Foundational Training

[Terry]

Originally Posted by FirmDancer

This saved me some money!

A bonus I got: Cleaning out the litter box every morning is now something that helps me get going first thing. I hip hinge, push on my knee with my left hand to stretch my spine "hard", and use the pooper scooper with my right hand. I also focus on a hip-hinged-spine-stretch when I'm brushing my teeth.

My throughout-the-day spine stretching does not include doing The Founder with arms overhead, but I'll start doing The Founder every day if what I'm doing now starts to not be enough to keep pain away.

NOTE: Eric does something as an advanced move that is about chest expansion and breathing - - - or something like this. I have forgotten what he calls it and I never figured out how to do it right. I don't know if this move is free on YouTube or not, but I also don't know how beneficial it is or isn't.

[Eibhinn]

I was a member of the Foundation Training streaming service for months, but really couldn't force myself to follow through with the introductory program, or even use the old DVD content, which is also included in the service.

I think their approach has value, but the way they teach it is fairly repetitive and boring. I also find the guy who created the system a confusing instructor - he tends to overcomplicate things and use weird terminology (see aforementioned "sphere of tension") without clearly explaining what he means by it. I actually joined the streaming service in the first place because I had and liked their first book, but didn't do the practice regularly because I found it repetitive and boring, and the instructions a bit confusing.

As far as I understand it, the core arguments in Foundation Training are:
1. By the time we're adults, most of us have damage to our back, although it doesn't cause pain for everyone
2. Most of that pain - and further damage - is caused by spinal compression, and can be relieved by decompression.
3. We can achieve this through a) exercises that lengthen/decompress the spine, b) strengthening the posterior chain muscles so they can hold and support the spine in this decompressed state, c) focusing on upright posture and alignment to stay strong and decompressed.

I think the exercise you're discussing might be decompression breathing, Terry. The best instruction I found for it was:
A. Stand in a balanced, upright position with good posture.
B. Put your little fingers on your hip points, thumbs on the lower ribs, and elbows out to the side, so that your chest and shoulders are very open.
C. Take a deep breath. Try to increase the distance between the hip points and lower ribs, while also breathing into/expanding your back ribs.
D. As you inhale and expand, imagine your spine lengthening. Feel like you're getting more space between the vertebrae.
E. As you exhale, try to maintain that new space and length.

It definitely seems to do something for me.

I found a bunch of online Foundation training instruction and would be happy to share the best videos I found if anyone is interested.

[Demeris]

Originally Posted by Eibhinn

I was a member of the Foundation Training streaming service for months, but really couldn't force myself to follow through with the introductory program, or even use the old DVD content, which is also included in the service.

I think their approach has value, but the way they teach it is fairly repetitive and boring. I also find the guy who created the system a confusing instructor - he tends to overcomplicate things and use weird terminology (see aforementioned "sphere of tension") without clearly explaining what he means by it. I actually joined the streaming service in the first place because I had and liked their first book, but didn't do the practice regularly because I found it repetitive and boring, and the instructions a bit confusing.

As far as I understand it, the core arguments in Foundation Training are:
1. By the time we're adults, most of us have damage to our back, although it doesn't cause pain for everyone
2. Most of that pain - and further damage - is caused by spinal compression, and can be relieved by decompression.
3. We can achieve this through a) exercises that lengthen/decompress the spine, b) strengthening the posterior chain muscles so they can hold and support the spine in this decompressed state, c) focusing on upright posture and alignment to stay strong and decompressed.

I think the exercise you're discussing might be decompression breathing, Terry. The best instruction I found for it was:
A. Stand in a balanced, upright position with good posture.
B. Put your little fingers on your hip points, thumbs on the lower ribs, and elbows out to the side, so that your chest and shoulders are very open.
C. Take a deep breath. Try to increase the distance between the hip points and lower ribs, while also breathing into/expanding your back ribs.
D. As you inhale and expand, imagine your spine lengthening. Feel like you're getting more space between the vertebrae.
E. As you exhale, try to maintain that new space and length.

It definitely seems to do something for me.

I found a bunch of online Foundation training instruction and would be happy to share the best videos I found if anyone is interested.

WOW. Thank you! And yes, please share the best videos you've found.

[Demeris]

[QUOTE=kimf;2916582]Re: Foundation Training, I subscribed to the streaming a while back and honestly I came to the realization that I liked the original 12 minute YouTube video the best out of all of it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BOTvaRaDjI

Well, that was one heck of an intense 12 mins, and I think I learned the power of the hip hinge in ways I didn't know possible.

[Terry]

Originally Posted by Eibhinn

I think the exercise you're discussing might be decompression breathing, Terry. The best instruction I found for it was:
A. Stand in a balanced, upright position with good posture.
B. Put your little fingers on your hip points, thumbs on the lower ribs, and elbows out to the side, so that your chest and shoulders are very open.
C. Take a deep breath. Try to increase the distance between the hip points and lower ribs, while also breathing into/expanding your back ribs.
D. As you inhale and expand, imagine your spine lengthening. Feel like you're getting more space between the vertebrae.
E. As you exhale, try to maintain that new space and length.

It definitely seems to do something for me.

I found a bunch of online Foundation training instruction and would be happy to share the best videos I found if anyone is interested.

This is a good description and it is good to know that you got something out of doing it. Now I can try it the right way to see if it’s worthwhile for me. Cool! Thanks.

[Terry]

[QUOTE=Demeris;2916934]

Originally Posted by kimf

Well, that was one heck of an intense 12 mins, and I think I learned the power of the hip hinge in ways I didn't know possible.

This is a great comment for one of the benefits.

[lreidgreen]

Originally Posted by Demeris

I tried to do a search for this because I know it's been discussed here numerous times, BUT we all know how fakakte the search function is.

