Moving Arms, Moving Shoulder Blades

around a Curved Rib Cage

The rib cage offers the shoulder blades a rounded surface to move over. Looking at it from another perspective, the rib cage supports arm movement.

Restoring rib cage flexibility and mobility, like we did last week in Let’s Move The Rib Cage improves arm and hand movements and also contributes to restoring the natural curved surface of the rear and sides of the rib cage over which the shoulder blade should be able to move. What exactly am I talking about? Movements like these…

• delivering arms to instrument

• instrument to body

• wrist flexibility

• finger coordination and facility

• and the list goes on…

In this picture, you can see that the underside of the shoulder blade is indeed concave.

When we pair the concave underside of the shoulder blade with the rounded shape of the outer rib cage it is easy to see how important rib cage shape is in arm movement.

That leads me to this week. This movement will help you connect the hand and arm to the shoulder blade. Use breathing to support the curved shape and flexibility of the rib cage over which the shoulder blade can glide…

After you have done this movement what is it like to deliver your instrument? deliver your arms to an instrument or for a gesture? breathe?

Be curious…