I have been looking for good video on the mechanics of handstands. The clip below is of an 18 year old in the Netherlands who is obsessed with doing handstands and learning parkour. I am more interested in watching handstands and watching people do parkour but whatever floats your boat. The thing to watch is the angle of his shoulders as they move past his wrists. This is the essence of the press handstand in yoga. Without a willingness to let the shoulders go past the wrists the body won't be able to find its way up. Kicking up always takes our shoulders past the wrist with momentum and they correct naturally when we are aloft. Watching the press handstand allows us to see the mechanics in slow motion. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xlxx26hfU28
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Front Lawns
I love the neighborhood where we live; beautiful houses, front lawns, gardens galore. It is also so sweet to see how many people are growing vegetables in our immediate area. Tomatoes are abundant, as well as many other herbs and veg. I think there is no better environment for raising a child in NYC and also for having and walking dogs.
But here is where it turns ugly. It is amazing to see how many people are obsessed with their lawns. Or more specifically not having dogs walk on them, let alone relieve themselves. What is up with that? As far as I can see no one uses their front yards. For all I know they are frolicking on the grass in their backyards but what about the front? These manicured lawns seem only for display and it drives me crazy. At least my dogs walk on them. What else is their function?
There is a company working to change all that. Here is a bit of the Edible Estates manifesto and a link to their website. They are looking for a lawn in New York City for their next project.
Edible estates is:
An attack on the American front lawn and everything it has come to represent. Edible Estates reconciles issues of global food production and urbanized land use with the modest gesture of a domestic garden. It is is an ongoing series of projects to replace the American front lawn with edible garden landscapes responsive to culture, climate, context and people. And, it is a practical food producing initiative, a place-responsive landscape design proposal, a scientific horticultural experiment, a conceptual land-art project, a defiant political statement, a community out-reach program and an act of radical gardening.
http://www.fritzhaeg.com/garden/initiatives/edibleestates/guidelines.html
But here is where it turns ugly. It is amazing to see how many people are obsessed with their lawns. Or more specifically not having dogs walk on them, let alone relieve themselves. What is up with that? As far as I can see no one uses their front yards. For all I know they are frolicking on the grass in their backyards but what about the front? These manicured lawns seem only for display and it drives me crazy. At least my dogs walk on them. What else is their function?
There is a company working to change all that. Here is a bit of the Edible Estates manifesto and a link to their website. They are looking for a lawn in New York City for their next project.
Edible estates is:
An attack on the American front lawn and everything it has come to represent. Edible Estates reconciles issues of global food production and urbanized land use with the modest gesture of a domestic garden. It is is an ongoing series of projects to replace the American front lawn with edible garden landscapes responsive to culture, climate, context and people. And, it is a practical food producing initiative, a place-responsive landscape design proposal, a scientific horticultural experiment, a conceptual land-art project, a defiant political statement, a community out-reach program and an act of radical gardening.
http://www.fritzhaeg.com/garden/initiatives/edibleestates/guidelines.html
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Mirror Neurons
Mirror neurons have interested me ever since I passed out late one night after watching two outfielders collide rather violently during a Mets game. Caitlin, my wife, was eight months pregnant at the time and everyone thought that I passed out due to the stress of impending fatherhood. I instinctually felt otherwise. After reading about mirror neurons I thought I found my explanation. Below is a link to an interesting piece from NPR.
Scientists Say Neuron Provides Ability to Mimic
by
Morning Edition, July 5, 2005 · Thanks to a brain cell called a mirror neuron, watching Tiger Wood's golf swing can actually improve your golf swing. Mirror Neurons make it possible for people to learn complex motor skills simply by seeing others perform them. These neurons are also thought to be involved in empathy and early language development.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Gravity
Did you know that astronauts grow up to 2 inches while they're in space? When they return to earth they return to their normal height.
To some degree, the same thing happens to you every night when you go to sleep. When you lie down, gravity isn't pushing down on your vertebrae and the cushiony discs are allowed to expand a bit. Should you want to test this idea, measure yourself before you go to sleep and again when you wake up. You should find that, similar to the astronaut in space, you are taller by around a half an inch. As you go through your day gravity does its magic on your vertebrae and bring you back down to size.
Gravity is both our ally and our nemesis. It can wreck terrible havoc on the body when we are not aligned. The reverse is true as well. The more we improve posture and movement patterns to align with gravity the less toll our daily activities will take on our bodies.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
