How to reduce neck & shoulder tension by softening hands | Feldenkrais Style

[@marniemacdonald1485]

this was Great!! thanks so much. I became immediately aware of the constant tension in hands when raising etc. And now as i type, I see I can learn a whole very different way of typing. It Relaxes the neck to type with soft hands. I love your videos. they are so good, and you teach them so simply. thank you !!!

[@TaroIwamoto]

thank you for your comment! Glad you find this video helpful! Simple is the best, isn't it?

[@juniorarthur3683]

What manner or magic is this ?! That just unlocked my very,very tight neck and shoulders ! 😲

[@sophiesmith5922]

This video explains a LOT. When we hold our cell phones and keep our free hand up to text, we practice continual muscle tension locked in a single position. Combine that with injury and inflammation, perfect recipe for losing range of motion and hurting your neck.

[@mezzofeldenkrais6131]

And this is why Feldenkrais needs to be a requirement in all music schools. :)

[@carolinejackson9405]

My tai chi teacher always says "more qi gong" now I know what I am aiming for. I am always tense, hope to now be able to move on. Thank you so much.

[@Gavigrace]

Thank you so much, Taro! I spend eight hours a day typing and using a keyboard. This short video is wonderful and has me being conscious of how much stress I am adding to my day by my habitual extending of my fingers. You are the BEST!

[@TaroIwamoto]

Thank you! simple awareness can make a big difference!

[@noahtenshen]

What I noticed when I was paying attention was that I was finally paying attention. Awareness is a good thing.

[@k3y289]

Unbelievable. The more I watch your videos, the more aware I get of my body. Its day 3 and I already learned how to focus my breath on certain parts and release muslce tension just by focus. Tried it on my feet and it worked. Again Taro. Thanks for sharing all this positive energy. Your mission is working.

[@TaroIwamoto]

Glad to hear my mission is working!

[@fred-jandejong244]

I had real severe pain from hand to neck and thought that I had heart failure, I felt in my chest and I now understand it why. Again thank you so much🙏

[@kamikan22]

I am musician so I have extreme awareness of those parts and was relaxed in all or most. But I dont think if I have that kind of awareness in neck/shoulders/back, need similar video for those 🥺

[@rrp6912]

I do a lot of driving and these exercises have been so helpful. Tension is gone from my shoulder, neck and arms. THANK YOU!!!! Feels great.

[@markme4]

Same here, I'm much more relaxed and focused while driving now. Tension in my neck and face is much better and I just discovered these fantastic videos.

[@melissatalevich7969]

This is so good! I'm a massage therapist and use my arms, hands, fingers 5 to 6 hours a day. I will start doing these movements between clients. Thank you so much, Taro!

[@TaroIwamoto]

Wonderful! You're very welcome:)

[@debrajackson8072]

Taro, thank you, thank you, thank you for posting! One of your videos popped up on my feed, so I watched it. I'm in the process of watching all of your videos. I've had fibromyalgia for 24 years and this is the first time I've felt real hope that I can live without so much muscle pain and tension.

[@wendymiller9325]

Thank you Taro I’m grateful to have access to your teaching. Thank you for sharing and for your open heart 🙏🏻

[@TaroIwamoto]

You're welcome:)

[@era1442]

I feel blessed to find this video, and feeling the exercises make me even a little moved, because it feels like something is finally helping.

[@toniejones9104]

Amazing how you have alleviated neck pain in one minute, thank you

[@juliavanrun-kilic1744]

I immediately realized that I extended my elbows as well. But that this is not necessary! Lot of unnecessary tension! I just found your channel! And very happy about your content! Thank you so much!!🙏🏻

[@TaroIwamoto]

welcome to my channel!!

[@lisetteburgess4432]

Thank you so much Taro.. I’ve had 3 years plus of debilitating forearm pain, which has drastically reduced my function and confidence. I was a conservator/restorer so held/hold my hands very tight. So keen to start these exercises and awareness.

[@TaroIwamoto]

You are welcome. feel free to ask me any questions along your journey

[@jennyhunter9346]

You explain things so clearly and in depth that it makes the practice so easy. ☺️

[@rastagirl007]

Wonderful!! Today when I have my shoulder tension checked at Chiro, I will know how to hold my hand! Thank you for daily education, Taro.

