The Tibetan Drum
This exercise resembles the motion of the hammers on a Tibetan hand drum. It's another one that adds movement to the basic horse stance albeit a little more vigorous than the previous. The emphasis here is on allowing the movement that originates from the pelvis to find its way to the hands without being impeded by any tension in the pelvis, the upper body or the arm and shoulder.
- Get into horse stance.
- Take some time to relax the muscles deep in your spine. Imagine your spine made of jelly and use focused awareness to make it heavy.
- Stand with your arms at your side. Make two fists with your thumbs on the inside.
- Push one side of your pelvis forward. It should be like a pelvic thrust but you’re only doing it on one side. This will cause your spine to rotate and arms to swing freely by your side.
- When you get to the end of the movement push the other side of your pelvis forward to take you back to the other side.
- Keep going left and then right slowly at first. Keep your upper body relaxed, your lower body solid, and move only from your pelvis.
- Your upper body will move but only because it’s being dragged around as you push from the pelvis.
- Allow your arms to hang loosely so they are the last part of your body to be dragged around by the movement at the waist.
- Your arms are like the string and your fists the hammers striking the drum. They are free to go wherever their momentum takes them because they are relaxed. The movement is being driven from the pelvis.
- As you pick up the momentum the push from the pelvis will thrust a little harder and the arms will swing a little more.
- Make your fists impact just below the bony protuberance at the front of the pelvis and at the same level at the back. You want to hit where there’s soft muscle tissue, not bone so you can hit reasonably hard.