BELOW: NEW “Shift / Lift” Self Test Picks Up Even The Most Subtle Cases Of Deep Core Amnesia
The ability to BREATHE correctly and the ability to “anchor” your body for efficient, strain free movement is crucial for protecting your joints from degeneration.
In addition, this core awareness will allow you to “recycle” gravity and use it for energy and spring instead of letting it drag you into a submissive, unattrative, forward drawn, downward spiral!
PLUS…keeping your spine and other joints “centrated” (meaning they are perfectly aligned with maximum congruence to be able to bear the most load) is also a “trick” for creating a sense of relaxation and calm in the central nervous system.
This calm is what I consider the ultimate goal…What I call “Peace Physiology” where your cells feel the bliss and go into “renewal” mode as opposed to “Stress Physiology” where your cells are in “breakdown” mode!!
So check yourself out with this breathing test and TAKE SPECIAL NOTE to do the “Baby Back” in SUPER DUPER SLOW MOTION, especially take notice what happens in your core before your foot even leaves the floor!
If you struggled with these tests you have been overloading your joints and creating unecessary stress in your central nervous system!
But no worries!
Your “Reverse CPS Now!” Fundamental Posture Transformation Exercises will get you back on the road to strain free, pain free posture and movement!
I failed all of the cross posture tests. I have pain in both my knees. A chiropractor told me several years ago that my quads were pulling on my knee caps. Will I learn what I need to correct all of this from the forthcoming videos? Is there a health care practitioner in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area you can refer me to? Thanks.
The upcoming exercise series is not specific for knee pain but is designed to help you use your core to take some load off your knees. Done correctly the exercises should not cause pain in your knees, if they do…stop and get them evaluated. Here are my first choices in Texas, but not sure how close they are for you. Also search for a provider at http://www.activerelease.com
Providers in Texas
Alan Mitchell DC 281-356-5964
31311 FM 2978
Ste. 101
Magnolia, TX
USA 77354
See Details
Don E Sharnowski DC 806-363-2444
200 S. 25 Mile Ave
Hereford, TX
USA 79045
Jonathan Simmons B.S., D.C., FIAMA 512 288-52322
7010 Hwy 71 West
Suite 360
Austin, TX
USA 78735
No problem with that one, looking forward to the solutions.
My breathing seems to be okay. The anchoring test was good raising the left leg but went to pieces when I raised the right leg. Looking forward to tomorrow’s e-mail.
Same here, Breathing is not bad, when I am concentrating, it is when I
am not thinking about it, that my body tends to cheat! Must practice!!
Thank you
My breathing is ok…I teach that type of breathing to my anxiety patients so I do fairly well with that…I do not have a suitable surface to do the other test with my hips and legs but I am positive that I have tightness there as my lower back is very stiff and sore in the mornings. My hips will give me trouble when doing my walks so I am pretty sure that my lower half is crossed as well. Thank you so much for these very enlightening demonstrations!
My breathing is okay. When I did the legs lifts I felt a jerk to my hips then to my back. The weight transfer is not smooth. When I force my focus on my spine and lift it becomes smoother with out the jerk. I knew this is where my problem is. I have 4-8 levels of pain in my lower back almost all the time. With fast movement causing spikes of 10 in pain. I am doing some yoga but some hurts my back to much. I can not wait for solutions so I can ride my bike, grade papers in school with out pain.
My breathing is good. The single leg lifts work with the back ribs anchored. When both of my legs are lifted my neck/head starts to tense and my shoulders round until I make an effort to relax and then the leg extensions work.
That will improve as your organic posture and core stability improves.
Could be better with the breathing. I don’t have trouble doing it but it is not automatic. I have to do a posterior pelvic tilt to anchor my ribs. Is that ok?
I would have to see what you mean. Good abdominal wall activation should automatically begin to correct a forward tilted pelvis, but you shouldn’t have to “tuck your tail” with buttock activation.
Ha couldn’t believe the torqing in my body when I began to lift my legs, while my breathing was good my strength was way down. No wonder I have been unable to walk and move without pain for weeks and on strong anti – inflamatories.
Core stability makes all the difference, for sure. As long as it’s TRUE core stability!
unbearable pain when I layed on my back to do this, but I didit.
