Alignment Snacks: Hips Don't Lie - They Sit

Katy Bowman’s “Alignment Snacks” are short (20-30 minute) downloads which focus on body alignment. In each “snack,” Katy leads an unseen (but not unheard) class through an alignment session consisting of various stretches and/or gentle exercises, which are performed while Katy provides information on proper alignment. The snacks currently cost $5 each; you can find them on her website (katysays.com) under the “Move” tab.

This review is for Hips Don’t Lie — They Sit. It runs 32:16 and the file size is 317.7 MB. This is one of the stretchier snacks. My hips felt really good at the end of it.

The session begins sitting on the floor, on a block or half dome. Katy spends the first three minutes showing how to get a neutral pelvis, then she starts stretching the muscles of the pelvis/hip area. In the first stretch, you tilt your pelvis towards the floor with your legs crossed one way, then you do the same thing but switch which foot is in front. Katy continues with two more versions of the same stretch, one with the soles of the feet together and another in “V sit” with the legs straight and wide. While in V sit, Katy has you perform self-massage of the adductors to get the lymph moving. Then she has you stretch over your straight legs, which is the only time in the workout that she says she’s ok with a tucked pelvis. She has the less flexible people in the class (potentially quite a number of them!) use a strap here. This series takes about 9 minutes or so, and Katy provides alignment information / tips throughout.

At approximately the 12 minute mark, Katy goes through all but the straight-leg stretches again, this time adding a twist to each side. Katy has you do an assessment of your current range of motion (i.e., how much you can twist naturally), and then she has you assist the twists by pushing against your knee. Katy gives a nice explanation in this section about how lymph movement strengthens the immune system, so you Should.Not.Sit all the time! The session moves on to five minutes of passive stretches on your back, starting with the soles of the feet together, and then with one foot on the shin of the other (and alternate). Ouch! Katy provides another assessment tool here, this one for the psoas. Katy explains that there are three knee position levels in this stretch: on the floor, higher in “carport,” and almost vertical (“flagpole” ); you likely have psoas problems if you’re in flagpole. The session ends with two minutes of full body stretches on your back (arms overhead), and then knees to the chest while rocking side to side. Heaven!

Equipment used: a mat, yoga block or half dome, and a strap (only needed if you can’t touch your feet while bending forward)

What I liked

I love stretching my hips, and the stretches and twists here felt good. They were also held for a long time, which I thought was helpful. I found the alignment information to be interesting, particularly about the relationship between lymph movement and the immune system. This one felt stretchy enough that I’ll return to it again (and likely again).

What I didn’t like

The production values in this one were not the best (sun coming in made the picture streaky/washed out). But once the session got going, I didn’t notice it much. Also, while Katy’s alignment instructions are good in general, I found the instructions on how to find a neutral pelvis confusing. I’m not sure that I ever found mine! So I spent most of the first part of the session trying to figure out whether I was doing it right, instead of paying close attention to the tips.

What You Should Be Aware Of

The purpose of this session isn’t to work out. It’s to provide alignment information and then put it into practice through stretching. I’ll use this one as a stretch workout. However, if you do the same, you should be aware that there is some down time while Katy talks; so it isn’t pure stretching.

Instructor Comments:
Katy makes joke-y comments in this one, which the class seemed to find funny. I wasn’t so sure, but maybe that’s just me. At times, she answers questions from the class.

shawnt