rhomboids

I came upon the Gokhale Method®  very much by chance. Years ago I worked with a pianist named Sheila Page who was trained in a technique which was founded by the American music teacher Dorothy Taubman. Taubman observed people with high levels of playing ability, found out what they did so well, codified it into a method and taught it. At a Taubman workshop I heard of Peter Egoscue, who had devised a therapeutic exercise program; I worked from his book when I hurt in places, and had some improvement with that. Doing further research for pain relief, I then encountered Esther Gokhale’s name. Not too long after, my son and I drove together to attend a one-day Immersion course Esther was teaching in Boulder, Colorado.  

I’m pleased to share my Gokhale Method experience with you. 
David Pickering, organist and Professor of Music at Kansas State University

I came home, got distracted, and didn't do much with what I’d learned. But increasingly I found that if I wanted to play challenging pieces, and practice the organ for long periods of time, I would feel discomfort—I was going to have to hurt myself, which I didn’t want, or change something. I decided to do some research on body posture at the organ at Kansas State University, where I teach organ and music theory.

I had always played with my pelvis tucked, inevitably resulting in my upper back and shoulders rounding forward. I’m shocked now when I see I used to sit in one big C-curve!

Initially I went to an organist with training as a massage therapist who had done some work with the Feldenkrais Method®. There were things that helped, but it was not the systematic training I was looking for. I decided to take the research back to the Gokhale Method, and was connected to Julie Johnson because of her piano background. I took the 18-lesson online Gokhale® Elements course with Julie, who lives in Germany.

Learning even the early steps, like stretchsitting, made a noticeable improvement to my posture—but the ultimate test for me would be my playing position.

The journey has not been what I thought it would be. For example, I had not realised how far from healthy my posture was! I have also come to realise that this is a journey, and I can’t just fix every ingrained habit in six months. 

In all my years as a musician, I had never seen anybody use a wedge to antevert their pelvis—it seemed such a foreign concept. The Gokhale® Wedge eventually became a firm favorite. At first, I couldn’t stay on the wedge; then I found myself stuck and immobilized on it.  At that point, I thought I would have to declare this a failure and give up.

Without a wedge my pelvis tucked, rounding my spine and upper back. My shoulders internally rotated, and my elbows winged out, all pulling on my upper back. Little wonder I was in pain! 

Thankfully I stayed with it, starting by using the wedge for playing in church, where I didn't have the pressure of a concert. The whole idea of sitting at the instrument became so different. Initially I made a few mistakes I wouldn’t otherwise have made. I started to experiment with carefully calibrated combinations of strips of yoga mat for extra non-slip as I played, plus the Gokhale® Wedge.

I used my preferred set-up in concert a couple of months ago, and I was just shocked. I played with the greatest freedom, the greatest musicality, with my mind in a better place than I had had in a long time. I particularly noticed that I had less upper back, neck, and shoulder pain, as I was not pulling my shoulders forward as I had been. Interestingly, I’ve received very few questions and little curiosity about this strange innovation to playing, although I explain to my students what I’m doing.

As an organist, there was nothing in my training (and there's virtually nothing out there) to help with physical challenges in playing. Now I’m thinking, what can I do with my students? There are certainly things I can try and pass on to my students, but I realise that for best results, they need to get the whole Gokhale package. For that, I would ideally like to train as a Gokhale Method teacher. The Gokhale Method is an established program with an established pedagogy. Its teachers are well trained to tell you why you’re hurting, and exactly what to do about it.

This video shows me exploring stacksitting during my Elements course. You can hear Julie coaching me as I play. Recording by Julie Johnson, GM

Some years ago I videoed myself playing and realised my upper body posture was problematic, but didn’t know how to address it from the pelvis upward. With the anteverted pelvis and J-spine I have had the best results for playing the organ, and it’s wonderful to feel I know where it should be. Luckily my wife is very observant and helps me to continue this posture journey into my daily life—getting me out of tucking on the sofa, and encouraging me to use my glutes when walking.

Ongoing and future learning

Rolling and resting my shoulders back is something I am aware I still need to pay attention to while playing, and I sometimes catch myself feeling “something’s off” if they drift forward. Learning how to find a long, tall neck has also been a godsend for reducing upper back pain and rounding. I also benefit from working on that area with a back roller for mobility, and working my rhomboids for good muscle tone. My inner corset strength is also progressing and I can now move better to use my feet across the pedals, though there is more to do there.

