Free2Move Feldenkrais: Cross Ankles to Improve Alignment, Balance and Walking

[@ALK]

Amazing! Feldenkrais is like magic... a few gentle movements, relaxed but with a different kind of mental focus, and after only a short time, such transformation!

[@JodieKrantz]

Thanks very much for sharing and giving feedback!

[@natalag3411]

This is a great Awareness Through Movement lesson. I came across your lessons while looking for something else. You are really clear and concise and I will continue to seek out your lessons. Thank you very much!

[@JodieKrantz]

Thanks a million Natala. I really appreciate your feedback. These are just summaries of the full lessons. Even though they are short I try not to make them feel rushed. Everyone is so busy now, so I hope these lessons will help when you don't have much time. There is a new series on Posture coming soon. Warmly Jodie

[@tcandelaria100]

Thank you Jodie

[@sabrinab5220]

Ohhhh yes Jodie!! It Will be a pleasure to meet you! Keep and touch!

[@darylhill9400]

Nice routine! Thanks

[@alanfontaine586]

Just Discovered Feldenkrais had problems with groin & Hips it's been an Revelation to me & Jodie's work here is amazing I do this evey morning,Thank you Teacher Jodie

[@JodieKrantz]

No6 theprisoner, thanks so much for sharing. So glad my videos are helping you

[@sabrinab5220]

Oh good to Know Jodie ! Thanks! I thanks my left ankle don ´t use to the Weight of my all body! Each time l do this exercice, the tomorow l have little pain of this ankle . But is not long!

[@JodieKrantz]

Sabrina it's really interesting when you discover the way you use the two sides of the body differently. Now your left ankle has the possibility of learning to take as much weight as the right!

[@Delfinmar]

Thank you this video and the Feldfenkrais method, which I just discovered this week, is so helpful and centering! I am in the midst of a piriformis muscle and IT band seige. I am learning a lot.

[@JodieKrantz]

I am so glad to hear. I really appreciate your feedback. I have been 'offline' for a while, but now I'm back and will be releasing new videos very soon. Warmly Jodie

[@veronicaledesma2254]

MIL GRACIAS. UN GRAN ABRAZO CARIÑOSO. GRACIAS.

[@texascds]

Hi Jodie, Just tried your lesson and the movements seemed so natural. After taking a walk I felt somewhat the way I felt 30 years ago when I practiced the Feldenkrais Method on a weekly basis. Would like to take it up again. Thanks for your inspiration.

[@JodieKrantz]

Hi there. I have had a very busy year, including getting married! But now I'm back on track and I have a new series on posture coming soon. Warm regards, Jodie

[@amarcelous]

I can feel my brain working!

[@JodieKrantz]

Haha, yes 👍

[@sabrinab5220]

Thanks Jodie! I have already try:))

[@sabrinab5220]

Hi Jodie! Thanks! Yes it make sense and It´s so abvious :) My problem too,, I have a tight or a very tight middle back and it is difficult to make the good movement on the left and right side with arms on the head:) I think if I relieve my middle back I Will have better hipe and low back free, no?!! And it Will be easier for my ankles problem! What do you think? i must to relieve my low and middle back first Jodie, with feldenkrais lessons?!

[@danielarusso4877]

Great video. I definitely felt a greater groundedness in my feet following this video. Can I ask what is the significance of the hand on the head and elbow moving up? Is it to create greater space between the ribs? I am wondering how I could modify this to suit my seniors who have frozen shoulder or have had shoulder reconstructions and can't get their hand to touch their head without pain. Even having the hand on the shoulder would be painful for them. I teach a chair yoga class and I am always looking for ways to enhance my teaching for this demographic.

[@JodieKrantz]

Hi Daniela, you are exactly right, it opens the ribs and keeps the neck safe from excessive movement. With frozen shoulder the scapula and clavicle movement is not directly affected but becomes stiff by proximity to the painful shoulder joint. Rib movement can be facilitated in other ways e.g. 1 shoulder up while the other goes down with hands on the lap in sitting, side bending the trunk, pelvic movement. See also part 4 of my effortless posture series. The see saw breathing can easily be done in sitting. Hard to describe here, will have to post a video!

[@ppppppppppppppppp999]

superb video! thank you!!

[@JodieKrantz]

+E. B. Dan Thank you so much for your positive feedback :)

[@annette4660]

Very nice! Thank you, Jodie. Just what I need right now.

