Monika Volkmar Bodywork

Are you wearing the right shoes? Here's a quick tutorial to see if your body likes your shoes, using the Anatomy in Motion movement check-in process :) I got new shoes and, because COVID, couldn't try them on first. Does my body like them? Watch the video and find out ;)... A lot of people ask, "What shoes should I buy?". The answer- The ones that don't fuck with your body ;) So here's a quick demo of how you can check in with your shoes to see if your body likes them. This video is my first time putting these shoes on, and I've got no idea what's going to happen. I typically buy Converse sneakers because I like the style, but I've never actually checked in to see if my body likes my style... ;) Step 1: Get your body's baseline by doing a few movement check-ins (AiM style) Step 2: Put on shoes and see if wearing them changes your movement check-ins. Step 3: Make a conscious, informed choice about whether you want to wear them ;) A simple, quick tool you can use when trying on shoes to help with your decision making. What are the best shoes for you? Let your BODY speak, not the 15 year old shoe sales rep, or the guy on Facebook claiming everyone should wear barefoot shoes. PS if you'd like an even more in depth description of how to check in with your shoes (and your feet), I did a full 90 minute Movement Nerd Hangout last August that you see on my Youtube channel.

Heads up dancers who are feeling like they need some support for when the time comes to return to the studio, rehearsals, classes, etc. Marissa Schaeffer PT, DPT, CSCS: Prehab and Rehab for Dancers has collaborated with some fantastic dance educators to create a program called Dance Ready Conditioning. Check it out: https://www.danceready.org/dance-ready-conditioning/ This is a three-week virtual conditioning program designed to help dancers improve fitness and reduce their r...isk for injury upon their return to the studio. The program includes daily classes in: ballet, modern, floor barre, gyrokinesis, bodyweight conditioning, cardio, anatomy, and technique optimization, plus weekly special guests. This program is perfect for pre-professional dancers ages 14+ who are on break or returning from a brief lay off due to injury, or want to enhance their technique. Back when I was writing my dance blog, Marissa was one of the first people I connected with in the realm of dancer conditioning, injury prevention, and wellness- She's incredibly passionate about hepling dancers perform their best :) Get in touch with Marissa, and visit the website for more info!

Back in my dancing days I used to get tons of compliments that I had good posture: "Wow you're sitting so straight! How do you have such good posture?" If only they knew... My "good posture" was actually a big source of my lower back pain Years of dancing had stiffened my spine into an extended shape such that I actually couldn't "slouch", even if I tried. Is that good posture?? And because I seem have this conversation about posture multiple times per week, I figured it w...ould be a good theme for this month's free Movement Nerd Hangout, open to all curious humans WHEN: This Friday April 30th @ 12pm EDT COST: 0$ or 60 minutes of your time (whichever is less) What does "good posture" mean for you? Shoulders back? Straight spine? Belly in? Or is it something unique for everyone? For me, being able to slouch would have been an improvement to my posture ;) I'm excited to share my experiences and insights with you based on what I've been learning about the truth of human movement for the past 5ish years with Anatomy in Motion. It's totally free, and you can sign up HERE: https://bookwhen.com/monikavolkmar If you can't attend live, a recording will be available, so sign up anyway if you'd like me to email it to you afterwards. Until then, I'm going enjoy slouching in my chair- Slouching I've worked long and hard to be able to do PS the image is truly my finest photo editing work yet, don't you agree?

Do you stretch? Do you have a goal to be more flexible? Does stretching do anything for your tightness or pain? I have a new blog post to share with you, and it's all about stretching: Why Should You Stretch? (Note: The title is NOT: Here's Why I Think You Should Stretch...) www.monikavolkmar.com/2017/05/29/why-should-you-stretch ... This is the first of a three part series on the nuances of stretching. How did stretching become the ultimate solution for our bodies' problems? (right up there with strengthening). Most of us stretch because we have reasoned that being flexible is good, and that the solution for most pain problems is to do a stretch for the painful area. Have you ever questioned that logic? I personally don't like to stretch, and my body has less pain when I'm less flexible. What's up with that? I share some of my thoughts, and some stories in the blog post, check it out and let me know what you think :)

Yesterday was the March edition of my Monthly Movement Nerd Hangout: Make Pals With Your Pecs. If you couldn't make it live, here's the recording of the session. In the session we discussed: - Should you stretch your pecs? ... - How can a pec stretch (or any stretch) go wrong? - Should you blame your pecs for all your shoulder and posture issues? - What joint motions lengthen/shorten the pecs in three dimensions? - Can you do all of those joint motions? And if not, can you give your body the experience of them again? And more nerdy exploratory movement goodness, based on what I've come to understand as a student of Gary Ward's Anatomy in Motion. Give yourself some time to participate along with the session and let me know what you find :) If you know of a friend, family member, or accountant that could use some help with their pesky pecs, please feel free to share this with them :) https://youtu.be/-NsHg-zsk54

Lisa took my first online Liberated Body workshop back in April/May 2020. She was pregnant and participated in all of my sessions right up until she had her baby :) I LOVE her words: "Having a tool kit of movement to draw from". What's worse than having a cranky, achey body? NOt knowing what to do about it. Feeling helpless and disempowered to take action...... But what if you have the tools to help you take responsibility for your body's needs? I can personally trace most of my body's past problems to a lack of three important tools to build a healthy movement practice: 1. Information about how a body is supposed to move- the anatomy and joint mechanics 2. Guidance and specific coaching for how to move my body 3. Consistency in my own daily movement practice I don't know if Lisa was looking for these three things specifically, but that's what she got when she joined my wee online community of movement nerds ;) Do you wake up with your lower back feeling cranky? There's something in the Liberated Body tool kit to assess that. After a long walk, do you feel something weird on the side of your ankle? There's something in the tool kit to navigate why that could be happening. My wish is to share the tools of education, self-awareness, and highly specific movement guidance that will help all human body owners to better understand the truth of how their bodies move. Want to build your movement tool kit? My next Liberated Body workshop is coming up Sat Feb 13th, and runs 4 consecutive Saturdays. For more info and to register, go here: www.monikavolkmar.com/liberated-body-workshop