Position Before Transition

Transitions are wonderful. They seamlessly connect one exercise with the next. There is no pause in the movement, no letup of activity. No rest for the weary.

But if the transition is a struggle, then it can leave us in faulty alignment for the exercise to come. On top of that, the pressure of keeping up with the flow in a group class can contribute to our neglect of proper form and function.

Take, for example, the transition of circling the arms up and back before Hip Circles. If your shoulders are tight, then you might end up with them in an elevated position (shrugging). If you didn’t reach your arms far enough behind you, then the head of the humerus will have shifted anteriorly (shoulder pushed forward). Neither of these is, of course, correct alignment.

Why not skip the transition for a while and focus on mastering the exercise itself. You’ll know when you’re there because you’ll be able to assume the correct form immediately (with no need of your teacher to correct you). When you know all the alignment points by heart and can correct your bad habits (thanks, muscle memory) then please add the arm reach and circle. The elegant transition will be the icing on the cake.