For a strong inner core (part 2) - Midline support

When you train and move your body in a natural, wholistic and flowing way, something amazing happens on the inside. You start to awaken and develop the more subtle muscles and connective tissues. These provide an inner support that we need for life, chores, exercise, sport and postural alignment.

Before we get to today’s focus, here is a quick note about body balance. Ideally, your body comes to balance with itself… a balance:

• From left to right
• Front to back
• Core to periphery
• Upper body to lower body, and one more thing:
• You need flexibility and strength to come to balance with each other

Too much or too little of either one and movement efficiency declines while risk of physical tension/injuries increase. To help you achieve this balance, the Dojiva membership site has a category called Mobility with over 175 videos.

Although these seven day clusters give you a suggested themed guide, you can use the site’s search icon 🔍 and rehab section to find just the class you need.

For non-members, I have a new trial that allows you to login for 30 days. That way, you can try it all out and see if a Dojiva membership is for you long term. Click here for the details on that.

Onto this week’s focus

There is a great tag-line that comes from the Pilates world… that you:

‘build the body from the inside out’

We covered this a lot with last week’s write-up and classes, but there’s more. For a strong inner core, you need awareness and tone of your body’s midline…

• This starts at your feet
• Then travels through knee alignment
• Inner thigh tone
• Hip position
• Pelvic core muscles
• Front of spine
• Chest bone and
• Neck

I like to use imagery

Let’s imagine a geyser that pushes up from the ground with water pouring out in all directions. It’s a nice image of a strong, upward energy from the ground and centre. 

The opposite (a collapsed midline) would be water falling down a drain hole. This is what a slumped posture looks like, with chest bone dropped, shoulders up, knees falling in and flat arches. All of which can be rectified by the way! 

Many of our Dojiva movement classes (and postural concepts) are designed to help you build and maintain this strong and supportive midline. However, like diet, it’s not just about what you add; you also have to consider what you remove (that’s foods with an ingredients list by the way)!

Here are a few pillars of the physical side of Dojiva:

• To develop good postural awareness (especially during desk work and gait)
• Mindful movement in daily life (e.g. (gardening and sport)
• A balance of subtle and dynamic exercise
• To discover your true-flowing-body by letting go of old holding patterns

If you can embrace these on a regular basis, I believe that you will soon discover and embody greater strength, suppleness, inner support and overall movement confidence.

And as you lean into and trust this, not only will your body be more comfortable, but your mind should come to rest too. 

Summary

If I were a fly on the wall, I would like to observe you walk, move and interact from a relaxed, integral and natural way. Please use this week’s classes and practices to embody this philosophy and continue to build a strong inner self.  

Thanks for reading,

take care

Danny

To access all Dojiva classes, click here for the 30 day membership

And members, log straight in here

Onto this week’s recommend Dojiva classes:

Sunday 15th - Self massage 01 - Although this is best with a Pilates ‘over-ball’, you can simply use your hands! Here is a great way to feel the connection between spine and pelvis. And to keep a great postural integrity to your upper ribs and chest bone. 

Also today, why not review - Self massage 03 - Feet - Start at the base of midline support with active feet! Many of my clients report doing some version of this everyday!

Monday 16th - Mini fitness 22 - This is time for speed training with four of the eight intervals using poles.

Tuesday 17th - Mobility 69 - Sensing and exercises for postural mid-line support with mindfulness that the body is continuously regenerating.

Wednesday 18th - Relaxation guided 15 

Thursday 19th - Workout 111 - Today we have 13 sets of strength training using dumb-bells or looped bands. 

Friday 20th - Mobility 54 - This class has great ankle and feet exercises plus movements for ribs and spine.

Saturday 21st - Mini fitness 94 - For today’s class, you can choose to use bands or dumb-bells. It’s one of those whole body classes where each exercise uses as many muscles and joints as possible. This means it’s a bit more intense than the average interval class.