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Friday, October 28, 2011

How can I get more chest movement?

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Moving the chest is new to many dance exercise or Zumba students.  It's not uncommon to see students moving their arms or hips instead, when they're trying to move their chest.  Some women think they can't see their chest movement because they have small chests.  The truth is, you don't need a large chest to move it, chest size has nothing to do with the skeleton and muscles that are moving the chest, so even a flat chested person can achieve dramatic chest movement.  Three basic chest movements are described below and shown on the video.  http://www.youtube.com/user/SheilaLebedenko#p/u/6/phHF__qdvU0
    I will also show stretches for these 3 basic movements.  The more flexible you become with these 3 stretches, the more dramatic your chest movement will be.  These 3 basic movements can also be combined to make chest circles, figure 8's, and V's.  Actually, you can use your chest to draw any letter in the alphabet!

Chest pop (forward and back)
     Try using the imagery of sitting in a chair to learn how to pop your chest.  Most people love to slump while sitting.  So grab a chair.  Then slump, and sit up straight. Slump, sit straight, slump, sit straight.  Keep repeating.  Focus on what is happening to your chest as you do this natural movement.  Your pelvis will also move, but just focus on your chest for now.  This practice focuses on the backward part of the chest pop (from neutral to backward,) which is the easiest for new students to understand.  The next part, lying on the floor, will focus on the front part of the chest pop.
     Now try lying on your back on the floor.  In a neutral position, you should not be able to fit your hand under your midback (where the lady's bra strap is).  Now lift your mid back just enough to place your hand underneath.  Switch back and forth between these two positions several times.  Notice your chest and back moving.  This practice takes you from neutral to chest pop forward.  Imagine how you will do the same movement standing up. 
     Now try the chest pop standing up.  Imagine a string is tied to your sternum.  Now pull it forward.  To reverse the movement,  imagine using your finger to poke your sternum backward.
When your sternum is moving forward, think about squeezing your shoulder blades together.  When your sternum is moving backward, think about stretching your shoulder blades apart.  You can pass through neutral each time, especially in a more energetic dance, or you can stop at neutral and only do the front part of the chest pop (belly dance style)
     After you've come this far, you can add arms.  For a dramatic look, You could pull your arms backward as your chest moves forward, and vice versa.  You could also do chest fly arms where your arms come apart as your chest moves forward and back together as your chest moves backward.
    A great stretch to improve your chest pop can be done at the bar or holding on to the back of a sturdy chair.  First, stand with your back to the bar.  Place your arms behind you, holding on to the bar.  Imagine you are at the tip of the Titanic, flying in the breeze.  Let your sternum fall forward.  Let your shoulder blades squeeze behind you.  Hold for 30-60 seconds.  Now turn around and face the bar.  Holding on to the bar, keep your pelvis forward, but let your midback fall straight backward.  You can also do these two stretches on your hands and knees as a reverse cat stretch and a cat stretch. 

Chest slide (or ribcage slide) (side to side)
     First, assume a side lying position on the floor.  Prop yourself up with your forearm.  Your shoulder will pop up, and gravity will let the downward side of your ribcage stretch to the floor.  Consciously lower your shoulder so your neck is lengthened.  This is the position you are seeking when you are vertical, without the assistance of gravity.  For an exercise, lift your ribcage to neutral and return to downward position, repeating several times.  Then repeat on the other side.  Feel the difference between your ribcage stretched to the side and the neutral position that you're always in.  When you are lying down, the stretched position is easier, due to gravity.  Many people who think they can't chest slide standing up do it fine lying down.  But if you can do it lying down, you can do it standing up!  Transfer the feeling from a horizontal to vertical position.
     Now try it standing up.  Imagine a string is tied to your ribs, one on each side, right where a woman's bra would be.  Remember your floor work and imagine someone is pulling the string to the right, then the left.  The hips should not move.
     One student couldn't chest slide side to side until I asked her to keep her arms straight and reach to the right, then the left.  Then she did it.  If that helps you, try it!  Once you can do it, you can try different arm movements along with it, such as bending your arms at the elbow and extending your opposite arm away from the direction of chest movement. 

Chest twist (or shoulder shimmy)
Many students think we're shaking and showing off our goodies during this move, but it's actually a spinal movement.  Of course, your breasts will go along for the ride.  Imagine a coffee cup holder on your spinal vertebra, midback, where a lady's bra strap would be.  Imagine someone is turning the holder, making your chest and shoulders twist from side to side.  Your chest and shoulders will rotate around your spine.  You probably do this all the time while driving and backing up out of your driveway (twisting to the right), unless you have a rearview camera and never look backward!  Technology can make us lazy!  Start with slow, small movements.  Gradually make the movements bigger.  Then gradually make them faster.  As you get faster, the movements will get smaller for want of time.  The fast movement is called a shoulder shimmy.
     You can stretch to prepare for chest twists by sitting in your chair, holding on to the back, and twisting to look over each shoulder.

Advanced chest movements (next blog entry)
     Chest circles
     Chest V's, U's
     Sideways Figure 8's
     Backward/Forward Figure 8's

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