SO I'd like to know how Foundational Training affected your posture, your aches and pains, but mostly what sort of impact it may have had on your regular workout routine.

Please share the good and the bad. TIA

Originally Posted by bzar

i'm going to use that word - fakakte. love it.

This word is Yiddish. I just checked my Yiddish Slang and Idioms book and it is listed as "feckuckteh (taboo) Dungy, crappy" (not the word they used but you get the idea)

I purchased the Kindle version of the Foundation Training book as it came with a video (or two) I did it once or twice then forgot about it. I think I was having pain at the time and not sure if it helped - the pain may have gone away from rest or other exercise. I simply do not remember probably because it was not memorable.

[Eibhinn]

Back with some links to some videos. Unfortunately, some that I'd found were gone, and I'm assuming people have already looked at the videos on the Foundation Training YouTube channel - they're a mixed bag, but some worth watching.

If you're interested in the theory/approach in general, a guy did an 18 minute long video summarizing the content in the latest Foundation Training book:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtG_qxinpmU

For tutorials, I found this woman is a better instructor than Eric Goodman, although I recall the sound on her videos is quite bad:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCv3...0JR0bLto9UYofA

This guy is also better at teaching the founder than the guy who invented it, IMO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZHmJwRuwuQ

I haven't actually done any of the following videos. They were all posted during the past year, so I previewed them fairly carefully and saved them. They all look quite good.

Here is an hour-long instructional session posted by a fitness/video studio as a livestream:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NMBl0OdyGY

Here is a half hour long flowing practice with good instruction posted by a gym, with reasonably good production quality/music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yB8U0XUG8RA

Finally, the Portland University Campus Rec posted some 45 minute long Foundation Training sessions. They're fairly gentle, although not necessarily fully true to the method - this guy seems to be a coach or athletic trainer who is enhancing the exercises with his own stuff, but it looks like an improvement to me, despite the crap quality filming.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhubTzw2J4w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf_cDjBN89Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8H2sOS_RaU&t=520s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2E_yoaxDr4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot6Tj4H1_oI

I've partly saved all of this stuff in case I try to convince myself to sign up for the streaming again! Hope it's helpful

[FirmDancer]

Originally Posted by Eibhinn

Back with some links to some videos. Unfortunately, some that I'd found were gone, and I'm assuming people have already looked at the videos on the Foundation Training YouTube channel - they're a mixed bag, but some worth watching.

...

I've partly saved all of this stuff in case I try to convince myself to sign up for the streaming again! Hope it's helpful

Thank you so much for this!

[Demeris]

Originally Posted by Eibhinn

Back with some links to some videos. Unfortunately, some that I'd found were gone, and I'm assuming people have already looked at the videos on the Foundation Training YouTube channel - they're a mixed bag, but some worth watching.

If you're interested in the theory/approach in general, a guy did an 18 minute long video summarizing the content in the latest Foundation Training book:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtG_qxinpmU

For tutorials, I found this woman is a better instructor than Eric Goodman, although I recall the sound on her videos is quite bad:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCv3...0JR0bLto9UYofA

This guy is also better at teaching the founder than the guy who invented it, IMO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZHmJwRuwuQ

I haven't actually done any of the following videos. They were all posted during the past year, so I previewed them fairly carefully and saved them. They all look quite good.

Here is an hour-long instructional session posted by a fitness/video studio as a livestream:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NMBl0OdyGY

Here is a half hour long flowing practice with good instruction posted by a gym, with reasonably good production quality/music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yB8U0XUG8RA

Finally, the Portland University Campus Rec posted some 45 minute long Foundation Training sessions. They're fairly gentle, although not necessarily fully true to the method - this guy seems to be a coach or athletic trainer who is enhancing the exercises with his own stuff, but it looks like an improvement to me, despite the crap quality filming.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhubTzw2J4w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf_cDjBN89Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8H2sOS_RaU&t=520s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2E_yoaxDr4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot6Tj4H1_oI

I've partly saved all of this stuff in case I try to convince myself to sign up for the streaming again! Hope it's helpful

Thank you. This is a treasure trove! It will be helpful. I've already done several of the shorter videos on his youtube channel. I'm grateful for the deep dive these will give me.

I know that the three short videos I did before I saw my sister yesterday were only a small part of this story, but it seems appropriate to share here:

I have, since I was 13, been about a half in taller than my older sister and, since he hit adolescence, an inch taller than our younger brother. Last summer, I had a disturbing experience. My brother was visiting (he lives in a different state), and he and I were standing side by side. He was exactly as tall as I am. I looked down and noticed that while I was barefoot, he was wearing cross trainers, but even so, it was unnerving to see that I had shrunk so much (at 63).

About two months later, I was talking to my sister as we stood near her car. She looked at me and said, 'Have you shrunk? You look shorter than I remember.' I pointed out I was wearing thin flip flops and she had on sandals with a thick sole. She harrumphed at that. And we did seem to be the same height, although we didn't compare.

Those two experiences brought me up short (hahaha, inadvertent pun), and I decided to do something about it. I beefed up my T-Tapp and my Classical Stretch. I also added in serious non-yoga stretching—a program called Pietra Fitness—all of which I've been doing several times a week since November.

When I did the 12 minute Foundation Training YouTube video, I felt taller all day long, and I knew that my posture had improved. I've been doing the shorter videos, one a day, since Kimf posted the first video.

I saw my sister yesterday. I wore thin flip flops, and she wore thick soled hiking sandals. And I WAS TALLER than she!!!!!!!! I haven't had my height measured in a while, but I'll take being taller than my sister and, I hope, taller than my brother when I see him next.