[@JodieKrantz]

So glad to hear Annette!

[@regulatefitness]

I've really enjoyed this lesson. What is the purpose of the last movement of pushing the back knee into the leg in front please?

[@JodieKrantz]

Thanks very much for your feedback! This movement helps you organize each leg in the midline as well as lengthening the up flexors

[@regulatefitness]

@@JodieKrantz great, makes sense. Thanks for the explanation.

[@ТатьянаМануковская-г6м]

that"s great! the walking become more elegant ans grounded! Many thanks from Russia! Tatiana

[@JodieKrantz]

Thanks Tatiana 😃

[@francescaoliviero892]

dear Jodie, what a fantastic exercise, just change the mental focus, with feet in a not normal position, beautiful sensation... could you explain me better how this movement act from the neurologic point of view?

[@JodieKrantz]

Thanks Francesca. Your brain carries mental 'maps' of your body and how it moves through space over time. It also maps the space around your body, for example when sitting in the driver's seat of your car, you probably know where the back and front of your car are located without having to look or open your eyes In this lesson you place your right foot where your left foot is usually located and vice versa. That gives your brain an interesting and novel problem to solve in terms of adapting your movement maps to keep your balance. The human brain simply loves a puzzle and this facilitates the learning process

[@sabrinab5220]

hi jody! It s great to give tonus to the all legs too! The legs work à lot!! I just try now and it's very good! Just take care of the back position as you say and always to think about that during the exercice. If not sure it Will be painfull after:)! After you feel Quick the difference when you walking ! Great, too much good:)) Thanks so much jody!

[@JodieKrantz]

Yes I think you're right Sabrina, you really need to watch the back position! It's quite a challenge and good weightbearing for your bones to help prevent osteoporosis!

[@amarcelous]

Best video on KZbin!

[@JodieKrantz]

Awww! Thanks so much Nonya

[@sabrinab5220]

Hello again Jodie! Thanks Jodie , I already try the tennis ball for my gluteus in the wall and in the floor with different movement with the legs since years back!! It make me feel good and after the day after the trigger point always come back very Quick:)) But your lesson, " free the back pain and hips " it is better for the tigger point of the back and sacrum muscles!! Yes it is:)) thanks à lot. i think I need to mobilise my hips and work my left weak leg! With the chair too from feldenkrais lesson. Because my connection with my left seatbone , my left hip joint and my left heelbone and my head is not good. I dońt feel so strong in my left leg but I can run:) but it´s difficult to get up from a chair! And i have pain in the sacral irea! Strange:))

[@JodieKrantz]

So glad to hear Sabrina. Looks like we are coming to Europe in September, so maybe I'll get to meet you in person :)

[@lyndseyknight9278]

That is a great one Jodie - really felt "square" and set afterwards (not leaning to one side) :)

[@JodieKrantz]

😄 that's great Lyndsey, thanks for your feedback!

[@barbmoody4892]

Great lesson thanks

[@JodieKrantz]

Thanks Barb, I really appreciate your positive feedback

[@sabrinab5220]

Thanks Jodie ! l aready try and it´s very good because on this lesson , It´s take away a little too, my pain in the lower back around my sacrum and gluteus médium when I sit down on the chair! I think my gluteus médium is very very tight ( trigger point ) on the right side because it´s a always push on That side!!

[@JodieKrantz]

Have you tried using a tennis ball against the wall to massage the gluteals?

[@tejedoradevida413]

gracias!!!!

[@haitaozhu9518]

An awesome video!

[@JodieKrantz]

Haitao Zhu thanks so much for your positive feedback 😃

[@FeldenkraisInNiagara]

wonderful! thank you!

[@JodieKrantz]

Thanks so much for your lovely feedback and encouragement Niagara

[@heloneida.Toronto]

Thank you.

