Awareness Through Movement #475

Midway exercise to the previous one - TIMING

Because it’s rare to think of the benefits movements can make for the nervous system, I asked Grok how this lesson could be beneficial for it, and I liked the answer so I thought I’d post it here:

The nervous system, comprising the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, is responsible for coordinating movement, processing sensory input, and refining motor control. This lesson supports the nervous system in the following ways:

1. Improved Neuromuscular Coordination:

   • The lesson involves slow, deliberate movements, such as bending and straightening the knees, rolling the torso, and coordinating arm and leg movements in opposite directions. These actions require the brain to integrate sensory feedback from joints, muscles, and skin with motor commands, enhancing neural pathways for smoother, more precise movements.

   • Alternating movements stimulate neuroplasticity by challenging the brain to adapt to novel movement patterns, strengthening neural connections.

2. Enhanced Proprioception:

   • Movements like sliding the toes right and left while keeping the heel grounded or ensuring the sole of the foot remains in contact with the floor heighten awareness of body position. This refines the proprioceptive feedback loop, where sensory nerves in muscles and joints communicate spatial information to the brain, improving balance and spatial awareness.

3. Sensory-Motor Integration:

   • The lesson emphasizes awareness of breathing and gentle movement which calms the autonomic nervous system, reducing stress responses that can interfere with motor control. This creates a state of relaxed attention, allowing the nervous system to process sensory input more effectively.

   • Coordinating complex movements, such as moving the head and arms in opposition to the legs, engages the cerebellum, which fine-tunes motor planning and timing, enhancing overall nervous system efficiency.

4. Reduction of Neural Tension:

   • Gentle, non-straining movements prevent overstimulation of the nervous system. This reduces habitual muscle tension patterns, which can otherwise compress nerves and disrupt signal transmission, promoting freer movement and nerve health.

Is it any wonder one of the most common pieces of feedback after a lesson is how people feel so different, and can not find the words to ‘explain’ why??