Sunday, January 14, 2007

Current RIFGA

Getting back to the dynamics of this body is one of my long term goals. Not the skills, but the mobility, flexibility and balance that I had in 1975.
Rifga, my tongue in cheek version of yoga ( rifs's yoga) is constantly evolving;changing to accomodate my current flexibility and/or orthopedic needs. THis has had great success for me, unlocking my lateral left hamstring and calf, my overly tight ab panel and psoas and now my shoulder.I still need tons of work killing the stretch reflex on my left knee so I can get deeper towards my goal of a full squat but it is coming. And the better it gets the better I walk.

The current routine, done at least twice a day, in order:

1) tuck and roll
2) straddle stretch
3) pike stretch/lateral crossover( for IT band and lateral calf)
4) upward dog
5) downward dog( with alternating leg stretches)
6) sumo squat( stay in this for 1- 2 minutes)
7) L sits on floor( one leg raise at a time- this is really stretching out the forearms , working my weaker left quad as it further stretches out the lateral hammie. Will be able to do the full L sit again very soon.
8) hip opening squat stretch( ala Pavel)
9) Basic karate front punch stance, heel on floor ( this has really helped calves)
10) rotating single arm overhead hangs( from pronating to supination)

11) double overhead hangs pronated
12) double overhead hangs supinated
13) arm behind back internal rotation stretch( this has been key for realigning my right shoulder of late)

Dats it, very happy with the release of leg tension from holding the sumo squats and the hip opening stretches.And the karate stance is the first lunging posture I've been able to work without causing more pain.It's really opening my hips and calves. Another interesting fact is that my "clunking" or spontaneous adjustment of vertabrae and bones is significantly less of late; a good sign that things are sitting in neutral, or close to it, much more. Great progress which means better ease of movement and much less pain.


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