[@JodieKrantz]

Thank you for viewing my videos. More coming soon! Jodie

[@sabrinab5220]

Hi Jodie :) thanks but when you have a twisted back or hips pain, is not better to take care first of the back and hips even if we are pain ankle? And That lesson help à lot! Some people say to me if, I have problem with my ankle is because my hips is not good! I must to work first my hips join and the all back! Because I have very tight hips muscles and it´s make my low back à lot of pain problems:)! What to you think Jodie!? Maybe a should work both of them in the same time ( low back, hips pain and and the ankle lesson too). What do you think!? I improve my walking! Because I walk Many time as you said in your video:)) If you think I work both lesson in the same time , I start first your lesson of the ankle or some lesson of the hips and back?! Good question:))) Thanks very much:) I hope soon I can play tennis:))) now my back is not enought good:((

[@JodieKrantz]

Hi Sabrina, Yes, I think it's good to work on both hips and ankles. They affect each other a lot. The reason is that the knee joint is in between them and is a hinge joint, so it can rotate a tiny bit but it can't bend sideways. The hip joint and the subtalar joint of the ankle can move sideways and when one moves the other has to compensate and stabalise. I hope this makes sense! Jodie

[@darlenecarman7644]

Hi Jody, I love this lesson and how beautifully you teach it. I understand the leg crossing and lateral flexion. I am wanting to learn more about the ending with knee behind calve..weight bearing, balance I am thinking but is there something am missing? Thank you, Dar

[@JodieKrantz]

Hi Dar, bringing both knee to the midline helps with finding your balance point. Also helps you figure out how to organize your bones so that they bear more weight ( the way they are meant to) so your muscles don't work overtime

[@darlenecarman7644]

@@JodieKrantz Thank you! I am looking into a Bones for life training now, so you teach this?

[@JodieKrantz]

@@darlenecarman7644 I have done the training myself twice but I'm not a qualified teacher. Ruthy Alon is amazing

[@fayezfarooqui9492]

Something you are missing is "you have weak glutes", make you glutes stronger buddy.

[@spaciodecm]

have a great day)

[@natalag3411]

Just wondering--you mention keeping your balance. Should I let the weight shift from side-to-side over my feet or should I keep the weight same over my feet? I don't do either easily.

[@JodieKrantz]

Good question. In Feldenkrais there is no absolute right or wrong. The most important thing is to SENSE what you are doing and look to making it easier, simpler and lighter. This is not an easy lesson, but if you go gently and stay aware of your breath, with practice you will find it becomes easier. You will learn to soften your chest and spine and your feet will become better at adapting. Of course it's your brain where the biggest changes occur. When I'm doing these movements I find that when I shift my pelvis left there is more weight on my right foot, and shifting right it's over the left foot. This is the opposite of what you would normally experience so it really wakes up your brain. I think to keep the weight absolutely even on the feet would be really difficult. It is probably not the most efficient way, but once you've done something the hard way, you come back and do an easier version and you find it's become simpler.

[@sabrinab5220]

hello Jodie! how are you?! Just to say, after to work the flexibity of my entire back , and work to my side band lengthening. Now that exercice start to work for me without pain in my middle back. I'm very happy:)))) I feel better my left legs and ankles when I do That exercice and I have no pain in my right gluteus médium as before!! you tell me is Ruthy Alon training you That exercice. Is from is bone life serie or the walk life serie?! Because I should to learn more in moving from my legs and back! Maybe you Will add à new video:))) Best regards

[@JodieKrantz]

Sabine, I think it was from Bones for Life

[@ImprovingAbility]

thank you Jodie, lovely presentation that gave plenty of time to explore for myself :-)

[@JodieKrantz]

You're so welcome Alfons, glad you found it helpful

[@ImprovingAbility]

Jodie Krantz :-) btw, where are your videos? why don't you upload at least weekly?

[@JodieKrantz]

+Feldenkrais with Alfons ha ha, yes, a weekly upload would be ideal, but not enough time to spare in my week :-)

[@hekrishna]

Hi! Feldenkrais, nice o read the points given in the web site. 79 yrs old man suffering from balance and trying physiotheraphy to improve strength. But so far no luck and got any solutions. Your presentation seems to be favourable. My leg has a difference of 6 mm between right and left legs. how to correct it with exercise. Spent many monies so far no luck. changed various sandals etc. Pl guide me with a suitable remedy to correct leg difference and to walk without any walker or wheel chair I ama constant traveller, carrying walker and/or use of wheel chair is rather difficult. Pl help me Thanks hare krishna money, Canada

[@JodieKrantz]

Radhakrishna iyer ramasubramanian thanks so much for your message. 🌼 If you are in Vancouver I recommend Katarina Halm www.feldenkrais.com/practitioner-search/results/katarinahalm/

[@JodieKrantz]

Radhakrishna iyer ramasubramanian is your problem walking and balancing just due to lack of a strength? Small leg length difference should not cause too much problem. Do you have pain? Arthritis? I wonder why your legs are weak if you are active?

