Expanding Consciousness and Growing our Galactic Family
Karen recently gave birth to our first child. We chose to have a home birth and became well acquainted with our midwife, KB, during the prenatal period. After a few of our checkups, her and I did some work together addressing right side anterior shoulder pain and neck tension; believed to be the result of “catching too many babies” (she’s delivered over a thousand but I was blessed to have caught our son).
There was some discomfort experienced during one of the exercises we tried; single arm reverse fly. We kept with it for a few sets and I asked if she was able to make an adjustment before we began each one:
Joint Positioning - lower the shoulder down and away from the ear (scapula depression) and allow the scapula/shoulder blade to move synchronously with the shoulder (scapulohumeral rhythm). The intended purpose was to improve the position of the joints and surrounding soft tissue for this particular exercise.
Range of Motion - reduce the ROM to discourage being pulled out of the aforementioned joint position and to encourage optimal stimulation of the targeted musculature (rear deltoid). Less is more, sometimes.
Tempo - slow the tempo down to 4:4 (4 second concentric contractions : 4 second eccentric contractions).
These changes mitigated her discomfort and the exercise’s benefits were more ease-fully accessed as a result. KB’s knowledge of the body grasped the reasoning for the first two adjustments. The third required further explanation since lifting weights slowly can feel paradoxical for many. Admittedly, even I find this masochistic ordeal of psyching up for a slow lift deeply amusing:
At surface level, the influence (inertial properties) of the external resistance is reduced. Therefore, it's less likely to be passively pulled into a position we can’t (yet) actively control. Counting the tempo of each repetition can also open a doorway to bodily connection; not dissimilar from inducing a meditative state by repeating a mantra. Possessing a severe allergy to absolutism, I was surprised to hear myself say that once this connection is established “the body will never take you to an unsafe place”. To which KB responded “oh Joe, my mind has taken my body to an unsafe place plenty of times.” I’m still confused as to whether she got the point completely or missed it entirely.
Additional techniques that can provide a similar outcome include: offering clear verbal description of the specific anatomy involved and its action, seeing an image of the targeted musculature (for visual learners ‘Strength Training Anatomy’ by Frédéric Delavier is a classic), applying a mid muscle belly touch cue during the exercise.
Despite the effectiveness of these methods, they fall under the category of external tools. Once connection to the body is established we may realize that the tools are no longer necessary; the doors they unlock are only constructs to begin with. The conditions under which any exercise is performed—sets, reps, position, motion, resistance, tempo, effort—will then be guided internally rather than imposed externally.
Prior to training, it's common for attention to be more easily directed to particular areas. Abilities vary from person to person but as a general example the bicep tends to be more open to us than the rear deltoid. Our quadruped past has a role to play in these inclinations; the majority of muscles attached to the shoulder are designed to pull us forward. External rotation is limited to the rear deltoid, teres minor, and infraspinatus. Another contributing factor is habit; I can attest that carrying our son is pretty bicep dependent (long head of the bicep is also a shoulder flexor). Conversely, the opportunities to stimulate the rear deltoids during daily activity are few (potential blindspots of functional training). Access to these muscles can remain restricted unless we design isolated exercises. Without another option, the body is forced to rely upon its well established connections to perform integrated movements. Ultimately perpetuating a pattern of compensation and overuse.
Tension and pain are not always mistakes that need to be fixed. Often they are symptoms from working overtime. Burnout is caused by inadequate support from the surrounding musculature. If this tension is simply removed, we’re essentially numbing the bodies orchestrated solution which is quite possibly a protective mechanism. Unless provided with an adequate alternative, it will eventually return to its previous state while leaving the body vulnerable to further injury in the interim. If instead specific muscles around the affected area are strengthened, a state of balance can be reinforced.
Taking this approach with KB, we focused on improving muscular contractile ability behind and below the discomfort. In order for these tissues to contract (rear deltoid, teres minor, infraspinatus, lower fibers of the trapezius), the areas of discomfort (anterior deltoid and upper trapezius) shall have to relax. This process is the alchemy of force and allow. Just going through the motions can only take the body so far. External tools can facilitate further observations. When guided internally, matter transmutes to physical consciousness. The distinction between these paths is self realization. A teacher can only take a student as deep as they’ve taken themselves. The insights of the practitioner are boundless. I can only offer some helpful tools along the way.
“If Nature puts two things together she produces something new with new qualities, which cannot be expressed in terms of qualities of the components. When going from electrons and protons to atoms, from here to molecules, molecular aggregates, etc., up to the cell or the whole animal, at every level we find something new, a new breathtaking vista. Whenever we separate two things, we lose something, something which may have been the most essential feature.” — Albert Szent-Györgyi (1963)
Now to distance myself from isolated exercise evangelism; once acute connections are made we can then reintegrate the pieces and experience gross interconnectedness. In the spirit of the moment, the term ‘baby steps’ feels appropriate for describing how rear deltoid integration might look in practice: reverse fly, transverse plane row, transverse plane row with the addition of thoracic flexion and extension, etc. However, integration is not commensurate with progress. Single joint exercises should not be abandoned. The benefits go far beyond the rehabilitative (maintenance, prevention). I was speaking to a childhood friend from Brooklyn recently who captured this sentiment well, albeit in a different context, “You might be living up in the mountains now but don’t forget where you come from Joe D”.
I view exercise through the lens of resistance training (bias). Being a child of the 80’s (Bigger, Stronger, Faster*) and lifting weights since the age of 12 will do that to a person. Yoga is a distinct but complimentary practice. Much of the same processes are occurring only on a grander scale. This was difficult to perceive at first having only dabbled with it on occasion. Superficially it appeared that much of the emphasis was placed on the stretch aspect of the asanas. Practicing the ashtanga primary series consistently the past 2.5 years under good guidance (Karen’s) has helped me see past this block.
Yoga’s literal translation is union, yoking, or to join. Placing more focus on the side of separation (hypermobility) would be antithetical to the definition. Strengthening contractions on the side of approximation is prerequisite to owning the position. Each pose can only be taken as far as the most limited link will allow, e.g., my left wrist when attempting the wheel lately. If this link is improved in isolation, the posture as a whole will benefit when it's later reconnected.
The inverse relationship between these practices remains a mystery to me. How is it that yoga has been able to improve my overall strength gains? By opening up a pathway (fascial perhaps) to allow the bodies universal energy to flow less impeded? How might this occur? It is my felt sense that yoga, being thousands of years old, has found the sweet spot over the course of time between numerous variables: inhalation/exhalation, sympathetic/parasympathetic, expansion/contraction, yin/yang. Equilibrium in any practice is a key to unlocking its magic. Magic yes, science can’t see samadhi, prana, or chi, but only measure some of the effects.
Two days of resistance training, two days of yoga, two days of hiking; this is the harmonious cycle I aspire to these days (fun fact: 222 is also my galactic signature kin number). Newborns have a way of shattering concepts of routine. We’re embracing spontaneity. In truth, the doors that have opened while simply staring at our son are unparalleled; seeing yourself and losing yourself concurrently. How will being born during this new timeline impact your view of the Cosmos little human? Not in my wildest dreams did I foresee that the path of enlightenment would involve diaper changing.