[@MGAnnAd]

Dear Taro, I have a deskjob and tried your softening hands technique. Basically what you saying is when you tire your hands you end up tiring your neck and shoulders and causing pain in those areas, correct? what an amazing revelation !!! Never thought of it this way. I tried your technique while typing on the keyboard. It appears like my hands have no life in them, but just the fingers do the work while my hand is bent downwards. Interestingly, I usually don't feel any pain when I begin my work and things get bad with time and it aches my shoulder and neck. I already use your "pelvic adjustment" technique when I sit and it has greatly reduced my pain (where you act like you are going to get up but dont, put more effort on the pelvic bones etc; some other video of yours) and now I will add this "softening" hand technique while I sit for work. The only pain I feel now is in the T area of shoulder blade (and down) on the back side perhaps because I start slouching forward/rounded neck after sitting a while. Is there anything to address this issue? I have pain in this area after sitting for a while. You are doing an awesome job. Thanks to you have I have learnt two techniques which have significantly reduced my pain. Love and respect from India.

[@TaroIwamoto]

Thanks for your comment! Have you watched two videos on how to release neck, shoulder tension? I think they can be very helpful for you

[@sophiesmith5922]

Lol. Pain in muscles that support your back and shoulders because they are weak from unuse. We dont use the shoulder blade muscles when we slouch so weak muscles from no use leads to more slouching, hump back, nerd neck. Gets easier with practice.

[@MGAnnAd]

@@sophiesmith5922 makes sense. Thanks for sharing Sophie.

[@DarlenePendleton-j7q]

Great, just exactly what I need, have needed for years. Thank you!

[@dmax7029]

Thank you sir I hope this works for my arthritis coz right now now my right arm from shoulder to the fingers are very stiff.. I love this movements it's so gentle and no pressure definitely going practice it everyday.. Take care God bless 👍👍🙏

[@mlgu662]

Now I know Taro. I feel happy all of a sudden. Thank you

[@mezzofeldenkrais6131]

Just did this again....LOVE the differences. I had to laugh thinking about all the warrior poses I've done over the years...and imagining a whole different warrior pose with soft hands :) Iyengar would have never approved :)

[@lindah0909]

Thank you it really worked took tension out of my neck and shoulder on left side it is brilliant thank you.

[@TaroIwamoto]

Suggested book(s): - Awareness Through Movement: amzn.to/3jrRZ70 (*my amazon affiliate link)

[@amberfuchs398]

These are such great simple body practices to improve our movement. Thank you!

[@TaroIwamoto]

you're welcome:)

[@louisvanbeek1]

Thank you , my wrists feel more lose and lost some tension in the arms, but my fingers still feel stiff and thick, this because of holding a heavy pole all day with my work as surveyor. hopefully you will make a video about getting the fingers more souplle and relaxed. but thanks for sharing and the work you put in this 🙏

[@nancymcginnis3959]

Excellent! I'm elderly and this is very helpful.

[@TaroIwamoto]

wonderful!

[@MotivationX2013]

Good quality work 👍 Thanks for sharing

[@TAMILTHEANARUVI]

Absolutely needful one for all👏👏👏👏

[@petraterpstra9955]

I like the way you explain things in a relaxed manner Thanks for these usefull tips.

[@stevefelstead2347]

❤ This guy is amazing!!!!

[@anca5480]

Wow, is not difficult just unusual to do these movements! Thank you very much!

[@carmellewis2466]

This is really helpful for shaolin qi gong practice...thanks so much. I always learn such clear, simple effective solutions from you!

[@TaroIwamoto]

Glad to hear!

[@noodlesm8282]

Thank you Taro. Keep up the good work 👍 I forgot to mention what a fantastic help your TMJ release exercise has been for me 🙏

[@TaroIwamoto]

Thank you!

[@yarazooom]

@@TaroIwamoto if we look at the cat, an animal with tremendous tension needed in feet/hands and shoulders/hips to hunt & survive, do you notice how it instinctually kneads with paws? it is a flexing & relaxing those muscles that need constant attention to perform at high level. humans also need this release. Mr. Feldenkrais must have noticed that too. THKU for your channel. I started his therapy technique in 1972 as dancer & still use it daily

[@barkhashah]

It was very meditative for me and had all other benefits too

[@maraapidopoulou8512]

so much martial arts movement in your movement!!! Great work!

[@TaroIwamoto]

yes! thats a part of my movement background

[@MayDayHK]

This WOOOOOOOOOW'ed me.... thank you Taro!!!

[@TaroIwamoto]

you are welcome!

[@deedouglas636]

very eye opening! thank you

[@Yogaon5th]

Loved this one, thank you 😊 🙏

[@StarQualityVideo]

Genius. Thank you.

[@rc0mplex]

Really nice video. Thanks so much!

[@TaroIwamoto]

Thank you!

[@garrettedmison7533]

Thank you thank you thank you

[@brigittemilde44]

Thank you so much. Your Videos are so helpful and it is needed little effort for immense result. 👍❤️

[@TaroIwamoto]

Thank you so much!!

[@etoiledesneiges77]

Very nice 👍 it will definitely help my pain and tension in wrists and shoulders

[@TaroIwamoto]

good!

