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Old 02-25-21, 02:41 PM  
daisymae
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pat58 View Post
Yes, I can't stand the chair. It's one of the top reasons I stopped using Essentrics. I couldn't find enough chair-less workouts to justify the ETV subscription.

It didn't hurt my foot, but those chair moves cause the psoas muscles by the standing leg to seize up and they just generally torqued and hurt my back.
Yes! I usually skip the barre stretches! But I keep trying because other people can do it apparently. I don't know why I torture myself! Lol. You are right about the psoas muscle. I feel like I am supposed to be relaxing into a stretch and instead I feel like my muscles are tensing up just trying to get into the right position and I get annoyed and frustrated! It feels much more relaxing and more balanced to have the floor support underneath when doing floor stretches and that way I would know both sides are getting stretched evenly. I really don't understand the point of stretching with a chair.
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Old 02-25-21, 02:43 PM  
daisymae
 
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Originally Posted by Paine View Post
In Classical Stretch/Essentrics, I never liked stretching my hamstrings with one foot on the chair doing windmills. It always feels like I'll lose my balance and I think it is an unsafe move. I would rather stretch my hamstrings on the floor with a strap or even in a standing forward fold.

I like the other exercises in CS/Essentrics using a chair, just not stretching hamstrings.
I completely agree!!!
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Old 02-25-21, 02:49 PM  
daisymae
 
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Originally Posted by yogapam View Post
It seems people either love or hate Essentrics chair work. I use a chair with a padded seat. When I teach chair work I switch sides a few times to avoid overworking the standing leg.
I think I will try a pad but if that doesn't feel better I am going to modify and just do floor stretches. The leg bent and foot flat up on the chair to stretch the psoas is fine...I do it around the house even. Can you tell me if there is a specific reason/benefit of stretching hamstrings on the chair vs the floor?
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Old 02-25-21, 03:35 PM  
DCW
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My body loves the barre work. I need it at least once or twice a week. I walk a lot more since Covid and I think walking on concrete sidewalks constantly stresses my body more.
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Old 02-25-21, 04:03 PM  
Izzy
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: West of Chicago in the Illinois Corn Belt
If I use a padded chair I don't have any issues. But like anything else, when it's more difficult, you probably need it more. At least this is true for me and CS/Essentrics Chair work. It's not my favorite but I know it's good for me.
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Old 02-25-21, 05:11 PM  
fanofladyvols
 
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Modify City, State of Fierce
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Originally Posted by daisymae View Post
I'm glad I'm not alone! That does make sense about putting too much pressure on the heel but if you're leaning over your leg to stretch it how do you not?!
Well what I do is I concentrate on having my supporting leg tensed and starting my movements shooting my glutes out so that very little of my weight is being supported by the heel on the chair. It's like 70% of my weight is in the supporting leg.

Maybe one of the CS instructors can explain it better?

I don't have plantar fasciitis ...it just seems like my heel feels so tender when doing it without the towel or a pad.

But not everything is for everyone so don't feel like you have to do every exercise. I know I don't
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Old 02-25-21, 05:46 PM  
yogapam
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: West coast of Canada, eh. ;)
Some suggestions that might help....

~Experiment with different chair heights. You can turn your chair around and use a stool against it. That way you still have the back of the chair for balance support.
~Keep the knee of your standing leg soft or slightly bent, don’t lock the knee joint
~Focus more on sitting your bum back than on leaning forward. That will take some weight off your heel & more on to your standing leg. And when you bring your torso forward, lead with your sternum.

There’s no one size fits all. I have students who love chair stretches and some who grudgingly tolerate them. And you can always modify and do your stretches on the floor.

ETA I hope JackieB will chime in!
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