Lying Down Part 5
A variation for stiff lower backs
To any arsenal fans reading this, I’m sorry. Last week’s post was written with child like exuberance and created a jinx that absolutely is the reason behind last night’s loss to Paris Saint-Germaine. I knew better and now we’re all paying the price.
To the Blogs!
This week I’d like to share a fun little variation to the lie down. As this is the 5th post on lying down, I think it’s worth reminding folks that if you haven’t checked out the other 4 posts, you should. Today’s post will only really feel terrific if you’ve take the time to sort out the basics.
To refresh things a bit, I’ve made a drawing of the “standard” lie down setup.
You can see in the photo above that there are two pockets of empty space between the back and the floor. The first is the space around the neck and upper back. This space should always exist in some form.
The second space is around the lumbar curve of the spine (aka the lower back). This portion of the back can be extremely mobile when you lie down and that space can become very small.
In some cases, people can completely flatten out the lower back. I typically think this is not the greatest thing to do because this comes with a deadening of the legs and a stiffening of the upper back and neck. When I feel a back that has flattened out in this extreme way, it all seems quite dead weight.
If your back is like this, then I do not recommend today’s lie down variation. You are certainly welcome to try it out, but I would imagine that it wouldn’t feel very comfortable. In fact, it might hurt!
The majority of my students do not do this flattening with their lower backs. In fact, they do quite the opposite. The base of the spine stays contracted and the pelvis will pitch down. This creates a lot of strain in the lower back and legs and contributes to a bracing in the upper back.
To help release tension in this area, it can be a good idea to place a book under the pelvis.
You can see that we now have 2 books. The book under the head can be whatever comfortable height you like. The book under the pelvis should exclusively be touching the bone of the pelvis and should not creep up onto the lower back (a little creep won’t be the end of the earth).
When this book is placed properly, the legs should NOT lie flat on the table. That will very likely create a huge stretch in the front of the hip (which will feel great) but will come with a very likely pinch in the lower back. Instead, keep the knees above the hip as I demonstrated in the previous lie down posts.
As you lie down, you will likely feel a subtle length coming through the lower back within a minute or two. If this is going well, you’ll get a resounding OH YEAH sensation. If nothing is happening for you, there are a few things to check out before you kick and scream and ask for help:
Is the middle back bracing?
Are the legs holding tension?
Is the neck locked?
Is there more pressure on the left/right portion of the pelvis?
Are you just so exhausted that you need to sleep?
That 5th point is not a joke. Always ask yourself how tired you are!
I really like this lie down variation. That said, I think you should listen to your back while you do it. I tend to use it for a period of 10-15 minutes. After that length of time I take the book away so that I can feel how the lower back and pelvis feel against the floor.
Taking This Into Verticality
As you get up from your lie down, I’m hoping that you can feel a real difference in your lower back as you stand and walk slowly. These experiences are crucial. They help give you new sensory experiences in your back and can give you a better idea of how to sit, work, squat, and generally live with a different quality of back.
It should feel oddly easy.
Get In Touch
If you’re in NYC, you may learn more about my private teaching practice at johndalto.com.
If you’d like to book any lesson time with me, you can find my booking link here.
I have tried this and it's helpful.. I'm glad you added the detail of Not straightening the legs..