Praise for Core Awareness, Revised Edition
It seems that yoga classes are offered on every corner these days, but unfortunately they often emphasize movement over awareness, stretching over sensing, and pushing oneself over self-exploration. Luckily Liz Kochs book can offer the yoga student inspiration as well as simple exercises that can create both the depth of feeling and profound sensitivity necessary to use yoga practice as a physical, mental, and spiritual tool for transformation. I recommend it highly.
Judith Hanson Lasater, PhD, PT, yoga instructor since 1971, and author of 30 Essential Yoga Poses: For Beginning Students and Their Teachers
Life is experienced within the frame of our body. Liz Koch offers practical tools to enhance our ability to function, grow, and move through life more gracefully. I highly recommend this book as a resource for teachers and students.
Tom McCook, fitness and movement specialist, and director of Center of Balance, Mountain View, California
Copyright 2012 by Liz Koch. All rights reserved. No portion of this book, except for brief review, may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwisewithout the written permission of the publisher. For information contact North Atlantic Books.
Published by |
North Atlantic Books | Cover photo by iStockphoto.com/real444 |
P.O. Box 12327 | Cover design by Brad Greene |
Berkeley, California 94712 | Explorations photography by Paul Schraub |
Note: The information presented in this book is in no way intended as a substitute for receiving medical advice. The purpose of the book is to provide information and education. The author and publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss, damage or injury caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information, suggestions or exercises (explorations) contained within this book or written in response to this information. The author is not a medicinal authority and is not qualified to diagnosis or prescribes any therapy. Please consult your physician. The information in this book is only her personal opinion.
Core Awareness: Enhancing Yoga, Pilates, Exercise, and Dance, Revised Edition is sponsored by the Society for the Study of Native Arts and Sciences, a nonprofit educational corporation whose goals are to develop an educational and cross-cultural perspective linking various scientific, social, and artistic fields; to nurture a holistic view of arts, sciences, humanities, and healing; and to publish and distribute literature on the relationship of mind, body, and nature.
North Atlantic Books publications are available through most bookstores. For further information, visit our website at www.northatlanticbooks.com or call 800-733-3000.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Koch, Liz, 1949
Core awareness: enhancing yoga, Pilates, exercise, and dance / Liz Koch.Rev. ed.
p. cm.
Summary: A guide to Core Awareness, an innovative body-oriented approach developed by somatic educator Liz Koch to enhance sensory development and cultivate an innate capacity for expressive movementProvided by publisher.
eISBN: 978-1-58394-525-4
1. Self-care, Health. 2. Health. 3. Physical fitness. 4. Movement therapy. I. Title.
RA776.95.K63 2012
613.719dc23
2011048453
v3.1
To Jeff,
with whom I share my love and life.
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank the following people whom I have had an opportunity of directly knowing and who have had a profound effect on the quality of my life. In alphabetical order: Martha Benedict, Bob Cooley, Don Cohen, Victor Collins, Patty Dunks, Anna Halprin, Brian Jenner, Tom Longo, France Louvet, Ronnie Neufeld Oliver, Marianna Nielson, Katherine OConnell, Lord John Pentland, Aminah Raheem, Iona Teegarden, Catherine Wilder, Laurel Wolf, Roy Yates.
Most of all, I thank my family. My husband Jeff, for supporting me in creating the space, time, and the conditions to write this book. And my three childrenAdam whose sense of humor makes me laugh, Megan whose tender heart heals mine, and Lily whose generosity offers me a constant source of love and friendship.
When I originally wrote this book I had only heard of Emilie Conrads Continuum Movement. Since then I have had the opportunity of working directly with Emilie and two of her inspiring teachers Beth Pettingill-Riley and Bonnie Gintis. I wish to personally thank her for supporting my deep intrinsic desire to move and be moved. Her work continually invites me to fully participate in the flow of life.
A special thanks to each of my models: Continuum teacher and movement educator Val Leoffler, undergraduate student Lily Oberdorfer, Megan Oberdorfer MWS, U.S. Ranger Special Forces Brandon OLeary, Powerlifter and Elite trainer Deric Stockton.
Contents
PART I
CORE AWARENESS CONCEPTS CHAPTER ONE
AWAKENING CORE AWARENESS
CHAPTER TWO
ENGAGING THE PSOAS MUSCLE
CHAPTER THREE
CENTERING THE PELVIS
CHAPTER FOUR
CONNECTING TO BONE
CHAPTER FIVE
DEEPENING CORE AWARENESS
PART II
CORE AWARENESS EXPLORATIONS CHAPTER SIX
STEPPING STONES TO CORE AWARENESS EXPLORATIONS
CHAPTER SEVEN
EXPLORATIONSAWAKENING CORE AWARENESS
CHAPTER EIGHT
EXPLORATIONSENGAGING THE PSOAS
CHAPTER NINE
EXPLORATIONSCENTERING THE PELVIS
CHAPTER TEN
EXPLORATIONSCONNECTING TO BONE
CHAPTER ELEVEN
EXPLORATIONSDEEPENING CORE AWARENESS
Illustrations
Figure . Constructive rest position
Figure . Constructive rest position
Figure . Fetal-C curl
Figure . Going inward
Figures . Progression of Variation 1, fetal-C
Figures . Variation 2, fetal-C
Figures . Progression for startle response (arcing)
Figures . Progression for startle response, without ball
Figure . Settling into ground
Figure . Constructive rest position
Figure . Maintain leg balance using support
Figure . Legs supported by chair
Figures . Movement progression for lower psoas release
Figures . Lower psoas release, Variation 1
Figures . Movement progression for upper psoas release
Figure . Upper psoas releaseone arm
Figure . Upper psoas releasecrossed arms
Figure . Upper psoas releaseweighted arms
Figure . Standing psoas release
Figure . Standing psoas releasefalling lunge
Figure . Standing psoas releasependulum
Figure . Standing psoas releasingpendulum
Figure . Walking
Figure . Fanning open the iliacus
Figure . Belly arc psoas release
Figures . Belly arc with hands
Figures . Belly arc psoas releasearcing
. Progression of movement, belly arc
Figures . Movement progression for toning the psoas
Figures . Lengthening the psoas
Next page