Alignments for pelvis

[Anonymous]

Hi Paul,

In the basic alignments video the instruction was to drop the pelvis to facilitate elongation of the spine. In the advanced alignments, there was a section on opening the back of the knee joint. In the indirect method, The instruction was to lift the pelvis to open the ancles and the back of the knees. After that has been achieved to the best of abilities, the instruction was to settle/relax the pelvis. This is my understanding of the instructions and I apologise if something is wrong.

With all that I’m a bit confused as to how we should drop the pelvis if at all. Dropping the pelvis feels right. At the same time, lifting the pelvis seems like a valuable technic to release pressure from the leg joints. With the procedures for the back knee opening I’m really sure what I’m to do. Even if I lift the pelvis and then settle it, should I attempt dropping it at some point?

[Anonymous]

Igor, To begin, you always drop the back of the pelvis, sacrum and tailbone
down to release open the lumbar vertebrae. In this position, you lift the
pelvis ever-so slightly to open the backs of the knees and ankles. When you do
this, DO NOT tilt the pelvis backwards. Instead, you maintain the alignments of
the lower spine and pelvis that you gained in the beginning. If for any reason
the pelvis does tilt back slightly or you use any muscular contraction around
the pelvis/lower spine when lifting (to open the backs of the knees), again you
relax the back of the pelvis down while maintaining the space gained in the
backs of the knees.

A quick look at the anatomy helps to understand this process. The psoas
muscles (the primary muscles that hold your spine upright) connect from the top
of your thigh bones through the pelvis to the lumbar vertebrae (lower back).
They do not connect to the sacrum or tailbone. This means you can use the psoas
to lift the spine and torso, which has a knock-on effect to open the backs of
the knees and ankles; and you can drop the sacrum and tailbone without allowing
the psoas muscles to shorten in length.

So the progression is:

1. Get your basic alignments online, ensuring that your sacrum and tailbone are dropped.
2. Lift the pelvis via the psoas muscles to open the backs of the knees.
3. Keeping the space in the backs of the knees, drop the sacrum and tailbone even more.

Remember these are all very small motions.

[Anonymous]

This instruction was very helpful, thank you!

[Author]

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