Peter Egoscue is the founder of the Egoscue method , a postural therapy used in 24 specialized clinics around the world. Peter is a former Marine and self-taught physical therapist who gained fame through experiments on himself and athletes. One of his early experiences is often recounted by instructors teaching his technique.
Peter was called into the locker room of a professional wrestler who sprained his ankle. Peter , who was only nearby because the show's producer was his friend , told the athlete to lie down on the floor and place his injured leg on the top edge of the dressing room locker. He advised to raise his leg because he not know what else to do. Then they called Peter , he went out and returned only after 15 minutes. Without choosing expressions , the athlete said that lying with a raised leg is just wasting time: the sensations in the ankle remained the same.
6 exercises according to the method of Peter Egoscue
Exercise 1. Static posture lying on your back
Exercise 2: Elbow Static Stretch
Exercise 3. Bridge on the shoulders with a pillow
Exercise 4. Active bridge with a pillow
Exercise 5A. Position on the back with a gradual rise from the groin with the help of a support-rack
Exercise 5B. Position on the back with a gradual rise from the groin with the help of a support-chair
Exercise 6
But for some due to chronic back pain.
Peter asked a simple question - "why?". He then began repeating and refining this unusual stretch on the locker door until the success rate for back pain was so impressive that the pose had to be given a name. This is how the “prone position with a gradual rise from the groin” appeared, which I later simply fell in love with. Decades later, Peter still emphasizes the importance of doubt and questioning , addressing the students at Egoskew University: "I don't know anything , so anything is possible in my world."
Egoscue's method didn't make me love at first sight. Thanks to communication with athletes, I learned about it long before I decided to try it myself in 2009. I put off this moment as long as I could , because the reviews about it had an unpleasant connotation of cult. Judging by them , one could expect anything - from the disappearance of allergies to getting rid of digestive problems; I was shown videos of participants experiencing involuntary spasms of their whole body during some of the "e-poses" , suspiciously resembling severe epileptic seizures.
I decided that I would try to do without this sectarian variety of Pilates. If I decide to train my pelvic floor muscles and at the same time twirl a dead cat over my head , I can handle this task myself. And I ignored the Egoscue method , despite the rave reviews from golf legend Jack Nicklaus and NFL and Super Bowl players like John Lynch.
And then in June 2009, I was having lunch in Tempe , Arizona with a friend who had an Egoscue session scheduled that same day with John Cattermole , a reputed 25 year physiotherapist. I agreed to accompany a friend for a trial session , and prepared for some sort of voodoo ritual.
Instead, after 90 minutes, I found that I had no back pain for the first time in six months.
I could not believe it. This was one of the many occasions when I severely reproached myself for throwing the baby out with the water. My experience also reinforces two truisms: ( 1) any method will have supporters who misunderstand it and only increase confusion in the process of dissemination , and ( 2) as Bruce Lee emphasized , it is very important to "assimilate the useful , discard the useless, and add what
is only suits you." Based on the results of several months of experiments on myself and those who are used to slouching over laptops , sedentary people, I can recommend six exercises to eliminate postural imbalances that give the 80/20 effect. For freelancers who work from home , and those with understanding colleagues , I advise you to perform exercises No. 1 , No. 2 and No. 3 after every 2-3 hours spent at the table or in a sitting position , and do all five exercises at least once a week .
The most uncomfortable , , and time-consuming of the five, the supine position with a gradual rise from the groin is the most effective remedy I know of for relieving tight psoas and other hip flexors , and for relaxing the pelvis and hamstring muscles.
1. Static supine pose
>> Set - 1 >> Rep - 1 >> Duration - 5 minutes
Description:
1. Lie on your back , put your feet on a chair or other support.
2. Stretch your arms out to the sides , palms up, at an angle of about 45 to your body.
The thumbs should touch the floor. 3. Relax your upper back , make sure that the lower back is firmly and evenly attached to the floor , and the spine is not curved to the right or left.
4. Hold this position for five minutes.
2.
Elbow Static Stretch
>> Set
- 1 >> Rep - 1 >> Duration - 1 minute the wrists form a straight line; the hip joints should be directly above the knees). 2. Moving your palms , move forward 15 cm , then put your elbows in place of the palms.
3. Gather your fingers into relaxed fists , turn them with your thumbs up and to the sides.
4. Take the pelvis backto the heelsso that a deflection forms in the lower back.
5. Lower your head.
6. Hold this position for 60 seconds.
3. Shoulder bridge with pillow
>> Set - 1 >> Rep - 1 >> Duration - 1 minute
Description:
1. Lie on your back , bend your knees , point your feet straight forward.
2. Place a pillow between your knees , do not forget to squeeze it when doing the exercise.
3. Relax your upper body , lift your pelvis and lower back off the floor.
4. Hold at the top of the lift for one minute.
4. Active Pillow Bridge
>> Sets – 3 >> Reps – 15
Description:
1. Perform the previous exercise , but instead of lingering at the top of the lift , raise the pelvis as high as possible , and then slowly lower.
The movement should be as smooth and continuous as possible. 2. Do three sets of 15 reps.
Egoscue method: 6 exercises for the neck and middle of the back
5A.
Position on the back with a gradual rise from the groin with the help of a support-rack >> Duration - 25 minutes for each side
Description:
1. Lie on the floor , put one leg on a chair or other support , bending at an angle of 90 degrees ( in the picture this is the right leg ). Hands should be spread apart at an angle of 45 degrees to the body , palms turned up.
2. The leg on the support-stand must be shod.
3. Place your shod foot on the support-stand ( in the figure - the left foot), start from the lowest level and gradually rise higher until a deflection appears in the lower back.
This part of the exercise should be completed in the first 5 minutes. 4. Hold this position until your back is flat on the floor. Watch the straightening of the back rather than the time.
5. After 5 minutes, lower your foot to one level of the support-rack and linger in this position again.
6. Continue until the leg is extended straight and placed on the lowest level of the support-rack .
7. Switch legs and repeat the entire sequence.
Egoscue method: 6 exercises for the neck and middle of the back
5B.
Position on the back with a gradual rise from the groin with the help of a support-chair This is a less complete version of the previous position , although more comfortable.
1. Tie a T-shirt or sweatpants to a chair or doorknob.
2. Place a small chair or table, about knee high, next to the chair or doorknob.
3. Hook the heel of one foot on a T-shirt or trousers , put the other on a chair or table.
Hold this pose for 10 minutes. 4. Repeat , switching legs.
Egoscue Method: 6 neck and mid-back exercises
6. Shallow Squats
>> Set-1 >> Rep-1 >> Duration-2 minutes
Description:
1. Stand with your back against a wall with your feet and knees hip-width apart.
Feet point forward. 2. Stepping over your feet , move your legs away from the wall , while sliding down it until your legs are bent at the knees at an angle of 90 degrees. The ankles should be slightly in front of the knees , the lower back should fit snugly against the wall. Hands freely lower on the sides or put on your knees. Lean on your heels , do not transfer your body weight to your toes.
3. Stay in this position for 2 minutes.
The Egoscue Method: 6 Exercises for the Neck and Mid-Back
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