Partner up with your hip and swing your leg round and round into improved walking.
The Basic Movement Practice
“swing leg to and fro”
be safe: respect your limits, modify where needed
take off shoes or wear a very flat shoe
why? ideally we want pelvis to be neutral; heels (even low heels) tip your pelvis and body forward making balance more challenging
find a safe place to practice where you can hold onto something stable (eg. wall, railing)
posture set-up for swinging RIGHT leg
place right hip next to your support (eg. wall, railing)
place right hand on the support
get reacquainted with the Hip Hike (previous post)
instructions
shift weight over to the left leg
come up onto toes of the right foot
hike up right hip while pressing down left foot
slightly bend left knee as you
press down into left big toe mound and left heel
feel yourself bearing weight into left foot
this helps ground and stabilize your standing leg
keep hiking right hip up until you feel left hip muscles engage
muscles engage about where your hand slides into a side pant pocket
keep the standing leg straight with a very slight bend in the knee
🙅 but don’t lock out knee
locking out knee = locking out energy and stability
flex right foot and have it float above the ground
flexing the foot engages leg muscles
slowly move the right leg backwards and forwards (to and fro)
feel success!
keep the movement in a range where you feel comfortable and stable
build your range of movement through repeated practice
practice, practice, practice :)
reverse your set up and repeat hip hike and leg swing to and fro with the LEFT leg
NOTE: all pictures and video instruct the movement as if I was mirroring you in a class
Explore the Movement
“swing freely”
Challenge yourself to swing your leg freely. Here are a couple of ways:
Let the swinging leg dangle freely in the air from curb or a stair, and then move it to and fro. Check out video below taken in Goldbar Park, Edmonton, November 2023.
Swing your leg round and round making Ballerina Circles.
Yoga Practice
Turn this movement into some balance poses.
Standing Hand-to-Toe Pose (Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana)
Have fun! Use a park bench to work your way up to Standing Hand-to-Toe Pose.
Holy Fig Pose (Asvattasana)
Everyday Living
Be creative and find ways to put both the “Hip Hike” and “Swing Leg To and Fro” movements into your everyday. Standing in the kitchen, at the bottom of a stair, put your foot up on a stool or bench, etc.
Discover Amazing
Our body works in partnership. The “Hip Hike” helps stabilize your pelvis and the “Swing Leg To and Fro” helps free up the hip joint. Use them together and discover improved stability as you swing into a smoother walking gait. 😃
Never forget . . . you are amazing, your body is amazing and life is amazing.
Namaste
(the Light in me honors the Light in you)
keep moving, keep healthy, keep smiling
Thanks
Thanks to my photography partners: Norman Ritter for taking must of the photos and video. Jasper photos taken by Carsten Ritter. Holy Fig photos taken by Stefan Ritter.
Thanks to you for reading “Explore Movement & Discover Amazing YOU!”
Classes
Check out Yoga With Barb classes here.
Fall classes will begin mid September 2024.
Refresh, recharge and leave revitalized. Attend the 3rd Christian Yoga Retreat at Mulhurst Camp, November 15 to 17, 2024. Theme is “Walk in the Light of Christ”. More info here.
Discover More
Discover amazing treasures in the Archive:
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