Qigong - Wise Owl Looks Behind
This exercise will stretch certain muscles of the neck, shoulders, and hips while helping to improve your range of motion in these areas. It will also open up the joints of the spine. It lets us learn to distinguish between turning the head, shoulders and ribcage, and hips. In paddling, torso rotation requires us to turn our hips. Often, paddlers only turn their shoulders and ribcage which leads to less mobility in the stroke as well as less power.
The feet are about shoulder distance apart. Stand in good alignment.
Turn your head in one direction as far as it can comfortably turn.
Then, turn your shoulders and ribcage as far as they can comfortably turn.
Then, turn your hips as far as they can comfortably turn. At this point, you are looking behind yourself.
To bring your body back, start by turning your hips.
Then, turn your shoulders and ribcage.
Then, turn your neck, so that you are facing forward again
Continue to do the same thing on the other side.
Do this slowly a few times focusing on the three distinct movements. Then, make the movement continuous so that if flows without stopping as you turn in this manner from side to side.
Then, coordinate this with the breath. Start by inhaling while you face forward. Then exhale as you turn to the back. Inhale as you turn to the front again. Exhale as you turn to the back on the other side. Inhale as you turn to the front again on the other side.
Do about 10 times on each side, always alternating from side to side.