The Elevator Game: Version 2
The Elevator Game: Version 2
A Tool for Mastering Subtlety and Control
Howdy dear readers! I’ve quietly been writing an essay or two on how to free the neck. It’s something that is really only intended for my private students or folks who have had some hands on experience with the Alexander Technique. That said, I’m quite pleased to report that so far everyone who has read the little essay has had success with it.
Does this mean that they all have free necks for ever and ever amen?
NOPE.
Does this mean that they have a better understanding of how freakin’ subtle they are as a whole?
YUP.
While I don’t have this essay polished up enough to share with a wider audience, I can offer you an extremely important exercise to try on your own. It’s a variation of the Elevator Game and is intended to help you discover the subtleties of effort. With a little practice, you’ll be on the road to freeing up that neck/back/whatever ache and you’ll definitely have a more refined Sherlock.
A Brief Recap
The original post - Elevator Up! (Elevator Down!) - is what I consider a core exploration. It’s something that I learned from Beret Arcaya and is something that I think a student should know before they ever look at something like proper squatting technique. This game gives the student a sense of what exactly stiff and dead weight feel like.
I will kindly ask that you not play the elevator game with you head and neck. If you thrash your head about violently to feel stiff and dead weight, you can cause a nasty injury. I would also strongly advise you against playing this game with an injured area. If you’re struggling with a right shoulder injury, there’s no need to play this first elevator game there and run the risk of exacerbating the injury.
Take a minute to think before you leap!
The Elevator Game Version 2
The purpose of this version of the elevator game is not to explore dead vs stiff weight. Instead, you will be exploring the subtleties of the velocity and acceleration of effort.
What. The. Fuck. Does. That. Mean. John?!?!?!?!?
AAAAAAAAAAAACK!
It’s actually a relatively simple idea. When you go to do something simple like press the space bar on your keyboard, you can choose to move the thumb at different rates. Theoretically, you could choose to start moving at a snails pace and increase the pace during the thumb strike…yes…even with the thumb covering a distance of 1 cm.
I think this is best explained with a brief video, so I will share one with you here!**
Simple enough, eh?
I do not do this with something like walking. You CAN of course with the Model Walk practice, but I tend to use it to explore the movement of things while I’m sitting, standing, or lying down.
Here are some of my favourite ways to use this game:
Exploring looking while lying down
Exploring moving the leg while lying down (knees up to leg extended. leg extended to knees up).
Moving the shoulder as depicted in the video.
Moving the arms while lying down a la the DART flipper… tho I allow my arms to explore a bunch of different articulations while lying down.
Opening and closing the jaw.
Making circles with the jaw.
I never ever ever care about going into my maximum range of motion with this game. That final push to eek out that last bit of range typically comes with unintentional stiffening in the neck…or some such place. You are welcome to try anything on your own, but please be really honest with yourself. Did something stiffen or not?
If you answer is “Well, maybe a tiny bit…”, that my friend is a resounding YES!!!!
Don’t discount the little things in life! :)
Feedback is Welcome!
This is absolutely a wonderful and fundamental exploration to add to your tool kit. Please give it a go and let me know your thoughts. I’m happy to get the feedback!
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If you’re in NYC, you may learn more about my private teaching practice at johndalto.com.
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