我上週去了吉隆坡參加動態神經肌肉穩定術 (DNS) 培訓。在課程中，老師談及改善動態或動作模式其中一個要點時，讓我即時聯想到瑜伽式子(Asana) 練習的一個重點- 感知。
練習瑜伽式子時，我們強調將注意力帶回自己身體，不只是單純擺擺姿勢，更需要去感覺、感受身體內在狀況；當我們活動時，身體的姿勢如何，哪一部分在動、在發力，我們真的能感覺到身體的每個部分嗎？如果你細心留意，可能會發現自己與身體的某部分失去了聯繫。以我自己為例，當我進行軀幹旋轉阻力訓練時，我能夠做出動作，但卻不能完全感覺到腹斜肌的收縮。
老師指出，在動作模式訓練中，本體感覺或肌肉運動知覺（感知關節或四肢運動的能力）比肌肉力量更重要。從傳統的角度來看，關節活動幅度(ROM)及肌肉力量(MMT)不足會視為無法執行某些動作的主因。除了這兩個因素外，本體感覺是另一個非常重要的關鍵。為了能好好地控制特定動作，我們首先要能夠感覺到所涉及的身體部位和動作。當我們感覺不佳時，原本要發力的身體部位未能完全運作，跟著身體部份便需要去幫助完成而發展出代償模式，影響動作效能。
還記得上堂時其中一個示範，測試髖上舉(hip flexion)的動作時，原本同學無法良好地完成動作；但當老師將她移動一下，放在一個可加強髖關節感覺的位置上，她的動作立即得到改善，而無任何代償動作。
當你下次進行任何運動時，試試不要盲目重複去做，嘗試感覺一下自己的身體及動作。做慢一點，將內在感覺與外在動作連繫。這不僅可以幫助你提升動作質素、避免補償性運動模式，長期更能預防因動作模式欠佳而引發的肌肉勞損問題。
最後，從瑜伽的角度來說，身體能量是跟隨意識/感知而流動 (where awareness goes, energy flows)。當我們能好好感知身體每一部份，能量流動會更暢順更強，自然身體也更健康強壯。而這一切都是從對自己身體感知覺察開始。
I have gone to Kuala Lumpur attending Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) training last week. In the course, the teacher Mr. Robert talked about one concept in movement reeducation that made me felt so connected to those of practicing Asana in Yoga.
While practicing Asana, awareness of our own body is always encouraged in every pose or asana. We not only DO the pose, but we FEEL it too. How we hold our body, how we feel in the pose… Can we really feel every part of our body? To my surprise, when I brought my awareness to my own body during exercise, I always found that I lost connection to certain part of my body. For example, when I did trunk rotation resistance training, I could do the movement but I couldn’t feel the oblique muscle contraction well.
During the training, Robert states that the kinesthesia (the ability to sense the motion of a joint or limb) is more important than the muscle strength alone while doing the movement. In traditional point of view, we always think that limited range (ROM) and decreased strength (MMT) are the reasons for inability to perform certain movement. It is true to certain extent. However, we forget one very important component – kinesthesia, the ability to sense the motion of a joint or limb. In order to control a specific movement well, we have to able to feel the involved body part and the movement. If we can’t feel it well, other part of body may help to do it and develop compensatory pattern.
In one of the demo during the training, the student first couldn’t perform certain movement well; however, once the teacher put her in certain position that helped to increase the sense of that involved body part, the quality of movement immediately improved without any compensatory movement.
When you perform any exercise next time, try not just blindly DO it, but FEEL it too. If it is allowed, do the movement slowly, feel which part of body involved and how our body moves. This type of awareness can help you not only improve the quality of movement, avoid compensatory movement pattern, but also prevent any muscular problem in long term.
Lastly, there's one statement in Hatha Yoga that shares similar point of view. "Where awareness goes, energy flows"
When we have good inner awareness of our body, the energy normally flows better and without blockage. As energy circulates well, we have a healthy and strong physical body, for which all starts with Awareness.
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