Mobile ribs

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For more amazing ribs lessons, see the swimming section, especially 529 Swinging the legs on the side (one of my favorites because of how you have to figure out what to do within the constraints).

Flopping the leg made an impression on me the first time I did it. I couldn’t figure out why I was flopping the leg back and forth so much, or what it meant. Then I felt the flopping start to creep further and further up my spine and ribs. The way the connection grows still blows my mind.

This lesson invites a fluid, bendy response in your ribs in relation to the arm and shoulder. It’s good for putting your arms through the sleeves of your coat, or for reaching into the back seat of the car.

For a longer, more complex investigation of this movement, see Grasping the chin in Longer series from trainings.

The second half of flopping the leg with some interesting constraints that wake up the ribs around the armpits—the “mystery ribs” I call them. Your arms will hang easier and your breath will soften.

This lesson is good for unwinding tension across the back. You are on the side and yes, you really do circle both arms, like a helicopter. I've had golfers improve their swing with this lesson, as well as tennis players.

At the end of this lesson, you are slightly twisted with the arm behind and the leg in front. Then, you counter-weight the arm and leg to create a rocking movement through the vertebrae. The see-saw movement of the arm and leg help lengthen and unravel the micro-holding we all do in between the ribs. It's a wonderful hack for feeling flatter, wider, and more relaxed across your back. Plus, the circling movement of the arms allows you to feel more upright, with a soft face and relaxed breathing.

For more of the seesaw spine movement, see 377 Seesaw and push hip forward.

(SF yr 2)

Here you fold the ribs in another direction that seems counter-intuitive at first. Like sliding the arm under at the waist, this lesson starts out feeling odd and unusual, then becomes normal as you internalize the new pattern.

I love how these lessons challenge your perception of what’s possible. This one softens the upper chest, back, neck, and shoulders.

For more like this, see the Twisting section under Fundamentals.

AY217

Becoming aware of new ways to move through gentle explorations can reeducate decades-old patterns. This lesson invites twists, turns, and folds in the ribs with gentle nudges of the hands. Once the ribs start to yield, the head and neck start to move relative to the ribs in interesting ways. Softening the ribs can be addictive as it affects everything from breathing to posture. You'll be surprised by how much more movement your ribs can have, even in everyday activities.

For more like this, see the Twisting section under Fundamentals.

One of my favorite lengthening lessons! You bring the arms overhead on the floor and then lengthen through the arm and leg on one side, inviting the ribs to separate and create space as you breathe. (Always support the arms with a blanket if they are not comfortable overhead.)

Then, you do many interesting moves on the side to expand the ribs and help you lengthen through the whole trunk. A lovely lesson where you find out how the arms connect from the top down and the legs from the bottom up and they meet in the middle. This happens by softening the ribs and allowing for connections to be clearer and clearer. The end has a useful movement to integrate your whole self.

Tip: Less is more. Make small, slow movements of lengthening the leg on the side. Note that “lengthen” does not mean “straighten,” it's just a direction. Straightening the leg fully will not help you feel the movement any more than you do already in the first few inches.

More lengthening lessons:
173, 174, 175 Super light arms, lengthen whole self
409 Lengthen spine, roll arms overhead
356, 357 Lengthen leg and hang head part 1 & 2

AY476

Second part of expanding the ribs from the middle. Be careful you don’t pull against yourself: if you get into an argument with yourself, it’s an argument you’ll never win. Go ever so gently, avoid twinges, and the ribs will widen.