Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Be One with the Cat Stretch

(Photo by deviantart.com/jasmiini)
One of the basic series of somatic movements we teach people is the Cat Stretch series. It is a series of six movements that promote better range of motion and coordination. Each movement is progressive to the next as it  helps  the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems work together more efficiently. You first start out with movements of the spine and pelvis. Then the movements progress to incorporating the legs and arms in various gentle but dynamic positions. Once the basic foundation of the movements are learned, the whole series only takes about 15-20 minutes to complete. It's a great way to warm up your body as you begin your day or relax as you get ready for bed. The Cat Stretch Series was created by Thomas Hanna, who was a long time student of Moshe Feldenkrais. You can find the Cat Stretch along with other useful information in the book...

 Somatics: Reawakening the Mind's Control of Movement, Flexibility, and Health

by Thomas Hanna