Can’t wait for next video, I’m fine with this exercise as I learnt to breathe correctly many years ago. Everyday I’m doing your piriformis exercise and now almost pain free, mobility and flexiblility ninety five percent better thanks
Good to hear, Sarah. Keep it up. I think you’ll like the fundamentals series. Keep me posted on your progress!
I am a complete chest breather, but I can breathe into my side and back abdomen if I concentrate. No problem keeping the hips level, even with a leg fully extended.
My breathing is ok. My legs moved ok, I don't think my hips moved but I din't feel anchored through my rib area…I felt more wobbly in the upper part of my body than the lower.
Gotta correct my breathing.
I pretty much failed all the tests and am pretty discouraged. I've been in pain since mid-September and physical therapy didn't help–I actually got worse because they were too aggressive with their exercise & spinal manipulation. I still have pain in my hamstrings especially when I go from a sitting to standing position, and it hurts to lift my arms above shoulder level. I have an MRI scheduled for Jan 30th to see if I have a disc problem. I'm not overweight and have been active all my life (52 years old now). I hope your stretches can help me!
Thanks!
Susan
If you failed the tests that could be good news! Because you have CPS, what you will learn from the Core Wellness Institute will help you reverse it and regain your muscle balance to protect your spine.
Be smart…if anything makes your original complaint worse, stay away from it and do only things that make you feel better. Keep us posted on your progress!
The breathing thing is tricky. I have experimented with my breathing a lot and I can make it do whatever I decide for long periods of time. For a long time I have been belly breathing. Recently I have been breathing in my chest trying to get my ribs to loosen up. A long time ago I realized that when I breath I expand to the back and sides.
I felt strong on the belly thing. If I understood what you wanted I could easily lift my leg on the first part without any noticeable shift at the two points where my back touched the floor and no hip rotation. I also felt strong completely extending my legs.
Hi Dr. Steve, Thank you for all of this really useful information!
I am a diaphramatic breather. I often hear that when lifting heavy objects or weights one should “brace one’s core” by tightening the abs and pushing one’s breath against the tightened abdominal wall to create a capsule of intra-abdominal pressure. If I tighten my abs, I can still exhale deeply, but find that the inhalation becomes shallower and less relaxed.
My question is, how do we go about “bracing the core” and still keep taking full deep diaphramatic breaths, for example, while holding a plank position, or lowering a weight?
Most EXCELLENT question, Joel! The key is that a properly executed diaphragmatic breath, while holding the INTENTION of lengthening the spine and pushing away from support points, should…in and of itself, create the intra-abdominal pressure.
I often say, feel the pressure that the breath creates then maintain that feeling of stability as you exhale. It’s powerful stuff.
Breathing IS Stabilty!
Also rib mobility is crucial so you can expand into your low back and flanks effectively.
Hope that helps.
drh
Both my hands went up and down pretty much equally on the breathing test so not sure what that means. I didn’t see my clavical going up and down though like your wife had demonstrated. The circular breathing I did well with.
The first back back test was easy, the second with the raised legs I could feel some slight shifting.
Breathing was ok. When I lie down, I feel the my back has more contact than the first test [with wrist], but I am not sure it has enough contact. Actually the most contact that I feel, is in my pelvic area.
I don’t feel much of a shift until later in my right leg, however when I raise my knees and extend my left leg, I feel the shift in pressure much sooner.
I felt my weight shift a little when lifting my leg off the floor. Breathing was ok. Could not do the 2nd test as I do not have a suitable hard surface.
The shift of support zones is the most important thing to control. The ease with which you can do the “push away lunge” in the exercises series will tell you something about your hip tightness if you can’t find a surface.
I defianately am a chest breather. I could do those exercises but only by concentrating very hard on my breathing. I am looking forward on learning to deep breathe.5
Ah ha, the diaphragm is the “core of the core” so you definitely have a “stability” dysfunction. Correcting your breathing will help you tremendously.
I hope you had a good trip with your son, Dr. Steve. I wondered if unstable SI joints are related to Upper/Lower Crossed Syndrome. Have you seen patients SI joints become more stable after doing the 12 week online course?
It was a transformative experience for me, for sure.