My posture is steadily improving. An anteverted pelvis is the foundation for healthy sitting. Image by Julie Johnson, GM

I also do a great deal of work at the computer—now, I know how to antevert my pelvis and am finding my J-spine with the Gokhale® Wedge.

I’ll be 54 years old shortly. I see how people around me are looking in their later decades, and how their posture is correlated with their aches and pains and immobility. I don’t want to go there, and I know how to get to a better, pain-free place. The journey continues!

Best next action steps 

If you would like help with a healthier working or playing position, get started by booking a consultation, online or in person, with one of our teachers. In addition to being a Gokhale Method Teacher, Sigrun Franzen is an experienced organist, harpsichordist, and piano teacher.

You can sign up below to join any one of our upcoming FREE Online Workshops…

This is the second post in our series on shoulder positioning. Read Part 1 here!

Typing with shoulders too far forward.

Often, in industrialized cultures, the shoulders are slumped or held forward. There are so many daily tasks in the modern world that make it all too easy for these bad habits to set in: holding our arms out front for hours with poor shoulder placement while we are typing, gaming, driving, and so on. Over the years this is likely to cause various problems:

• Impingement, bursitis, wear-and-tear

• Reduced circulation to the arms 

• Compromised breathing patterns

• Reduced athletic performance, increased injuries

• Hunched upper back and forward head

Common pitfalls in getting the shoulders back
Unfortunately, well-intentioned advice such as “pull your shoulders back” often has negative consequences. When we try and correct our shoulder position by pulling back, we are likely to either tense and sway our lower backs, or tighten the rhomboid muscles between our shoulder blades —  or both! Neither of these responses are healthy or comfortable for very long.

Meet the rhomboids
The rhomboids, which pull the shoulder blades together, are not designed to be squeezed tightly for long periods. If you consistently rely on them to pull your shoulders back, they can become sore, knotted, and inflamed

The rhomboids are not designed to be squeezed tightly for long periods. Original image courtesy Wikimedia user Anatomography under CC BY-SA 2.1 jp.

Those of you familiar with the Gokhale Method are probably already practicing the shoulder roll. This gentle movement brings the shoulders home to a naturally sustainable position.  For detailed tips on refining your shoulder roll, please see my recent blog post on shoulder positioning.

Though the rhomboids should not be continuously contracted when you are upright, they exist for good reason. The rhomboids play an important role in keeping the shoulder joint stable, especially when you bend forward, carry heavy objects, or reach for something in front of you. These actions would otherwise displace the shoulders forward. 

Inactive or weak rhomboids allow the shoulders to be pulled forward when carrying loads in front of the body.

Changing lifestyles

This farmer doesn’t bring his shoulder forward to carry his watering can.
 

This Burkinabé teenager pounds millet with her shoulders staying far back.

Our ancestors, like people in traditional and non-industrialized cultures today, had many more opportunities in daily life to use their rhomboids and upper back muscles: drawing water, clearing land, sweeping the yard, and harvesting crops. We can get much of this conditioning from sport such as rock climbing, games such as tug-o’-war, and chores such as gardening or vacuuming, but suitable activity may not continue into a more sedentary adult life. Without regular challenges, the muscles of the upper back can become weak and lax, allowing the shoulders to drift forward and the upper back to round.

Rhomboid toner exercise
Exercises are useful to isolate and strengthen muscles that have been systematically under-used. I find the rhomboid toning exercise below to be effective.

1. Hold a physical therapy band or strap. Keep your wrists straight, palms facing up.
2. Begin by performing a shoulder roll. This healthy shoulder position places your rhomboids in a position of mechanical advantage.
3. Pin elbows to your sides at a 90º angle. The position is similar to when you’re carrying a tray.
4. Draw your shoulder blades as close together as you can. Your hands will move away from each other. The band or strap provides resistance to this motion, challenging the rhomboids. Be sure not to tense the shoulders or neck.
5. Hold for a few seconds. Repeat 5 to 10 times.

Getting your rhomboids to work for you when you need them will benefit both your shoulder health and your posture. Next time you are carrying heavy bags or pulling a door towards you, notice how these muscles help to preserve your shoulder position. Sometimes a little pulling back goes a long way!