Rocking Out The Tension

Categories: Blog Dec 11, 2015

By now if you’ve been following OS for any length of time, you’ll know that we’re big fans of rocking on all fours (or sixes) - hands and knees (with feet touching for 6 points of contact.)

Rocking restores the natural curves of your spine, and therefore your posture when you do it enough. It also helps restores your shoulder and hip function along with the function of your deep abdominal musculature that help stabilize your spine and pelvis during movement.

One of the other things it does is relieve tension.

Tension, especially muscular tension, is usually a result of stress. Any form of stress. Physical, emotional, whatever.

It’s an interesting fact that behaviorally challenged children, like autistic children, often rock to soothe themselves.

I’ve “discovered” that when rocking, playing with head and body position outside of the normal “head up and chest out” position can help reduce overall tension levels especially when paired with diaphragmatic breathing. This in turn can in many cases, relieve overall stress levels.

I think you’ll find these variations helpful too.

1. Head “drooped”

Your head is literally dropped down, just hanging between your shoulders. While there, breathe in and out through your nose and into your diaphragm. Take 10 to 20 deep breaths, then return to the normal rocking posture.

 

 

 

 

 

2. Head “drooped,” chest collapsed


A variation of number 1, you don’t focus on keeping your chest out. Again, breathe in and out through your nose and into your diaphragm. If you can’t find your diaphragm, think about breathing into your lower back. Take 10 to 20 deep breaths, then return to the normal rocking posture.

 

 

 

 

3. Head “drooped,” chest collapsed, upper back rounded (humped) and actively pushed toward the ceiling

 The exact same thing as number 2, but you actively push your upper back into the ceiling and rock back and forth. Make sure you breathe deeply while doing this. You can stop at various positions through your normal rocking range of motion and “breathe out” tight spots. Again 10 to 20 breaths or so doing this and you’ll feel pretty wrung out.

These rocking variations should be additions to, not replacements of your normal rocking.

In fact, I recommend rocking in your normal position after these. You’ll feel more space in literally every area of your body. You should notice that it is easier to keep your head up and your chest out.

Give them a shot and see how relaxed and de-stressed you feel after.

If for some reason you're not familiar with rocking and all of its benefits or would like to know more about it (and the other RESETs) go here.

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