Unstable SI joints can come from cps and deep core amnesia because the core and hip stabilizers that often go weak as a result let the SI joints move to much. The piriformis often is overworked because your deeper core stabilizing system has gone “offline”.
Although no course students have specifically mentioned having unstable SI joints as their key problem, the system definitely helps re-awaken the pelvic stability.
BTW…I got your Thank You card today in the mail!
Wow! It was so gratifying to see someone take the time to put a pen to paper. ..And you are very welcome. It is truly been a pleasure to serve like this.
drh
I am a belly breather but if I stand up straight using your method of pressing down, then I felt my back expand as well. The difference was very obvious! I can keep my ribs engaged but I have been working on it for months now. It looks like I may not have upper cross anymore but a chiropractor last year said I did. I struggle with forward head and I have a bit of that older woman (50) neck hump that I think is my spine and not just fat. Thank you!
Good perception, Cat. The “push away” increases intra abdominal pressure which automatically helps recruit the posterior diaphragm.
I can breath the way you showed as I have been practicing for some time, but forget it anyway from time to time. I can extend my let but my abs certainly get fatigue.
Worked fine for me
I seem to be breathing ok.. I guess I forget to stomach breath all the time. but will become more aware of my breathing..
The baby back exercise was interesting.. I can raise each leg with not problem and back does not come off the floor.. However, when I bring both feet up and extend one at a time, my back comes off the floor a bit.
Now to the exercises??
Yes, just be sure to keep perfect form. Use a mirror or have someone help watch for any mistakes as discussed in the video and pdf’s.
Well I am both… I will now pay more attention to belly breathing.. I did not feel any shift when doing the legs.
Thank you again for all you are doing.
BJ
Think 360 degree cylindrical breathing rather than just “belly” and you’ll be even better off!
Breathing is ok. Learned that from a pilates instructor. I seem to be able to do both of the exercises fine–I don’t see or feel any shifing.
Slowing down the test by 10x and paying attention to what happens at the magic moment when the initial “unweighting” of the foot off the floor occurs. Sometimes we go too fast and miss opportunities.
Did fine
I am a chest breather, almost no movement in abdominal region. I had almost no rolling at all with the leg movements.
Try it in super slow motion and let me know how you do. See above comment reply for more detail.
Response to Test #3
Definitely breathing abdominally
Anchoring ribs while supine triggers some right intercostal tightness and slightly aggrevates R thoracic neuropathy. Able to do both leg movement tests without difficulty in the hips, however, right click, click heard and felt [like a bike chain moving without lubrication] I suspect the R SI joint?
Am looking forward to the fundamental exercise series.
Diane
Go easy and slow. We don’t want any chief complaint symptoms to flare.
Hi there,
I am a chest breather in my daily work day and trying to stop this, so I know about this being wrong, its good to watch this video to remind me as it is really relaxing when you do it right.
THe excercises I can do, the past 3 months I have been doing this sort of breathing with various excercise from my musculer skeletal doctor in New Zealand, and until I saw this video I realised this is the same sort of things he was getting me to do.
This sort of breathing and excercises has worked miracles on my bad hip ( I had a bone graft done on it ‘shelf procedure) 6 years ago for displasia, but there is a bit of bone loss in the joint etc., I could not walk more than 100mtrs without having some sort of pain.
I can now walk 2 kilometres and my hip feels pretty good, despite damage in the hip the muscles surronding it are stonger and makes all the difference.
I am looking forward to your videos though, its always good to learn and improve… this is cool.
Awareness is the first step, Erin. Breathing is everything!
Glad your progressing well. Lots more to come.
Breathing was okay. I do notice that during times of extreme stress or anxiety, i chest breathe and sometimes hold my breathe. Leg lifts were good going up, but I felt like my hips wanted to go out while lowering. Also, with both legs lifted, my core really started to shake. I also could not reacxh legs out very far.
Deep core amnesia detected. Now on to reconnecting with it and building endurance in the system.
I’m surprised actually. I passed this test easily but the upper and lower crossed system tests were a disaster. Is that common?
I was a chest breather. Passed all tests, but with a lot of pain. Have severe pelvic girdle pain since five years.