[@raineedaytinyfilms]

Nice! I can see this REALLY helping me!

[@TaroIwamoto]

glad.to hear that!

[@judetomei9122]

Thank you for this video.

[@TaroIwamoto]

you're welcome:)

[@MM-uv6kb]

My cast has just come off after arm fracture. It's really painful with little wrist mobility along with neck tension. I'll gently try to do these movements. Thank you 😊

[@blahsan451]

Thank you, thank you !

[@TaroIwamoto]

my pleasure

[@vincecallagher7636]

You are great!

[@TaroIwamoto]

Thanks!

[@frethmanhervas3170]

Thank you!

[@TaroIwamoto]

my pleasure!

[@r4blanks]

Brilliant brother!👍👍👍👍☑️

[@funkybassymf132]

Hello, thanks for the video! I am a musician (double bassist) and I have developed a habit of overusing my pinky and the muscles in the side of my hand connected to my pinky. Do you any advice or exercises for reducing tension in that area of the hand? Thanks!

[@TaroIwamoto]

Thanks for leaving the comment. Sure there is simple movement awareness lesson around that area. As it is difficult to describe in writing, I will make a video in the future.

[@susanlarouche1758]

Awesome

[@vincecallagher7636]

Your right! I paint and it took years to Earn to relax hand holding brush

[@TaroIwamoto]

we carry so much unnecessary tension, dont we?

[@davepowell7168]

I'm trying to improve my classical guitar technique which involves sitting in a static position for hours. Your information has helped me to add versatility in posture for duration. The video of your son standing was useful to observe how asymmetrical natural movement is perfectly balanced, I have chairs for visitors but sit on the floor always, can standing from a crossed leg seated position without using hands or taking a knee to rise damage joints?

[@TaroIwamoto]

Great observation! You can practice spiral to stand, spiral to sit, and when you become very efficient, you can get up without using hands.

[@davepowell7168]

@@TaroIwamoto Thanks Taro, I value your opinion.

[@gnarthdarkanen7464]

Yep... Definitely another one to mess with a bit... I like what I'v seen and tested so far... I just like to check it out pretty thorough (meaning "repetition") before I start pasting links all over... I ride motorcycles, often endurance and LONG distances... As such I learned "the old fashioned way" (read "miles in the saddle and fatigue") how to properly handle the grips... Inexperienced riders are often complaining about struggling with control, when in truth, they're JUST too tense all the time. If you can't flex and move, you CAN NOT RIDE A MOTORCYCLE... haha... (I learned that the hard way too)... SO these exercises seem like just the thing to suggest when I see that kind of issue coming up... whether during coaching in person... OR when I'm in the comments of a "MOTO Vlog Channel"... whatever. Thanks... ;o)

[@feliciacudjo4720]

Thank you so much Dr 🙏

[@TaroIwamoto]

you are welcome!

[@bonniecampbell1268]

I have sever arthritis in my shoulder and this exercise is amazing . Thank you !

[@RickyJr46]

Taro, does the art of Japanese calligraphy involve using a soft hand technique?

[@TaroIwamoto]

thats a very interesting question. I have never thought about that. Now I will have to study Japanese calligraphy a bit. You got me curious now! thank you!

[@raineedaytinyfilms]

Nice!

[@TaroIwamoto]

:)

[@petrabouwer5161]

Dear Taro, Do you happen to have a video about elbow pain? I deliver the mail and wear the pil of mail on my arm so now I have a very irritaded m=elbow, like there are needles in the medialis side of my left elbow. These muscles are attached to the outside of the elbow and cause a nagging pain there. It is an injury that is common in tennis. That's why it's called tennis elbow by many people. Doctors call this overload epicondylitis lateralis. The attachment of the flexor muscles can also become overloaded. These run to the inside of your elbow. Golfers suffer from this. But also tennis players. Thank you so much. Petra

[@TaroIwamoto]

Hi! I do not have videos specifically on elbow (either lateral/medial epicondylitis), but my teaching principles are the same regardless. You can unload your elbow by redistributing your effort, by bringing more support from more proximal parts of your body (shoulders, torso, hips, legs). My shoulder videos and hip, back videos are all related to elbows, so I recommend you wath them.

[@Renmiou]

Do you have specific advice for digital artists? I try to draw from my shoulder as much as possible and I don't grip my stylus really tightly but I do have to grip it somewhat so I can hold it up. I also feel that more precise movements do require me to use my wrist more. Are there ways to train precision while maybe not gripping the stylus so much?

[@laylaseirafiinlingua9915]

Thank you, Taro! (I noticed in the first and second exercises, my thumb and forefinger touched when I relaxed my hand - Is that okay?)

