When I teach Continuing Education workshops, a question I always ask participants is, “How many of you receive regular bodywork?” Bear in mind that these participants are practicing massage therapists who know the value of this work. Unfortunately, out of say, twenty students, only approximately 3-4 will raise their hands.
To be good, effective practitioners, we need to receive treatments ourselves. Every time I get bodywork, I am reminded of why I do this job; it feels fantastic to receive, during, and in the afterglow. I learn from the session. Some of my aches and pains melt away, as I get deeply relaxed and my nervous system down regulates.. Occasionally, rarely, I’m even reminded of what not to do. It helps me grow into a more empathetic practitioner.
I like to rock climb. Most of the time that happens on a wall at my local climbing gym and, on real rock, less often than I would like. I practice and teach capoeira* multiple times a week, which includes a lot of pushing the weight of my body from the floor using my arms, and, attempting to fall gracefully. I give treatments, both energetic and physical. I cook, clean and build or fix things. All of these activities take their toll, so I’m also involved in a lot of self care. Walking outside, self-myofascial release, mobility work, breathwork, hanging from a bar, yoga, writing and drawing, reading, practicing music, meditation, eating clean whole foods, sauna, cold plunging, and importantly, regular bodywork.
I don’t do all these activities every day. Realistically, I do most of the above less frequently than I would like. Some I do daily, the low hanging fruit, but most, spread out throughout the week (or the month.) Healthy habits build upon each other, so one is best served by initially choosing something simple and accessible, such as walking, or writing. Making one’s selection a daily activity, starting with short bursts, such as 5-7 minutes/day, and seeing where it leads.
Exercise: Find something you can hang from while still bearing some of your bodyweight on the ground. Go from a straight arm passive hang to an active hang. A passive hang is fully relaxed, allowing your shoulders to be pulled upward toward you ears and stretching your latissimus dorsii. An active hang is engaging those lats, pulling your shoulder blades (scapulae) down (inferior) and together (retracting) without bending your arms.
Hold in each position for 3 seconds and repeat for 10 reps. If you feel strong and confident with this movement, try without feet touching the ground. Or, try hanging from one arm at a time, feet still in contact with the floor, engaging and relaxing, active to passive. Enjoy that deep stretch through the vertebrae and the lats, obliques and serratus.
* for an explanation of what capoeira is, see Movement and Health from a Capoeirista's Perspective post.