's smile burst forth and the tears that followed were not tears of pain, but tears of joy....the joy of seeing someone I had not been able to image for over five months.

The Franklin Method® transformed me.  Eric Franklin and Morten Dithmer I thank you for the tools you have given me to discover myself, and love what see!!  As a Franklin Method Educator I have the privilege of assisting you on a journey into yourself as well.  

©2011 Matthew Deal Pilates

Mesentery Imagery for Breath

The mesentery is a double layered structure that suspends our small intestine from the back wall of the abdomen.  When we breathe we can image this double layered structure as coming forth slightly from our spine and spreading out the small intestine.  When we exhale the reverse can be imaged.  The plants in "Avatar" are a great image here. I have attached a video of a Christmas Tree Worm.  This is a beautiful mesenteric depiction of what I imagine on inhalation.

©2011 Matthew Deal Pilates

                      

   

What is the Franklin Method®?

– The Future of Movement The Franklin Method teaches you the know-how to make the most out of the body/mind continuum in a practical and hands on manner. We address the mind through the use of imagery in all its applications and we address the body by teaching you how it is designed to function. You may think "oh my god more things to put into my head" but consider the following. There are 3 things you always do as a human:  you relate to gravity in posture and movement  you breathe  you use your brain to think and dream. Now ask yourself: Why does it make sense to be good at something you do all the time? You get better at what you do. Poor posture lead to worse posture, incorrect use of the body tends to lead to dysfunction and injury. Do you know how you are actually designed to function? How bones/muscles/organs work together to function efficiently? How the mind is always part of the context? Do you know how you are using your body when you exercise, train or practice? Do you if you teach? Does your teacher? The Franklin Method teaches the practical elements of body design, emphasizing imagery for maximum efficiency. Body posture and movement are imagery driven, and if the image doesn't correspond to the way the body is designed, the result will be a steady decline in function. By contrast, the best way to improve function is to start with an image that corresponds to how the body is designed. The Franklin Method is the cutting edge among movement professionals, used and acclaimed by The Royal Ballet School London, the Juilliard School of Arts New York, the Music Conservatory of Vienna, world-class athletes and dancers. We are also a mainstay for practitioners of Pilates, Yoga, fitness and physical therapy. To activate the body/mind function we use Dynamic Imagery, Experiential Anatomy and Reconditioning Movement. Dynamic Imagery is a multi sensory and kinesthetic way of using the brain to affect movement and function. Experiential Anatomy gives you direct physical awareness of your body's function and design.  Reconditioning Movement integrates dynamic imagery with experiential anatomy to produce optimum function. One of the greatest discoveries of the 21st century is the plasticity of the brain; that the lives we live shape the brain we develop. The Franklin Method is at the forefront of practical neuro-plasticity; showing you how to use your brain to improve your body's function. It teaches you how to harness the transforming power of the mind. It can be applied to improve all of your abilities. It all starts with the knowledge that we have the power to change. We are not reinventing the wheel, we are simply connecting the spokes — body/mind, posture, breath, health, imagery and motivation. We bring together the disciplines of western and eastern science, sports psychology and somatics into a clear and practical format that professionals and laypeople alike can use. You can use this know-how to reach your full potential. The Franklin Method makes you fit for life. ©2008 Institut für Franklin-Methode

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Franklin Method- Relax your shoulders

Eric Franklin through the Franklin Method® educated me in the area of bone rhythms/anatomical awareness, which is the foundation of the Tri-Planar Method™ of Pilates. Please check out this video to better understand what Eric and the Franklin Method® is all about. I will be completing my Level II Franklin Education with Eric at the end of this month.