Hi Esther,
I recently bought your book and have been very impressed by how clear and simple it is to follow. It really makes a lot of sense.
I am only up to part 3, but have noticed that when Stretchsitting, even though it feels like my spine is much straighter and taller, my lower back and my lats soon go into spasm (almost right away).
I would really like to continue with the method, but would just like to be sure i'm not causing any damage...
Is there any trick to stretch sitting without spasm? I am following the book word for word.
A brief history:
Prior to this, for the last 4 months, I have been doing Pilates weekly, getting massage weekly and seeing a chiro and a physio fortnightly for my back pain. I am 28 and think this book might be the cure! (If I can stop the spasms) fingers crossed!
3 years 2 months ago
12/15/2010 - 7:51am
Hello there,
If Stretchsitting is causing you spasms, you may be overdoing it. Sometimes the body doesn't want to be stretched too quickly or aggressively. If you have a bit of a "tweaky" or sensitive back especially, your muscles will go into spasm to protect themselves. Try to proceed gently and give yourself a little less stretch than is possible. Also, you might want to make sure that your cushion or implement is in the correct spot. If you are unsure, you may want to take a look at our DVD which leads students through the art of Stretchsitting.
Good luck and I'm so glad the method is appealing to you.
Best,
Charlene Hannibal
Gokhale Method Teacher, Palo Alto and San Francisco