[@TaroIwamoto]

you are welcome! yes thats okay:)

[@Summerkirsom]

another interesting one. I have trigger fingers on both hands middle fingers

[@banyanphotography]

I am also a musician (cellist) and find it such a challenge to play without tension in the hands, forearms and shoulders. Would this be something to do before or after playing?

[@TaroIwamoto]

i would definitely do before, but you can also do after

[@nataliatc1]

WOW

[@iliketurtles536]

Great videos, but its hard to hear you, maybe a mic on your collarr or something.

[@fabbiana3799]

Thank you amazing how much tension we hold needlessly!(just discovered your channel.)🙏🏻

[@TaroIwamoto]

we carry so much unnecessary tension without being aware of it. Emotional state directly affects our muscle tone and physical state, thus, to improve our health, we need to pay attention to all aspects of our lives. We can start with very simple movement practice to become more aware of ourselves.

[@OneFingerMan]

When i let my wrists and fingers dangle, my index fingers on both hands are still flexed and do not go down low to the same level as the other fingers. There is probably a 45° difference between my index fingers and the others.

[@nikkiepperson7855]

Do you have any suggestions for stroke recovery for hand/fingers? Trying these exercises first. I can move my affected arm and hand just not fingers yet.

[@nickashton3584]

sui lim tau in wing chun agrees wholeheartedly

[@rkalmbacher]

magic is real

[@Juls27989]

Hi, have you got any advice/ exercises to do after whip lash please ?

[@moniquehamans8496]

I'm becoming aware of a huge amount of tension in my right forearm; is it that I'm just getting aware of the tension that was there all along?

[@TaroIwamoto]

That is quite possible. We carry out everyday tasks with lots of unnecessary effort and muscular tension without conscious awareness until it becomes so uncomfortable or we pay our attention to our bodies.

[@moniquehamans8496]

@@TaroIwamoto yes amazing how these 'exercises' work! Thank you

[@TaroIwamoto]

@@moniquehamans8496 My pleasure!

[@dinaaa8164]

it hursts my neck and shoulder more when i do these exercises

[@TaroIwamoto]

my guess is that you are still efforting too much though probably unconsciously. i would slow down movement and try to let go of unnecessary effort

[@sfgoncalves]

How long should you do this excersizes

[@TaroIwamoto]

This is an awareness exercise that helps you become aware of how you habitually hold your hands/wrists/fingers with unnecessary tension/effort. Bringing this awareness into daily activities such as driving, desk work can really reduce muscle tension to neck, shoulders, hands/wrists.

[@louisakemp]

Wow...it is really difficult 😳

[@TaroIwamoto]

harder than looks, huh? letting go of unnecessary effort is much harder than increasing muscle effort

[@beesplaining1882]

I missed the part where the link between wrist tension and neck and shoulder tension was explained.

[@TaroIwamoto]

hand and neck are neurologically connected ,so increased tension around hands can affect tension around neck.

[@elh141]

Do you have any suggestions for a fractured wrist 6 months into recovery?

[@TaroIwamoto]

i need more details. what are you struggling with?

[@iiiDartsiii]

I guess it will be very difficult for me since I drive all day then come home to my compuer.

[@conchilabarga3172]

🙂🙃😊

[@mietonen]

"Sturm Ung Strang"- Or, "Storm & Stress" was a 1900's,(?) style-age of the German writers - Like Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

[@oakraiderz20]

My wrist is popping every time. Is this okay?

[@TaroIwamoto]

does popping bother you, cause discomfort? if not, probably ok

[@oakraiderz20]

@@TaroIwamoto Thank you My wrist is not popping today. I have many issues that this method may help with. I must now study. Thank you for your work.

[@5d512]

Omg.

[@cordellsenior9935]

The audio is too low...

[@milou66]

Is it weird that intentionally releasing that tension in my arms makes me want to scream?

[@TaroIwamoto]

scream out of relief from pain and tension? physical tension and mental tension are connected, so changes in feelings from changes in physical tension are not so crazy

[@milou66]

@@TaroIwamoto I had a Pilates intructor once tell me during an adjustment that I had so much tension in my body that it felt like I was about to punch him. (I wasn't!) I realised a long time ago that I hold my body as if someone could just randomly hit me at any moment.

[@looseunit9180]

Why do you call this Feldenkrais when it is not?

[@TaroIwamoto]

I mentioned "Feldenkrais Style" in that i use Feldenkrais principles. I agree this is not Feldenkrais Method.

[@washingtonalvarezmartorell7624]

I think it is Feldenkrais. looking for tensions, slowly movements ,, ertc.

[@cynthiacunha447]

Thank you!!!

[@rastagirl007]

Thanks!

[@TaroIwamoto]

thank you for your support!