No problems with all the test.. I breathe with my abdomenal muscle.
Both of my hips torqued slightly in both exercises. Felt pain of about a 5 on a scale of 1 – 10, with 10 being the pain that takes my breath.
Anna, if any movement performed correctly recreates your chief complaint then it is not the right movement for you right now. Go slowly into the fundamentals series and do what makes you feel the best afterwards.
I do pretty well on all those tests Steve. I’ve worked on deep breathing for some time now.
Am 75 now and have had low back pain for a long time but am able to
manage fairly well for now on certain stretches and enough walking.
Thank you for the pdf. of exercises and everything.
I think I’m a chest breather rather than diaphragm. I did pretty good on the baby back tests.
Breathing was o.k., but think it was impacted by thinking about breathing. In general, i know my breathing is shallow and mostly in the top of my lungs. Mininal twist when I lifted right leg, not noticable on left. The straightenting leg was straining my entire back.
Can’t quite get the breathing down, one question, do you hold in the core while breathing? I have always been told to hold in the belly and it is more comfortable to breath in the chest area. The baby exercises I did ok but could use some help with the second one. Thanks for your website, not sure how I found it but glad I did and am looking forward to tomorrow.
I am a chest breather all the way. I felt the difference when performing the test while placing hands under my ribs with thumbs to the back and the rest of my fingers under ribs.
Lying on back and lifting legs did not shift my core. When lying on back and slowly straightening leg, I could straighten my leg all the way out. I know I have a strong core. It is my hip flexors that are the problem. I cycle a lot. I have been plagued with plantar fasciitis for the last two years. How is cycling and plantar fasciitis related? I think it is due to having tight ham strings, tight hip flexors and piriformis (is that the same thing?). I have tried everything from acupuncture to manual physical therapy, shots, and the sock strap that keeps your toes in the flexed position, yoga and physical therapy. I would like to get back to running because I love to do triathlons. When I try to run (very slowly 10 min pace) my hamstrings tighten. Any suggestions as to where to go from here?
Need a lot of work here.Cant wait to start.Thanks.
I can do the breathing pretty well when I concentrate, however I know I am a shallow breather when in auto mode. Re the physical exercises, I lose rib contact with the floor – again I feel very round shouldered when doing those two exercises.
Ahh! Here’s a problem for me… proper breathing! I failed this test! I am a chest breather. Actually my yoga instructor suggested this too! When I did the 2nd test, my lower ribs don’t stay down. I don’t rotate my pelvis when I Iift my legs, but it takes effort to keep my lower ribs down.
Hello ,
the breathing was interesting part. I definitely breath to my stomack when i concantrate on it , but I can see from time to time very little movement of my hand on my chest as well . My breathing is very shalow do so my hand is hardly moving anyway. The second test went well I could do it easily but with pain in my lover back.
No problems doing these at all. No pain when I do them either.
No problems with either of the core tests
I’m a definite chest breather. I couldn’t seem to get my back on the ground without tilting my pelvis and pushing the lower back down. I know you said this is incorrect, but everytime I tried to push the lower back down if felt like I was actually just tilting the pelvis. I tried the leg lifts anyway and there did not seem to be any twist. Since there is no way that I have a strong core, I can only assume I’m doing something wrong with this test.
That’s really common, CL. Place a small pillow or folded towel underneath your back support zone. That will bring the floor to you and allow you to feel your connection. Sometimes that ability goes completely offline and has to be nurtured back to awareness.
drh
I can do all the exercises without any pain or problems. The only one thats not perfect is the one on the table with my back down and hang a leg off. I can almost touch the table with my thigh and my shin is straight down.
I have pain in my butt muscle and lower back but can’t find where it’s coming from. Started when I added biking into my running routine. Trying to do a triatholon in spring. frustrated.
Be sure to google “piriformis stretch” and try that first (you should find my video in there as #1 or so). Lots of other possibilities. Consider coaching course when it reopens.
That’s how I found you. I tried that stretch and it’s just not hitting where I’m getting pain. I keep doing it. Maybe I just need to keep stretching it out and at some point it will just give??
Possibly but there is something else. Be sure to get your low back / Quadratus lumborum etc. checked by a rehab / exercise minded chiropractor.