knee switches

[Yoda]

So I just read Plato's new webpage on his appreciation thread and decided to give knee switches a try.

 

He reviews knee switches and arm twists more highly than Warrior Wellness or Freedom by Degree, and says that knee switches and arm twists are the best of Body Flow.

 

If you haven't downloaded his video, a knee switch is Sonnon's Body Flow technique where you stand feet shoulder width with the toes pointing out 45-60 degrees. Keeping your feet facing their respective directions, lower a knee to the ground turning the torso as needed and get back up and repeat the other side.

 

I'm not scared of doing hindu squats and bending my knees in general--I can pistol a 2 pood when I train for it, so I figured that this wouldn't be difficult in the slightest.

 

My first attempt, I moved about an inch, then my body froze. I tried it again and same thing! I was excited--I had encountered Sonnon's fear reactivity! I gave one more try to analyze the fear and then I did several reps on "override mode" Part of my mind wasn't 100% convinced that this was safe to do, but it got to watch and realize that it was cool.

 

I've experienced in Warrior Wellness how the bodymind relaxes in general when you expand its range of safe, comfortable movement so I'm sure that knee switches are a winner. I look forward to the flexibility dividends from it.

 

As Plato says, working with our arms isn't as revolutionary as we are pretty well versed in their use. It's the legs (and now he's saying the skull) that needs work.

 

The knee switch is along the same lines as #5 of the 8 Brocades. As I'm turning my physical workouts into yoga stuff like WW, 5 Tibetans, Pilates, etc... the 8 Brocades as Ken Cohen teaches them with knee switches for #5 would work out well as a yoga set.

[sean]

I think everyone has issues with different flows. I think it's possible to make some generalizations ... like maybe many Western white males have trouble with the knee switches. But Body Flow is such a personal experience. Me, I had literally zero problems with knee switches. From the first time I tried them I could even do the mad hop around the room like Sonnon does on the video. I have big issues with other things though. Like neck rolls scared me to death at first and I am still not very comfortable with them. I carry a lot tension in my neck and shoulders and that's probably where I have a lot of fear reactivity. Also, I can do diving tumbles forward all day long but have tons of fear reactivity about tumbling backwards. I instinctively want to put my arms back to brace my fall which is how you end up breaking your shoulders.

 

Sean.

[RedFox]

I think everyone has issues with different flows. I think it's possible to make some generalizations ... like maybe many Western white males have trouble with the knee switches. But Body Flow is such a personal experience. Me, I had literally zero problems with knee switches. From the first time I tried them I could even do the mad hop around the room like Sonnon does on the video. I have big issues with other things though. Like neck rolls scared me to death at first and I am still not very comfortable with them. I carry a lot tension in my neck and shoulders and that's probably where I have a lot of fear reactivity. Also, I can do diving tumbles forward all day long but have tons of fear reactivity about tumbling backwards. I instinctively want to put my arms back to brace my fall which is how you end up breaking your shoulders.

 

Sean.

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I tried out the knee switches from watching Plato, and was surprised that I could do them I got tired and sloppy after maybe 6-7 on each side, so I stopped. I am now even more curious to get Sonnon's book & videos (should be in the next day or two) and learn more about it.

 

Interesting about the neck/shouder rolling. I've played with that in the yard lately watching one of Sonnon's web clips, and approximating from what I saw him do, I found I could do it, and even trusted my body enough to roll backwards, which I hadn't done before. We used to have a wrestling move that relied on a fwd roll like that. In high school I could barely do it out of fear (but then, we usually started from a standing position.) Now there's no palpable fear of the move, I trust my body to do it, but after four or five rolls going around in the circle, i'm stopped by nausea & dizziness. Recurring pattern for me, apparently. I'm continuing to work with it, though. The first tibetan seems to be getting just slightly easier, so i'm hoping that will translate to ground work soon.

[sean]

Now there's no palpable fear of the move, I trust my body to do it, but after four or five rolls going around in the circle, i'm stopped by nausea &  dizziness.

I always forget about this aspect of fear reactivity. That it's not neccessarily just not being able to physically do a move, or even being afraid of it ... other symptoms like dizziness and nausea as you mentioned, sudden fatigue, sadness, traumatic memories, etc. Food for thought, thanks.

 

Sean.

[Tenguzake]

I always forget about this aspect of fear reactivity. That it's not neccessarily just not being able to physically do a move, or even being afraid of it ... other symptoms like dizziness and nausea as you mentioned, sudden fatigue, sadness, traumatic memories, etc. Food for thought, thanks.

 

Sean.

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I haven't read Bodyflow yet. It is interesting that Sonnon says that dizziness and nausea are types of fear reactivity.

 

One of my first martial arts instructors said that if you get dizzy from rolling, you aren't rolling enough. I don't get dizzy from rolling, but I do get dizzy from the first of the Five Tibetans and from spinning my 4 year old around in a circle.

 

Be Genki,

 

Tenguzake

[thelerner]

Speaking of working through fear. I was working on falling from a standing position straight and stiffly forward and down into the push up position. (Batman Begins had it I think) I was surprised at how much fear it engendered.

 

So started off on the knees, then crouching, etc til it was done. Beware of throbbing hands for a day or two.

 

Its kind of a sexy macho way to start push ups.

 

Michael