[@JodieKrantz]

For walking without a walking aid I recommend you see a Feldenkrais practitioner for 1 to 1 lessons

[@sabrinab5220]

Thanks Jodie! She did so Many things for the body! It´s too much :(((( So Many things:(( Then, it´s better to start with " bones to life" or " walk to life" when we have problem with back and hips According to you?! Why you don't sell a DVD! You are far away:((( Thanks

[@thomasina838]

jodie, i really have to improve my balance and ankle strength. i have a difficult time with this because my balance is so bad. had both knees replaced 2 years ago and one angle rebuilt with pins and screws last year. no longer have pain but havent recovered full range of motion or abiltiy for long walks. in spite of PT. still, i have benefited from this routine, as badly as i do it. that is, holding on almost all the time on one side. i tried not crossing the feet so far but that didnt help. i am thinking of making it easier by not doing the foot part until i can do the arms without any support. then gradually bring in the ankle crossing. how does that sound?

[@JodieKrantz]

thomasina838 thanks so much for your comment. You could try the movement sequence without crossing the ankles at all, but with the feet either a tiny bit apart or touching in the middle. You could also try standing with your feet a comfortable distance apart and shifting your weight to the outside border of one foot while you shift to the inside border of the other foot. Make small movements from side to side like this and make sure to move your pelvis. Spread your arms out wide to the sides to assist with balance. Imagine you are skiing or skating!

[@JodieKrantz]

thomasina838 Where are you living? I wonder if there is a Feldenkrais practitioner in your area?

[@thomasina838]

Jodie Krantz i live in Maryland. i know there is an Feldenkrais Institute in Baltimore. but that is an hour or more drive from where i am. also i am an old lady living on Social Security so my finances are not too great. still, i have a lead to someone in my area. Right now i am doing what i can by myself. and having great results, i might add.

[@thomasina838]

Jodie Krantz thank you for replying. those are great tips. since i posted my question i have tried it once with my feet side by side and i could balance. then the next day i tried it with my feet somewhat in a straight line. much harder to balance but i could do it. and yes, the hips do move. by the way, i also did your videos on Freeing the Hips. also extremely effective. i am going to post a comment there.

[@JodieKrantz]

thomasina838 , that is what I really love, I can help people all round the world and it costs them nothing. This is just such a pleasure for me. Keep up the good work! I will keep posting videos. Also I'd like to suggest you try my series on Free Your Neck and Back: The Spinal Arches - I think this will also really help you . . . kzbin.info/www/bejne/lXucqWl3dsqZjM0

[@sabrinab5220]

Sorry l just understand " the over there in Paris" :))) Hi over there in Australia Jodie:))

[@JodieKrantz]

Sabrina Boukhemacha We are going to Croatia and Italy and Switzerland this year but the closes we are going to get to Paris is Geneve! Peutetre l'annee prochaine?

[@Halagini]

The audio in the very beginning is strange. You can see the lips are not synced, and it sounds like it's reversed with reverb. How?

[@JodieKrantz]

Yes you right, it was made back in the dark ages when my primitive mobile phone was a my only recording equipment! Humble beginnings!

[@sabrinab5220]

Thanks I Will check around if I find bone of life:)! You 'ré in Paris, really?!

[@amarcelous]

Omg!!!

[@JodieKrantz]

Did you discover something new nonya?

[@sabrinab5220]

But l feel, my ankle is more strong ... :))

[@selfhealingwork]

Thank you, Jodie

[@JodieKrantz]

@@selfhealingworkmy pleasure, thank you for watching Marta ♥️🙏

[@veronicaledesma2254]

MIL GRACIAS . UN GRAN ABRAZO CARIÑOSO.

[@sabrinab5220]

Hi Jodie! Thanks! Yes it make sense and It´s so abvious :) My problem too,, I have a tight or a very tight middle back and it is difficult to make the good movement on the left and right side with arms on the head:) I think if I relieve my middle back I Will have better hipe and low back free, no?!! And it Will be easier for my ankles problem! What do you think? i must to relieve my low and middle back first Jodie, with feldenkrais lessons?!

[@JodieKrantz]

Hi Sabrina, I suggest you try my videos called 'Free your Back and Neck - The Spinal Arches'